Heaven Painted as a Christmas Gift Read online

  “So these parties you throw are co-ed parties?” Jewel asked.

  “Sometimes,” K.J. said, smiling.

  “So why did you blush when you saw Madge?” Jewel asked.

  K.J. laughed and looked up as Belle and Nancy were approaching with plates of food. “Just say,” he whispered, smiling at Jewel and Tommy, “that Madge can hold her breath under water longer than anyone I have ever met.”

  Jewel was convinced she blushed and Tommy just about went over backwards laughing.

  Both Belle and Nancy looked puzzled and Jewel waived them off. “Just men being crude. So any ideas why Laverne wants me going along with you two?”

  “We were talking about that at the buffet,” Belle said. “I think it’s your medical training.”

  “I agree,” Tommy said. “From the sounds of this, the black magic has gotten into brains like a bad tumor.”

  “A very bad tumor,” K.J. said, shaking his head. “Magic is something that is avoided at all costs in our worlds.”

  “What is it that we do then?” Jewel asked, now clearly puzzled.

  “We are using our own talents, our own skills,” K.J. said. “Superheroes and gods do the same. The use of magic has been forbidden for more centuries than I would ever want to think about it. Mostly because it almost always turns dark and consumes those who use it.”

  “So there is no magic in holding that office in the sky?” Belle asked.

  “None,” K.J. said. “That is all the natural power of Poker Boy doing that.”

  “So the black magic is going to show up clearly in those infected?” Jewel asked.

  “I honestly don’t know,” K.J. said. “But my guess is the same as everyone’s, that your medical knowledge and understanding of human brains and bodies is why you are going along inside Patty on this ride.”

  “But what does she want you and me to do?” Tommy asked, looking at K.J.

  “No idea,” K.J. said, taking a deep breath and shuddering. “And that scares me more than I want to admit.”

  Jewel patted his hand. “I’m sure it’s going to be fine. Come on, let’s get some lunch.”

  K.J. nodded. “A last meal is always a good idea.”

  Jewel just shook her head. “We’re dead, remember. You had your last meal a hundred plus years ago.”

  “Oh, party-pooper,” K.J. said. “A guy can whine, can’t he?”

  Everyone laughed and Jewel and Tommy and K.J. left Belle and Nancy eating.

  THIRTY-TWO

  K.J. WENT HOME after lunch to San Francisco, Jewel and Tommy jumped to their home, and Belle and Nancy jumped back to their suite in the hotel.

  The day was bright and the suite felt warm and comforting to Belle in all the brown tones and tall windows. And right now, after this morning, she really needed warm and comforting.

  She really loved it here and in Las Vegas. And she knew Nancy did as well. If they survived this, or if the world survived this, there was no doubt to Belle that the two of them would settle here in Las Vegas. They hadn’t talked about it, but neither of them had anything left in Boise, and neither of them had connections to anywhere else. They could make Las Vegas a wonderful home.

  The two of them walked into the bedroom and both changed into casual and comfortable clothes, including tennis shoes. Then they went to the big bed and just lay there, fully dressed, holding hands and staring at the bright high ceiling.

  The bedspread felt soft under Belle and she had used one pillow to prop up her head just enough to be comfortable.

  Doing this felt wonderful and natural to Belle. She could feel her energy slowly coming back. She hadn’t realized that the morning had worn her out so much.

  “You need to nap?” Nancy asked.

  “No,” Belle said. “I just need to lay here for another minute or two.”

  “Perfect,” Nancy said.

  Silence filled the room for the next few minutes. Not uncomfortable silence, but the silence of rest and the silence of two people who didn’t always need to talk to be close.

  Belle closed her eyes a few times, but decided she would rather just rest looking at the high ceiling and all the warm light. Her mind was just moving far too fast to actually fall asleep even for a few minutes.

  “How long do you think it’s going to take to map that network?” Belle asked, finally breaking the silence.

  “It seems like a large network,” Nancy said, “but considering what you and I are used to, it’s fairly small. Only the number of billions of humans on the planet for each main connection. So someone good with programming computers could set that program up and have it mapping in an hour at most. Another hour for the program to run. It’s been almost two hours, so any moment now.”

  Belle knew Nancy was right. In the computer world, the business world, seven billion was a small amount of bits of data. They had both dealt with systems far, far larger.

  “The mapping in a way that we can use it will be the problem,” Nancy said.

  Again Belle nodded, agreeing and squeezing Nancy’s hand. “Like a bad disease. We have to find the infected cluster and then make sure we track every connection.”

  “I just hope we can save the carriers,” Nancy said.

  “We will,” Belle said, shuddering slightly at that thought. “We have to.”

  “Yes,” Laverne said from the foot of the bed. “We have to.”

  Belle and Nancy both sat up and smiled at Lady Luck herself.

  “Time to get going on this?” Belle asked as they both moved off the bed and stood.

  “First,” Laverne said, turning and walking out into the living room area of the suite, “explain to me how this network works. I am not very familiar, I am afraid, with computer systems.”

  Belle nodded as Laverne stopped and faced them.

