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“Scholars and Archangels have been struggling for centuries to fully explain the Book of Angels,” Sylvester said. “Those who think they understand fully its prophecies are worse than fools—they are dangerous.”
“Gabriel is one of your fools, then,” Jackson said. “But trust me, if there’s one among us who knows the truth, it’s him.”
Sylvester stared into the reflecting pools, silently, considering Jackson’s words.
“Why are you here, Detective Sylvester?” Jacks went on. “If anyone finds you . . .”
“I know the danger. Which is why this isn’t purely a social call.” Sylvester leaned in and pushed his glasses down the ridge of his nose, intensifyin
g his stare. “We need your help, Jackson.”
“I’m sorry you wasted your time by coming all the way down here. Mad . . . she already tried to talk me into joining your side, and bringing the other Angels with me. Like I have that kind of power, anyway. I’m a soldier, not a general.”
“You have more influence than you think, Jackson.”
“Even if that was true, I wouldn’t be using it against the Angels.”
“Not against the Angels. For the humans. For Earth.” Sylvester took a breath, pausing before his next words. “Maddy’s going out there. She’s doing it alone.”
“Don’t say her name around here,” Jacks growled. “She can do whatever she wants. She’s made her choices. And I’ve made mine.”
Sylvester regarded the Angel in front of him.
“You’ve changed, Jacks.”
“You’re not the first to tell me that,” Jacks said. “But I’m not the one who’s changed. The world has changed. There’s a war afoot, and it’s my duty to help the Angels be on the winning side.”
“You may need to think about your larger duty.”
“I am an Angel, and the Council has decided that this is my duty.”
“The Council does not represent the voices of all Angels,” Sylvester said. “You know that. You can decide what you want to do.”
Jacks thought about Sylvester’s tortured history as a Guardian, about his illegal save and his failure to save that young girl, the one person who had seemed to matter to him. And then he’d lost his wings and was banished from the Angel community. How could Sylvester know anything about Jackson’s duty?
“And you’re one to lecture me about duty?” Jackson said. “After what happened to you?”
“Wow. I would have thought you were above low blows, Jackson.”
Jacks was silent. He was not about to apologize.
“The demons control through chaos, Jackson. They dissolve all faith through anarchy and disorder.”
What was he talking about? Jacks hadn’t heard anything about this. . . .
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a head demon out there. Organizing them. Strategizing. This is different behavior, something new, and much more dangerous.”
“A head demon? Controlling them? But there has always been a war between Angels and demons, and there’s never been any rationale for their violence. They’re indiscriminate. They are the embodiment of complete, mindless evil.”
“It’s different this time. I know it in my bones. If we can get to the leader, this whole thing could stop. Think how many lives could be saved, Jackson. But there’s no question here. We need the Angels’ help.”
Jackson turned away, his face shrouded in bleakness. “I’m sorry to hear that. But humanity was ready to imprison us, to fight us. And now they want our help?”
“You know it was more complicated than that, Jackson. It was about Protection for Pay—it was about the system.”
For a moment, Jacks looked as if he might give in. But then his face turned grim again.
