He pushed at the door. The keycard reader was glowing once more, indicating he’d need an access key.
“Hey!” someone shouted from down the hall.
Nathan whirled and drew one knife. He took the first gen’s hand and placed it on the keycard reader. She nodded, and he stepped away from her.
The orderly racing down the hallway stopped at the sight of the wicked curved blade of his knife. Nathan kept it lowered in warning rather than as a threat. While the orderly tried to think of how to react, Nathan nudged the angel with his elbow.
The door clicked open behind him. He snatched her hand and yanked her through then slammed it shut.
“Good girl,” he said, aware she didn’t hear him.
He punched the elevator button, eyes on the door.
“Nate?” Her loud voice jarred him.
Nathan glanced at her, taking in the youthful features and slender body. Her eyes were slightly glazed. She was drugged, though for what reason, he couldn’t imagine. Maggy described her as the last person on the planet who would hurt anyone.
He raised his index finger to his lips. The elevator doors opened, and they plunged in. He went up to the fourth floor, used mainly for storage.
He checked the landing area before motioning for the girl to follow. Nathan grimaced at the alarm that sounded when he shoved through the door leading to the single stairwell in the entire building. He went up, two stairs at a time, then shoved his shoulder against the door leading onto the roof.
The fall night was chilly and clear. The blare of alarms was in the air, and floodlights lit up the area around the center in every direction except one: the side leading to the forest.
He took the first gen’s hand and trotted across the roof until he reached the gear he’d stashed earlier. The anchor was in place. He tossed the rope down, knelt on one knee and motioned to the girl to climb on his back.
She did, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he stood, she gave a loud, drunken laugh. Nathan snorted and clipped himself to the rope.
He made his way down the side of the building, unclipped himself, and gently shrugged the girl off his back.
“You’re supposed to be faster than this,” Maggy hissed.
“She wasn’t where you said she was,” he snapped. “I had to improvise.”
“Randy, take her. We’ll create some sort of diversion,” Maggy said to the guide lingering in the shadows.
Heart pounding at the narrow escape, Nathan couldn’t help thinking he hadn’t felt this alive in a few hundred years.
The first gen hesitated when Randy moved forward. She twisted to peer up at Nathan uncertainly. He nudged her forward. She didn’t resist when Randy took her arm and led her away.
“Angels always trusted you,” Maggy said. “I never understood it.”
“They know I’m an impartial third party.” Nathan glanced up from the rope he wound in his hands.
“Whatever. I figured it was the opposite. They know you care, on some level only they can see.”
“Oh, snap. Sistah Maggy’s gone and accused me of having emotions,” he teased. “She’s drugged. You said she was icing sweet.”
“She is,” Maggy replied. “She checked herself in and started out as being there voluntarily.”
Nathan rolled his eyes. He tucked the rope away and pulled out a flare and fireworks. They had a few different plans for creating diversions. This was the least harmful.
“He was here,” Maggy said. “The fallen guardian.”
Nathan froze, senses sharpening. He didn’t sense anything but the normal guardian angels that were always crowding around their humans. They were like tiny bursts of warmth.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yeah. It was brief then gone. I grabbed the visitor list while you were ambling through the place, taking your sweet time. And her file, since we don’t know anything about this girl.”
“Hold that sarcasm,” he growled. “I’ll be back.” He trotted away, the opposite direction that Randy had gone. A few hundred feet into
“Hey!” someone shouted from down the hall.
Nathan whirled and drew one knife. He took the first gen’s hand and placed it on the keycard reader. She nodded, and he stepped away from her.
The orderly racing down the hallway stopped at the sight of the wicked curved blade of his knife. Nathan kept it lowered in warning rather than as a threat. While the orderly tried to think of how to react, Nathan nudged the angel with his elbow.
The door clicked open behind him. He snatched her hand and yanked her through then slammed it shut.
“Good girl,” he said, aware she didn’t hear him.
He punched the elevator button, eyes on the door.
“Nate?” Her loud voice jarred him.
Nathan glanced at her, taking in the youthful features and slender body. Her eyes were slightly glazed. She was drugged, though for what reason, he couldn’t imagine. Maggy described her as the last person on the planet who would hurt anyone.
He raised his index finger to his lips. The elevator doors opened, and they plunged in. He went up to the fourth floor, used mainly for storage.
He checked the landing area before motioning for the girl to follow. Nathan grimaced at the alarm that sounded when he shoved through the door leading to the single stairwell in the entire building. He went up, two stairs at a time, then shoved his shoulder against the door leading onto the roof.
The fall night was chilly and clear. The blare of alarms was in the air, and floodlights lit up the area around the center in every direction except one: the side leading to the forest.
He took the first gen’s hand and trotted across the roof until he reached the gear he’d stashed earlier. The anchor was in place. He tossed the rope down, knelt on one knee and motioned to the girl to climb on his back.
She did, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he stood, she gave a loud, drunken laugh. Nathan snorted and clipped himself to the rope.
He made his way down the side of the building, unclipped himself, and gently shrugged the girl off his back.
“You’re supposed to be faster than this,” Maggy hissed.
“She wasn’t where you said she was,” he snapped. “I had to improvise.”
“Randy, take her. We’ll create some sort of diversion,” Maggy said to the guide lingering in the shadows.
Heart pounding at the narrow escape, Nathan couldn’t help thinking he hadn’t felt this alive in a few hundred years.
The first gen hesitated when Randy moved forward. She twisted to peer up at Nathan uncertainly. He nudged her forward. She didn’t resist when Randy took her arm and led her away.
“Angels always trusted you,” Maggy said. “I never understood it.”
“They know I’m an impartial third party.” Nathan glanced up from the rope he wound in his hands.
“Whatever. I figured it was the opposite. They know you care, on some level only they can see.”
“Oh, snap. Sistah Maggy’s gone and accused me of having emotions,” he teased. “She’s drugged. You said she was icing sweet.”
“She is,” Maggy replied. “She checked herself in and started out as being there voluntarily.”
Nathan rolled his eyes. He tucked the rope away and pulled out a flare and fireworks. They had a few different plans for creating diversions. This was the least harmful.
“He was here,” Maggy said. “The fallen guardian.”
Nathan froze, senses sharpening. He didn’t sense anything but the normal guardian angels that were always crowding around their humans. They were like tiny bursts of warmth.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yeah. It was brief then gone. I grabbed the visitor list while you were ambling through the place, taking your sweet time. And her file, since we don’t know anything about this girl.”
“Hold that sarcasm,” he growled. “I’ll be back.” He trotted away, the opposite direction that Randy had gone. A few hundred feet into
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