Chapter 5
Tuesday 5:10pm
They pulled the car out of the underground FBI parking garage and onto the busy street. It was ten past five, and a commuter’s nightmare. Paul slapped the wheel in frustration.
“Well, I guess we could have planned this better,” was his only muttered comment.
Andrew was about to make a sly remark of his own but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. It lasted for less than a second but it was long enough. He sat silently, waiting to hear something else, waiting to hear Monica talking to him, but there was nothing.
“Something wrong, Andrew?” Paul asked as he glanced over at him and noticed his pale face.
The angel shook his head, not wanting to alarm Paul, and not exactly sure what he had felt. “No, nothing.” Monica had made no attempt to talk to him. Maybe he had imagined that split-second of pain. He forced himself to breathe evenly again, and at the same time willed the other cars out of the way. He wasn’t going to be able to really relax until he saw Monica with his own two eyes.
“How far is it?” he asked as he looked out the window in an attempt to avoid looking at Paul and revealing the anxiety he was feeling.
“Not far. As soon as we get through this intersection it should only be ten minutes or so.”
“Good… good,” Andrew whispered, not even realizing that he’d spoken aloud, and completely missing Paul’s concerned look in his direction.
Whatever Andrew didn’t want to tell him was obviously something bad. Paul clenched his fingers around the wheel. There seemed to be a lot of secret keeping going on lately and he was just about ready for it to end.
When he pulled the car into the driveway of the stately townhouse he nearly rear-ended Alex’s car, and he let out an audible breath. She was here. He and Andrew quickly got out of the car and took the front steps two at a time. It was just beginning to snow again. There was already a light dusting on the ground from the night before, but these flakes were slightly heavier. It looked like they were going to stick. Paul wondered idly if Alex was planning on spending the night or not. With her parents’ cars occupying the garage she’d probably need help shoveling out if she did. He had an idea where he could enlist a helper.
“Alex?” he called out as he knocked on the door.
Andrew stood by, silently. He wanted to shout to Monica as well, but there was no telling if she was even still with Alex, and he held himself back.
When there was no sound from the other side of the door Paul began knocking louder. “Alex!” he called again, then listened. Nothing, and his heart was beginning to pound. He wiggled the knob and his heart fell to his feet when it turned easily and the door swung open. He closed his eyes for a moment and said a quick prayer, certain that Andrew was doing the same thing.
“Anyone home?” Andrew called as they entered the house, their wet boots dripping onto the parquet floor.
Paul pulled out his gun, and motioned for Andrew to do the same. He might be an angel, but at the moment he was also an FBI agent, and if Jackson was in the house he was definitely armed and dangerous. They took the rooms in standard high-low formation, with Paul going in high, and Andrew covering right behind from a crouched position. Living room, study, library, and all the time, calling out to Alex.
Finally they reached the kitchen, and at first it looked as normal as all of the other rooms. Then the cats appeared. They came running out from under the kitchen table and meowing piteously. Paul was no expert, but he’d spent enough time at the farm to know that the cats were more than just hungry.
Andrew was the first to spot it; the smudge of red on the tile floor. He bent closer and then looked up at Paul, eyes filled with regret and worry. “It’s blood.”
Paul’s eyes flashed and he stormed to the other side of the kitchen. He saw the cat food scattered across the floor and more blood.
“Damnit! Damnit all! He has her! I can’t believe it! He has her…”
“He has them both, Paul,” Andrew said, his quiet voice a stark contrast to Paul’s raging.
“What? No…” he shook his head. “I mean… two spots… but she probably fought like a hellion, and anyway… You’d know if Monica…”
The expression on Andrew’s face told him everything, but the angel spoke anyway. “I felt something back at the garage. I was hoping that it was nothing…”
“Noooo….” Paul groaned. “No! Damn! That bastard!” He slammed his fist onto the counter, sending the cats back into their hiding place. Hie eyes bored into Andrew’s. “You know what he’s done, Andrew… you know what he’s capable of… he’ll kill them… he’ll kill them both… if he hasn’t already…” his fist clenched even tighter, short nails biting into the flesh of his palm.
“He hasn’t Paul… I’d know… and Monica’s an angel. She’ll be all right, and she’ll protect Alex.”
“She’s an angel who’s been hurt before,” Paul said, hating to be the one to state what they both knew to be true. “An angel who is probably hurt right now. The only ones who can protect them now are the two of us… and we’d better do it damn fast.”
“Paul, there’s Someone besides us…”
The agent let out a breath from between clenched teeth. “I know that, Andrew… but He wasn’t able to save Lauren. I think you’ll forgive me if I feel like He might need a helping hand.”
Andrew didn’t reply. He knew that Paul’s fears were well founded. He had seen what this man was capable of, and knowing that Monica was with him was tearing at his heart. He had never wanted to let her go on solo assignment, and now, look what had happened. He swallowed hard and clenched his jaw. It was wrong to think that way. It had been God’ decision, and if this was the result then obviously there was a reason that would be revealed in time.
“It looks like he surprised them,” he said softly as he looked around and saw that aside from the cat food, not a thing was out of place.
“Yeah. They never knew what was coming,” the agent said bitterly.
“Paul?”
“She didn’t know, Andrew. I didn’t tell her. I didn’t tell her that a murderer had escaped from prison, a murderer that I put there.”
Andrew was slightly shocked. He knew that Paul had kept the information from them, but he had suspected that was to spare Monica from having to think about such violence and evil. “Paul, why?”
“Because I didn’t know how to tell my new partner that the man who killed my fiancée was out roaming the streets, okay?” he spat out angrily.
“Paul…”
He took a few breaths. “I’m sorry, buddy. It’s not you… It’s me. I should have told her, Andrew, and now it’s too late.”
“Not yet it isn’t.”
Paul pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for the agency. “You’re right. It’s not. And this time I’m not going to miss.”
*****
The first thing Monica became aware of was an intense pounding coming from the back of her head. The second thing was that she was in a moving vehicle. The little angel tried to move, but her hands as well as her feet were tied and she could feel the ache in her arms. She had been tied up for quite some time judging by how badly they hurt and she could feel something digging into her wrists as she tried to move them.
Feeling a warmth up against her, she managed to turn her head, relief filling her that it was Alex, and with some careful concentration, she could just make out the sound of the woman’s breathing. She was alive. It was dark and Monica realized that something had been thrown over them, perhaps to hide them from view and this did little to comfort her. She wasn’t fond of the dark and she forced herself to breathe normally, despite the panic she was feeling.
“Alex?”
Her whispered call got no reaction from her assignment, but did get one from whomever was driving the vehicle.
“Shut up back there,” the voice growled, “One more sound and I’ll gag you before I slit your throat, you got that?”
The angel closed her eyes to ward off tears as she silently pleaded with God to help them. She could feel His love raining down on her, but even with that, she felt afraid. Monica could feel a wetness at the back of her head and knew it was blood but she tried not to think about it. She wondered briefly if Andrew knew what had happened and if he would be sent to her, but that prayer seemed to be going unanswered and a single tear slid down her cheek.
“I can’t even tell you where I am…” The words to herself were scarcely a breath as she struggled to remain awake. She was too afraid of what might happen if she fell back to sleep.
*****
Alex’s parent’s house was now swarming with police officers and FBI agents who were searching for clues and dusting for fingerprints, but Paul already knew who had been here. Even worse, he knew who now had Alex and Monica.
While they had waited for the crews to get there, he and Andrew had found both Alex and Monica’s coats on the chair in the hallway, which only confirmed what they already knew. Running a hand through his dark hair, the agent sighed. Andrew had not uttered a sound since then, as he had held the little angel’s coat in his hands before walking outside into the falling snow, leaving Paul to oversee the investigation.
Though Jackson had not left any clues behind, Paul knew it had been him. The man had threatened him as he had been led out of court the day he had been convicted for killing Lauren, but Paul had taken the threat much too lightly. Of course, he had never expected the man to escape. Jackson had been linked to several other murders before Lauren, most of them gruesome and showing a complete lack of conscience and now this monster had the two ladies who were most important in his life.
