by T. R. Hamby
“It doesn’t matter,” Andreas finally said, “it doesn’t pertain to our situation now.”
Hudson looked doubtful, but moved on. “And….the Demons are specifically after you--Gabriel--who is your son?”
And she pointed from Gabriel to Michael, who nodded darkly.
“Why?”
Michael looked away, emotion on his face. Gabriel replied, “He’s punishing Michael. I’m his son, so….if I die….”
He trailed off. Hudson looked a little sick, and she set her coffee down on the table.
“It’s a lot to take in,” Nora said gently. “You got a crash course today.”
Hudson shook her head. “I just….thought there was a lot less going on out there.”
They were quiet. Roone tried his best not to look at Nora. He thought of their child, and his heart ached.
No. There was no child.
Finally Hudson said, “There’s another body.”
The mood instantly shifted.
“Where?” Nora asked.
“Grace Landing,” Hudson replied darkly. “Next town over. About twenty miles north.”
“Hitchhiker?” Barry asked.
Hudson nodded. “We think so. Another logger heading back home.”
She frowned, then said, “All strangled. All undressed.”
“Why?”
“We think there was sexual activity beforehand,” she replied, and a chill went through the room.
Roone and Andreas looked at each other. Andreas looked troubled, angry. Roone felt the same.
“How many does that make?” he asked, and once again everyone looked at him, surprised he had spoken.
“Five,” Hudson said. “Two here, the one in Grace Landing, and two more in Hayton, five miles east.”
“So we’re working in a twenty mile radius,” Mel said. “Any forensics?”
“The cold destroyed a lot of useful evidence,” Hudson sighed. “We found fibers that look like part of the carpeting to a van, possibly.”
She looked at them. “That’s it. That’s why I’m here. We need help.”
“We--” Barry began.
But Mel interrupted. “The problem is, we’re--Barry--we’re all supposed to be hidden,” he said, throwing Barry a look when he tried interjecting. “We’re all in danger. Leaving the estate puts us at risk.”
“Not all of us,” Andreas said, and Roone frowned at him.
He looked firm, and he looked at Roone. “Roone and I are outliers. God can’t know either of us are here.”
“Unless he saw me Travel to Westminster,” Roone said.
“He probably didn’t,” Michael said. “You entered under Them’s shield as soon as you Traveled into the house. The shield follows Mel and I around.”
“Won’t God see them if they leave Them’s shield?” Gilla asked worriedly.
“Only if he knows we’re here,” Mel said, “and I doubt he does. Otherwise the Demons would be here too.”
“But even so,” Nora said, “if he does know we’re here, he’ll see them.”
“He won’t,” Andreas said. “I have my own power.”
When everyone stared, he sighed and said, “From what I was told--when a person Ascends into Them’s Place, she imbibes them with some of her power. I have a little of her within me, if you will. So I should have my own shield to protect me and Roone. I can do it; I’ve practiced a little.”
“What about me?” Barry asked, almost indignantly. “She gave me life.”
“But she never Ascended you,” Andreas replied. “You probably have some of her power now, but it’s not enough.”
“Has Them spoken to you lately, Barry?” Nora asked gently.
He suddenly looked moody, and he shook his head. “No.”
“She hasn’t spoken to me either,” Andreas said, and Roone was surprised; he didn’t know Them could speak to Andreas too.
“I think she’s working,” Andreas continued gravely. “She told me before that she’s been….sensing a lot of things. Shifts. I don’t really know what that means….something shaking the universe, I suppose.”
“That makes utterly no sense,” Nora sighed.
“S’pose it’s like when she sensed those Demons coming,” Barry suggested.
“So Father’s up to something,” Michael said darkly. “Again.”
“He knows we’ll put up a fight,” Mel said. “He’s trying to find a way to stop us.”
“Why doesn’t he just….” Hudson said, “….come down?”
