"Charisma Tagherty."

Brianna didn't even blink, and Laura had to give her kudos for her poise. Obviously those acting classes had given her a good foundation, and years in the courtroom had only perfected her technique. Still, Brianna didn't move away from the door, but she was no longer threatening to walk out of it. She tilted her head and cocked an eyebrow.

"How exactly is Charisma Tagherty a threat to me?"

"She's not. You, on the other hand, are an enormous threat to her."

"You might want to ease off on the Scotch, Senator. It's starting to impair your judgment. Charisma Tagherty and I are nothing but old college roommates who fell out of touch years ago. We're merely acquaintances these day."

"I don't think that's true. And I want you to stay away from her."

"Strangely, I'm not particularly concerned with what you do or don't think, Laura. And I'm not going to change my relationship or lack of one with Charisma Tagherty because of your wants."

Laura Maxwell carefully set her glass in the center of her blotter on her desk before using both hands to push her up from her plush desk chair. She glared at Brianna, infuriated at the smirk she was receiving in return. She leaned forward and hissed, "Do you know who I am?"

Brianna grinned widely. "As a matter of fact, Senator Maxwell, I do. But I'm pretty sure you have no idea who *I* am. So before you get your panties so far in a bunch that shit starts running out your nose, I'd suggest you take a real good look at that file your private dick gave you. It might help you find a little respect."

"Why you...!" Brianna held up a finger and Laura Maxwell stopped speaking.

"Don't say anything you can't spin your way out of later, Senator. I'm just a guest on your turf at the moment, but I won't be nearly as forgiving of your attitude once I leave here and return to mine. As far as Charisma Tagherty is concerned, she's a grown woman and she makes her own decisions. I'd suggest you leave her to it. But I promise you I have no influence over anything she says or does. I haven't even offered an opinion to her in years."

"So I'm just supposed to trust that you'll stay off the radar. Senator Walker... she can't afford to have a liability like you around."

"It's funny how she's never mentioned me as a liability."

"Please, Brianna," trying to appeal to her sympathetically. "This is for the good of her campaign."

"Senator Maxwell, I've never interfered with her campaigns before. I have no reason to start now. What Charisma Tagherty does is her business."

"So you'll stay away from her? Brianna, I know what she means to you... or what she meant at one time. Do you really want the world to know?"

"Do you?" Brianna snapped back. "Because if they find out about me, they will certainly find out about Charisma. And without her, your dreams of getting anywhere near the White House go up like so much smoke. It's not like I'm in the closet, Laura, and if you can dig it up, how many others do you think will do the same thing? Maybe instead of trying to intimidate me, you should be more concerned on formulating a campaign strategy so that whatever friendship Charisma and I once had isn't even part of the platform."

"You make it sound so easy."

"You're making it into something impossible. Charisma and I have a history - we were best friends once. But we are merely acquaintance friends now." Brianna sighed and turned back towards the door. "Your detective should have done his homework better." She opened the door, then turned to look at Laura once more. "Don't call me again."

The door behind her shut with a firm click before Laura Maxwell could even think to make a response.

************

Brianna strode from Maxwell's office, and though she knew she was supposed to go see Esmeralda, she recognized she was in no state to visit someone in mourning. The fury that was coursing through her veins at the woman's presumption was making her blood boil, and Brianna knew she needed to calm down. A phone call to her massage therapist got her an immediate appointment, and it wasn't long before she was lying naked on the massage table.

Michelle poured the warm oil into her hands before she started, cringing when she touched the rock hard planes of Brianna's back.

"Should I even ask?" she queried softly as her hands dug into tight, tense muscles. Brianna flinched at the amount of force that was being wielded against her, but shook her head.

"No. But go as hard and deep as you can. I need to be a good friend tomorrow, and right now I'm angry enough to...."

"Hey... relax," Michelle instructed as she ran her fingertips gently over Brianna's bare back. "I'll get you there, but you need to do your part. Focus on your breathing, all right? Put everything else out of your mind."

