Page 35 of Avenging Angel

“Religious cults,” he says.

Owen and I both immediately turn our heads toward Scott, who now sits stoically with a locked jaw. Scott’s father was a pastor who started a religious retreat known as TO-CARE, Tiburon Organization for Conscious Ascension, Renewal, and Evolution. It was meant to be a place to grow closer to God in quiet reflection after his wife died. Somewhere along the way, Scott’s father became one of the lost sheep, guiding his flock in the wrong direction. Rather than following Biblical principles from the Word of God, drugs that made you feel good became the primary coping mechanism.

Scott doesn’t mention any of this to Bennett, likely because he already knows. If he doesn’t, there’s no sense in stirring the pot. “Any cult in particular?”

Bennett shows us a map of the United States with all the religious cults currently known to the CIA. There are hundreds. “There are plenty, but primarily from a group called TRUST, Transformation Retreat for Universal Spiritual Truth. They are one of many cults in the country, all of which afford ample opportunity because they use hallucinogenic drugs as part of their healing programs.”

“We’ve heard of similar organizations,” Scott says.

With an eyebrow raised toward Scott, Bennett confirms that he knows more about us than he’s let on. “I’m sure you have.”

Scott asks through gritted teeth, “Why would someone target a religious cult like TRUST?”

I answer for Bennett. “Imagine parents high on psilocybin, lying in their beds or on the couch. Someone comes into the room and says, ‘Fear not, for your daughter has ascended!’ Poof! The girl is gone, and the parents feel blessed by the disappearance. The girls are snatched in the middle of the night with no one bothering to look for them and no one reporting them missing.”

Angel leans back in his seat and folds his arms across his chest, staring Bennett down. “And yet you’ve done nothing after knowing all of this.”

Bennett’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink. “My focus was never the missing persons. Thousands of children go missing every year, with reports numbering in the hundreds of thousands. The CIA doesn’t have the time, inclination, or jurisdiction to look into them. Nor does the agency really care. The only reason I was assigned to these cases was because of Dominion Atrix Group.”

“Then why are you here?” I ask. “If you don’t care about the girls, then….”

Bennett huffs. “I never said that I don’t care about them, but I had my orders, Daisy. I was tasked with monitoring Dominion Atrix Group, keeping them under surveillance and ensuring that our asset was protected, even from itself. Had you not run Kenneth Johnson’s image through facial recognition, I’d still be doing just that. You can thank Director Ludlow for his willingness to cooperate with other law enforcement agencies. His predecessor was far more secretive.”

Vinny nods in understanding. He had to groom a cartel leader in Colombia to help balance the power between the government and the cartel, all while allowing drugs to leave the country and enter the U.S. I can’t imagine what other atrocities he witnessed while being ordered to stand idly by and allow it to happen. The weight upon his soul must have been unbearable. I know I couldn’t do it.

I wave my hand toward the folder in front of Bennett. “Who is Kenneth Johnson in all of this?”

Bennett opens the folder again and rummages through the file, placing another picture in the center of the table. It’s of a handsome man with hair graying at the temples. It’s not Kenneth Johnson.

He points to the picture. “I believe Kenneth Johnson is working with this man, Brad Callahan. He also goes by the alias Douglas Jenner.”

Grabbing Angel’s arm for moral support, and in silent warning for him not to say “I told you so,” I stare at the photo. “We’ve met.”

“Then you should know that he’s a very dangerous man. Brad Callahan also has an offshore account in his name that receives deposits at least once a year that coincide with the dates of the kidnappings; each for $250,000.”

Words from my captor come back to haunt me. “No amount of lash-batting and sweet smiles from a fourteen-year-old girl will change the fact that you are nothing more to me than a payday.”

Apparently, it’s a quarter-million-dollar payday.

“This needs to end here,” I say. “First, we take down Brad or Douglas, whoever he is, and Kenneth Johnson along with him. After that, we take down Dominion. Who’s with me?”

Chapter fourteen

Angel

Islide a plate in front of Daisy that has a stack of pancakes with smiley faces made from blueberries. It’s a peace offering if there ever was one. “Come on, Daisy. Please don’t be mad at me for what I said yesterday. Even your team agreed with me.”

When she asked if we’d be willing to take down Dominion, I had to speak up. We aren’t equipped for a task of such magnitude, nor do we have any proof other than Bennett’s word. His priorities and ours aren’t the same. Catching Kenneth and Brad is one thing. That we can handle. But Dominion? That would be like attacking a Hydra. Cut off one head and two more shall take its place.

Daisy grins at the curved row of blueberries and then looks up at me, her smile fading. “I’m not mad at you or anyone else, for that matter. Just disappointed, I suppose. Maybe even a little frustrated. Surprised would also fit the bill of how I’m feeling. Ken and Brad are peons for someone or something much bigger, Angel. They’re cogs in a machine that will keep on running with a quick replacement part. I thought you’d all be onboard with getting to the root of the problem and then destroying it.”

I set my plate down and take a seat across from her, reaching for the syrup to drown my pancakes. “You heard Bennett. He’ll help us with our investigation, but beyond that, Dominion is off-limits because they’re a CIA asset and a conduit to much bigger fish.”

Taking a bite of her food, Daisy uses the time to chew and formulate her thoughts and the rebuttal I know is coming. “If we remove the middleman….”

Setting down my silverware, I hold up my hand to stop her. “Then there will just be another middleman. No doubt Dominion has other companies waiting in the wings that it can use to fill the role. Daisy, we aren’t prepared to go against the CIA, even with all the resources the Southern Knights have. They will protect their ‘asset’ at any cost, even if that means eliminating threats to their operations. If you continue down the path you’re on, then you’ll be considered a ‘threat.’ I shudder at the thought of what could happen to you, to your team, and to all those you hold dear.”

Pushing her plate away, Daisy stands up and heads toward the front door. As she puts on her coat and gloves, she says, “I’d rather be a ‘threat’ than a bystander, Angel. I’ll go after Dominion and do it by myself if I have to.”