archangel’s energy field. “The child is playing with cosmic fire!” Archangels are incapable of losing their tempers. They’re way too advanced. But his sharp tone made me cringe.
“I don’t think I understand,” I said in a small voice.
The light immediately softened. “Some humans will do anything for money,” the archangel reminded us. “Sell their fellow humans into slavery, rob the Earth of her precious metals, pollute her oceans. For them Time is simply one more resource to pillage.”
Michael explained that unscrupulous humans could conceivably use the device to interfere with historical events, ensuring that certain people inherited land or property or oil wells. “Not to mention scientific discoveries, and priceless art treasures,” he added wearily. “The list is endless…”
“I guess I wasn’t thinking,” I said humbly.
“What makes you think those kids will go back to medieval Marseilles though?” Lola asked.
Michael gave one of his all-seeing smiles. “Let’s just say I have a hunch!”
I don’t know about you, but I always feel heaps more confident when I’m wearing the right clothes. So when I got back to the dorm, I forced myself to keep awake until I’d planned exactly what I was going to wear next day. And like they say in the style magazines, that little bit of extra effort totally paid off. Because when my alarm went off all of two hours later, there was my trouble-shooting outfit all ready for me to jump into.
Actually my new look was pretty cool; Skechers trainers, boot-cut denim flares and a cute hooded top in spicy orange. I quickly twisted the front of my hair into little Zulu knots, letting the rest cascade casually down my shoulders. Then I splashed on some Attitude, grabbed my tote bag and went to find Lola.
It was only just getting light by the time we arrived back at the Agency, but I wasn’t tired. I was buzzing with excitement. Thanks to Orlando, we’d scored a cool new assignment detecting time misfits, and I was determined not to screw up. This was my chance to prove I wasn’t just some little airhead.
“Hey, Reubs,” I said cheerfully, as we stepped into the time portal. “Was that Raphael or Japhiel in with Michael yesterday?”
Lola looked surprised. ” I thought it was Gabriel.”
“No it was Uriel,” said Reuben firmly. “Definitely Uriel.”
I giggled. “They should wear big gold initials on their chests like Superman.”
Lola burst out laughing. “That is so wicked!”
Reuben just said, “Who’s Superman?”
By the time we’d briefed our buddy on Earth’s major superheroes, we were coming into land.
Lola and Reuben put on their Agency sunglasses the absolute instant we stepped on to solid ground,. “Oh wow,” they said simultaneously. “Mel, you’ve got to see this!”
So naturally I put mine on too. “Oh wow,” I breathed.
To think I’d walked around for thirteen years never knowing that I had my own gorgeous wraparound rainbow!
I peered hopefully down at myself through my shades. “So where’s mine?” I said disappointedly. “I mean angels must have massive auras, right?”
“The shades were invented to detect time anomalies,” Reuben reminded me. “Not just so vain little angel girls can play ‘My energy field’s bigger than your energy field’!”
Lola laughed. “Ooooh! He told you, Boo!”
We had a brilliant time, patrolling medieval Marseilles in our Agency shades going, “Oh wow, that one is totally luminous,” and “Check that guy! Is his aura sinister or what!”
After a while I noticed something disturbing. Everyone seemed to be talking about the same thing, a huge Crusader victory in the Holy Land. People were getting really over-excited, almost hysterical.
“Hey, there’s Lucius!” said Lola. “Maybe he knows what’s going on.”
But there was no charming twinkle from Lucius this morning. The Earth angel seemed deeply depressed. “The slavers start zis rumour deliberately,” he