Page 17 of Avenging Angel

“Daisy, we are not splitting up!” Angel practically shouts while we sit parked at Stillwaters Campground arguing over semantics.

“We’ll cover more ground if we do. Vinny, tell him I’m right!”

Vinny holds his hands up in surrender. “I’m not going to get in the middle of this. You two can figure this out on your own.”

Angel drags a hand down his face. “The walkie-talkies may not have line of sight between the antennas in the mountains. What if you get into trouble and need help but can’t call out? What if I get into trouble and need help? Or Vinny? Daisy, you don’t know this area like we do. It can become quite precarious in an instant. Let one of us go with you.”

“We don’t have time to cover every trail as it is, Angel. We might not even be on the correct side of the crater. Let’s compromise. We can use the comm devices I brought with me. They have a 200-mile range. As long as you don’t go spelunking, then we can still communicate.”

“This isn’t a battle I can win, is it?” Angel asks, resigned.

“Nope,” I say, giving him an award-winning smile. “You’re learning quickly.”

I remove my backpack, digging in the side pouch for the comm devices. Opening the box, I hand one over to Angel and Vinny. “Do you remember how to use these from the op in Colombia?”

“Yeah,” they say in unison. Angel inserts the tiny device into his ear. “We use something similar at the CIA. Not as sophisticated, but close enough. Here’s the deal, Daisy. I want us to be in two-way comms at all times. Otherwise, one of us will go with you.”

“It’s sweet that you’re so protective, but I’ve been doing this by myself for the past 15 years. I’m a big girl, Angel. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Angel’s mouth flattens as his gaze locks onto mine. “I am worried, but not because I think you’re incapable. You’re used to tracking and hunting this guy. This is the first time you’re trying to trap him. That’s far more dangerous.”

“He’s not wrong,” Vinny says. “You’re treading into unfamiliar territory, both literally and figuratively. While I said I wouldn’t get involved in your spat, I will say that I’d be more comfortable with someone riding along with you, Daisy. You’re used to working alone, I get that. And you’re new to the Southern Knights. How long have you worked for them? A year and a half?”

“I’m not sure why my length of employment matters,” I say defensively.

“Angel has been with the CIA for more than a decade. He’s trained for this. Me, I’ve been doing this kind of work since before you were born. As often as possible, we work in pairs, and we certainly don’t send a newly-trained operative into the field alone. They always have a team behind them. Don’t let what you’ve seen on TV fool you into believing otherwise.”

Repeating Angel’s words from earlier, I say, “This isn’t a battle I’m going to win, is it?”

Vinny chuckles. “Is it one you feel you have to win? If so, ask yourself why that is.”

I don’t have to ask myself a question I already know the answer to. It’s about my trust issues, which I’ve been working on. I don’t think I even fully trusted my teammates—my brother and Roger excluded—until I saw them pull together and put everything on the line to save Faith. It wasn’t until I opened up to Grace about my story that we finally got a lead that might actually put an end to the kidnappings.

A soft voice in the back of my head whispers, “Trust them.”

That voice hasn’t spoken up in 20 years, and the last time was when I was in danger. Whether it’s God, my guardian angel, or my inner subconscious, I know I can trust it. I’ve always believed it’s the former rather than the latter.

I close my eyes and send up a silent prayer. “Lord, I’ve always felt that this is a mission that should be solo; that it’s something I should do on my own. Mostly because I didn’t want to drag anyone into this mess. Clearly, You have other plans. Please give me the strength to follow, rather than lead, and to admit when I need help.”

As I sit on the ATV with my eyes closed, I wait for my muscles to relax in the hope that the burden of my task will fall from my shoulders. It doesn’t, because my task isn’t finished yet. However, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end as I feel a pair of eyes boring into me.

I open my eyes to find Angel and Vinny both staring at me, but they are full of patience and understanding. It’s not them making me feel watched. Scanning the area, I notice a group of people exiting the main building of the campground. Next to them is a man staring at me with a clipboard in his hand.

He’s handsome in an unconventional way, with an overly square jawline that borders on blocky, a nose that’s slightly crooked, and lips a little too thin for his face. Yet the curly brown hair peeking out from under a black beanie gives him a playful look that contradicts his hooded gaze.

Angel and Vinny both notice the direction of my gaze and turn their heads to follow it. “Do you know him?” Angel asks.

“No. As far as I know, we’ve never crossed paths.”

The man walks over to the three of us, and the closer he gets, the more details I can make out. Crinkles around his eyes and lips suggest he’s older, definitely late 40s, while the way he fills out his coat suggests he’s muscular, but not bulky. Outdoorsy would be an apt description.

“Can I help you?” he asks. “You seem lost.” Extending his hand, he introduces himself. “My name is Brad Callahan. I work for the National Park Service.”

Vinny shakes his hand first. “I’m Vincent. These two are my niece and nephew, Daisy and Angel. We’re just trying to decide which trail we should take. Do you have any recommendations?”

Hmm. If Vinny is creating a narrative, then he doesn’t trust this guy. I don’t trust him, but I don’t trust anybody unless they’ve earned it.

“The first thing you need to do is get permits for your ATVs, which you can get inside the Welcome Center. They’re ten bucks each and are good for two years. As for the trails, I’d steer clear of any trails over 4,500 feet in elevation. The snow is already getting pretty deep at the higher altitudes, and road closures are projected early this year. Hopefully, we can keep them open long enough for the three-day weekend. The trails? Not so much.”