Blown Away!: Even More Confessions of an Angel in Training Page 11

  “Ahhh, I see. What grade did you get on that project?”

  “I, I don’t remember.” And truly, I didn’t. It was all mixed up with me bi-locating and going back to Earth, followed by the awards ceremony, Annex’s wing clipping, and finishing off my Mission with Izzy.

  “Those Locusts were defeated a long time ago. Eons ago. When I set up camp in The Wilds, I took their name, because I thought it was cool.”

  “So….you’re…” Thoughts buzzed around my head like a small swarm of bees.

  “Not much more experienced than you,” Annex completes one of my thought for me.

  How is that even possible? It’s so different from what I thought I saw.

  We don’t really say much for a while, I just enjoy the scenery. Flying with Annex is nothing like flying with Victor. With Victor every sense is heightened, every nerve ending twitches with anticipation. With Annex, it’s like settling into a comfy chair bundled in an Afghan blanket.

  I tell him that, then say, “Please tell me your story. I promise not to breathe a word.”

  Annex clears his throat, and I can hardly believe when he starts speaking. “I left school early—like you—and went on my first Assignment, but he died on me. And then the next died, too. And the next, and the next, and the one after that. My classmates started calling me The Angel of Death.”

  I think about Tara and Finn and Izzy, and how impossible it would’ve been to deal with something like that.

  “I always felt like maybe they were punishing me, especially Michael, for leaving school early. Now I think it might have just been random. Regardless, I felt like a failure, but I was so determined to be a great Guardian. You know how that feels, right?”

  My head bumps his shoulder when I nod.

  “I told myself, one more Assignment. If they died, I would go back to Michael and ask to return to classes at L’Academie.”

  I could totally understand how he felt. There were times I thought it might be better to be in school, and I hadn’t even lost an Assignment.

  “On the next Assignment the unthinkable happened…”

  Oh, no. Not again.

  “…I fell in love with her—a human.”

  I gasp.

  “It’s not like it was the first time something like that had happened, but I cursed my luck.”

  As Annex tells this part of the story, he’s climbing higher and higher in altitude. Soon, we’re above the clouds, and the landscape below us is completely obscured.

  “Then she got sick—cancer. I prayed and prayed, and even made deals, which is strictly forbidden as you know.”

  “What deal?”

  “That I would give her up and never try to see her again, if she could live.”

  I don’t want to ask how this turned out. Either way is beyond sad. I glance over my shoulder at Annex and he’s crying. We’ve flown so high that as tears leave his eyes, they turn to chips of ice and plummet back toward Earth. My heart hurts for him.

  When we finally land back at Peace Park, I realize this flight with Annex is the longest one I’ve ever been on. All the flights with Victor were short and flirty, but this was the real deal, half-way across the country and back.

  My hair is tangled beyond belief. I run my fingers through the curls, hoping to work out most of the knots. “Thank you,” I say to Annex. “That was so kind of you.”

  Annex looks uncomfortable with my gratitude. “If I was still trying to please the powers that be, that jaunt would’ve gotten both of us in some hot water.”

  “Then I guess it’s good we’re Locusts.”

  Annex laughs. “Truer words were never spoken.”

  Chapter 23

  After another morning of clean-up, The Red Cross shows up. A caravan of vehicles parade down the streets, with one big truck pulling up to Peace Park. For a moment I wonder if He is The Pilot—because I know how much He likes to drive—but this time it’s Victor.

  He steps from the truck, wearing a red and white down vest. It’s good to see him, but a part of me hopes he doesn’t notice me. There’s the whole I’m a spy thing to contend with, plus I’m not the same Angel he left behind in The Wilds. I’ve heard too many sad stories to ever be that girl again.

  Other workers dressed like Victor jump down from a side door. Immediately, they fan out and go to work, distributing meals and blankets to victims and others camping here to help. Victor, on the other hand, makes a bee-line for me. Guess he saw me. “How are you doing? Everything alright?”

