Page 100 of Avenging Angel

“That does give me some measure of comfort,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest as we stare across the water. “Bennett got away, and now he’s free to continue his work for Dominion. He doesn’t need the cover of the CIA to do it. Today, we only exposed a sliver of the vileness that they’re capable of. I’m afraid we woke a dragon rather than slayed it.”

We hear shouts and yells as the Southern Knights and the Conways run toward us to celebrate the victory. I’m in no mood to celebrate when we lost so much to gain merely an inch. I close my eyes to just relish the strong arms around me, wondering if I’ll ever be truly safe again with Bennett on the loose.

When I open my eyes, I see movement on the hill across the water. I let go of Angel and take the NSR556 he has slung across his back.

“What are you doing?” he asks. “We were having a moment!”

I raise the weapon and peer through the scope. “Yeah, the moment is going to have to wait a little longer. I think I see Bennett on the other side of the loch.”

Angel grabs the rifle and checks for himself. “How far is that?”

“Half a mile, just under 1,000 meters.”

“I can make that shot,” he says.

I take the rifle, flip down the bipod, and drop to a prone position on the ground. Peering through the scope, I activate the laser sight to acquire the target. “This shot is mine to take.”

Normally I’d use the smoke from the explosions to check for windage, but with a smart simunition round, I just need to paint the target and let the computer chip do all the calculations. It will lock onto Bennett and adjust course like a heat-seeking missile. The only difference is that this is smaller, non-lethal, and costs $10,000 a bullet. It’s the price we pay to keep our morality intact; or will pay when the donated supply runs out.

I keep my breathing steady, pulling the trigger when there is no air left in my lungs. The butt of the rifle barely kicks into my shoulder, and the volume of the sim round leaving the end of the barrel is virtually silent.

My eyes stay glued to the scope as I watch Bennett collapse to the ground two seconds later, but there’s no joy in it. There’s no victory.

Angel helps me to my feet. “You got him, Daisy.”

“Yeah, I did.”

He lifts my chin and searches my eyes, which I’m sure look hollow to him. “Then why aren’t you happy?”

“Because Bennett has the chance for redemption, and I don’t think he’s going to take it. That saddens me.”

Angel pulls me into another embrace, resting his forehead against mine. “The consequences of that choice will be his to bear; not yours. You did the right thing, Daisy, and you can live with yourself. You’ve already lost enough sleep over Bennett. Don’t lose any more.”

“Speaking of sleep, I could really use some.”

Taking my hand in his, Angel leads me to the group of people I’ve come to call “family.” My brother is standing with legs spread apart and arms folded across his chest because he’s annoyed that he hasn’t gotten to hug me yet. However, Roger, Vinny, the Southern Knights, and the entire Conway clan are far more patient.

“Thank you all for risking your lives for what turned out to be a far bigger mission than we could have imagined. I love each and every one of you for putting it all on the line for me.” I hug each of my teammates.

Then I turn to the Conways. “You didn’t have to come, but you did. I’m sure Faith and Angel had a lot to do with it….”

Barbara doesn’t wait for me to hug her first. She embraces me as a mother would a child. “We came for you, Daisy. You might not be a Conway yet, but you certainly have the heart of one. And if my boy ever gives you grief, then you call me. I’ll set him straight.”

They each take their turn doling out hugs to both me and Angel, several of them giving us pat-downs to verify that we are free from injury.

I come to my brother last, partly to needle him, but partly because I needed a moment to compose myself.

“Owen, you are my best friend and the best brother a person could ever hope for. You slept on my bedroom floor so I wouldn’t have nightmares, and when you had to leave for the Army, you taught me how to protect myself. I know that you joined the FBI so that you could one day help me put my past behind me. For that, I will be forever grateful, and a ‘thank you’ will never be enough. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Daisy.” He holds me for a moment while I shed some tears. “Are you happy and at peace?” he asks quietly.

I glance over at Angel, who smiles at me. “Yeah, I am. For the first time in 20 years, it doesn’t feel like a lie when I say it.”

“Then that’s all the thanks I need.”

Epilogue 1

Angel--One Month Later