Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

did you know you wanted to use her?”
“Use is such a harsh word.  I wanted her help.  To do what we are about to do, she needs to be my twin.  She must equal me in strength, wing wise.   You must develop her timing so we are the same.  We must perform this task perfectly.  We should be machines, nothing more.”
And so, he went away and let Nicholai work with her.  Mia did not disappoint either birdman.
Mia saw Victor waiting.  She swallowed hard.
Nicholai sensed this.  He pushed into her mind and gave her encouragement.  He called her daughter which Mia knew was the highest praise she would ever get from Nicholai.
“The ship is approaching.  The water temperature is perfect.  It’s time to begin,” Victor said.  “Mia, open your mind to mine and Nicholai’s, hear us, and perform accordingly.  Don’t think about the impossibility of what we are attempting.  It will work.  It’s the only way.”
“Yes, Victor,” Mia said and flew into position.
Nicholai would act as the rudder once Victor and Mia had produced the phenomenon.  He would also guide both of them to mirror the other.  Their movements must be perfect.
Victor and Mia dove towards the water, pulling up in time, drawing the warm, moist air with them up into the clouds before looping back down.  They repeated this process, their wings matching with every stroke.  They were perfect.
The cold air above the clouds reacted, and soon, a mesocyclone started to form.
Nicolai moved the two towards the approaching ship.  The mesocyclone was now a full waterspout with one exception; it had the wind speed of a class five tornado.  It hit the ship head on, destroying every bit of wood and metal.  The demon souls that were picked up high in the spout, fell, were pushed deep into the water, and then into the seabed.  It would take years for the demons to rise again, and when they did, no one would remember anything but the wall of twisting water that sunk The Risen.
Mia and Victor shot outwards away from the spout.  The turbulence caused Mia to move too near the water.  She prepared herself for the pain of hitting the water with her wings extended.
But instead, a blue whale rose high out of the water in front of her.  The whale’s body cushioned her impact.  Mia flattened her body, clinging a moment to the whale, using the time it gave her to withdraw her wings and disengage her armor before she slid down the blue whale naked into the warm water.
She coughed out the water she had taken in before she treaded water alongside the blue whale.  “You’re not supposed to be here.  It’s way too warm,” she said.  “But damn, I’m glad you are.”
“It’s an Old Testament trick,” Altair said, hovering above her.
“You can’t be here,” Mia gasped.  “What if someone sees?”
“GSD ghosts can’t see angels.  But they can see your white behind.”
“I didn’t want the armor to hurt the whale,” Mia explained.
“Victor will be looking for you.  Here, let me lift you up and dry you off.  You engage your armor…”
Mia did as she was told.  Altair took her high into the sky and dropped her, giving Mia time to release her wings before hitting the water.  She looped back up.  “I’m supposed to head back to St. Kitts.  Someone started a rumor I’m suffering from a broken heart.”
“Enjoy the bedrest.  Be prepared to be visited by the suspicious,” Altair said, watching her leave.
Victor and Nicholai flew over Africa and decided to cool their heels in Italy for a while. There was no rush.  The job was finished.
Mia slid into bed just before daylight hit the island.  Orion lifted the covers and kissed her forehead.  “Go to sleep, Mia.  I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”
~
“Captain Crocker!” the quartermaster called.  “We’ve reached the rendezvous, but The Risen isn’t here.”
Crocker strode onto the deck and accepted the monocular that was handed to him.  He searched the waters between his ship and the horizon.
“Debris off the starboard bow,” the boatswain called.
A seasoned sailor descended the side of the ship on a rope, reached into the sea, and plucked a piece of wreckage from the water.  “It’s painted red,” he called up as he climbed.  He handed it to the boatswain, who gave it to the quartermaster, who held it to the light.  “It’s The Risen. I’ve only seen one red ship in these parts, and it were she.”
Crocker was conflicted.  He was pleased he didn’t have to deal with Captain Bune today, but he also knew the loss of the gold bounty would eat into his overhead.  No one else paid for birdmen.  They were now not worth the trouble of keeping them.  He walked back towards the cabin, stopping only to stare at the farmer they had picked up.
“Stephen Murphy, do you still want to be dropped off in the Caribbean?”
“No, Captain,” Murphy answered.
~
Mia was pleased to be able to shower.  Her hair was sticky with saltwater and her body smelled like whale.  She lathered up and rinsed, thinking of the wonderful creature that had buffeted her fall.  She toweled off before slipping into the fresh colorful gown the nurse had left for her.
Ted was waiting for her when she reentered the room.  She moved quickly into his arms.  “Take me home.”
“It’s my intent as soon as the doctor gives me the okay.  Orion is sleeping but has notified the crew of the jet that we may use it as early as this evening.”
Mia smiled widely.  “I can’t wait to get my feet on solid ground.”
“Mia, you are on solid ground.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to make another try at convincing Murphy to come back with us?” Ted asked.
“No.  He’s