The Awakening of Angel Ch. 09

"GO! GO! GO!"

Three of my team, all clad in black, rose up behind and to the side of the target, hood over the head, gloved hand over mouth, arms restrained, and a strong sedative auto-injected. It was all very fluid and within ten seconds the target slumped. The van drove up and the target was dumped in and the vehicle pulled quietly away.

"All radios. Rendezvous at Sierra Uniform. Confirm receipt."

"Victor 2, roger."

"Victor 6 copies."

"Victor 7 copy."

Sierra Uniform was an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. The room was mostly dark except for a handful of glow sticks which illuminated a hooded figure tied to a chair and slumped over. I nodded and one of my team stepped over and injected the target with an antidote which included adrenaline. Within moments the targets head picked up and started moving around.

"HEY! MOTHERFUCKERS! WHAT THE FUCKING SHIT YOU ASSHOLES! FUCK YOU! TAKE THIS GODDAMNED HOOD OFF MY HEAD YOU BASTARDS!"

I nodded again and the hood was removed. His eyes tried to take in the scene but all he saw was black shadowy figures.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU ASSHOLES THINK YOU ARE? FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU ALL! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU IF YOU LET ME LOOSE MOTHERFUCK....erssss..."

One of my team grabbed him around the throat and held until the target almost passed out. He leaned down and whispered in his ear, "If you want me to gut you here and now keep talking, but if you want to live then shut your mouth." The targets eyes got wide but he clamped his mouth shut and I decided it was time to finish this up.

"Hello Ed. I'd like to say it's nice to meet you but it's not."

"Who are you? How do you know me?"

"Well let's just say I, and all these people, are friends of your wife and daughter?"

"What the hell? Marie and Angel?"

"Yes. And you are done talking now. We don't need to listen to your ignorant mouth from here on out. You will just nod agreement when you understand. Do you understand?"

Ed nodded.

"Good. You may live through the night then."

Ed's eyes got really big and then we heard water dripping and the smell of feces.

"Oh, big man Ed. You just pooped and peed your pants. How humiliating."

Ed's mouth started to open and then clamped shut again.

"We know all about how you have beat and abused your wife and daughter. The last guy we caught doing this to his family lost his testicles. Do you want to keep your testicles as well as your life Ed?"

Ed nodded shakily.

So here is what you are going to do. The bag next to you has a thousand dollars and a bus ticket to Raton New Mexico. I have friends there and they will make sure you arrive and they will ensure that you never leave the city limits for the rest of your life. If you do attempt to leave, my team will pick you up and they will take you up into the mountains where the Mountain Lions will feast on your worthless body. You will get a job and send half your pay back to your wife. If you stop, it's mountain hike for you. Do you understand?"

Again he nodded.

"We are going to release your hands. Next to you on the tablet is a pen and you will sign the documents next to it. They are the deed to your house, your rental properties, a divorce decree, and a power of attorney. There is also a note that you will sign informing your wife of the actions and that you are going away and never, ever coming back. You will sign these now or lose your hand and you will sign using your remaining hand."

Ed's hands were released and he looked around. He hesitated for a minute until one of my team pulled out a machete. Ed quickly picked up the pen and signed. And then threw the pen across the table.

"Oh Ed. That was scary. We are going to take you to the bus and one of my people will accompany you to make sure you arrive 'safely' in Raton. If you deviate you won't reach next week alive. You will never have any further contact with your wife or daughter other than mailing a money order. If you do, mountain hike time. Follow these instructions and you live, don't and you die. Simple as that. Do you understand?"

Ed nodded but there was anger in his eyes. I looked over at my man next to him.

"I think Ed needs to know we are serious."

A gloved hand flew out and hit Ed square in the mouth. Teeth broke and fell on the floor. Ed grunted but said nothing. My man picked the teeth up, put them in a baggie, and stuffed them in Ed's shirt pocket.

"Goodbye Ed. Maybe the Tooth Fairy will give you a few bucks for those. Oh by the way. If we hear of you laying even one finger on a woman or child, or even being verbally abusive, I will personally hunt you down and end your life painfully. So have a nice rest of your day and enjoy your trip and scenic Raton. Now get this dog out of here!"

8 Aug 12:10 PM

Circe

I was laying on the couch and still feeling down after talking to Tillman about the abusiveness of my father. I knew I was going to have to talk to him more about it but it was good to talk to someone about it. I didn't know it was bugging me as much as it was. My cellphone rang. It was my mom. Oh God I hope my dad hasn't beat her again. I answered the phone.

"Hi mom. Are you okay?"

"Yes I think so Angel, but something amazing has happened'"

'What mom? Tell me!"

"Well a package arrived today. It has all sorts of legal documents in it and your dad has gone and isn't ever coming back. He put the house in my name, all the rental properties, all his investments, and bank accounts. It's all mine and he's gone! It's over baby."

She started crying and so did I.

"But mom, how do you know he won't come back. You know how he is."

"Yes baby, but there was a phone call right after the package arrived. A man told me why your dad left, and what he and his people had done, and what they had told Ed. Sweetie, this man sounded very nice but very dangerous, and I believe him. Our lives have turned around baby!"

My mom and I talked for about another hour. She was a different person now. She had hope and was happy. She'd not ever been that way that I could remember. We hung up after I promised to meet her for dinner one night this week.

Listening to her describe the conversation with the caller and the events I had no doubt it was Tillman. So you tell me, how do you not fall in love with a guy like that. I know it's a cliché but he was a knight in shining armor.

9 Aug 12:30 AM

Tillman

The faces of the demons came rushing into my dreams again. The dead kids, the mutilated women, and now a toothless Ed beating women and children to death and I couldn't move my muscles. The room caught on fire and young military men and women were screaming for me to help, begging me to save them, but I was chained to the floor. The screams got louder to a shriek and then I sat up, screaming at the top of my lungs.

Fuck, another nightmare. One every night this week. Roxie was sitting at the foot of the bed looking at me quizzically. I can't stand this anymore. There is no relief. Too many people like Ed in the world. I just want to sleep and not have nightmares. I sank deep into inner darkness and picked up the pistol next to my bed. God, this just can't continue. I need a way out and can only see one.