"I'm here, so now what do I do?"
Dastun was tired, having spent most of the night at the prison coordinating the investigation efforts on Roger and Dorothy's assassin. But Angel couldn't sleep. Angel had contacted Dastun on his comm link asking him to come over to the presidential suite as she wanted to meet with Big Venus once more. Angel could tell he was tired. She went behind her desk, pulling on the lever to expose the bunker. They began walking down the stairs, Angel turning briefly to shut the door.
"I'll try to be quick about this. I'm not sure how long I'll be though. There's something about that drawing… Dorothy's drawing… I can't shake the feeling I know something about this, but I can't put my finger on it."
"I thought you were going to try to ask the right questions to Big Venus as to what it wants to know about humanity," said Dastun, confused.
Angel stopped for a moment, sighing. "I guess I can do both."
"If your time is limited, that needs to be a higher priority. We need to confirm Big Venus' purpose, if she truly is the 'mother' of the Bigs, and if she is trying to protect humanity."
"Why is that so important for you to know?"
"You said you didn't want to be a memory anymore. If you were to answer Big Venus' questions about what she wanted to know, in the process you could find out, once and for all, if you're human or not."
Angel looked away at Dastun. "This isn't about me anymore, Dan. This is something bigger, that threatens Paradigm City, maybe the world. I can find out the answers to my questions later."
"Is that how you really feel or are you just telling yourself that?"
Angel now began to feel exasperated. "Why do you care? It's my problem!"
Dastun had no retort. He was too tired and wanted sleep. The meeting from earlier in the night, the investigation, everything was just blending around in his head, making it hard to focus. They reached the main floor of the bunker.
"Because, despite everything, you're good for the city. And…" He rubbed his bald head nervously. "I've grown to care about you. That's all."
The scowl Angel had on her face softened. "So, what are you saying?"
"I thought… you were treating me as a fling, a rebound. And, well… this is hard for me. I'm not the sappy type."
"Funny, I thought… I guess something similar. I thought you were treating me as a fling. But I guess…"
"Look, just be careful with all of this. I know you're trying to help the city and I can understand that. But your answers are just as important as the ones we need. Just find a balance, and mind yourself, and your surroundings. Now, where do you want me to be?"
Angel felt reassured by his words. "I think it might be best if you stayed outside. I'll show you the pass-code."
She entered a set of numbers and the door opened.
"That's the number. There's a comm link here. It's the same pass-code to access it. Like I said, I'll try to be quick, but…"
"I get it. Just… be careful."
Angel nodded and entered the bunker, the door shutting behind her. Dastun sat on the floor, leaning his head against the wall.
What did I get myself into?
Dastun was not the type of man to form close attachments. There were, however, a few exceptions to this rule, mainly those in the Smith household. But now, Dastun sat on the floor, wondering about Angel.
Angel was technically the Madam President. He had his own personal rule, never mingle with anyone from work, especially those who were superior to him. And yet, the times they had spent together, whether it be on the stake outs, or just hanging out at his place, he found himself lowering his guard. But the biggest shock came on New Year's Day in the early morning hours, when he found himself kissing Angel, then one thing led to another. Since then, he had found himself devoting more of his spare time in trying to help her find an answer to her question about the possibility of her being human, even going as far as going to the memory archives in secret to find anything related to the clues Big Venus had told her during their conversations, in the areas he had clearance in.
Dastun found himself nodding in and out, struggling to stay awake. Perhaps if he closed his eyes for just a moment, the tiredness would leave him…
Angel found herself in the familiar grid location, staring at Big Venus. Angel got her questions ready to go.
I am you and you are me. You are curious.
"I am. I realized I've been selfish, and I haven't let you ask any questions in the times we've met. For that, I'm sorry. Surely there must be something you want to know, about humanity.
Through you, I can see humanity and what they do. Through you, I can discover. Questions I have, I can answer through you. Ask those you want to know of me.
"So, a part of you is inside me and a part of me inside of you?"
Connected as one. Responsibilities we share.