  “In this hotel there is an electrical system,” Belle said, indicating the lights. That is a network similar to what we are talking about.”

  Nancy nodded. “The power comes in at one spot and spreads out until it ends up in that light, that outlet, and so on.”

  Laverne nodded and said nothing.

  “That outlet is connected to a light fixture in the casino by the network,” Belle said. “It might not be a direct connection in any fashion, but following that connection, we can eventually get to a light fixture in the casino.”

  “And as with the electrical in this building,” Nancy said, “or the plumbing network, there are clear patterns once you know what you are looking for.”

  “And you will be able to see those patterns among humans in the great life shield?”

  “We will,” Belle said. “Especially with a mathematical map worked out by computer first.”

  “We were experts in structures of networks and computer networks,” Nancy said, “when we were alive just a few short days ago.”

  Belle smiled. “I am fairly certain we haven’t forgotten it yet.”

  Laverne nodded. “I have over two hundred gods and superheroes ready to clean out the dark magic when you two and Jewel and Patty find it. They are all being trained now.”

  “I understand Patty being our protection against the magic,” Belle said. “Is Jewel’s part of this for the medical side?”

  “No,” Laverne said. “Jewel’s greatest strength is her ability to focus. She is there to hold you two together and focus and keep you from getting lost in all the data, as you put it. Patty will be too busy to help with that on the exterior shields against not only the massive amount of information from so many people’s lives, but in protecting you from the magic and teaching you all to see it in someone.”

  That surprised Belle and she just nodded.

  “Poker Boy and his team will be backing up Patty from his office, feeding her the energy she is going to need to protect herself and the three of you.”

  Belle looked at Nancy. “Ready?”

  Nancy smiled. “Let’s go kick some magic butt.”

  Laverne just smiled slightly and jumped them to Pok
er Boy’s office.

  Jewel was already there, standing to one side and Poker Boy and his team were all sitting around the table.

  Patty was in the back of the table, with Poker Boy on one side and Stan, the God of Poker, on the other.

  They looked very serious and there were no milkshakes or food on the table. In fact, the mood was downright gloomy. No one had died yet, and if this group had anything to say about it, no one would.

  Belle leaned over to Nancy and whispered. “For a group that’s saved the world a bunch of times, they look pretty darned serious.”

  Nancy just laughed and everyone looked up at her.

  Nancy shrugged and smiled and again Laverne just smiled.

  Nancy leaned over and whispered to Belle, “I’ll get you for that.”

  “Is that a date?” Belle asked, smiling at the woman she loved.

  “Damn right it is,” Nancy said, smiling back.

  THIRTY-THREE

  “IT’S READY,” STAN, the God of Poker said.

  Jewel watched as he vanished from his position in the booth, then reappeared a moment later with something in his hand.

  The small device he held that looked to Jewel like a funny cube with wires poking out of it like a person who had morning hair. Stan handed it to Laverne, who nodded and held it in her hand. A moment later there was a glow around the device and it vanished completely.

  She then turned to Patty. “Ready.”

  Patty nodded and held out her hand and Laverne touched it across the empty table.

  After a moment Patty nodded and closed her eyes.

  Poker Boy held out his hand and Laverne touched him as well.

  They must have talked about what they were doing before Jewel had arrived, because she had no idea what it was.

  Laverne then touched Stan’s hand and then everyone else around the table.

  Then, almost as one, they all stood.

  Patty came over to Jewel and Belle and Nancy. “I have the map of the life connections surface in my mind. You will be able to see it and study it when we are together.”

  “Do we have an idea where we are starting?” Belle asked.

  Patty nodded. “Along with the map, the Bookkeeper has extrapolated the likely spread of the black magic.”

  “That won’t help at all,” Belle said.

  Jewel was stunned at that statement.

  Laverne, who had been talking with Poker Boy, suddenly turned to face them just as Patty said, “Why not.”

  “Over one hundred years of time is why not,” Belle said.

  Nancy nodded.

  “You said this black magic was buried in people’s minds, dormant, right?”

  Patty nodded and Laverne just stood there.

  “So it spread through their kids and their grandkids as well,” Nancy said, “more than likely all over the planet.”

  Patty looked at Laverne with a slightly panicked look on her face. Jewel felt panicked as well, her stomach twisting into an even tighter knot than it already was in.

  “Again,” Nancy said, “The system is similar to a computer. When a virus gets into a computer and starts to spread, it has to be dug out of everywhere, not just where it started.”

  Jewel knew she was right.

  Laverne nodded. “So fighting it on a person-by-person level will not solve this problem.”

  “It will not,” Belle said. “In a system of this size, the cure must be systemwide and all at once.”

  Laverne turned to Poker Boy. “Our plan will not work. Please contact all teams and have them stand by.”

  Then she turned to Patty. “See if what you were planning will at least work. Report back on the extent of the infection.”

  Patty nodded as Laverne vanished. Then she turned to Jewel. “Your job is to support these two as much as you can, be their center focus, and be my contact.”

  Jewel nodded. She had no idea exactly what Patty meant, but she had a hunch she would figure it out quickly.

  “Jewel first,” Patty said as everyone else in the room stood back and watched.