Though his feelings for Alex were not yet as strong as those he held for the angel, Paul knew that they were growing. He had even entertained thoughts of leading her to God, as that had remained the one obstacle in his having a relationship with her. But now, the thought of her dying without ever knowing the truth tormented him and he berated himself for wasting precious time keeping his silence.
Seeing that things were wrapping up in the house, the agent opened the front door and stepped outside, his eyes coming to rest on his once again partner. The angel was standing at the edge of the porch, head bowed and Paul was reminded of the night David had shot Monica, when the blond angel had spent the better part of several hours in prayer. He knew he could not begin to fathom the depth of Andrew’s feelings for the little angel, but given his own sentiment for her, he imagined that Andrew’s feelings for her were love in their purest form.
“We’ll find them,” Paul offered, trying to instill confidence that he himself was barely feeling.
The angel was silent for a moment before speaking up softly, “I know I shouldn’t be worried. She’s an angel and God is with her…she has a job to do. But not worrying and not being afraid for her goes against all that I am.”
“Believe me, I understand. I should have told Alex the truth…I should have told Monica the truth when she asked. At least then they would have known to be careful. I just never once thought this would ever touch either one of them.”
“You can’t blame yourself, Paul,” Andrew responded tersely.
He ventured a hand on the angel’s shoulder, “I know them both, Andrew. They’re strong. Alex is an amazing agent and Monica…she’s become more confident in the past year.”
Andrew stared out at the falling snow, which showed no signs of stopping and where he usually enjoyed watching it come down, now it only posed a threat to whatever was happening to Monica and her assignment, “She told you about Faith?” Seeing Paul nod his head, the angel continued, “She hid in the house for days to avoid her father. She was afraid of him.”
“And in the end, she confronted him,” Paul added softly.
“She was angry with him and that is what allowed her to overcome her fear. Getting angry now…” His voice trailed off, not willing to consider what could happen, “I’ve seen what this man is capable of.” They both fell silent once more before Andrew spoke again, “You have feelings for Alex.”
Though surprised by the comment, Paul replied, “I’m starting to, though I never meant for it to happen. I didn’t even realize it myself until a few days ago. At least the odds are better as she is not a messenger sent from God,” He forced a strained laugh, which was short lived as he watched Andrew’s eyes widen as a look of raw pain crossed his face, “Andrew?”
The angel closed his eyes as he heard the words, “I can’t even tell you where I am,” and he felt his heart break. He could feel the pain and fear in her words though they sounded like he was never meant to hear them to begin with. They were but a mere whisper to his heart, but the emotions behind them shook him as if they had been screamed at him.
He heard Paul say his name, but he ignored it for a moment, focusing all the love in his being on the little angel who was in trouble. “Where you are is in my heart, angel,” he spoke silently, praying that the Father would deliver the words to her and that she might find some comfort in them, “Paul and I will find you both. We promise.”
“Andrew?” Paul repeated, his face filled with anxiety. He had already guessed that he had felt something from Monica and though he didn’t completely understand this connection that they shared, right now it was all they had, “What is it? What did she say?”
He shook his head, “Not much, but enough to know that she is conscious.”
“Where are they?” He knew he was demanding answers, but he was desperate to find them.
“She doesn’t know,” He replied softly, “But she is afraid.”
Though Paul had already been sure that both Alex and Monica were probably terrified, hearing those words still felt like a punch in the gut. In occasional dreams the past year, he had seen her afraid at the hands of McArthur and it was a look he never wanted to see again.
Chapter 6
Tuesday 9:51pm
The road changed from smooth pavement to a deeply rutted and pot-holed back road, and Monica felt every bump rattle through her small frame. She kept her eyes closed and continued praying. She knew that if she opened them she would only see darkness, but keeping them closed made her able to imagine that she would see sunlight.
A sharp curve forced her to slam forward into Alex, and the woman let out a groan. Monica struggled to move off of her but inside she was grateful that Alex was beginning to wake up. She had been afraid that she was seriously hurt and knew that whoever had them wouldn’t be giving them medical attention any time soon.
Another pain filled moan and then Alex was squirming around. “What the… where...?”
“Shut up back there! I already warned your friend!”
Monica was trying to shush the young agent, but Alex was not easily intimidated. “Oh yeah? Pretty tough for someone I can’t see,” she blurted out.
“Oh, you’ll see more of me than you want to, Alex.”
The use of her name made Alex’s heart race. This wasn’t some random kidnapper who would eventually turn careless. She tried to move her arms, and felt the ropes tight around her elbows and wrists. A grunt escaped from between her lips, along with a few choice curses.
“I’m telling you… you don’t want to make me angry this early in the game.”
Alex could feel the tremble that went through Monica’s body and bit her tongue. She had more than herself to be concerned with, and no telling how capable the small woman was going to end up being. She wasn’t sure how long she had been unconscious and she knew that trying to map her current location was pointless, but she still found herself counting slowly to determine how far they were going, and memorizing each turn. It was her training kicking in and it kept her from giving in to her own fears.
Fifteen minutes later and they were still driving, but they had slowed down, and Alex could hear snow crunching under the wheels. They had to be somewhere in Maryland or West Virginia. Tree branches scraped the sides of the van and caused a shiver to run up her spine. It reminded her of Rob running his fingernails down their playroom chalkboard to aggravate her. She wondered how long it would take before Rob knew she was missing. Paul would find out first. Her heart pounded hard. How long would it take him to find them? Too long. She couldn’t count on him to race to her rescue. She had herself. That would have to be enough. With any luck Monica would end up being a help and not a hindrance.
“Looks like we’ve arrived, ladies,” he had turned off the engine and his malevolent voice filled the otherwise still air.
As he exited the car a rush of cold air swept in and straight through the blanket that covered the two captives. They could hear him moving outside and a second later the back doors were opening and the blanket was being yanked off of them. Monica was squinting, expecting to see the sun, but she was met by near total darkness once again. Her still foggy mind remembered that it had been nearly evening when they’d stopped at the townhouse, and she had no idea how long they’d been travelling.
She tried to push herself up, and managed to crane her neck enough to see the man who held them. He was tall and muscular even through the leather jacket he wore. His hair was spikey and dyed blonde, but his eyes were dark, nearly black. He yanked at her ankle to pull her towards the back of the van, and when she yelped in surprise Alex began to struggle.
“Get your hands off her! Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’re in?”
He laughed and the sound was so out of place in the situation that it made Monica’s breath catch in her throat.
“Yes, Alex, I know exactly what kind of trouble I’m in… but not for long,” he said, and again the use of her name unnerved the agent.
He pulled on her legs and dragged her to the back of the van as well, then whipped out a knife and sliced through the ropes holding their feet together before they even had time to react. The knife was tucked back into his boot and Monica let out the breath she had been holding. An instant later and he had pulled a gun from his waistband.
“All right. Both of you… on your feet.”
Monica obeyed, wide-eyed, and feeling more uncertain than she had in months. Alex was more reluctant, but she could see that fighting him at the moment was only going to get her or Monica injured or possibly killed. She still didn’t have the use of her arms, and running through the still falling snow would just be asking to get shot in the back.
He motioned them to a ramshackle house and barn, and for a second Monica thought he was bringing them into the house, but then he shouted for them to stop and pushed them towards the barn instead. It was drafty and cold, and so different from the barn she had been at just days before. There were no friendly horses with their warm muzzles begging to be stroked, and no scent of fresh hay and shavings. Instead the dirt floor sent the cold right through the thin soles of her shoes, and a musty, abandoned smell filled her nose.
“Welcome to your new home…”
Alex lost her patience and turned to face him. “What the hell are you talking about? Let’s just cut the crap!”
Her head snapped back with the force of his blow, and without her arms she couldn’t keep herself from falling straight back onto the ground. Monica screamed, but Alex just let out a short yelp as she hit the ground.
