Page 9 of Avenging Angel

“Daisy doesn’t need a hero. She’s strong and more than capable of taking care of herself. I guess I want to be there to support her; to fight alongside her when she faces her demons. I’ve never felt drawn to a woman like I am with Daisy. I can’t stop thinking about her.” Running a hand through my short blond locks in frustration, I let out an exasperated sigh. “There’s a deep-seated feeling in my gut that she might be the ‘one.’ Otherwise, I should be able to let it go, right?”

“Are you in love with her?” Vinny asks point-blank.

I take a moment to ponder his question before shaking my head. “No, I’m not in love with her. It’s much too soon for that. Like you said, we barely know each other. But she’s the type of woman I could fall in love with easily enough. We have enough in common that conversations wouldn’t be dull. For the first time in my life, I want to discover the differences; to learn what makes her smile. Is she the kind of woman who likes flowers, chocolates, and romantic walks on the beach? Or does she prefer random acts of kindness like me doing the dishes and massaging her feet? These are the things I want to find out.”

“You’re such a sap,” Vinny jokes. “When is she supposed to arrive?”

I frown. “She should have been here by now.”

Movement on the furthest trail camera catches my attention before it goes dark. “We have company.”

“It’s probably a deer,” Vinny says. “No one knows you’re here or investigating yet, and I hid the cameras well.”

The cameras were installed for security measures once Daisy and I start “poking the bear” and asking questions around the area. The campground we’re in is one of several that will be closing for the season soon enough, and one of the larger ones in the area. It wouldn’t be difficult for someone to figure out where we’re staying if the wrong person gets wind of why we’re here. I don’t want any surprises if someone comes after us because we’ve gotten too close.

“Well, that deer knew how to turn off the camera,” I retort, standing up and checking the Rock Island 1911 that’s in my holster to ensure there’s a bullet already chambered. I grab my coat from the back of my chair and a pair of gloves. “You can stay here if you want.”

Vinny’s response is to grab his jacket, hat, and gloves. “It’s probably nothing; just kids being kids and exploring the woods for a place to smoke that isn’t near their parents.”

“Kids should be in school, and the weekend family campers won’t arrive until Friday night. That’s still a few days out.”

I open the front door and step onto the front porch to wait for Vinny; my breath forming a thin fog as I exhale. The sun is descending to the west of us, taking the warmer temperatures along with it. Based on the density of my foggy breath, it’s about 40 degrees outside and will most likely be near freezing tonight.

After locking the door, we head down the trail that leads to the defunct camera. The frozen leaves and pine needles crunch beneath our boots, along with the thin crystalline layer of snow that had fallen shortly after we arrived last night. I scan the area, looking for boot prints or any sign that we’re not alone.

“There,” I whisper, pointing to a set of visible tracks about 50 feet to our right. Once we get closer to inspect, I notice that the boot prints lead in the direction of the trail camera. They come from the parking area near Vinny’s cabin a quarter of a mile away and can’t be larger than a men’s size six. “Do you think Daisy got lost trying to find the cabin?”

Vinny snorts. “Daisy has made it her mission to know how to hunt and track. Following a gravel trail from the parking lot to the cabin wouldn’t be a challenge.”

I look toward the parking lot to see if her rental car is there, but I can’t see it through the dense forest. The evergreen trees have trunks large enough that two fully-grown men could hide behind them without being spotted. They’re also grouped close enough together that they form a barrier of sorts. “Well, someone is out here and veering from the path. Turning off the trail camera is a clear sign of nefarious intentions.”

For the next ten minutes, Vinny and I follow the tracks until the boot prints disappear along with the snow. A sense of foreboding washes over me as the hairs on the back of my neck stand at full attention. “Is it me, or do you feel like we’re being watched?”

The words barely leave my mouth when movement to my right captures my attention. A shadow of a figure darts behind a tree. I immediately reach for my gun and keep it in the high-ready position. “Whoever you are, come out with your hands up!”

The sound of a woman cackling greets us just before I see a person dressed in woodland camouflage and face paint aim a rifle at me. “Angel, run!” Vinny shouts at me as I take off through the woods, waiting for the crack of gunfire that never comes.

When I look back, Vinny is still rooted in place and has his arms folded across his chest, smiling in a way that tells me he’s up to something. He doesn’t look panicked in the slightest. I don’t even have a chance to slow down when I feel it: the sting of a bullet hitting the back of my thigh. That’s not right. It feels more like a high-velocity paintball round rather than a bullet; sharp and biting, but without enough force to break the skin.

My legs become heavy and my body pitches forward as I collapse to the ground. I manage to roll over before my limbs reach full paralysis. My eyes roll back, but I’m still conscious enough to register the click of a cellphone camera and Daisy’s voice. “The ‘smart’ rounds work.”

Of all the reactions I should have to being shot in the leg and photographed while paralyzed, relief is the one I don’t expect. Daisy came, and that’s what matters to me.

Vinny replies to her, “You promised if I let you use Angel as a test subject, you’d hear him out. You never said anything about taking pictures.”

“Oh, the pictures are the price for Faith’s permission to shoot her brother,” Daisy says. “That was her price. As for you, if giving Angel the chance to apologize is the price I have to pay so that the CIA doesn’t press charges against me, then so be it.”

I don’t know how much time passes, but it’s dark outside when there’s a tingling sensation as my appendages slowly come back to life. The inside of the cabin comes into view when my eyes finally crack open.

Daisy comes over and squats down beside me; the light behind her looks like a halo ringing her raven-colored hair. The twinkle in her eyes isn’t the sparkle of joy I’d been hoping for; instead it’s an impish glint that signals a warning she’s not done messing with me. The proof comes in the form of her holding up her phone and snapping another picture before she uses a washcloth to wipe away my drool.

“Aw you wheeling weendicawted yet?” I slur.

“Yes, Angel. I feel vindicated,” she says, smiling wide and showing off all of her pearly whites. She looks as radiant as an angel, but then she speaks and quickly erases the thought from my mind. “You have to admit, you kind of deserved it. And guess what? You get the proud honor of being the first human test subject of a prototype stealth weapon. Lucky you!”

“Wucky is nut the wurda I’d wuse,” I say with a numb tongue. I wiggle my fingers to dispel the prickly feeling in my extremities. It’s as if my whole body has fallen asleep and is waking up all at once.

Daisy notices the movement and pats my cheek. “Don’t worry, Ladies’ Man. In ten minutes, you’ll be right as rain and able to put your foot in your mouth without hurting your back. Dinner is almost ready.”