"What are those responsibilities?"
Rebirth and protection.
Angel could start to sense the darkness closing in around them, but she still had time.
"What is it are we trying to protect and preserve?"
Humanity has not learned of its folly against the universe. To keep it on a stage reduces the chances of it being repeated.
"What is being repeated? What is the folly we are committing?"
The Unification.
Not this again, Angel thought.
"But you can't just assign us roles and think we'll go through with it. There will always be someone who will decide to do what they want to do. That's just how humans work!"
Then show me the decisions humanity will make to correct their folly.
Angel had no response. How could she do something like that? She sighed, noticing the darkness was coming closer.
"I have one question of mine I want to ask. Do you know why I was chosen to hold this power?"
Never chosen. The choice was made.
The darkness around them swarmed at once upon Angel hearing this remark, but Angel in her moment of shock and frustration instinctively held her hands out, which made it pause momentarily.
"Who made the choice? Gordon Rosewater?" There was a panic in Angel's voice now. Vera had told her during the last reset that they were outcasts who lived in the outskirts of Paradigm, cast aside by Gordon as a failed experiment with memories. But if Gordon was the one who made the choice for her, why was she thrown out as a failed experiment? However, Big Venus, answered her question, as if she were reading her mind.
Never chosen by another. The choice made by you.
Angel felt her heart drop, all senses now leaving her. She made the choice to have this power? The thought, still in its denial stage, began to finally weigh upon her, the realization that she was human after all, and not just a memory, but she gave up her humanity to be a memory? The shock proved to be too much. As she dropped her hands, the darkness swarmed around her. She felt its cold, sinister presence, as if it were trying to suffocate her, preventing her from talking to Big Venus.
But then a new emotion rose inside of her, anger, and she let it flow freely through her. As she did so, the scars on her back grew warmer, and the next thing she knew, Angel had formed wings. Instinctively, she spread them, forcing the darkness back once more. The darkness tried attacking again, furiously, but Angel focused and turned her attention to Big Venus. Her wings and arms outstretched fully. She knew she was pushing her limit, but she had to know. Why? Why did she sacrifice her own humanity for this power?
"That's impossible! Why would I, give up my humanity for all of this? I don't want it! It's nothing but a curse!"
Freely you chose. Freely, you accepted. To become one with memory.
"Well, I don't want it anymore!"
A sacrifice must be made to restore what once was.
"So… my life? I have to give up living?" Angel shook her head, trying to wrap her head around the situation, but she couldn't think of any solution or answer to what Big Venus had told her. But now she grew angry.
"You think this a game to you? To sit there and play with people's lives like this? You tricked me into having this power!"
Freely you chose. Freely you accepted. In hopes to pursue another who chose someone else. The power you have, not greater than the power the key of the megadeuses has. Her ability, along with the Negotiator's, destined to be the balance. They possess the language of your world and mine. You sought to undo that balance. The question you must ask, who is the director and who is the fool?
The last part Big Venus said in a stern tone, hitting Angel with a force. Angel saw the bright light growing from within Big Venus. Her time was up. But she raised her wings, emitting her own light from within her.
"I'll show you! I'll show we can learn from our mistakes. Some take longer than others! I'll show that we have the right to live on our own, without you telling us what role to chose, no matter the reason!"
Angel realized she had one more question to ask, about the Big Dorothy had drawn earlier. But the bright light emitted with such a force from Big Venus that it knocked Angel off her feet, knocking her out in the process.
Dastun was panicking. He could've sworn he just shut his eyes for five minutes, but he woke up to the lights in the bunker tripping. He got to his feet quickly, hitting the comm link password.
"Angel! Angel! Are you there?"
The sound inside sounded like a windstorm on the ocean.
Damnnit all! You had to agree to do this…
Dastun hit the code to enter the bunker and the bunker opened up. As he stepped inside, the force emitting from Angel knocked him back into the wall. He held his hand up to shield his face. She was lying on the floor, unconscious. Angel's scars were glowing, trying to emit some shape… like ethereal wings. Her hair was whipping around her violently from the sheer force of wind in the room. Dastun grimaced. Now was not the time to doubt what he was doing. He needed to get to her.