“I’m through listening to your mouth, Alex. I have no idea how Paul stands it. I seem to remember the last one was a lot quieter!” He was shouting as he dragged her to the end of the barn and wrapped a thin chain around her waist and then through an eyebolt screwed into the wall.
“Please! Why are you doing this?” Monica asked, as she stumbled after them, not wanting to risk being too far from her assignment’s side.
His mouth curled up into a wicked smile and he lunged for her and grabbed her arm, pulling her close. “I don’t think you need to know that right now,” he hissed as he took another length of chain and secured the angel just beyond Alex’s reach.
He checked the padlocks one more time and then stepped back, arms crossed, a look of intense satisfaction on his face.
“I don’t know who you are or how you know my partner…”
“Oh, you don’t know who I am? I’m the last person who is ever going to see you alive. That’s who I am,” Devin’s voice was low and venomous, and without a backward glance he strode out of the barn and within two minutes Monica and Alex could hear the van driving away.
Monica remained silent for a moment, trying with everything in her to swallow the terror that was welling up inside of her. She was shivering and her arms clasped behind her back and against the cold wood of the barn were aching along with her head. But she would gladly abide with all of that to just see Andrew come through the door right about now with a few blankets and a cup of coffee with her name on it.
She had heard his words of reassurance while she had still been in the van and it was a great comfort for her to know that he knew what had happened. If she knew nothing else right now, she knew that God was with her and that Andrew would not stop looking until he found her. But in the meantime, despite the cold and the pain, she still had a job to do and for the moment, she elected to focus on that.
“You work for the FBI.”
Alex looked over at her in surprise as the words were more of a statement than a question, “How did you know that?”
“I know Paul and you mentioned him being your partner. He and I have been friends for awhile now,” She explained softly, trying to find a more comfortable position but movement was limited.
Alex blinked. This was cat woman; the one who had intentionally left four cats with Paul to assure her access back into his life. Damn. If only she weren’t so likable, “I have a feeling this little adventure of ours has something to do with him.”
Monica had a feeling she knew exactly what it was about judging by what the man had said about the last female being more quiet. Add to that the fact that she knew Andrew had a series of difficult assignments and Paul had been upset about some things yesterday and she was fairly certain she had this mystery solved, other than how she and Alex were going to get out of here.
“My cell phone is in my pocket and I can’t even reach it,” Alex grumbled, trying to twist her way out of the ropes that secured her hands and arms and quickly realizing it was a lost cause, “Though I probably can’t get a signal wherever we are. Damn, it’s cold!”
“I’m not certain we are going to get out of here soon,” The little angel murmured as she leaned her head back tiredly.
“Monica, we have to get out of here soon or we’re going to die,” She replied flatly, though she immediately regretted the words when she watched her new friend turn away. She had always been far too honest and sometimes it didn’t always work in her favor, and she forced herself to settle down a little, “We need to find a way out, Monica. This snow isn’t going to stop anytime soon, and the temperatures are low. Who knows if or when he is coming back, which means no food or water. We’re in trouble, Monica and we’re the only ones who can do something about it.”
“We aren’t the only ones, Alex,” Monica said softly, blinking back tears, “There is still God.”
Alex gave a small snort, “Like I said, Monica. You and I are the only ones.”
*****
“We have a lead, small though it is,” Paul stated as he walked into his office where Andrew was waiting. It was nearly three ‘o clock in the morning and neither human nor agent had any plans of sleeping knowing Monica and Alex were out there somewhere.
Andrew looked up hopefully, needing to hear some good news even if it was miniscule. He had heard no more from his best friend and he was also starting to wonder where Tess was and if she knew what had happened.
“The tire tracks left in the snow in the driveway point to a 1979 Ford van. We know it turned right out of the driveway but after that it gets sketchy,” His expression showed his annoyance over the lack of information, “He left no fingerprints at the townhouse, but let’s face it, we know who it was. We have agents searching for any possible leads on Jackson.”
“It’s been seven hours, Paul. They could be anywhere,” Andrew knew he was on edge and it was tainting any optimism he would generally feel. He was worried about Monica and worried about Alex, and even worried about Paul if anything were to happen to either of them. He wished he hadn’t seen what Jackson was capable of but having witnessed it firsthand did nothing to calm his racing heart.
“Every on patrol police officer in Washington, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia are on the lookout, Andrew. Someone is bound to see something.”
“I can’t just sit here and wait, Paul,” He retorted, a hint of anger in his voice, “They are out there somewhere, probably hurt or worse. I’ve seen his work first hand. Alex isn’t an angel and we both know that even angels can get hurt.”
“You aren’t the only one who knows what he is capable of, Andrew,” the agent snapped, “Trust me, I know as well and I am no happier about this than you are!”
“Then let’s do something, Paul! I’ve been sitting here for three hours watching snow fall and praying that they aren’t out in it!” The mere thought caused a pang in his heart as he struggled to control the anger he was feeling out of helplessness. When David had shot her, God had led him right to her side, but now hours had passed with still no word on his being able to go and find her. He didn’t want to see her hurt. He didn’t want to see Alex hurt with Monica witnessing it. It would devastate her, not to mention Paul. He had sat inside once before and waited for her to return and he wasn’t about to do it again. He needed to be actively doing something..anything to help her.
Though angry, Paul understood where the angel’s fury was coming from and he reached over and grabbed Andrew’s coat, tossing it to him, “Then let’s go. We need to make sure we have blankets, flashlights and a first aide kit in the trunk of the car.”
“Where are we going?”
“Back to the townhouse. We’ll turn right out of the driveway and try to assess which streets would be more hazardous to a van in heavy snow. Maybe we’ll find a lead.”
*****
Devin smiled to himself as he emerged from a hot shower the following morning. He had all day to plan his next move as he was unwilling to venture the route to the old house and barn in the daylight. He had to be careful now. Any random killings could only lead Paul to him and he wasn’t about to let that happen.
It was still snowing. No doubt the two damsels would be feeling the chill by now. Good. It would probably serve to work some of the fight out of Alex. He flicked on the television, anxious for a news report. He was doubly pleased to see Paul’s face on the screen of CNN, giving information on the two missing females in answer to questions by the press. He had hit the jackpot. Alex was not only his partner but he knew about the other woman as well; seemed to know her.
Today was his lucky day.
Chapter 7
Wednesday 8:16pm
“Monica? Monica!” Alex shouted the angel’s name and rattled the chain that kept her tethered.
“Wha…” brown eyes slowly blinked and focused on Alex’ face. “Alex,” she slurred.
“Monica, wake up! You can’t fall asleep again!” The agent was beginning to panic.
Her training had left her with an extremely seep well of personal resources. She could go days without sleep and daily workouts kept her body in perfect condition. Mentally and physically she was prepared for almost any circumstances that might possibly find herself in. Monica, unfortunately, was not. The blow to her head was still making her woozy and the cold just intensified the feeling, lulling her to sleep at every opportunity. She shook her head, trying to clear her vision, and took deep breaths, the cold air seeming to slice into her lungs. She couldn’t ever remember being so cold. Flexing her fingers was the only way she could prove to herself that they were even still there, and her feet were completely numb.
She wanted to call out to Andrew, but what could she say? She knew that he was doing his best to find her, and anything she tried to tell him would only make him more worried and angry than he already was. She had heard his frequent words of encouragement to her throughout the night, and they were what kept her talking to Alex even when her throat grew dry and sore. She had only stopped when coughing fits threatened to steal her breath, and Alex had advised her to save her strength. Now she knew that if she didn’t start talking again she was just going to slip back to sleep.
Mostly she had asked Alex about herself, where she went to school, did she have any pets, what were her favorite childhood memories. For some reason she didn’t feel comfortable moving the subjects closer to the present. A look from Alex when she had told her that she knew Paul had made her back away from that subject. Now she wondered if it was time to go back to it.
“How are you doing, Alex?”
