Act 2

Reunion

As Roger drove, his mind mused over a single question.

'What should I get Dorothy for Heaven's Day?' He asked himself, tapping the steering wheel with one gloved hand like he always did when contemplating something important.

Not a single answer came to mind.

Roger sighed morosely. When going shopping, Smith always had the necessary items pre-determined in his head so that he could be in and out as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Plus, with it being the eve of Heaven's Day, every single shopping place in the city was going to be a chaotic scene.

As he mulled over the muddled events ahead, Roger pulled the griffon up to a red light and stopped. Happening to glance out the window to his left, he saw a figure with blonde hair facing away from him and peering into a small sidewalk shop display.

The negotiator recognized the woman right away.

He pulled the car over to the curb, cut the ignition, and stepped out.

The woman blinked and smiled slightly as she saw a familiar face appear in the reflection of the display window.

"Somehow I always suspected it, but never actually realized that angels really do get closer to earth near Heaven's Day," Roger said to the lady as he holstered his sunglasses, "So, Miss Angel, what brings you here?"

The woman turned around and, smiling a bit, replied, "Well, you're not the only one who has to go shopping, Mr. Smith."

Roger returned the smile and said, "I'm sure. Might I ask who you're shopping for?"

Angel drew her pink jacket close to her and, furrowing her eyebrows, replied, "Well Roger, I believe that's none of your business."

He held up his hands defensively and said, "Sorry."

Roger could tell that she hadn't changed much.

Angel accepted the apology with a nod. "Now if you'll excuse me," she said, turning to walk off, "I must be going."

"Angel…what happened that day?" Roger asked quickly, almost blurted, "That day when Big O and the other megadeus met?"

Surprisingly, Angel kept a calm composure. "Yes," she said, smiling curiously, "That was a day to remember."

"Except only the chosen ones are still able to remember."

Angel only smiled again at his comment and said in a frank manner, "Yes, that's the way it's suppose to be, Mr. Negotiator."

Roger sighed and looked up at the overcast sky. More and more snowflakes were beginning to fall steadily, and the streets of Paradigm City were quickly becoming lost in a colorless blanket of frost. Nonetheless, citizens continued to patrol the streets in a shopping frenzy.

"What is this world?" he wondered aloud. "Do I even have a purpose in it anymore?"

He looked back at the attractive blonde. "I'm pretty sure you're the only one who can answer those questions."

For the first time the smile dimmed from Angel's face, and she turned back to the shop display. Roger followed her gaze, and on the inside of the window he could see an assortment of television sets, all different sizes, colors, and brands. A single video camera was positioned at the top corner of the display case, and the center-most television mirrored an electronic image of Angel, staring at the screen thoughtfully while Roger stood in the background.

"Roger," Angel said quietly, "Originally this world, this stage, was supposed to exist only as a prototype. It was an archetype for something much grander."

"Like what?" the negotiator asked.

"A perfect world," she replied softly.

In the window display, the owner of the shop suddenly appeared and began to fiddle with the camcorder. As he did, the image of Angel dimmed into blackness as the TV in the center flickered off.

"Roger," Angel said suddenly, facing him again, "This world no longer is just a make-believe example; it has become the real thing. Every single human being here is no longer just a model...they're real like you and me."

She gave a short laugh and looked up at the sky.

"Roger, look around you," Angel spoke, looking at him again, "Look at all the people you see walking around you, these ordinary people."

Roger did so, watching as various people, complete strangers, walked around him, carrying out their simplistic lives with absolutely no idea of the big picture.

"These people don't know anything," Angel said sadly, "they're like guinea pigs, being used by bigger people for their own motives.

She sighed. "Luckily, none of them have to remember anything."

Roger exhaled slowly, releasing a long puff of cloudy breath, and said, "Because of what you did, right Angel? You erased their memory of a previous life, just like that."

"I know….it sounds terrible," she whispered, trying her best not to cry, "But it's for the best, that I am sure of."

"So you have complete control now," Roger said thoughtfully, "of everything. Including our memories"

Angel smiled weakly and shook her head. "I'm no god, Roger Smith. I'm just a worker, carrying out my tasks dutifully for something much, much more superior."

"You mean that megadeus," Roger ventured to say.

Angel nodded slightly and paused to catch her breath.

"It's hard…it's really hard trying to figure out how things should really be," she said desolately, her eyes filling with tears.

Roger nodded sympathetically and said softly, "I'm sorry."

He wanted to reach out and hold her, to tell her that everything would be alright, but Roger couldn't find

the strength to do either.

Dan Dastun was just about to take a sip of coffee from his thermos when he noticed the car out of the corner of his eye. The sleek black automobile was easily recognizable, considering it was the only one of its kind in the entire city.

Dastun smiled. It was also the only car on this block parked in a no-parking zone.

Capping the thermos, he steered his police cruiser around the corner, and immediately caught sight of two familiar faces standing on the sidewalk.

"Well, look who we got here," he muttered.

Pulling up behind the griffin, Dan rolled down the passenger window and yelled, "Hey, even Paradigm City's top negotiator can't park in fire zones!"

Both Roger and Angel turned, as well as a few other startled people in the nearby vicinity. Recognizing Dastun, Smith smiled and replied, "Sorry officer. Forgive me for my failure to observe petty traffic laws."

Dastun grinned and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, it's fine. Just make sure you hurry up and get your car outta here."

Roger nodded and said, "Will do."

"So what brings out at this time anyway, Roger?" Dan asked, setting the thermos aside and looking at him.

"Oh, not much," Smith said, leaning against the trunk of the griffin, "just trying to finish some last minute shopping."

"At a time like this?" Dastun shook his head. "You gotta be outta your mind."

"Well, better late than never," Angel chimed in, appearing next to Roger.

Dan's smiled diminished somewhat. Clearing his throat, he replied tersely, "You're right, Angel. Better late than never."

Angel sensed the sudden resentment in his voice, but kept her face emotionless.

Several honks suddenly startled all three of them.

"Shit," Dan muttered, glancing in the rearview mirror and seeing a line of cars at the intersection waiting impatiently behind him, "Well, I better be going."

"Alright," Roger said serenely, sitting upright, "Maybe I can buy you a drink sometime?"

Dastun waved his hand and said, "Anything's possible," before speeding off.

After he was gone, Roger looked at Angel and said, "Same here; I should get going."

"I'm already one step ahead of you," she replied, flashing him one last seductive smile before turning on her heel and starting to walk off.

Roger only shook his head and, smiling, put on his shades and opened the car door.

"Roger."

"Yes?" He looked up at Angel, who had turned back and now had a somewhat somber look on her face.

"Take care…take care of Dorothy, will you?"

This statement surprised the negotiator a bit, but he found himself nodding reassuringly and saying, "Yeah. I will."

Angel looked at Roger with a tiny gleam in her eyes and said, "You're a very good negotiator, Roger Smith, and a good man too. Take care of yourself."

And before Roger knew it she had turned and walked away without a second glance back.

As he got into the griffin and started it, Roger Smith felt as if that beautiful Angel had just walked out of his life forever.