He braced himself and began slowly taking one step after another, trying to get to Angel. Something told him if he could get her to wake up, whatever she was doing subconsciously would stop. The only question he had was how.
Every time he took each step, he felt like he was taking a risk being blown back into the wall again. He could only take small steps, making sure his foot was planted firmly, before moving to the next one. Slowly, he began to close the distance between her and him. Until finally, he was nearly within reach of her. He took a gamble and jumped, landing near her. He grabbed her and held her firmly, the forceful wind whistling louder now in his ears. He felt the vibration ringing his ear drums. But he didn't care.
"ANGEL! WAKE UP!"
Angel didn't respond to his shout.
"ANGEL! SNAP OUT OF IT!"
Dastun felt himself regretting his decision for pushing her into discovering her power like this. If he had only known what it entailed, he would've never suggested it. She felt cold in his arms, the wind now beating him harder than before, the sheer blinding his eyes, making his eyes water. Doubt slowly crept into his mind, realizing that he may not be able to wake her at all, and that he might be the cause of her demise.
"DAMNNIT! WAKE UP! PLEASE! ANGEL! COME BACK! Please… please come back…"
He uttered the last part, a desperate plea, and as if it seemed to respond, Angel's power slowly began to dissipate, the wind disappearing around him, the light emitting from her scars fading along with the ethereal wings that had been trying to form. And then… it stopped completely.
Dastun found himself breathing hard, holding Angel tightly. Slowly, he felt warmth creep back into her body. Dastun took off his coat and wrapped it around her. Angel's eyes trembled and she slowly woke up.
"What…are you…doing here?"
Her voice sounded terribly weak, and even she noticed that this time around, she felt her body was much weaker than before. There was no way she could do any presidential duties today.
"You didn't… respond on the comm. And when I came in… the room…you were emitting such… a force from you… I didn't think. I just…"
"Why… are you crying?"
Dastun wiped his eyes.
"It was the wind… burned my eyes. This is my fault. I didn't know. I thought… I thought if you knew how… to control this… you be better able to fight the enemy on their terms. I should've never suggested this…"
Angel tried to raise herself up, but she couldn't. Every movement felt like it took an extraordinary amount of effort. She was done for today.
"I think… I need some time off…"
Dastun gave a weak chuckle. "That's the understatement of the year."
Dastun picked her up and carried her out of the room, sealing the bunker before setting her down on her chair.
"No offense, but you're too weak right now. Make the arrangements you need to, but I would feel more comfortable if you took the time off and stayed at my place for bit. It's low key and no one would look for you there. At least, until you recovered."
Angel nodded weakly. "I don't feel so good right now."
"I'll get you your things. Just make the calls that you need to do."
Dastun ran off, out of the office suite, looking for Angel's bedroom. Thankfully, it wasn't far from the office. He found a large purse nearby and began opening drawers, grabbing a handful of everything he could until he felt he had enough clothes. He noticed a pair of boots in the corner and grabbed them as well. On the way out, he grabbed her vanity kit on her dresser and shoved it into the bag. He ran back.
"Yes… please cancel and reschedule everything. Please offer my sincerest apologies, May. Yes, I will be fine. Don't worry. Thank you."
Angel saw Dastun return and went to get up as he approached her, to walk out with him. However, she felt weak in the legs, and stumbled into him. He slung her bag across him and picked her up once more. Then he realized she had passed out.
Damnnit all to hell!
He ran out of the presidential palace with her in his arms. He saw that it was first light appearing through the dome. That meant the shift change would be happening soon with guards at the front and of course, Angel had taught him the back way to sneak in. He was grateful for the blessing.
Dastun put Angel in the car and sped out of the presidential suite, panicking as he raised his sleeve and called for Roger on the comm.
"Roger! ROGER!"
"Wha…Dastun? What the hell? It's 6:00 in the morning…" Roger had been asleep and was annoyed to be woken up so early.