There was a pause. Roone frowned, as did the other three Angels, who looked at each other bewildered. Never had Father “come down;” Roone wasn’t even sure Father could “come down.”
“Does he….can he even have a body?” Barry asked, echoing Roone’s thoughts.
“It’s never happened,” Gabriel said, shaking his head.
“He can’t want you dead bad enough to take physical form,” Mel said.
“If it’s even possible,” Michael added.
“Why doesn’t he just--kill him?” Hudson asked weakly.
This was a question Roone remembered them discussing before. “To torture us,” he said instantly, and a couple of them flinched.
“To torture me,” Michael murmured.
“Wait,” Nora said, and Roone’s heart leapt again.
It appeared that she was about to take the floor, which Roone used as an excuse to stare at her.
She looked firm, her face set. “What if God can’t just, poof, kill us?”
There was a pause.
She looked around at them. “I mean, has it ever been done?”
“This is Father, Nora,” Michael said. “He’s lord over everything. He can Create, and he can Uncreate.”
“He can also lie,” Nora replied. “I mean, come on. All those humans and Angels you’ve killed, when he could have just done it himself? What’s up with that?”
Mel and Michael looked at each other. “Because he’s twisted,” Mel said, albeit a little lamely. “He’s got plans; he’s….”
But he trailed off, and he and Michael looked at each other again, nervous.
Roone was nervous too. He too had always been under the impression that Father could kill whenever he wanted. But now that he thought about it, every creature he had ever destroyed had been killed by a middleman. Even the First Woman, Lilith.
“She’s right,” Gilla said, frowning. “It makes sense.”
“How could Father not be able to do something?” Gabriel breathed, amazed. “And something so….foundational. If he can Create, how can he not Uncreate?”
“It’s that law thing,” Barry said. “That’s what Them’s feeling, him doing something not right….maybe he shouldn’t kill. These things he’s doing….maybe he shouldn’t. Maybe it’s wrong.”
Roone ran a hand through his hair. The conversation was starting to get out of his depth.
“We need Them to explain,” Nora said, almost demanding. “She must know something.”
“She’s as lost as we are,” Barry replied. “She hasn’t been around like he has.”
Gabriel tutted, and Michael sort of growled impatiently. Mel’s head twitched.
Hudson sighed. “Let’s take a break. Get some coffee. Talk about the murders in a bit.”
So they dispersed. Gilla and Nora escorted Hudson to the kitchen, murmuring to her. Gabriel and Barry remained on the sofa, deep in conversation.
And Michael and Mel immediately dragged Roone and Andreas into the study.
“Explain,” Mel said, as Michael folded his arms.
Andreas folded his arms too, stubborn, and Roone looked at the three feeling a mixture of nervousness and amusement.
“We’ve become friends,” he said, and they looked at him.
He shrugged and said, “We just….like to talk.”
“You can’t blame us,” Andreas said firmly. “We’re the outsiders here. We have no one else to talk to. To support.”
“You have us,” Mel replie
d, looking pained.
“I was murdered by an Angel who was hunting you down,” Andreas said bitterly. “I lost my life. My family, my friends, my profession. All together….”
His voice broke a little. “I have nothing. Can any of you relate to that?”
“And Roone can?” Michael asked, somewhat incredulously.
Roone felt himself deflate, but Andreas was firm. “Of course he can. He lost everything when he lost Nora.”
“Nora was never his to begin with,” Mel hissed, his blue eyes darkening ever so slightly.
Andreas ignored the small chill in the air. “When are you lot going to realize that he was sick?”
“It doesn’t excuse what I’ve done, Andreas,” Roone said quietly.
“Doesn’t it?” he asked, looking at him. “You believed she was in danger. You believed she loved you. You weren’t trying to torture her; you weren’t trying to terrify her. If you had known better, you never would have done those things.”
“Nora is traumatized,” Mel exclaimed, incensed, and the room became very cold.