“I’m cold as hell, my arms are killing me and I think my stomach is about to start eating itself out of desperation,” she said, then ended sweetly, “What about you?”
Monica started to laugh, but it quickly turned into a series of coughs that made her head hurt even more. “Oh God,” she thought, piteously, “please, just let me get through this day.”
Almost instantly she felt a warm a hand rubbing her back and the coughing subsided. She looked up and her eyes grew wide and grateful.
“Shh, don’t talk, baby. You’re the only one who can see me.”
Monica nodded and held her breath.
“God is with you, Monica, and He is watching over you and Alex. Just stay strong, Angel Girl.”
The angel sniffled a little, wanting so much to be able to fall into Tess’ warm embrace.
“I know you’re cold and scared, but Andrew and Paul are looking for you, and this isn’t forever. Remember what it feels like to be held in the Father’s arms. Let that memory warm you. Let it help you give faith to Alex.”
Biting on her lip, Monica glanced over at the agent and nodded slightly, then turned her gaze back to Tess, ignoring the increasingly worried look on Alex’s face.
“I have to go now, baby, but remember what I’ve told you. Remember who you are… an angel of God, baby, and He knows that you are strong enough to get through this.”
Monica felt a single tear make a hot track over her near-frozen cheek at the instant Tess disappeared. Then she heard Alex calling her again, sharp and insistent.
“Are you hearing me? Monica! Look at me!”
She turned to face the agent. “I’m all right.”
Alex visibly relaxed and closed her eyes briefly. “Well you sure didn’t look it! I thought you were beginning to hallucinate or something… you were just staring at nothing.”
“I was praying,” Monica said truthfully.
The woman said nothing but the way her mouth tightened into a grim line was enough.
“Alex…”
She looked Monica straight in the eye. “Look, whatever works for you, but can we just not get into this right now? Trust me, you aren’t going to change my mind and we have more important things to do than debate theology!”
Monica tightened her cold fingers into little fists and let her eyes drift sadly to the floor. Unfortunately she knew that there was absolutely nothing more important.
Alex rolled her eyes at herself. Great. She was in a life and death situation with someone who had probably never had a broken nail, and here she was stomping all over her. She scooted herself as close to the angel as possible.
“Hey… I’m sorry, Monica. I’m just frustrated… and scared,” she admitted. “I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
Monica raised her eyes and met Alex’s. She had a lot she needed to say, but now was not the time to push. She struggled to move herself closer to the agent, frustrated at how clumsy her cold limbs were.
“Stomp your feet. You need to keep the circulation moving,” Alex said, demonstrating as she leaned back against the wall and bent her knees, pounding her feet up and down.
Monica did the same, wincing at the pain such a simple act caused. She was afraid that soon the numbness was going to get even more serious. The barn gave them little shelter and it was only a matter of time before true frostbite set in. The sun had already nearly set again, and the air was getting colder with each minute. Surely Lauren’s killer wasn’t going to just leave them there to freeze to death. She closed her eyes. What was she thinking? The man had taken the most precious person from one of her dearest friends. He was capable of anything.
Alex was studying Monica carefully. The other woman didn’t cry. She didn’t complain. She didn’t constantly ask how they were going to get out of this. The agent shook her head. She was a beginning to rethink her opinion of her. She was about to ask how she knew Paul, but then her sharp ears picked up the sound of a car rumbling towards them. She was about to start shouting when she caught a flash of color between the rotted slats of the barn. Pale blue. He was back.
“Miss me, girls?” he said as he entered. “I meant to stay away longer, but I have a delivery to make and I just couldn’t wait.”
Alex kept silent with difficulty.
“Nothing to say, Alex?” he said as he walked over and kicked at her legs. “That’s quite a shiner you’ve got there.” He bent closer and hissed into her ear. “You’re lucky I held my temper. Next time I’ll break your damn jaw.”
She just stared at him, eyes cold and filled with disgust.
“And what about you, Monica?”
The angel looked up, shocked that he knew her name.
“Oh yeah, I know all about you now. You’re the one he was able to save.” He shook his head. “Sorry you won’t be that lucky this time.”
Monica shrank back as he pulled the knife from his boot and approached her. That was enough to make Alex break her silence.
“Leave her alone you bastard!”
“Fine! I’ve got no problem with taking care of you first!” he said, his tone calculated to terrify her, and it did, but she jutted out her chin and stared him down nonetheless.
The knife glinted in the light from the van headlights and the last rays of the sun and he brought the tip to her throat, pressing just enough to bring a bead of blood rising to the surface and trickling down her neck. She held her breath, waiting for more pain, but then he yanked it away and stepped behind her. His rough hand grabbed her hair and she let out a sharp cry without meaning to. She could only imagine that her last sight would be her own blood spraying across the dirt floor, but a moment later she heard the knife slicing through her hair.
He walked back in front of her and held it out for her inspection. “You won’t miss this, will you?” he asked, and not waiting for an answer, he moved to Monica and repeated the actions, carelessly shearing off her long auburn locks.
He left the barn and went back to the van and when he returned he was carrying a blanket two pairs of handcuffs and a key.
“Don’t want you two dying on me too fast,” he said as he tossed the blanket at Alex’s feet and then moved towards Monica.
He was behind her and she didn’t know what he was doing but then the pressure holding her arms together was gone and he was harshly moving her hands in front of her and snapping on a pair of handcuffs. The pain of moving her arms after such a long time brought a small whimper to the back of her throat but he didn’t even give her a chance to rub the feeling back into them before locking them together again.
“Hope you don’t mind, Alex… I took the liberty of using your cuffs,” he gloated as he turned to smirk at her.
He used the key to unlock the chain that held Monica to the wall and prodded her closer to the agent and then locked the chain to another eyebolt. Then he snapped another pair of handcuffs on Alex’s wrists, keeping them behind her back, and sliced through the ropes that had been holding her. “Sorry, Alex, but only one of you needs her hands to cover you both, and I just can’t trust you, but I don’t want your friend here untying you.” He chuckled, “Though I doubt those fingers would be much good at that,” he said as he glanced at where Monica’s bloodless hands rested in her lap.
He grabbed her chin and held it tightly, his face only inches from her. She wanted to spit in his face, to lunge forward and smash her forehead into his nose, to send him reeling and bloody to the floor, but she did nothing. She just stared at him, unflinchingly, her look of hatred easily matching his.
“Try not to miss me too much,” he growled and then pushed her face away, sending the back of her head colliding with the wall.
Monica’s eyes were staring at the scene, transfixed, and yet she couldn’t move her mouth to say a word. When Devin turned to her she found herself just praying that he wouldn’t touch her, and her heart was instantly filled with self-reproach. He sent a menacing grin in her direction, but turned on his heel and walked out. The van door opened and closed and a minute later they were alone again, the engine noise fading into nothingness. Alex stared straight ahead, almost willing him to come back. Surely she could have done something else. She needed another chance. She looked over at Monica, disgusted with herself, and a knot formed in her throat when she saw the tears glinting in the Irish woman’s eyes. She was even more upset when she felt them in her own.
*****
Thursday 10:24am
“We need to sleep,” Paul remarked dryly. He and Andrew were pushing at forty-eight hours now without rest and the angel showed no signs of giving into his human body. They had searched all night and into the next day before night had fallen again. Now it was late morning on day two and they still had no other clues to go on in order to find Alex and Monica.
“How can I sleep with her out there, Paul?” Andrew uttered, running a hand through his mangled blond hair. His exhaustion wasn’t serving his worry any and at moments he felt downright frantic.
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” The agent replied as they stepped off the elevator onto Paul’s floor at the bureau, “We can see if anyone has turned up anything more. Hendrix was working on any leads with Jackson’s family. Maybe he has scared up something.”
Paul headed for his office first in order to hang up his coat. Thankfully, the snow had finally stopped last night but there was a seven inch accumulation which was making clues even harder to find. He sighed as he opened the door to his office. Though he was doing his best not to show it, he was worried sick about Monica and Alex. He had never liked feeling helpless and that was exactly how he was feeling at the moment. Though he was only beginning to explore his feelings for his partner, both she and the little angel were the two most important individuals in his life. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to either one of them.