  Jewel moved over to Patty and merged with her. Patty had much of her mind blocked, but Jewel was still impressed that she was inside such a powerful and kind superhero.

  She made herself smaller and formed a mental room inside Patty. Then she made a connection to the thought center in Patty’s mind and said, “Ready for Belle.”

  “Ready for Belle,” Patty said. Then she shook her head and said, “That was weird. I didn’t know I was going to say that.”

  Jewel stuck her hand and head out of the side of Patty and said to everyone in the room. “That was me. That work for you, Patty?”

  “Works perfectly,” Patty said.

  Jewel could tell that Patty was a little surprised and nervous about this, but Jewel knew Patty would be fine, shortly.

  “Now that’s the strangest thing I have ever seen,” Screamer said, indicating where Patty stood with Jewel sticking her head out of one side.

  “I’m doing my best to scrub that image from my mind,” Poker Boy said.

  Jewel went back inside and made sure her connection with Patty was secure and that there was room for Belle.”

  A moment later Belle joined her.

  “Cozy,” Belle said as she settled into the imaginary room that Jewel had made.

  A moment later Nancy joined them.

  “We’re all set,” Jewel told Patty. “Unless you want all three of us to stick our heads up through your shoulders to really mess with people.”

  “I think they are messed up enough,” Patty said, laughing.

  Jewel could see that everyone in the room just sort of stared at Patty.

  “We will return,” Patty said.

  A moment later they were over the beautiful surface of consciousness that shimmered gold thousands of feet above the planet. Millions of human aura connections were woven through the surface, some touching, some flowing past others, some merging.

  The map of the entire surface of the world’s consciousness was clear inside Patty’s mind and Jewel could see it.

  “Hold here,” Jewel told Patty. “Let us get our bearings.”

  “So what are we looking for?” Jewel asked Belle and Nancy.

  “We won’t see it from up here I don’t think,” Nancy said. “At least not at first.”

  “Okay,” Jewel said to Patty. “We’re going to need to go into your aura connection to this net to find what we are looking for. Can you maintain this position?”

  “I can,” Patty said out loud to nothing at the high altitude where she was floating. “But Laverne only taught me how to do this flying and teleporting thing a few hours ago, so if I’m a little unsteady, ignore me.”

  “So hold us together,” Belle said to Jewel.

  Jewel imagined the room as a small bubble and then she sent the bubble down along the wide, golden stream of Patty’s consciousness and into the surface of the world’s consciousness.

  They hit a spot quickly where she was connected in various ways to hundreds of people. Jewel stopped there before going any farther. It felt like never-ending linked tunnels going off into a thousand directions. She was afraid if she went farther, they would be lost forever inside the surface of consciousness.

  Belle said simply, “This isn’t going to work.”

  “I agree,” Nancy said. “We are inside the network looking for corruption in the network. We need to be above the system to see the pattern of the corruption, not down in it.”

  “Back to Patty’s mind,” Belle said.

  Almost instantly Jewel had them back inside the room inside Patty’s mind. She felt completely relieved.

  “New plan,” Jewel said to Patty. “Hold on and we’ll figure it out.”

  Patty only nodded. Jewel could tell that Patty was worried about her ability to stay in the air. This was all very new to her.

  Jewel quickly went into Patty’s mind and calmed her and reinforced what Laverne had taught her earlier.

&n
bsp; “That help?” Jewel asked.

  Patty sighed. “Yes, much better. Thank you.”

  “The map is the key,” Belle said. “Let’s jump to where in the world this originated and see what this black magic even looks like in an infected person’s aura.”

  “I agree,” Nancy said.

  Jewel told Patty the plan and indicated on the map the area in Europe they wanted to hover over.

  Patty understood and a moment later they had jumped to that part of the world.

  “Oh, no,” Belle said.

  Jewel could see the problem. Over Las Vegas the surface of consciousness was mostly all golden threads woven into a shimmering incredible site, like a golden sheet flowing gently in a breeze.

  Here, about half the threads were covered in something that looked like a sticky, black tar. The gold threads were still fine, but covered over, like someone had poured some awful black substance over them.

  And as they watched, the black substance seemed to crawl and move, as if it was alive.

  “We need to get out of here,” Patty said.

  Jewel could not agree more. She had never been so frightened of anything in her life.

  Or her death, for that matter.

  “Have Patty take us back over the surface over Las Vegas again,” Belle said.

  Jewel told Patty and a moment later they were back over the surface of the golden shimmering surface of the consciousness of the people of Las Vegas. Jewel could feel the relief until Belle said, “Have Patty go right down to the surface of the consciousness directly below us.”

  Jewel instantly saw what Belle had seen as she told Patty.

  One thread there had the black, tar-looking substance crawling on it like a slime monster from a bad movie.

  Jewel could feel the panic in Patty’s mind start to grow and sent her calming feelings even though she was feeling just as panicked.

  “We need to follow that down to the person,” Nancy said.

  Jewel told Patty and a moment later they were diving toward the surface, following the golden aura covered in black magic slime.

  It turned out it was an elderly man sitting at a penny slot machine in the MGM Grand casino.