"Shut it! I have the Madam President with me! She's not doing good! Something's wrong! Get that doctor lady you know and have her meet me at my place!"
Dastun heard Dorothy over the comm. "What's going on?"
"I dunno. Dastun, what's going on with Angel?" Roger sounded more alert now.
"Damnnit Roger, just do what I tell you!"
He shut the comm off, now leaving the dome and heading to the expressway.
There was a knock at the door and Dastun hurriedly left his bedroom and ran to the door, with pistol in his hand. He saw Roger through the peep hole, along with Dorothy, and Dr. Plebanski. He unlocked the series of locks and opened the door.
"Where is she?" asked Dr. Plebanski.
"She's in my bedroom. She's burning up. I've been trying to get her fever down, but I don't…"
Dr. Plebanski brushed past Dastun quickly, with Dorothy following, heading for the bedroom. Roger noticed the circles underneath his eyes and saw the gun in his hand. Dastun looked shocked, with a faraway look in his eyes. Roger gently put a hand on the gun.
"Come on. Let's get you some coffee," said Roger, as he gently grabbed the pistol away from Dastun.
Roger stepped inside, shutting the door, and locking it. Dastun went into his kitchenette.
"Go sit down. I got it."
Dastun had begun grabbing coffee mugs from the cabinets in his small kitchenette, but went to the couch at Roger's request. Roger set the gun on the counter, then began looking for the coffee.
"The cabinet above the coffee maker," Dastun said to him, and Roger began pulling the supplies out, loading the coffee maker with water, the filter, and coffee grounds. Once the coffee maker was set up, he turned it on, then took off his coat. Because he had sounded so frantic on the comm, Roger threw on clean sweats and a workout shirt. His hair had been half shaped in his normal style, but looked messy as Dorothy had ushered him out of the bathroom quickly once she found her sweats and got dressed. Roger sat down in the chair next to the couch.
"What happened?" Roger asked firmly.
"I… dunno. It was so… I dunno how to explain it…"
"I NEED SOME COOL WATER IN HERE OR AN ICE PACK!" Dr. Plebanski called from the bedroom.
"I got it!" Roger called back and got up to go back to the kitchenette, finding a clean pot in one of the cabinets and filling it with cool water. Once it was filled, Roger went to the freezer, looking for anything that resembled an ice pack, but either Dastun had none or had used them all. He found a bag of frozen green beans, taking it out and shutting the door. He took the pot of water and frozen green beans to the bedroom where Dorothy met him to take them from him.
"Really, frozen green beans?"
"He had nothing else."
Dorothy shoved the used ice pack Dastun had used on Angel into Roger's hand. Roger snuck a peek into the bedroom over Dorothy's head and noticed Angel was breathing hard and looked red in the face. He looked back down at Dorothy.
"What's going on?"
"I dunno, Dr. Plebanski's still getting vitals. It looks like she's overworked herself, but how? We just saw each other not even twelve hours ago…" Dorothy shook her head.
"Dorothy, I really need those items, dear."
"Okay, give me moment, Dr. Plebanski. Go, talk to Dastun. He looks like he needs you. I'm going to help her."
"Right. Be careful." And Roger kissed her on the head as Dorothy shut the door. Roger went back to the freezer to put the ice pack back. The coffee pot still had a few more minutes left, and he sat back down in the chair.
"Dastun?"
Dastun had been staring at the floor, trying to comprehend what he saw in the bunker. He looked at Roger and shook his head.
"One of the few times I'll ever say this. But you were right. This power of hers, it's a risk to use it. I just thought, if she got better at mastering it, she could use it to defend herself. And because I encouraged her, now we're here."
Roger sat quietly, letting Dastun talk.
"Roger, I don't know what I saw in that bunker. Angel's power… it's terrifying. I dunno if it was because she was unconscious or what… but it was strong enough to blow me into the wall. I'm telling you… I've seen some strange things, including that reset. But this was…"
Roger heard the sound of the coffee pot, struggling to feed water. "Hold that thought." He got up from the chair and poured the coffee into the cups.