He stopped short as he walked in the door, nearly causing Andrew to collide with him, as his eyes were drawn to a package on his desk. The paper was plain brown packaging and it was addressed to him and already Paul had the feeling that he wasn’t going to like the contents.
“Paul, wha-.” But then Andrew saw the object of the agent’s distress and he ventured a step closer as Paul slowly put on gloves in order to open it, not wanting to disturb any prints that could give them a positive ID in what they already knew.
The box was unnervingly light and Paul forced himself to slowly open it, not wanting to miss any evidence. As he lifted the lid off what was a shoe box, he was starring at the piece of paper with the words “touche” written on them and he felt his face flush with anger, even as he heard Andrew’s breath catch in his throat. As he removed the paper, tears burned his eyes before his anger exploded at what he saw.
“Damn him! You bastard, you will pay! I’ll see to it personally!”
Andrew felt his blood run cold as he looked into the box and saw what Paul had seen before he briefly closed his tired green eyes.
Locks of chestnut and auburn.
He would know Monica’s tresses anywhere and pain like no other he had ever felt before filled his heart and he wasn’t even certain if it was coming from his own heart or Monica’s. He could feel a combination of intense fear and intense pain that only made him want to find her and hold her tightly to himself, “Father, please…keep her safe…” The words he hadn’t even realized he had said, caused him to open his eyes before he turned around and walked out of the office.
*****
Thursday 3:40pm
“So cold…” The words were barely a whisper from the angel’s mouth as she struggled to move her legs once more, but it was nearly hopeless. Her entire body had become so sluggish and would no longer respond to her simple commands of it. Talking was becoming increasingly more difficult as her throat was so sore and her words were coming much more slowly. She could no longer stop the shivering, even for a moment.
The blanket and the body heat she had shared with Alex had helped for awhile, but the wind had picked up a bit today and the cold felt unbearable. The little angel found herself focusing on getting through each minute, sometimes mentally counting the seconds to keep herself awake. She struggled to focus on Tess’ words that this would not last forever, but it already felt at least that long.
“Hang in there with me, Monica,” Alex’s words were slow and slightly slurred, even as she pounded her legs against the floor. She had made up her mind to not let the bastard win, but she was growing increasingly worried about the small woman beside of her. Monica had grown quiet and it terrified her and she had to find a way to keep her talking. That meant biting a bullet she was loathe to taste, “So tell me…why are you so certain about this God of yours?”
Somewhere in the back of her mind, Monica heard the question, but despite the fact that she wanted to jump to answer it, physically doing so was much more difficult. She knew that there were a million reasons to give, but she settled on one much shorter question, “Why are you not?”
Alex raised her eyebrows in amusement at the question. Given a chance to preach at her, Monica had taken a road that allowed her to give reasons against God instead and she felt her respect for her go up a notch. Alex was unable to deny that there was a peace about her friend, despite the fact that she knew Monica was suffering, “I find it easier to rely on myself than on someone or something I can’t see, “She answered carefully, trying to move to stretch out her aching shoulders and flinched at the pain it caused.
“How long have we been here?”
The question caught the agent off guard and she immediately knew her friend was having trouble staying focused. Damnit! She would keep them both alive if need be! He would not win! “Two days,” She answered, forcing herself to speak more loudly, “Answer my question. If there was a God, then why are we were? I need to know, Monica, so start talking.”
The little angel closed her exhausted eyes and leaned her head back. Talking hurt. Her body hurt. Even surviving felt impossible at the moment. She wanted to sleep. She wanted that hug from the Father.
“Andrew…” The words were but a thought in her head, needing to find someone to hold onto until this moment of surrender passed, “I’m failing…I’m so cold…” She could just make out his urgent question as the single word escaped her lips, “Barn…” She could feel his love surrounding her and it brought tears to her eyes. She missed him.
“Two reasons, Alex,” Her words now felt more focused as she said them through a hoarse whisper, “The free will of this man, which we all have and the fact that God’s plan is bigger than all of us. We don’t always understand…”
Relief flooded through the agent. For a moment she had been terrified that Monica was going to fall asleep and Alex knew that would be fatal. But now, she sounded more coherent than she had all day, “Seems like the easy way out to explain something that isn’t really there.”
Drawing in a shallow breath, she continued wearily, “How many narrow escapes do you encounter in your job, Alex?”
“Probably hundreds.”
“And you believe that each time your life is spared, it is because you relied on yourself?” She turned her head to look the agent in the eyes, “You must be extremely lucky.”
“I’m extremely prepared. I train for hours every week. That is what sees me through,” She argued gently, wanting to keep Monica talking, but not wanting to stomp all over her once more.
Monica fell silent for a moment, before another cough erupted from her. She waited until it had subsided to answer, “What about this time, Alex? If we don’t get help, is your training going to save you?” She watched sadly as the agent looked away.
*****
“Paul?”
The agent looked up, startled, as Andrew burst back into his office a short time later. He had just been considering going to find him, after giving them both some time to cool off after the package had been opened. The parcel now was being examined by forensics for any information they could use on it.
“A barn! They’re in a barn. Tell me we can work with that!”
Paul look flabbergasted at Andrew’s announcement, wondering briefly if exhaustion had finally gotten to him, before he realized the truth, “Monica.”
“They’re freezing to death, Paul. We’re running out of time,” The angel’s heart was pounding just as loudly as it had been when he had finally heard from the little angel. Her words had been few but had told him so much. He was only praying that the information was something they could go on.
Paul was already punching numbers into the phone, his face a picture of impatience as he waited for someone to pick up on the other end, “Hendrix, I need you to look for any relatives who have property containing a barn. Put everything else aside. This is urgent,” As the other agent confirmed his orders, Paul placed the phone back in its cradle, and turned back to his friend, “Did she say anything else?”
Andrew shook his head, “She said enough and we now know that they are at least alive.” He purposefully left out the part about how desperate she had sounded and how close to resignation.
Paul took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, “That dear little angel may have just given us the break we’ve been waiting for. I’ve been trying to reach Alex’s brother, Rob, but I’m not getting an answer. Her family needs to know what is happening and I don’t even know if her parents can be reached.”
“Her brother may have already seen it on the news,” The angel offered.
He nodded his head in agreement, “Let’s go and grab some coffee and up the supplies in the trunk. I think there are a few thermal blankets here somewhere and if I know Hendrix, if this is the break we’ve been waiting for, it won’t take him long.”
The only words the agent refrained from saying was that if it took longer than expected, they would surely run out of time, as without a miracle, Monica and Alex would not survive another twenty-four hours.
Chapter 8
Thursday 5:21pm
Andrew sat in a chair in Paul’s office, with his eyes glued to the clock. He couldn’t help it. He and Paul had managed to pile every conceivable supply into the car, talk to four other agents to have them prepared to roll, and drunk innumerable cups of coffee and still there hadn’t been a lead.
He hadn’t heard anything else from Monica and was almost afraid to try to talk to her. He didn’t want to try only to get no reply. He was certain that would push him over the edge into complete panic, and he needed to remain strong and steady. As he watched through the open door and saw Paul moving purposefully around the offices he shook his head in admiration. He knew how the situation was tearing the agent apart but aside from a couple of brief outbursts he had been an a rock; unwavering and unstoppable.
Paul caught Andrew’s eye and nodded as he started towards the office, and Andrew stood up. It looked as if the agent finally had some information. He stepped out of the office and was nearly pushed to the ground by a young man on a collision course for Paul. The angel hurried to follow him, sensing that he might need to intervene, but he was still a step behind when the man reached Paul, and in one fluid motion pulled back his arm and punched the agent square in the face. He was surprised by the blow and he stumbled backwards and came close to landing on the floor as the ringing in his ears blocked out other sound.