Brianna nodded and closed her eyes. "Okay, Michelle. And thanks."

"It's what I'm good at, Senator. Now listen to the music, and slow your breathing down to match. Then let me take care of that hard part."

Brianna closed her eyes and hoped Esmeralda would understand why Brianna needed to be in a good place herself before she could be strong for anyone else.

************

Coral had been gone for some time before Jade finally arrived back at the house and Opal, Turq, Jas and Indi were downstairs in the living room with Amber and Ruby when she arrived. She had only just gotten her plate from the warming oven and was sitting down to eat when Michael arrived... sans wings and fanfare. The women in the room just looked at him. He sighed.

"I wanted to let you know - you're all going to be called home tomorrow after the service is over. Your assignment's been completed."

They all looked at him stupefied, the silence ringing loudly in the interim. Finally Amber spoke, "Excuse me? Michael, we told you we were staying with Es for the duration... for however long she needed us. Why are we being recalled again?"

"The mission is over. He's satisfied with the results apparently. You're done here."

"No."

Michael blinked. "You don't get to say no," he stated, though there was a hint of confusion in his tone. "He's the one who decides when an assignment is complete."

"Oh, I'll agree about the assignment - whatever it really was. We've been over that whole concept for a while now. But we're not leaving Es here alone with no support and no family. You can have my wings if you think I'm going to leave her here to fend for herself."

"And do what, Amber? The only person here that has a human job that is hers is Es. You, Coral, Mal and Jade are all non-corporeal entities here. These guys," motioning to the other women seated around the room, "are all holding jobs that will go back to their real life counterparts on Monday. Turq becomes an Amazon woman, and Jasper becomes a large black man. Opal goes back to being a fifty-five year old grandmother and the rest revert to their original states as well! Even Ruby loses her status. How exactly are you planning to manage??" the frustration clear in his voice.

Ruby cleared her throat and all eyes whipped in her direction. "Michael, what happened to cause Him to mark this case as closed?"

Michael shrugged. "He didn't tell me. I was just there when it happened?"

"How long ago was it?"

"A few hours by your time - why?"

"It must have been Brianna," Jade said. "She had talks with both Kent Rockwell and Laura Maxwell today. She took Maxwell down like a dog." Jade's brows furrowed, "I'm still not clear on what either of them were trying to accomplish there, to be honest. But Kent gave her his blessing."

"For...?"

"For Brianna and Charisma to be together."

Silence for a few moments as each of them considered the implications of Jade's words, then Amber turned to Michael once more. "Have you found Saphira?" The rest looked at her like she was crazy, but they waited for an answer. Amber never did anything without a reason.

"Do you really think we need to discuss this now?"

"They're gonna find out sooner or later, Michael.

"Find out what?" from Jas.

"Saphira is missing. She's not in heaven or in hell or in any afterlife I can find. It's like she's simply vanished."

"Did you ever consider that she might have? Angels don't have souls."

"Angels don't die. And humans have souls."

"I'm beginning to think we've all been played," Turq said. "And I don't really like that feeling."

"But to what end?" Opal asked. "What good has any of this done?"

"I bet if we figure that out, we'll know the secret to life," Indi offered with a smirk. "But in the meantime, we need to get to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a hellishly long day."

"Only Monday will be worse if we have to fight to stay here," Amber offered. Everyone nodded. "All right then... everyone off to bed," watching as they waved their goodnights as they headed upstairs. She turned back to Michael. "Thank you, Michael. I know you took a real risk coming here again."

"Maybe. But it was worth it. Take care of each other okay?"

"You too," brushing his lips with hers before he vanished from sight. Then she finished locking up and stretched out on the couch. Tonight she was watching over her own household.


Chapter CI

Esmeralda was glad to take Ruby's advice and escape to the privacy of her bedroom. Even with all the memories of Saphira that permeated the space, it still gave her a measure of comfort. Besides, she was beyond exhausted with the events of the past few days and wanted nothing more than to simply close her eyes and not be for just a little while.