Sean finished typing in his phone and looked up. “That doesn’t sound so bad. Somebody walking around, causing a couple of bar fights—”
“It might start that way, but think about it—if the wrong people are emboldened for long enough, it’s not a bar fight, it’s a world war.”
“Oh.” Sean nodded. “Fair enough.”
“Right. So, how we handled this with the Angeli—”
“That’s what I am now,” said Luther, patting his chest. “An Angeli.”
“An Angelus; singular,” corrected Anne.
Luther blinked at her a moment and then turned back to Sean. “Check this out.”
Luther’s body seemed to shimmer, like a television losing reception, and then he disappeared, his form replaced by a network of glowing blue light. The others in the room released a low oooh as if he were fireworks on a warm Fourth of July evening. It lasted a few seconds and then he returned.
“How ‘bout that?” asked Luther, grinning.
“What does it mean?” asked Sean.
Luther shrugged. “I dunno. But it’s somethin’ else, huh?”
Sean patted him on the back. “That’s great, man.”
“I know. I know. It is.”
“Are we going to become Angeli?” asked Catriona, pointing to herself, Broch and Sean with a sweeping gesture.
Anne flipped over her palms like pancakes to expose the undersides. “I don’t know. I think the numbers are supposed to be static, but we suffered a couple casualties recently, thanks to Perfidia, which is what I’m trying to tell you about so it doesn’t happen again.”
Catriona nodded. “Got it. Go ahead.”
“Thank you. So, we think Rune is infected and possibly Fiona, too.”
“That makes sense.” Catriona felt the same wave of embarrassment she’d suffered at lunch. “And we need to reboot them?”
“Right. We have to get you to try. Assuming it works the same way with Kairos as it did with Angeli, if you shut them down in a specific way they come back cured.”
“Whit dae ye mean by shut them down?” asked Broch.
“In a nutshell, we syphon all the energy out of them until they explode into, uh...sort of glitter lights.”
Catriona barked a laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“It sounds a lot prettier than it is. You’re going to have to kill them, but their energy comes back. Some other time and place.”
“Just like us,” muttered Sean.
As Anne said the word killing, something flashed near her hand. Catriona pointed. “What was that?”
“What?”
“Your hand. A light flashed.”
“Oh.” Anne held up her arm and a beam of light grew from her fist until it looked as if she were holding a short orange sword made of light and fire. “I’ve got these.”
The four of them gaped at her.
“Dae ah get yin of those?” asked Broch.
Anne retracted her sword and her hand looked like any other again. “No. I don’t think so. Just me. It was a gift from a madman.” She looked around the room, which had grown quiet for the first time since they’d sat down. “So. Any questions?”
Catriona couldn’t take her eyes off Anne’s hand. “How do we do the killing without those things? How do we do the syphoning?”
“We don’t know if you can.”
“So why do you need us at all?” asked Sean. “Why even tell us?”
“That’s a good question,” added Catriona.
“Because you’ve all been in contact with Fiona and Rune.”
“Sae ye think we’re sick?” asked Broch.
“No. Michael, uh, the Angeli, think there might be something about you two.”
She pointed at Catriona and Broch.
Catriona slapped her palm to her chest. “Like we’re sick?”
“No, like you might be able to fight the sick. Or maybe just you. We don’t know yet.” She pointed at Broch. “His purpose seems to be to protect you because you’re so darn special.”
Luther elbowed Sean. “I told ya. She’s a lodestone.”
Sean nodded. “All that nonsense in the warehouse is starting to make sense now.”
Catriona noticed Broch grinning at her.
“What?”
“Ah ken it. Ah’m here tae protect ye.”
Catriona felt herself blush and tried to focus her attention back on Anne. “How am I special?”
“I’m not sure yet. We might not know until we get you near Fiona and Rune.”
“Great. But Fiona’s gone missing and we don’t know where Rune is.”
“We might know where they are.”
“What about us?” asked Sean, motioning to himself and Luther.
“You two can go back to normal life for now. Luther will be your local contact with the Angeli. In the meantime, he’s made it clear he’d like to get back to work at the studio.”
Sean beamed and slapped Luther on the back. “Good man.”
Luther smiled. “Aw, you knew I wouldn’t leave you.”
They high-fived and Catriona rolled her eyes.
“And Broch and me?”
“You two get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow’s a big day. I’m going to start your training.”
Suddenly, the pirate seemed very serious.
Sean’s smile faded and he pointed to Catriona. “I don’t want her doing anything dangerous without me.”
Catriona gaped at him, mortified. “Sean, I’m always doing dangerous things.”
“With normal people. Stupid actor problems. Not monsters. I don’t want you involved in all this.”
Catriona crossed her arms against her chest. “Well, according to her, I’m already involved. And anyway, you don’t get to say. I’m not four.”
“We’ll talk about this later.” Sean set his jaw, blistering her with his most serious glare.
She lifted her chin. “Maybe.”
“Definitely.”
Anne stood. “The utmost safety will be taken at all times.” Her expression softened as she looked at Sean. “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think these Kairos-Perfidians are half the threat the Angeli-Perfidians were. You all just don’t have the power of the Angeli.”
Sean grunted, seemingly unsure whether to be relieved or insulted, and glanced at Catriona.
“We’re