  “Better than expected.” Which is the simplest way for me to explain a complicated situation.

  “Good to hear. I brought you something.” He holds out one of the Red Cross blankets. “I know you get cold when you sleep.”

  I take the blanket and give him a big hug. One side of his mouth cocks up into a lopsided grin. “They have great burgers at this pool hall in town. We drove past it on the way in and it’s open.” A burger? With Victor? “I thought maybe for dinner…”

  How can I say no? Besides, he always knows the best spots. “Sounds good. I’ll meet you back here.”

  The rest of the afternoon flies by. I’m busy being a good Guardian when I’m not distracted by thoughts of my date with Victor. Before I know it, I’m back at the park looking around for him. He finds me first, sneaks up behind me, and puts his hands over my eyes. “Are you ready to tantalize your taste buds?” he whispers in my ear.

  “I’m starving and you’re going to torment me? That’s not very angelic of you.”

  Victor grins. “Okay, c’mon, let’s go. I don’t want to stand between you and a burger.” I start walking toward town, but Victor takes my hand and pulls me in the opposite direction. “We’ll have to take the truck. It’s too far to walk.”

  And that’s how we end up navigating the long way there through cordoned-off streets, with the IVs, in the bloodmobile section, clanking around in the back of the truck. A kinda weird date if you ask me. Even so, I’d be a lot more concerned if Victor was a vampire instead of a Full Angel.

  There’s not much parking at the pool hall, so Victor, miraculously, parallel parks this baby.

  Inside, it’s dimly lit and the smell of beer and burgers and dusty pool tables creates the kind of ambience I’d grown accustomed to on burger runs in The Big Apple. There aren’t any tables, so we sit at a counter directly in front of the grill.

  “It’s good to see you.” He smiles and his eyes crinkle in a nice way.

  “You, too.” I look down at my hands because I’m not sure how much I can tell Victor about what’s been happening with me. As a spy, I’m not sure if I should. As his girlfriend, if that’s what I am, I’m not sure I want to. The silence stretches until the short-order cook asks what we want. Victor orders for both of us—he knows what I like and he knows what’s good—and the cook settles into his routine.

  Victor tries to jump-start the conversation. It doesn’t go well. “So I see the full contingent of Locusts is out and about.” The disdain in his voice is heavy. And not quite fair.

  “They’ve helped a lot of people, just like regular Guardians, and some of them aren’t even trained as Guardians.”

  Victor harumphs. “Annex only wants one thing.”

  He’s wrong about that, and I feel the need to defend him. “He’s done a lot of good work here.”

  “You need to be careful about cozying up with the enemy.”

  “He’s not an enemy. He’s here being a Guardian, just like you and me.”

  Victor grabs the salt and pepper shakers from the next place over. He twirls them through his fingers with nervous energy, then slams them onto the counter. “Don’t forget what he tried to do to Izzy”

  Silence. I hear the clack of pool balls from across the room, and practically whisper, “He took me to see Izzy.”

  Victor is speechless. He grinds his jaw and looks angry enough to explode.

  Re-direct! “I heard you went to The Apple Pan.”

  That calms him down. A little. />
  I should probably change the subject completely, get our conversation off of Annex, Izzy, and my current Mission. Avoid a confrontation.

  Confession: I’ve never been good at that.

  “Listen, Victor. I just feel like I have to say this. I’m a pretty good judge of character, both in Heaven and on my past Assignments. You said so yourself when you were taking me to their camp. And Annex…he’s different from what I thought.”

  “You’re still training.”

  Okay, now he’s making me angry. “Need I remind you, I’d be a Full Angel if not for this Mission. I was being measured for my wings when it cropped up.”

  “Regardless, I have more experience, especially with demons like Annex.”

  “He’s not a demon! I’m a good judge of character.”

  “In this case, I doubt it.”