"Milk, sugar?" he asked Dastun and Dastun shook his head.
"Straight, for the love of… whatever…"
Roger came back with the cups and sat them down. Dastun accepted his and took a sip.
"Roger, I thought I had lost her."
Roger took a sip and said nothing once more. Normally, any other time he would love to tell Dastun I told you so, but seeing Dastun with gun in hand, opening the door with a faraway stare, and now, watching him try to find his words, worried Roger.
"What happened? I need to know, Dastun."
"I dunno. I guess she couldn't sleep. She called me when I got done with the prison and asked me to come over. She wanted to talk to Big Venus. Wanted to ask her about the sketch Dorothy drew. Something kept bothering her about it, but she didn't know what."
"That sketch even terrified me. Dorothy would never describe that monster from her dream. She's been having nightmares about it recently, ever since I got stabbed."
"I see."
Dastun took a drink of his coffee, sitting it down on the table.
"Roger… I don't fault you for blaming me."
"No one's to blame here, Dastun. You did what you thought was right, and so did she. Forget what I said a while ago. What happened after she told you the sketch was bothering her?"
"She led me down into the bunker, and she went in by herself. I guess… I drifted off from being up all day and night. The next thing I knew, the lights were tripping in the bunker, and I couldn't get her to respond to me through its comm, so I went in. There was wind inside the bunker, swirling around her, and her scars… they were glowing, trying to form wings. I managed to get to her. I shouted, trying to wake her up… finally… I just pleaded with her to come back, and then everything stopped. But, I was terrified of what I saw, but relieved when she woke up, but… Goddamnit…"
Roger looked at his mug seeing Dastun wipe his eyes on his work sleeve.
"Did she say anything about what happened this time with Big Venus?"
"No, not yet… she sounded so weak. I carried her up to the suite, she had enough strength to cancel all of her meetings for the remainder of the week. When she went to get up, she passed out. I snuck out with her, through a few ways she showed me, and thankfully, the shift change was happening with the guards, so… I think no one saw us."
"All the same, do you have enough strength to go to work today?"
"I got off late from the prison. No one is expecting me to show up today."
"All the same, you should probably make an appearance, just in case of rumors."
Dastun smirked softly. "Yeah, figures there would be that to worry about. But I think even that's the least of my problems."
Roger took a sip of his coffee. "How come?"
"Roger, this power of hers… I've faced murders, megadeuses, and monsters… her power is on a different scale from all that. I'm scared. I'm scared that we probably bit off more than we can chew with this case. I'm scared that this power will destroy her, and I can't do anything to stop it."
Roger raised his cup for another sip of coffee, but lowered it as he heard these words. Dastun continued.
"Roger, I think we don't have much time left. Not necessarily for the city, but… I think the more Angel uses this power, I think… it might be killing her slowly."
Roger inhaled deeply at these words.
"Is that a hunch you have?"
Dastun shook his head. "No… she felt so weak and so cold. If she contacts Big Venus anymore…"
Dastun fell silent, not wanting to voice the thought he had. Roger understood.
"Lately, I've been starting to think we bit off more than we can chew as well. Even Norman agreed with me, but told me it's normal habit of mine. But something has been eating at me. It seems these memories from forty years ago won't leave us alone and I'm starting to think they may be a part of Angel's case. If we're to solve her case, we might have to solve what happened that's caused all of this."
"Great, now we can add that mystery to everything else."
"I'm not happy about it either. I thought we messed with those memories enough during the last reset. But, this dream Dorothy's been having, it won't leave her alone. You and I… were in the same boat. The two people we care about the most are experiencing something we barely have a clue about, and we're grasping around in the dark trying to find a solution that may or may not work. Either way, at least for me, the conclusion's the same. I think all of our answers lie in the underground. We need to confirm what Beck saw, but at a different location. And if we can do that, I think we can move on to what they're trying to hide underneath the HQ dome. Then I guess… go from there."