“You bastard!” he wasn’t shouting but his voice was loud enough to bring several other agents to the scene as Andrew quickly stepped between the two men.
Paul brought a hand up to his aching jaw, feeling to see if it was broken, then looked the other man up and down. The family resemblance was difficult to miss. They had the same eyes.
“Good to meet you, Rob,” he said as he held out his free hand.
Rob stepped forward as if to hit him again but Andrew placed a surprisingly strong hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Rob? Alex’s brother?” he asked, trying to diffuse the situation as Paul waved the other agents away.
“That’s right, and I know exactly why that sick, murdering bastard has my sister, and it’s his fault,” he spat out.
“Rob… I…”
“Don’t even try to deny it. Alex may not have done her homework, but I have.”
It was true. Rob Bennett worked for the Washington Post, and despite his seemingly flighty nature, he was actually extremely protective of his big sister. The day she had been reassigned as Paul’s partner he had sent an intern on a search for anything in the archives that contained the name Paul Gatlin. Yes, he knew everything; from the fact that Paul had lost his fiancé to the maniac who held his sister, to the fact that Alex most likely didn’t even know the reason she had been taken.
“Rob,” Andrew decided to try where Paul had failed, “there’s no sense in placing blame here. We all want to get her back.” He didn’t bother adding that there was someone else he was also desperate to find.
Unfortunately Rob was just as stubborn as his sister and almost as stubborn as Paul. “Yeah… get her back… she wouldn’t even be missing if it wasn’t for you,” he said as his eyes bore into Paul’s. “Did you even tell her he was out? Did you even tell her what he’d done? What he was capable of?”
Paul didn’t lower his gaze although everything in him wanted to turn away. He deserved every word that was flung at him. “No. I didn’t tell her,” he answered, his voice flat and dead.
“That’s what I figured. She would have mentioned something to me, and she damn sure would have been watching her back more carefully. He wouldn’t have gotten within twenty feet of her.”
“We don’t know that,” Andrew again tried to interject calm into the highly charged situation.
“Oh, I know. I know my sister.”
Paul’s shoulders slumped. “He’s right, Andrew. I told you that myself. I should have warned her… damnit, I should have told her something…”
“That’s enough of that!” Tess’ booming voice sounded from ten paces down the hall and she moved steadily closer, never taking her eyes from Paul’s. “There’s no telling what would have happened if you had told her. For all you know that just would have made her too hard to catch and he would have killed her right on the spot.”
“Who are you?” Rob looked at her with a mixture of surprise and contempt and Tess quickly rose to her full height and stepped right in front of him.
“I’m a friend… and I think you had better keep a civil tongue in your head.”
Rob’s eyes flickered and he drew in a breath. There was something about the woman in front of him that demanded his respect.
“Paul, there’s an Agent Hendrix looking for you and he’s waving around a stack of papers. You and Andrew had better get a move on. I’ll keep your new friend here company.”
The tone in Tess’ voice would have brought a stifled chuckle in most circumstances, but Andrew and Paul didn’t really hear anything beyond the words Agent Hendrix. They had their lead.
“Bring them back safe,” Tess called as they rushed off without even saying goodbye.
Andrew turned as they reached the end of the hall, and looked back at the older angel. The angel who had seen so much and had guided them through so many difficult assignments. “We’ll be back soon, Tess… all of us.”
*****
Thursday 5:43pm
The hours passed with unbearable slowness, but when the sun began to set once again fear threatened to suffocate Monica and she wished that time could stop. He only came after the sunset and she didn’t want to think about what his next visit would bring. Huddled under the blanket Alex and the Irish angel had finally decided that they needed to sleep to preserve their energy so they had rested in shifts. One had always remained awake and able to rouse the other if it got dangerously cold. The brief periods of rest had helped Monica, as in her dreams she had felt close to God and all she loved, but they had not had the same affect on Alex. Each time she woke she was groggier and more disconnected. Her strength had finally reached its lowest point.
They were trying to keep themselves alert now, as they knew that he could return at any time. Alex’s eyes stubbornly refused to open all the way, but she continued talking, answering Monica’s endless questions about work and family. The angel was still looking for an opportunity to get through to the young agent. She had no idea what the future held and she couldn’t accept what might happen if Alex refused to at least open her heart to God a tiny bit.
Finally, with a round of questions coming to an end, Alex spoke up with one of her own. “So, how long have you and Paul been dating?”
As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to pull them back. They were the strongest sign that she truly was too exhausted to think clearly. She was shocked and for an instant wasn’t even sure that they had been uttered aloud, but when she glanced at Monica out of the corner of her eye, her question about that was answered. The angel looked nearly as shocked as she felt.
Monica, For her part, felt the heat rising to her cheeks for the first time in three days. She looked at Alex, and was surprised at what she saw there, and even more surprised that she hadn’t noticed it before. It was a look she had seen once before. Alex was jealous.
“Oh, no!” she exclaimed, her Irish brogue suddenly getting two shades thicker, “We aren’t dating! It isn’t like that at all!”
Alex silently rose one eyebrow in disbelief, and Monica took a breath. Clearly she was going to have to explain.
“Paul was assigned to protect me over a year ago,” she said, reluctant to say anymore. The last thing she wanted was to relive those days at the moment.
Even in her slightly addled state, Alex noticed the way Monica’s eyes drifted to the ground, and the slight tremor in her voice. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to talk about it.”
Monica looked up gratefully. “Thank you.”
“But, I do have to ask… if you don’t have any intention of getting together, then why did you leave your cats with him?”
Monica gave a little shrug. “I couldn’t take them where I was going,” she answered simply.
Alex nodded, thinking about her partner. Yes, he definitely seemed like the type to do anything to help someone else… including taking in a quartet of kittens. Paul. Where was he? Was he any closer to finding them? Did he know who had them? She wanted his name herself. She wanted to be able to call him by it with disgust they way he used hers. It was a small bit of power, but she wanted it.
“They’re coming,” Monica said, as if reading Alex’s mind. “They’re coming soon… I know they are.”
Alex sighed. She didn’t want to dash Monica’s hopes but she was beginning to wonder. She had tried everything to free herself. Her hands were cut to ribbons from trying to force them through the stainless steel cuffs, and even after Monica had retrieved the cell phone from her pocket it had, predictably, not had a signal. She knew that during the lulls in their conversation Monica spent the time praying. Now she almost wished she could believe just to have a small bit of the comfort that the smaller woman seemed to get from it.
They both flinched and looked up when they heard the horribly familiar sound of the van approaching. Once again the headlights illuminated the barn and they squinted as he opened the door and swaggered in, looking so content and proud of himself. It made Alex want to break his neck.
“Another day gone, eh girls? No sign of your hero though. I’m sure he got my message,” he laughed, “but I didn’t actually leave a return address.”
Monica lowered her head. She had been trying not to think about the gruesome present he had prepared for her friend. She knew that it was a small thing, nothing really, but the loss of her hair… it was so personal and so intimate. It made her sick, and she could only imagine how Paul and Andrew had reacted.
“I said I’d keep you for a week and it looks like time is nearly half over,” he said as he drew a flat black box from his jacket.
“Why don’t you just leave an anonymous tip and save yourself,” Alex said, beginning to grasp at straws.
Devin shook his head as if amazed by her stupidity. “You just don’t get it, do you? You are going to die. I’ve already killed someone he loved and now I’ve got two more. I think that will just about make up for the time I spent in prison.”
Monica finally found her voice. “You put yourself in prison. Paul had nothing to do with it!”
“Ahhh… the mouse speaks. I was beginning to think you’d swallowed your tongue,” he said as he stepped closer. “So… I put myself in prison, did I? Funny, I don’t remember shooting at myself. I don’t remember breaking my own arm. No… I’m pretty sure those are the things your friend Paul did. See, this is my way of life… and I like it. Makes me pretty sick I suppose, but there you have it. I only wish I could be here for every second of the next four days.”
