It’s been almost three years since we left Detective Jay Harper and high-priced escort Katherine Taylor on the esplanade of Lausanne Cathedral, bruised and battered from a biblical showdown with the Nephilim. Katherine has retreated to small-town life in the woods of Washington State with her son, Max—and a close protection detail of heavily-armed, elite members of the Swiss Guard. Harper is living in Paris, haunted by voices in his head and bone-tired after what turns out to be two and a half million years on Earth. Though Katherine and Harper have been prevented from remembering each other , baby Max has unwittingly stirred the interest of vengeful spirits—and only a worldwide (and cosmic) effort to save his life will bring Harper and Katherine together again. Meanwhile, from the shadows steps a defrocked priest named Astruc, whose face looks as if it has been clawed by some terrible beast and who hides his eyes behind blue lenses. He and his brilliant young ward, Goose, have discovered something unfathomable in the Catacombs under Paris, something that will confirm that “the time of the prophecy” is at hand. . . . Electrifying from its explosive first scene to its unexpected and shocking conclusion, Angel City reunites the unforgettable characters from The Watchers to reveal more of the earthly—and otherworldly—mysteries of the Angelus trilogy. “This second volume seriously ramps up the action: Mysteries are explored but not yet fully explained, and the shocking final scenes are definitely intended to make us come back for the finale. Fans of The Watchers won’t want to miss this one.” – David Pitt , Booklist   “Steele’s sequel to 2012’s The Watchers does everything the middle of a trilogy should do…. a brutal cliffhanger… accessible to readers who missed the first book.” – Publishers Weekly JON STEELE is an award-winning journalist and author of  The Watchers  and  Angel City . Born in Spokane, Washington, he traveled the world, working as a cameraman for Independent Television News. After a twenty-year career, Steele wrote the critically acclaimed  War Junkie . He cowrote, codirected, and shot  Baker Boys: Inside the Surge,  a documentary about an American combat unit in Iraq. He lives in Switzerland. One I   Radio Intercept, Paris: September 9, 2013, 19:30 hours. Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale: Code Red Alert. “. . . Batobus Manon dockside at Musée d’Orsay. Several bodies seen floating in river. Manon heading east on river. Anonymous tip reports area of Notre Dame to be target of attack by Muqatileen Lillah. This is a GIGN Code Red Alert. Engage Operation Dragon Fortress. Repeat: This is a GIGN Code Red Alert. Engage Operation Dragon Fortress. Level A terrorist strike in progress. Six men wearing black jumpsuits and balaclavas, carrying light automatic weapons have hijacked Batobus Manon dockside at Musée d’Orsay. Several bodies seen floating in river . . .” Harper’s mobile reconnected to Operations Control in Berne. “Did you copy that transmission, Mr. Harper?” “The enemy tipped off the police.” “Indeed, they plan to make a show of it. The world’s news media will be all over the story in a few minutes.” “You’re sure the bomb is on board?” “Affirmative.” “How many goons?” “Standard kill squad of six.” “Time to target?” “Tactical gives it eighteen minutes at present speed and course.” “Can the mechanics shift the time warp?” “Negative. It’s locked over Saint-Sulpice.” Swell, Harper thought. Plan A looked great on paper. Goons attack, Inspector Gobet’s time mechanics drop a warp over Saint-Sulpice. Harper sorts the goons, cleanup crew secures the bomb. Just another night in paradise. None of the Parisian locals the wiser as they take aperitifs in nearby cafés. “Then now’s the time for suggestions, Inspector.” “Tactical is transmitting a counterattack to your mobile as I speak.” A map of Paris appeared on Harper’s mobile screen, zoomed in on the border of the 6th and 1st arrondissements. Two dots appeared marking Pont Alexandre III and Notre Dame; a third dot triangulated Harper’s position at Rue de Mézières, then a line appeared marking a track to l’Académie française on the Left Bank. “Double-time it, Mr. Harper, and you’ll reach the river ahead of the Manon. From there you’ll have an opportunity to intercept.” “Just how am I supposed to get aboard, swim?” “Tactical suggests something more along the lines of flight.” “What?” “Old tricks being what they are, Mr. Harper.” The map zoomed into a footbridge above the river Seine, directly in front of l’Académie française. Manon ’s course would bring her directly under Pont des Arts. The map flipped to side view and an arrow marked height from bridge to river. It was a thirty-five-meter drop; winds: southwest at nine klicks per hour. “You can’t be serious.” “In the last few minutes, SX sweeps have popped hot with chatter on the Internet. Signals decode the chatter to read the bomb is worse than suspected.” “Define ‘worse.’