Dastun nodded curtly. "I'm seeing this one until the end, Roger. This old dog's not running."
"I'm not running either. Too much is at stake now."
Dastun yawned, the events finally catching up from the previous day. Roger took the mug from him, and got up to put it in the kitchen, then went back to the door, double checking the locks. He came back and sat back down.
"Get some sleep. I'll stay awake… well that didn't take long…"
Roger saw his old boss passed out on the couch. He found a blanket and threw it over him, then sat back down. He found the paper from yesterday and began reading it while sipping his coffee, to pass the time while Dorothy and Dr. Plebanski tended to Angel.
Sometime later, Dr. Plebanski emerged. Daylight had crept through the old blinds in Dastun's apartment. It had to be at least mid-morning, thought Roger. Roger had periodically been giving them cool water, and putting the ice pack back in the freezer (the frozen green beans were thrown out as they had turned to mush).
"Well?" he asked.
"I dunno what's going on, and I don't want to know. I assume if you're here, you have questions for her. She's awake, but she's very weak. Her fever's down. Normally, I would say no, but you're you, and that's a lost cause. How's the Chief?"
"Tired. He was up all day and all night yesterday."
"Well, she's asking for him. She's wanting to talk, specifically to him. But Roger, I need you to give me your word you won't upset her…"
"I'll…"
"Roger, your word damnnit!"
Roger sighed. "Alright, you have it," he said firmly.
Dr. Plebanski gathered her things, turning to leave, but stopped momentarily.
"I dunno what's going on. You've been a magnet for danger lately. And I assume you're going to do something that's going to violate my care orders to you, aren't you?"
Roger was taken aback by Dr. Plebanski's candor with him. He sighed once more.
"Yeah, I am. I'm…" But Dr. Plebanski held up her hand to silence him.
"Just finish it. This case… whatever it is. Finish it. I could use some peace right now. I'm leaving my card here for the Chief if he needs to contact me." She dug out a card from her bag. "And Roger?"
"Yes?"
"For the love of… just please be careful. I don't think Dorothy or Norman could stand to see you getting hurt all over again… or worse. I'm not a miracle worker. I can only do so much."
Roger nodded, following Dr. Plebanski out as she unlocked the door and shut it behind her. Roger put the locks back on the door. He went back to the couch and gently woke Dastun.
"Hey, wake up. She's asking for you."
Dastun startled, then found his bearings as he got up to go with Roger to the bedroom. They walked in, finding Angel, sitting up, with Dorothy sitting on the bed. Dorothy turned to look at the men. Angel looked up, seeing Dastun as he sat on the bed by her. Roger remained standing. Angel's lip quivered and she hugged Dastun tightly. Dorothy looked at Roger.
"Should we…"
Roger shook his head. "We need answers. Angel, I know you've been through a lot. But I need you to tell us what happened."
Angel broke from the embrace with Dastun, wiping her eyes.
"I still don't even understand it, what happened. I'm trying to make sense of it all."
Dorothy looked at Roger, the look in her eyes trying to tell him this was not a good time, but he was not having it. Dorothy sighed, and patted Angel's hand.
"It's okay, just talk. We can try to make sense of it later. Sometimes, it's easier that way."
Angel pushed the hair away from her face, trying to grasp what Big Venus had told her.
"I found out… I'm not a memory like Gordon said I was. I'm human, but… I… I…" Angel steeled herself, trying to accept what Big Venus had told her, but she couldn't. She yelled out the last part.
"I CHOSE THIS! I CHOSE ALL OF THIS!"
Everyone looked at each other, shocked, then back to Angel. Angel grabbed the sides of her head, hoping what she had said still wasn't true, but it was no use. Dastun spoke softly.
"Okay, so we got some good news. You're human. But… help us understand what you mean you chose this. What did you choose?"