“What the hell are you talking about now?” Alex asked, feeling a surge of adrenaline.
“Well, I know this stuff is pretty slow acting, but I’m told that there are numerous symptoms before death actually takes hold,” he said, and as he spoke he opened the metal box, revealing it’s velvet lining and the twin syringes it held. “You’d be surprised the friends you make in the federal pen, and the code of honor among us. This is top secret stuff… very foreign and very deadly… particularly when I’ll be the only one with the antidote.”
“Please…” Monica had been terrified of needles ever since her brief time in the psych ward during one of her assignments, and the sight of the syringes brought that all back to her. “You don’t have to do this!”
“You’re right,” he said as he grabbed her arm, taking care to avoid Alex who was now struggling to reach him. “I don’t have to do it. I want to.” He plunged the needle into the thin vein in her arm and she cried out as he pumped half of the contents into her bloodstream and then ripped the needle out. He turned to Alex and held up the syringe, watching as it caught the light from the van headlamps and scattered it through the barn. “Now ordinarily you should never use the same needle… but in your case I don’t think it will make much of a difference.”
Before he even went near her with the needle, he backhanded her across the face, sending her reeling back into the wall, stunned and surprised. He straddled her limp body and pumped the rest of the syringe’s contents into her arm, then quickly stood up before she could regain her senses.
“I’ll see you both tomorrow,” he said with a grin. “I’m looking forward to seeing how you’re holding up. I’ll have to remember to bring a camera. I’m sure Paul will love to see some pictures of you.”
Monica had scrambled over to Alex’s side and was cradling her half in her lap. She looked up at Devin, and her eyes hardened. She hadn’t felt such anger since Greg Tate. “Whatever you do to us, it will never change who Paul is, and he will find you. You will never be safe.”
Devin smiled down at her. “I think you’d be surprised little lassie. Once I’m done with you two I’m sure there are several countries that would be happy to have me.” He laughed lightly and then, as every evening before, he walked out and was gone.
*****
Thursday 8:42pm
“How much further?” Andrew asked his eyes laden with concern as Paul drove as quickly as was safe through the night. He didn’t even know if getting there was going to solve anything, but he continued to lift up prayer after prayer that it would and that Monica and Alex would be more or less all right.
“Half hour,” The agent’s tone was filled with tension. Their lead had paid off as a cousin of Jackson’s had an old, abandoned farmhouse secluded in the mountains of West Virginia. His hands clenched and unclenched on the steering wheel of the SUV as he glanced in the rear view mirror at the other vehicle of two agents that was closely following them, thankful for having backup. If Devin Jackson was there, the agent knew he would not be able to trust himself, never mind Jackson.
Andrew leaned his head back and closed his eyes briefly. The moment of seeing Monica’s hair in the box had caused barely contained anger to resurface, so he continued to pray for his own restraint as well. If the little angel was hurt, it would be all he could do to keep from inflicting the same pain on the man who had caused it.
“How do you know they were freezing?” Paul finally found the courage to ask the question he had been pondering ever since Andrew had stated it, “Did she tell you that?”
“She said she was cold. Monica isn’t one to complain about winter weather; she tries not to complain about anything. If she hadn’t been freezing the fact that she was cold would not have been one of the only things she let me know.” He knew that to be true, but he didn’t mention how he could have almost felt a chill that went clear down to his bones when she had said those words. No, she had been more than just cold.
“We’ll get there in time,” Paul stated the words and knew they had to be the truth. There were no other options.
Chapter 9
Thursday 9:12pm
Alex had lost consciousness and Monica had never prayed so diligently in her existence. She had surrendered her part of the blanket to her assignment, trying only to focus on the agent, not even wanting to think about the horrible thing that had been done to them less than an hour ago. If she did that she knew that it would be more than cold threatening to overtake her. The cold would be rivaling with terror.
She had reminded herself over and over again that she was an angel, even as she wondered how long it would take before the effects of the poison would kick in on her system. Even had she been human, she would have had no idea of what to expect, but her angelic status even made that call more difficult. Her human body reacted differently to human medications so how could a poison be any different?
She was trying not to fear what was to come, for both herself and Alex, but it was nearly impossible. She could barely move her fingers anymore and they had turned nearly white from the intensely cold temperatures. Her throat was so sore, she could barely swallow and she had never been so tired. If she had the strength, she was certain she would cry.
The crunching of tires on snow caused her to look up slowly and her heartbeat to quicken ever so slightly. It also caused Alex to wake up, and her defeated eyes moved to the door of the barn. He was back and she wanted to scream with the fear that knowledge inflicted.
Monica held her breath, her cold lungs aching in protest, but no sound came. She was waiting for the door to swing open, but once the engine had died there was silence and this frightened her more than when he had each time entered the barn.
But then the sound of a voice was heard, and it sounded nearly as sweet as the Father calling her Home.
“Monica! Alex!”
“Andrew!” The word was but a hoarse whisper and though she knew Paul would never hear it, she knew with all her heart that Andrew would.
His first sight of her went straight to his heart and he didn’t waste another moment at getting to her side as Paul burst in behind him. The angel knelt down beside of her and took her face into his hands, terrified by the coldness he felt, “Angel..” It was all he was able to say as he took in the whiteness of her skin, the exhaustion in her eyes, the rawness of her wrists and the cropped head of auburn hair. She was shaking so badly it scared him and he struggled to swallow the lump that had risen to his throat.
“Michaels! Get those blankets from the back of the car and I need metal cutters and be quick about it!” Paul’s command was heard through the stark barn as he knelt down in front of his partner. He wished that they were in a place in their relationship where he could wrap his arms around her, but she had no idea of his feelings for her, “We’ll get this bastard, Alex.”
Alex forced back tears, unwilling to shed them in front of him as she managed the smallest of smiles, “You are a sight for sore eyes, Gatlin.”
He chuckled softly, “You’ve never looked better to me, Bennett,” He stated sincerely, his relief in finding them both alive apparent in his eyes, before he turned them to the little angel, who was already wrapped up in Andrew’s now abandoned leather jacket, “You hanging in there for us, honey?”
Monica nodded, unable to speak and a moment later, she felt a warm, heavy blanket engulfing her small form and she nearly cried out at the pain it caused. There was nothing on her body that didn’t hurt, her heart included at what Paul and Andrew still needed to know.
“I was so worried, sweetheart,” Andrew whispered to her. His heart was aching at the tears that immediately filled her eyes and trailed down her face and he wrapped his arms around her as best he could, wanting to cry himself at the absence of the hair he was so accustomed to running his fingers through. “You’re safe now, baby. You’re safe and God was with you the entire time.”
“Andrew…” She knew she had to tell him, but any hopes of that were dashed by the dry cough that racked through her.
“Shh, don’t try to talk right now, angel. Let’s just work on getting you and Alex out of here.”
“Gatlin.”
Paul looked up as St. James tossed him a pair of metal cutters, turning first to the angel.
“No,” Monica managed to say, “Alex…please.”
Paul nodded and set to work on his partner, first releasing the chain that was around her waist. “Thank God we found you both in time, Alex,” he spoke softly to her as he worked, now noticing her bruised face and wanting to pulverize the man who had done this…the man who had taken so much from him, “You’re going to be just fine. We just need to get you both warm and-.”
“Gatlin,” the words were scarcely audible but held enough grief to cause him to look up at her. She managed to shrug off the blanket to expose her arm.
He followed her line of vision to her exposed arm, his eyes widening at the track mark, “Alex, what…”
“Some kind of poison, Paul,” She managed to keep her voice steady, despite what she was really feeling, “He injected both of us about an hour ago…said it would take about four days to kill us. He is the only one with the antidote…”
Paul could hardly fathom the words as he saw Andrew’s head shoot up, having overheard what she had said. “Son of a--” he exploded as he stared into Alex’s frightened eyes, trying to reign in control of his emotions for both her and Monica’s sake, “We’ll find him…we’ll find him in time, Alex.” His heart was racing. The bastard would not take her too!