  We need to end this conversation, so thank Heaven and the Saints above us that the cook lays our plates in front of us. I push up the long sleeves of my tee to have at it, which as it turns out is a huge mistake. Victor sees my bandage.

  “What happened?”

  “Nothing.”

  “That’s not nothing. That’s a big bandage.”

  “They…um…I took the brand. I had to in order to demonstrate loyalty.”

  His eyes flame. “The Locust brand?”

  “Yes.” My voice is small.

  “Who! Who branded you? Was it Annex?”

  I can see the fury in his face, and I know he doesn’t understand. He wasn’t there. “I didn’t have a lot of options.”

  “I don’t care about that. I want to know who!”

  “I can’t talk about it when you’re like this.”

  “Like what? How am I?”

  “You’re angry.”

  “Damn right I’m angry. They branded you.”

  “I have to go. I can’t be around you when you’re like this.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous! Where are you going to go?”

  “I’m going to Peace Park.”

  “You can’t go. I drove us here.”

  How dare he! Victor shouldn’t tell me I can’t do something. “Watch me.”

  “How are you going to get there?”

  Well, I sure as hell can’t fly. No wings yet. But it’s a much easier walk than anything I did in The Wilds. My hiking boots clump across the hardwood flooring as I head for the door. “Enjoy your burger. And mine too!”

  Tears burn my eyes as bad as the brand. As I leave, I realize it’s clear he doesn’t trust me. Or trust my judgment. Maybe he’s right. Maybe my judgment does stink. Maybe, just maybe, I misjudged him.

  It takes me a couple hours to make it back to the park. Victor was right about one thing—the walk was just an eensy bit too far. And, I probably made it shorter by traveling the streets that were closed off, so Victor couldn’t follow me. I head straight for my tent, because I’m sure he’s back by now and I don’t want to talk to him, or anyone else for that matter. Unfortunately, Annex intercepts me as I cut through tent city.

  “I’ve been looking all over—” He stops and stares. “Are you alright?”

  I’m sure I look a mess after my walk. Oh, and the good, solid cry, too. “Everything’s fine,” I say, lying my butt off.

  “It’s not. I can tell. Where have you been?”

  “I went to dinner with Victor. We had a fight. I walked back, and… you know what? I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Annex’s jaw drops mid-way through my rant. “Victor? The dude that clipped my wings?”

  “The one and only. Now, whatever it is you wanted to talk to me about—can it wait till morning? I’m in a crappy mood. I just need a good night’s sleep.”

  “It can wait, but we have to leave. Now.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Grace, he cut off half my wing and you have to ask why?”

  “But you said you’d ask him to take more. That it made you badass.”

  Annex sighs heavily. “Bluster. I can’t afford another injury like that. Not right before… Listen, pack your gear and meet me at the portal. I’ll round up the others with Frank.”

  And that’s how I ended up with another long trek, this time through The Wilds back to camp. And very little sleep.

  Confession: Even though it sounds like I’m complaining, I was actually relieved to escape without seeing Victor.

  Chapter 24

  Sunrise comes quickly after we make it back to the Locust camp. As we all gather for breakfast, Annex announces that tomorrow is the day. Excitement runs through the chow line.

  The day. Oh, no! I have to stop this, before someone gets hurt.

  “Annex, hey Annex!” I call as he heads away with Frank in tow.

  He stops and I skedaddle over to him. “Annex…” I manage, out of breath.

  He gives me a tight smile. “We still need to talk, but it’ll have to wait until after the invasion.”

  I’d realized on my walk through The Wilds last night how bad this was going to be. The Locusts thought their plan was bullet proof, but I knew better. Annex and the others—even Frank—had become friends. They at least deserved to know what they were heading into. It was time for me to come clean.

  Confession: I don’t look forward to this confession.

  “Actually, that’s what I needed to speak with you about.” I hesitate while Frank hovers over Annex’s shoulder. Well, not really hover, as in off the ground, but just hangs out there. Like a pest. “Alone,” I add since Frank appreciates the direct approach.