"I chose to have this power at some point. I don't remember when or how or… I dunno. She told me I chose this power to… pursue someone…I liked… and… it's not greater than the power… the key to megadeuses and the Negotiator has. I think… she was referring to you Dorothy… Roger…"
Angel buried her face in her hands, crying. Slowly, it began to dawn on Roger and Dorothy her meaning. Roger didn't want to say anything, afraid it might cause more anguish on Angel, and more on Dastun. Dorothy however, found herself going into her logical mode, shutting down her emotions. She knew Angel had feelings for Dastun now, and the ones she had for Roger were irrelevant, at least from what Angel had told her during her lunches with her.
"You gave up your humanity to pursue someone you loved who did not return the same feelings towards you? Is that what she told you?"
Roger felt himself squirm. He knew Angel had feelings for him a while ago, and somehow, this was probably related to him, or another incarnation of him, even though he had no proof. Even Dastun said so during the New Year's party that Angel had feelings for him a while ago. He looked at Dastun, who was shocked, but still listening and watching her. Roger shifted his weight, leaning on the door frame. Angel now looked at Dastun, her eyes red from crying.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I've caused everything for the most stupid reason, and I can't stop it. I can't change it. I put us all in…" But Dastun suddenly hugged her, causing her to stop talking, her eyes opening wide.
"It doesn't matter what happened then. What matters is what we can do now. Do you understand? The past is the past. And if we want to protect what we hold dear to us, like you mean to me, we need to move forward, and plan for the tomorrow we want."
Angel had no words for him, but closed her eyes, the tears now coming out in earnest as she felt the sincerity in Dastun's words. Dorothy gave a small smile at both of them, and turned to look at Roger. The uncomfortableness he had felt was now beginning to abate, and he smiled at Dorothy, nodding at her in approval. Dorothy nodded back.
"I think Dan's right. Let's break it down some more. What do you mean about this power I have? That Roger has? I'm the key to all of the megadeuses? What's Roger's power?"
Angel broke away from Dastun, trying to think hard. "Big Venus didn't elaborate, but she said your powers were greater than mine."
Roger and Dorothy exchanged a glance with each other. Both were very confused.
"I'm a human now. I could understand or try to make sense of what you said if I were an android, but I'm not anymore. Roger's also human. What do I have within me and what does Roger have that's more powerful than Big Venus herself?"
Angel shook her head. "I dunno. She said you and Roger were the balance, the language to her world and ours. The time before last, she said having two negotiators provides greater understanding between our worlds. She said she was observing humanity through me. Apparently, we have committed the same folly, over and over, hence why we're on a stage, and she has assigned us roles. Beck was right. She's acting like a mother, an overbearing one at that. I got so angry when she told me that… and I guess my power… I must've lost control. But when she told me I made the choice to have this power within me, that darkness, it consumed me, like it was trying to prevent me from hearing more, but I got so angry. I guess I must've made Big Venus angry for questioning her like that because she asked me who was the director and who was the fool."
Roger held his chin thinking. He looked at Dorothy, studying her for a moment. Dorothy and himself did not have the powers like Angel, yet apparently, they had something that was greater than Big Venus. A question formed in his mind.
"Angel, do you think Big Venus wants our power, or could you sense anything when she said that, since you guys are connected?"
Dorothy looked at Roger, confused, then back to Angel. Angel took a breath and shook her head.
"I don't think so. But… I think… a while ago… now that I think of it… the threat she spoke of said they wanted Dorothy's power. Yet, there was something about it… both us and the one to affect… the decision has to align, be the same… But… it was so long ago… details that didn't seem like much then and well… I wish I could ask about it now to her."
Dastun looked at Roger, alarmed. If she was thinking about talking to Big Venus again, it was not a good idea, at least that's what Roger thought. But he felt it wasn't his place to say either. He nodded at Dastun, who seemed to understand him.
"Angel, I don't think… I think for now… we should leave Big Venus alone," said Dastun, gently.
"But why?" asked Angel, "We're so close to finding out the truth…"
"Angel… have you ever seen yourself while contacting Big Venus?"