Roone felt a wave of dread crash over him, and he and Andreas backed away, shivering.
Michael seized Mel’s shoulder. “Keep it together, or leave,” he growled.
Mel chose to leave, shutting the door behind him. The chill dissipated, and Roone let out a breath. Andreas did too, and they looked at each other, making sure the other was okay.
Michael folded his arms again, and Roone could tell he was thinking hard.
He looked at Andreas. “What’s his chance of relapsing?”
Roone felt a pang, and winced. Andreas replied, “Fair. Erotomania is difficult to treat.”
Michael nodded, looking troubled. “You’ll watch him?”
“Of course.”
Roone remembered last night, and felt a wave of relief. Andreas wouldn’t let him hurt anyone ever again.
Michael nodded again. He suddenly looked awkward, and he looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet.
Then he murmured, “I’m sorry.”
He looked up, avoiding their eyes. “To both of you.”
Roone stared at him. For a moment he was sure he had hallucinated--Michael was apologizing to him. For what--their treatment of him, the delusions he suffered--Roone wasn’t sure. But Michael was apologizing, and it was….freeing.
Michael left the room, and Andreas and Roone looked at each other. Andreas was smiling, a smile that seemed both sad and pleased. They embraced, clapping each other on the back, before pulling away.
“I meant what I said,” Andreas said firmly, “about being your friend. We’re stuck with each other.”
Roone chuckled, but inside he felt a warmth he hadn’t experienced in the longest time. For once he had someone who cared--who wanted to be with him. For once, he was lucky, blessed. Maybe even worthy.
Then he frowned, remembering Hudson. “Are we really able to help her?” he asked incredulously.
The shield thing was still very new to him--Them was still very new to him--and he couldn’t wrap his mind around Andreas having godlike powers.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “Trust me. Them wouldn’t send me down completely vulnerable. I’m supposed to be helping, aren’t I?”
“Well, what other tricks are you hiding up your sleeve?”
Andreas hesitated.
Finally he said, “Come with me.”
So Roone followed him outside. It had snowed again, leaving a six inch blanket on the ground.
Andreas walked a ways from the house, and then knelt down, digging at the snow until a small patch of wet earth was visible. He gestured for Roone to come look, and Roone knelt down too.
Andreas took a deep breath, and stretched his fingers out, as if he was pulling something from the ground.
Roone let out a breath. Slowly, millimeter by millimeter, a green bud rose out of the earth. It turned into a sprig, with two little leaves stretched out as though joyfully greeting the sky.
“Christ,” Roone breathed, as Andreas shook out his hand. “How?”
“I told you,” Andreas said gently, “I have powers now. They’re not strong, of course--all I can manage is that. But I can Create.”
Roone sat back on his heels, thinking hard.
He looked at him. “Could they grow? With practice? Maybe you could Create something that could help us.”
But Andreas was shaking his head. “My power won’t grow. Remember, I only received a little of Them’s power. A miniscule amount.”
“But Them is developing her power. Why can’t you?”
Andreas frowned. “I don’t know,” he replied. “She just said I can’t. It’s just too small.”
Roone raised an eyebrow. “And you trust her?”
Andreas sighed. “She gave me a new life, Roone. You understand? I’m dead down here. But Up There, in her Place, I’m alive again. I could have a trade; I could have friends, have children. The only difference is I can’t die again. I have to trust her.”
Roone nodded. He couldn’t argue with Andreas’ logic. And with everything he had heard about Them, Roone was inclined to trust her anyway.
Now if only she would explain herself….
Nora
Her feelings for Roone were like a violent seesaw. On one end she worried about him, hoping he would heal, that he could start to live without her in his mind. On the other end she shook at just the mention of him, and was flooded with memories of her abduction whenever she saw his face.
But things were getting better. Her nightmares were happening less and less. She was almost able to ignore him whenever they were in the same room. And he left her alone--that was the greatest comfort of all. He didn’t go near her, and it was a clear sign that he was getting well.