Andrew starred at Monica in utter shock, watching as her chin trembled at his reaction, but the little nod she gave told him it was true, not that he had any reason to not believe.
“You know I’ll be fine,” Monica whispered tearfully, knowing she was doing a terrible job of disguising what she was really feeling, “You know that.”
Did he? He hated that he was asking himself that question, but the thought of anymore pain coming to her was almost more than he could bear. Jackson had injected them with something lethal. Angel or no, unless God intervened, she was going to suffer. She was already half frozen and the cough indicated illness as it were, but for her to endure this as well was causing him to doubt that there really was a plan.
Agent Michaels ran back into the barn carrying a first aid kit, and Paul stood up, trying to control the rage and panic that were threatening his composure. “Never mind that,” he said as he grabbed the kit from him. “Go call the hospital. Tell ‘em to get a room ready and tell ‘em we need someone from poison control… not that they’ll know anything.” Michaels turned to run out and Paul shouted after him, “And call the agency! We need someone from toxicology… we need someone who knows something!”
Alex struggled to reach up to his hand, the movement causing searing pain through her stiff shoulders. “Paul, no… no hospital.”
“What?” Paul knelt down again, looking into her face and seeing resignation behind her fear. “Alex,” he said more calmly, “we need to get you both to the hospital. They have to be able to do something for you… there must be ways… they can tell what it was…”
Alex shook her head, “Paul, I’m dying, but I’m not dead yet. I’m not wasting time lying in a bed.”
“You are not going to die, so just shut up about that,” he said, more harshly than he intended.
Her eyes flashed. “I’m telling you the truth, and I’m still your partner, and I’m not going to be sidelined now! I at least want the chance to face the bastard who did this! I just need a few hours sleep in a real bed. That’s all!”
“Paul…” Andrew’s low voice cut in. Monica had her face buried in his chest and he knew that their arguing was not helping anyone.
The agent closed his eyes momentarily and took a deep breath. “Your place?” he asked when he opened his eyes and looked at Alex.
She shook her head. “Too small. My parent’s. We can set up a base of operations there.”
She knew that something terrible was coursing through her bloodstream, but being found had renewed her strength and her stubbornness. She wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and she wasn’t going to go down without knowing exactly why. She looked into Paul’s face. The concern warred with guilt on his face. They had a lot to talk about and not much time to do it.
"Do you think you can stand up?" Paul asked, not wanted to overstep his bounds with her getting her stubborn streak back.
"I can stand, just help me up," she replied, and she reached for his hands, feeling their warmth against her frozen fingers.
He gently pulled her to her feet, but she was wrong. Almost as soon as she stood the room seemed to spin and her legs gave out. The freezing cold and the lack of movement had worked against her body. She let out a curse as she felt herself falling, but before it was even out of her mouth Paul's strong hands were on her, and he was lifting her in his arms.
"I'm sorry," he muttered, knowing that weakness was something she despised, particularly in herself.
Strangely, Alex didn't even think about that. She felt him holding her closely, protectively, and for a moment she let herself dwell on how wonderful that felt. Maybe three days of captivity were responsible, but suddenly she recognized how nice it was to have someone else in control, even if it was just for a moment, and to be able to trust them completely. She didn't have time for the knowledge to do much more than register, because in the next heartbeat her head was lolling against Paul's shoulder, and her eyes slid closed as she passed out.
"Alex? Alex!" Paul jostled her, trying to get her to regain consciousness.
Andrew looked up from his place on the ground. Paul was looking to him for reassurance that she was going to be all right, and he was able to give it, at least for the moment.
"I think it's just the frostbite and the exhaustion, Paul," he said gently. "Right now we just need to get them someplace warm. Then we'll deal with the rest."
Monica was staring at him, her eyes shining in the darkness, and filled with worry. She nodded her agreement. She didn't even want to think about anything beyond the next few hours.
"He's right, Paul. She's just been so strong for so long… her body needs to rest now."
The agent looked at her lovingly, amazed, as always, by her ability to think of just about everyone else before herself. "And so does yours, Monica."
The Irish angel didn't even try to protest when Andrew scooped her up into his arms. Paul and the angel of death walked to the door and Monica wearily turned her head to glance over her friend's shoulder and back into the barn. It was such a dark, cold place, and she knew that she would be going there in her dreams for a very long time.
Agents Michaels and St.James were waiting right outside the barn and they rushed ahead to Paul's SUV, opening the back doors and helping agent and angel inside with their fragile cargo. Michaels hopped into the front seat and slammed the vehicle into reverse, then sped back down the road, with the other agent close behind.
"I heard Agent Bennett mention her parent's house," Michaels said over his shoulder as he looked at them in the rear-view mirror. "I've already called ahead. They're getting it ready, and they're sending a doctor."
Paul nodded, but remained silent. He honestly didn't know what good a doctor would do them, but at least they'd be able to patch up the external evidence of their ordeal. He gazed down into Alex's still face. True, he hadn't known her very long, but in that period of time he couldn't ever remember her being still or silent. It chilled him to see her that way now, and he forced himself to look away.
"How are you doing, Monica?" he asked as he looked into the third row of seats.
"Cold," she answered honestly.
The beginning stages of frostbite had actually made her numb even to the cold, and now that she was finally warming up she was able to feel the bone-deep chill that had enveloped her. She was shaking almost continuously, even with the warming blanket over her, and it felt like only Andrew's arms kept her from splintering off into a thousand pieces.
"You'll warm up soon, Monica," Paul said, a touch of sadness in his face as he turned to face forward again.
Yes, she would warm up, but what then? Four days. They had four days to find Devin Jackson and pray that he had even bothered to keep the antidote or at least knew what the poison was. Four days to watch Monica and Alex slowly suffer and fade. Suddenly four days seemed like an eternity and an instant all at once.
"How are your hands, angel?" Andrew asked quietly as he reached under the blanket and covered them both with one of his.
They still felt like ice, just like the rest of her body.
"A little better," she answered as she took a trembling breath. "They're starting to hurt… I think that means they're getting better."
He gently squeezed them, and then closed his eyes. Wherever Devin Jackson was, there was nothing on earth or in Heaven that would keep the angel from finding him.
*****
The ride back to Waverly Street and the Bennett townhouse seemed to last forever. In fact it was less than two hours, and when they arrived they saw that those two hours had been well spent by the FBI. The house had FBI issue cars parked in the driveway and on both sides of the street around it. Every light in the house appeared to be on, and there were agents moving in and out, talking on cell phones, and circling the perimeter.
A light snow had begun to fall once again, and it swirled in the light from the house and the light from the car headlamps. It reminded Paul of Christmas and ice skating at the farm. He wanted to take Alex there again. He wanted to be able to take her anywhere, but he could only carry her into the house and hurry up the stairs to the bedrooms.
Monica had long since passed out, and Andrew found himself praying that it wasn't because of the poison. He had been so quick to reassure Paul, and yet seeing Monica's closed eyes and pale skin brought fear to his own heart. He followed Paul inside and up the stairs, settling Monica into the room beside Alex's. It looked like it had been Rob's room, with sports trophies on the bookshelves and a pennant from Yale hanging over the bed.
"Angel?" he whispered, hoping she would wake up.
"Excuse me, Agent, but I need to get in here," the female voice was demanding but kind, and Andrew turned to face the woman who owned it.
"I'm Dr. Pelletier," she said. "I promise, I'll take good care of her," she said as she walked over to the desk which was already laden with medical supplies.
"Thank you," Andrew said, surprised by the roughness in his voice. He swallowed and spoke again. "I'll be right downstairs."
He left the room and carefully shut the door, then turned to his right and saw Paul closing Alex's door.
"So," Paul said, "I know you've got all the connections… why don't you see what you can do?" He rolled his eyes upwards, then let his mouth twist into a wry grin. He already knew it wasn't that easy.
Andrew sighed. "I wish it worked that way. Right now, you have just as much power as me… the power to pray."