Angel thought long and hard. "No, not per se. I know the power gets tripped in the bunker, but normally I wake up…"
Dastun shook his head. "It's more than that. You're…I dunno… a force of nature? You knocked me into the wall when I tried to help you. It took everything I had in me just to get to you, and when I did, you didn't even come around when I tried to wake you. And I tried… I pleaded… and then you came around. But as you woke up, you felt cold, and when I saw you so weak… this power of yours… until we find out more about what's going on, we should leave it alone."
"So, what are you saying, Dan? I can't use it to defend myself?" Angel was starting to get annoyed by the coddling. But Dastun, lacking sleep and nerves stressed to the max, lost his temper briefly.
"I'm saying I don't want you to die, that's what! We're dealing with something we don't understand, and we should leave it alone! I shouldn't had encouraged you to use it in the first damn place!"
Dorothy looked at Roger, now starting to feel uncomfortable, like she was intruding on something she shouldn't be seeing. Roger started to feel the same way, but remained silent. Angel on the other hand didn't know how to react to Dastun's words. Dastun began rubbing his head nervously.
"Look, I'm sorry for how that came out. Forgive me, I'm tired, lack of sleep, and I'm worried about you. Do you remember anything when you woke up?"
Angel shook her head. "Barely. I knew you were there, but it felt like a dream."
"Well, I do. You felt cold and you could barely stand. I don't think this is safe anymore, at least where your life's concerned. For now… I'm asking you to take a break, and trust me and well, Roger and Dorothy, to help you. At least until we figure this out."
"What am I supposed to do until then?"
"Just focus on being President. Focus on what you can do for the people, and try to keep the council at bay. You've been good at that lately."
Angel had no comment, but she had no strength either. Dorothy grabbed the washcloth and dipped it in the cool water, wringing it out.
"Dan's right. But first, you need your rest. Roger, that's enough questions. We can ask more or follow up later."
"But Dorothy…"
"Roger, NO."
She said it in such a way that Roger felt himself recoil slightly. There was no point in arguing. Dorothy made Angel lay back down, and put the cool rag on her head. Roger noticed Dastun was starting to look tired as well, and even he noticed he could use a nap.
"Alright, let's go home, Dorothy. Dastun, if you don't feel safe here with her, you're more than welcome to stay at the mansion for a while. Just let me know."
Dastun nodded. "Could you bring me my pistol?"
Roger nodded, going back into the living area to grab the pistol off the kitchen counter. He walked back, handing it to Dastun. Dastun took it from him.
"I'll see you guys out."
As Roger grabbed his coat and Dorothy's, Angel thanked Dorothy weakly.
"You didn't have to…"
"I did. Get some rest. You would do the same for me."
Angel didn't know how to respond to Dorothy's words, but felt appreciative all the same. Dorothy followed Roger and Dastun out, Dastun bidding them good day before shutting the door and locking it. Roger sighed, heading down the stairs and out to the car, with Dorothy following him.
"We'll need to follow up with her. Some of what Dastun said didn't make any sense nor did she. But then again, it's been nothing but riddles. And frankly, I'm getting tired of them," he said as he shut the car door and started the car, with Dorothy getting inside as well.
"Even so Roger," Dorothy began as she moved back into the seat as Roger accelerated onto the street, "Some rest will do her good, and if she thinks of anything else, it'll be when her mind has had a chance to accept what happened, even though she has no memory of accepting this power."
"I get that Dorothy…"
"Roger, this conversation's a lost cause with me. Yes, my emotions are coming into it now, but that's my friend you're talking to, and I will look out for her best interests. I have questions as well. Apparently, she must've had feelings for someone like you during the first reset, and it carried on into the second into a different way. I dunno. But that's irrelevant. She cares about Dan, now who's shown her more kindness and compassion. No point in dwelling on it."
Roger was surprised by Dorothy's honesty and curtness towards him. He wasn't sure if he should be more surprised that Dorothy was protecting Angel from his questioning, or the candor Dorothy had displayed in regard to Angel's feelings towards Dastun. He shrugged, figuring it was best to drop the conversation, keep his mouth shut, and go straight home. That nap he had thought about earlier was appealing to him anyway.