Immortal City

A shadow crossed Jackson’s face as she watched him consider it. Her pulse quickened. The detective knew so much. But wouldn’t he have taken the opportunity to kill them right there, in the school?

“No. Maybe. It’s too late anyway, Maddy. We have to go ahead; it’s our only hope of getting out of Angel City.”

Maddy scanned the spacious hall. Streams of travelers moved past, not taking notice of them. She took a deep breath and calmed a bit. Jackson was right. But she still had that nagging feeling that there was something she was forgetting.

“Okay.”

Maddy led him to the ticket kiosks. Sylvester had given them a prepaid debit card to use at the machines; they couldn’t buy tickets from the staffed windows or they would have to show ID. They stopped in front of the electronic boards displaying departure and arrival information.

“I’m going to find a pay phone and call my uncle,”

Maddy said. Jacks gave her a hard look. “I need to make sure he’s okay after last night. And. . I want to say goodbye.”

Jacks hesitated for another moment, then his face cleared in understanding.

“Okay. Let me handle tickets, then,” he said, squeezing her hand. “It’ll be a surprise.”

“Let’s meet on the train platform,” Maddy suggested.

“Better not spend any more time out here in the open than we need to.” Jacks agreed.

She walked over to a row of pay phones. Each phone was housed in its own glass booth, another relic of the old station. She stepped inside the nearest one and closed the door behind her, cutting the terminal noise to a muted murmur. She picked up the phone and listened to the dial tone.

What was she going to say? What could she say? After seventeen years of your taking care of me, I’m just leaving forever? Nice knowin’ ya?

Through the glass, Maddy looked back to where Jacks was standing in front of the departure and arrival board.

She watched him scratch his head as he considered destinations. San Diego. San Luis Obispo. Bakersfield.

Maddy sighed. It was too late to second-guess anything now. They had formed their plan; now they had to follow through with it. She fed in two quarters and dialed.

Kevin picked up after the first ring.

“Kevin, it’s me,” she said.

“Maddy?” His voice was ragged, as if he hadn’t slept at all. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m with Jacks. Are you. . okay?”

“I’m fine. Just a scratch on the forehead. Maddy, where are you?”

She looked out the window at the station but bit her lip. “I can’t tell you.”

“I need to talk to you, Maddy,” he said, his tone urgent. “Jacks’s mother came into the diner this morning.”

Maddy froze. She had been expecting him to try to convince her to come home or maybe go to the authorities.

She was completely unprepared for this. Jacks’s mother?

Her eyes darted back in the direction of the departure board, but Jacks had vanished. Buying tickets, most likely, or already down at the train platform.

“W-what?” she managed to stammer at last.

“She wanted my help in getting a message to you.”

“What’s the message?” Maddy’s heart suddenly raced.

“Jacks’s stepfather has managed to negotiate a deal with the Council and the rest of the Archangels. It’s a chance for Jacks to get out of this situation Immortal and alive.

They’re willing to forgive everything so long as the two of you never see each other again. Jacks goes home this morning, alone, and becomes a Guardian Angel; you come home to me and go back to being Maddy Montgomery, senior at Angel City High. You both live out your lives separately, as it was meant to be.” Kevin paused. “They just want this all to go away, Maddy.”

The phone booth suddenly felt claustrophobic and suffocating.

“We’re leaving, Kevin,” Maddy said, trying to sound resolute. “That’s why I’m calling.”

“They will never stop hunting him,” Kevin said, his tone abruptly hard. “They will track him down. You’ve seen how powerful they are. We both have. Does he really think he can run from the Angels forever? This is Jacks’s one chance, and it’s in your hands.”

“It’s his decision,” Maddy said quickly. “Why is it in my hands?”

“Because you’re the one who has to leave him. He thinks he’s protecting you, so he’ll never leave your side. But if you stay with him, you’ll kill him.”

Maddy listened in silence to the buzz and crackle of the line.

“I don’t understand. What is it you expect me to do?”

“Leave him.” Kevin’s words were like daggers. “Tell him you’ve changed your mind. Get out of there, and get him to go home.”

“How could I hurt him like that?”

“Hurt him to save him,” Kevin snapped. “If you don’t, they will find him, and when they do, they will mortalize him. If you care about him, you’ll do this for him.” His tone took on a kind of naked appeal Maddy had never heard before. “Maddy, listen to me, what do you think you’re doing?

You can never be a part of his world, and he can never be a part of yours. He’s a Guardian Angel and you’re my niece and I love you, but you’re just. .”

“Nobody?”

Kevin sighed.

“Normal, Maddy. You’re just normal. You’re not meant for what he’s meant for. He’s going to be the Guardian Jackson Godspeed and this is where he needs to be, in the city of Angels.” He paused. “The truth is I don’t care what happens to Jacks, but I care what happens to you. I tried to tell my sister what I’m telling you now, and she wouldn’t listen to me. Look what happened to her, Maddy.

Look what happened to them both. Please, don’t make the same mistake she did. I don’t want to lose you. And if you care about Jackson, do this for him too.”

Kevin’s words echoed in the tiny booth. Suddenly she realized the thought that had been nagging at her since Jacks had come up with the plan at Sylvester’s apartment. It was the same inevitable truth her uncle was talking about: they could never run from the Angels. It hadn’t been twelve hours since Jacks saved her life, and they had barely made it this far. Were they just deluding themselves by believing they could get away?

“This is what’s best for both of you,” Kevin said. “But of course it’s up to you. It’s your decision.”

She watched the bustle of the travelers outside. When she spoke again, her voice was barely more than a whisper.

“If. . I did, do I have your word, and Mark’s word, that nothing bad will happen to Jacks?”

“Yes,” Kevin said.

Maddy let the ice water of reality wash over her. This was the only way to save Jacks. The word was out before she could stop it.

“Okay,” she said.

“Good girl,” Kevin said. “Now where are you?”

“Union Station,” Maddy said.

“I’ll call Kris right now and they’ll send someone to pick him up. I can be there in ten minutes for you. It’s what’s best, Maddy. Now go tell him you’re leaving. Do it now. I’ll see you soon.”

The line went dead.

Maddy stood there with the phone still pressed to her ear. The dial tone droned. She pressed a hand to her temple and leaned her throbbing forehead against the glass. Nausea came with the pain, rolling and lapping against the walls of her stomach. She began to tremble.

Suddenly there was a rap on the glass. Maddy turned to see a security guard glaring at her. Her heart leapt into her throat. Maybe this was it, and she had been caught, and she would be saved from what she knew she had