“Given the history in this country, no one will criticize the Natives’ desire to stay out of this mess,” Kavon said in a more placating tone than Darren had expected, “but they are at risk, too. You have Native shaman blood, but you also have Talent. How many of their people will die in another purge? Are they prepared to handle a potential governmental collapse? The anti-Talent groups would lock themselves in their compounds with their semi-automatic guns. How long would it be before they started to hunt down anyone different?”
Angel narrowed his eyes. “Natives can take care of themselves, at least as long as no one is using biological weapons like smallpox. They’re sure as hell not going to come out to support you in this fight. Do you know what happened the last time Natives got together to use their powers? “The Lakota tried arranging a ceremony to protect their lands from the whites. The Army showed up, made up some bullshit story about feeling threatened and opened fire. Three hundred men, women, and children died, and the monsters who killed them got Medals of Honor. Those cowards shot women in the back as they ran with their children in their arms. So, like I told you before, the Native community is not going to go out of their way to reveal their holy men or help you. They survived the last purge, and they’ll survive another one.”
“You’re full of shit,” Kavon said. “Do you think I can’t see your fear? Do you think this money will protect you from dying?” Kavon gestured to the house around them.
Angel brought his hand down on the marble of the kitchen island. “Do you think I can’t see your bluster?” he shot back. “I don’t need my shamanic sight to see you puff yourself up bigger than you feel inside. Machismo.” He said the word with infinite disgust. “I grew up with men like you who shouted and threatened because they felt small inside. I lived with a prison full of men just like you. You can go fuck yourself.”
Angel turned to walk away, but Darren rushed forward. “I understand that the Native community doesn’t want to stick their heads in the noose. I’m not sure I would volunteer to step forward if I wasn’t already on the line.”
Frowning, Angel studied Darren. “You have one of these old guides,” he said with certainty, even though that was one of the few details Darren had left out of his story. “You’ve tied your soul to one. I can see it. That’s what’s so different about you. El tonto. You got no idea what sort of trouble this sort brought last time. No fucking clue.”
While Darren was still staring at Angel in shock, Kavon moved right in front of him. “You have shamanic sight.”
“And? But?” Angel narrowed his eyes.
Kavon looked at Darren, and that was when Darren’s brain came back online. Shamanic sight. That was the Talent Ahtisham needed to use his skills with the sniper rifle against Anzo’s human partner. “We need your help. We have a sniper. He’s one of the best in the business,” Darren said, since he couldn’t imagine Ahtisham being second-rate at anything. “But for him to see the target, he needs a shamanic partner who can share his sight with someone else. We need you to help him in the field.”
Angel stepped back so fast he knocked a stool over. It clattered to the tile floor with an ungodly racket. “No. No, I won’t be part of that,” he said. “Fuck no. You fucking pendejos.” He started shaking his head. “How can you ask me to be part of that?”
Vin rushed down the stairs. “Angel? Are you okay? Did someone get hurt?” Vin stopped at the bottom of the stairs, bewildered. Angel lost most of the color from his face.
Then he turned back to Kavon, still shaking his head. “That shit turns my stomach. I mean, clearly I proved that I can be violent if I am backed into a corner, but I don’t want that. I don’t want—” Angel stopped. Maybe he thought he was hiding his true emotions behind and angry scowl, but somehow he projected them into the room. Guilt and frustration and anger and shame all twisted around each other until Darren couldn't catch his breath.
Vin took another step into the kitchen. “Angel?” he asked softly, his voice childlike and alarmed.
“I don't have many pieces of my fucking soul to trade away. I’m not a good man, but you can’t ask me to be an evil one.”
At that, Vin ran forward and threw his arms around Angel. “You are a good man. You saved Matt. You saved me. You’re a very good man. A very, very good man.” Vin made a keening noise that seemed to finally catch Angel’s attention.
“It’s okay, Vin. I’m just being stupid. It’s okay.” Angel patted Vin’s shoulder awkwardly.
“You’re a very, very, very good man,” Vin said louder.
“I know. Thank you for reminding me,” Angel said. “Come on. You’re embarrassing me in front of the feds.”
“I’m embarrassing you?” Vin backed off.
Angel caught his hand. “You’re reminding me I’m stupid in front of them. I know. I’m not evil. I’m just stupid and I forget, okay.”
Vin nodded. “I forget stuff all the time because I’m stupid.”
“Nah. You had someone hurt you. I was born stupid,” Angel said. “But I’ll remember better now that you reminded me. Go on back upstairs.” Vin hesitated. “I’m fine. Promise. Go watch your shows and I’ll finish your grilled cheese sandwich for you.” Vin chewed on his lip for a second before he turned and headed upstairs.
“You bastards upset him,” Angel snarled once Vin had vanished.
“You didn’t return our calls or come down to the offices,” Kavon said, without much sympathy.
Darren, on the other hand, felt horrible. He knew Vin was intellectually disabled after his mother had tried to drown him as a baby, and Darren never wanted to upset him.
“When you called, I thought you wanted more help with some damn undercover mob thing, not the end fucking world as we know it.” Angel grabbed the stool off the floor and set it upright again. “And I’m not sure it’s as bad as you say. My Native teachers have seen evidence of increased power—not world-ending.”
“And only one of the old guides has come through,” Kavon said.
Angel snorted. “It seems like Oberton brought another old guide through, so that’s at least two. I’m guessing there are more. Maybe a lot more. You fuckers are thick as bricks. And I ain’t gonna help kill anyone. No. That’s not going to happen.”
Darren sighed. For all his rough exterior, Angel had never liked violence. He’d used a gun to hold up a store, but when the police had shown up, he hadn’t even pointed it at them. When he’d hurt Vin on Luschese’s orders, he had bled emotionally from the wound. Darren put a hand on Kavon’s arm. “Maybe we can find someone else with sight.”
“Yeah, talk some other bastard into helping you kill some poor schmuck who fell for some raven bullshit about power.”