  Annex shoos Frank away and waits for him to be out of earshot. “Now, what was it you needed to tell me?”

  “Is there somewhere private we could go?” I don’t want any of the Locusts to pick up on our conversation through Unconventional Communication.

  Annex gives me a wary look. “My tent is soundproof. Is that what you mean?”

  “From Frank’s keen hearing?”

  “From everyone.” He leads the way to his oversized tent and draws back the flap for me. Inside it looks like a military HQ with detailed maps of The Wilds hanging on the walls and push pins encircling The Garden. Near his bunk is a table, and on it is a framed picture of a beautiful woman.

  That must be her—the love of his life.

  Annex closes the door and turns to me, raising one brow. “Now, what was it you needed to tell me?”

  My stomach acts like it’s on the rollercoaster at the church carnival with Finn, lurching up, down and sideways. Which, come to think of it, mimics my feelings about Annex and the Locusts. “I am a spy,” I blurt. Before I can say any more, Annex bursts into laughter. I feel something like regret for deceiving him for so long. “No, no. Don’t laugh. I am.”

  His laughter dies out and he delves into my eyes.

  “See, I used to think you were bad—even evil, I suppose.”

  “You’re not the only one.”

  “But that was before I truly knew you, and everyone else here at the camp. I never wanted to come… this Mission…I was afraid, but Natura… her anger was simmering, and I thought she was going to boil over. I knew when that happened—if that happened—people would be hurt. So, I became convinced that spying was the only way to help people, and you know how important that is to me.” Tears well in my eyes. The betrayal feels unforgivable.

  He nods silently, then says, “I can’t believe they made an AIT come. I’d always suspected they’d send someone, but didn’t expect this.”

  My heart aches. He’s being so calm about this, and I’d thought he’d be furious. I whisper, “That’s probably the worst part. They didn’t make me—I had Free Will.”

  Annex chuffs a laugh. “Riiiight.”

  We sit in silence for a moment while I collect my thoughts. The point of this whole confession is to change the path we’re on, after all. Finally I say, “Mother Nature doesn’t want you in the Garden of Eden. Archangel Michael either—though he may just want to keep you out because of Mother Nature’s temper. Either way, they’re
going to try to stop you… and… they know you plan to arrive by canoe.”

  “How could they know that?” Annex asks in an angry burst.

  Softly, I say, “I told you, I’m a spy.”

  Annex’s brows knit together. “Who did you tell?”

  “Mother Nature. She found me the night after I took the brand.” I cringe and wait for Annex to explode—it’d be a natural reaction—but he doesn’t. Maybe he’s in shock. “When I told her, that short fuse of hers was lit. That’s what caused all the tornadoes. I wish I hadn’t told her, but it’s too late for that. The point is, who knows what she’ll do if you move ahead with the plan to invade The Garden. She could really explode. I never wanted anyone to get hurt—I still don’t. I have friends on both sides, and can’t bear any more suffering on Earth.”

  “I see.” His eyes soften.

  “I’m so sorry. I never realized that… that I would care about you. I never realized that you could get hurt again because of me.” I point at his left shoulder where his mangled wing is tucked away.

  Annex simply shrugs off that remark.

  “What will eating from that Tree do for you… or for them.” I wave my hand to encompass the camp just outside his tent.

  “No more Hierarchy. That’s always been our only goal. One bite of the fruit, and we’ll create a new order where all the Heavenly Beings are equal.”

  It would seem like a worthy pursuit, if only Mother Nature wouldn’t have a conniption, but there’s no chance of that. “Please, Annex, don’t invade.”

  “It’s too far along to call it off now.”

  “I don’t believe that for a minute. If you wanted to, you could march into camp right now and tell everyone there’d been a change of plans. Heck, you could tell everyone I spoiled it because I was a spy.”

  “Grace.”

  “Please.”