She had been right. They didn’t have to kill him after all. He was safe, and they both were healing.
But it was a shock to discover Roone and Andreas together. Andreas was firm, stubborn, and Roone was nervous, guilty.
Nora studied them now, as the group of nine resumed their discussion of the murders. Andreas was speaking, once again explaining the power he had received from Them after Ascending to her Realm. Roone must have sensed Nora’s gaze, because he was staring resolutely at Andreas, or else looking down at his hands.
Nora wondered. Could they be in love? They sat very close to each other. Andreas seemed almost….protective. Roone just seemed like a ball of nerves, which made Nora’s heart ache.
It was possible. But if it was, what did that mean for all of them?
“If you’re sure you won’t attract any of these….Demons,” Hudson was saying, “then I’ll take your offer. Two extra minds is better than none.”
“Both are smart, too,” Michael said quietly, and everyone looked at him in surprise, including Roone.
Nora couldn’t argue with that. After all, Roone had masterminded her kidnapping and her captivity to almost perfection. It was a miracle she had managed to get herself out of there.
“What do you want us to do?” Roone asked.
Nora was sure this was the most she had heard from him in weeks.
Hudson hesitated, unsure.
Nora thought. What could they do? Revisit the sites where the bodies were found? But no; they had been dumped. They couldn’t find anything there. All that connected them was….
“The road,” Nora said, and everyone looked at her.
She looked around at them. “Elle road. All the bodies were found nearby. You think someone picked them up there, right?” she asked Hudson.
Hudson nodded, frowning. “Right.”
“So Andreas--and Roone--can pretend to be hitchhikers,” Nora continued. “Try to get picked up.”
She looked at Hudson. “Do you have a profile?”
Hudson looked intrigued. “White male, thirties to forties. Most likely has a local job that involves lots of driving. May have a family, active in the community. Unsuspecting.”
“And the vehicle could be a van,�
�� Andreas added, nodding firmly.
“So you try to get picked up by this guy,” Nora said, “Roone will incapacitate him, and Andreas will kill--”
“No,” Hudson said. “No killing. We need to catch this guy. This isn’t Angel work we’re doing.”
“Oh,” Nora said, deflating, “right. I forgot.”
There were some chuckles. Nora could feel Roone’s eyes on her, and she shivered slightly. Mel, beside her, grew tense.
“But he’s not going to pick up two hitchhikers,” Andreas said incredulously. “He’d be outnumbered.”
Barry made a noise, and everyone turned to him. Nora knew instantly it was Them, and she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Them would know what to do.
Barry listened, then said, “Fake an injury.”
Andreas and Roone looked at each other.
“That could work,” Hudson said slowly.
She pointed to Andreas. “You’re more intimidating, so you should be the injured one. And you,” and she looked at Roone, “could play up your vulnerability, make yourself look easy to overpower.”
Roone looked offended, but nodded.
“Pretend you’re involved with each other, too,” Mel said darkly. “There was sexual activity before the murders. He might be interested in sex. Shouldn’t be difficult,” he added, and Nora knew it was a stinging remark.
She elbowed him sharply in the ribs, and he sighed, looking tired. He hadn’t been sleeping well, plagued by nightmares and the need to plan, to think. It was making him moody, brooding.
“Where have you been?” Barry asked Them, and there was hurt in his voice.
There was a pause as he listened to her answer.
He nodded. “She’s been watching the house by Mount Brandon….it’s taken her a long time to see anything useful; she’s had to go so far away. But,” and he went pale, “she can tell there are more of them, and that they’ve gone to look for us. The house is empty.”
There was a stunned silence. Then Mel said, “They can’t guess where we are.”
“Depends,” Michael said, and Mel looked at him. “You said you have good lawyers. Which one has documents for all your places?”
“And how trustworthy are they?” Gabriel asked darkly.