Angel on Fire (36 page)

The two men held on as the boat flew across the churning water, closing the distance between them and the vessel ahead.  A man yelled.  Chase ducked as a round of bullets sped toward them.  Sean spun the wheel, taking the boat out of the direct path. 

“Fuck!” Chase swore, staying low.  He peered through the binoculars.  “They know we’re coming and they’ve got a machine gun.  Thankfully, this girl has a bigger engine and the hull is built for speed.  We can close the gap anytime we want.”

“Who the fuck has a machine gun on a boat in Lake Michigan?” Sean demanded. 

“Criminals and nut jobs,” Chase retorted.

“Well, hell, we need one of those.”

Sean removed his weapon from his waistband as he closed the gap again.  “How many bullets you got?”

“Enough to take down these assholes.”
 

“Okay. 
So easy way or hard way?”

“Ram him,” Chase ordered. 

“Poor baby.”
  Sean patted the boat.  “You’re a good girl.  Sorry about this.” 

The boat ahead slowed, and the two men exchanged curious glances.  As their craft closed the gap, the boat they were following spun around coming directly at them. 

Sean smiled.  “So you
wanna
play?” 

The other boat sped across the water, heading directly for them.  As it neared, two men stood up. 

“Shit!”  Chase and Sean hit the deck.  Bullets whizzed over their heads.  The wind carried the sound of maniacal laughter to them.  A woman’s scream followed, and they peered over the edge of the boat in time to see Blakely hit Angela. 

Chase threw the throttle forward and Sean sped off after Blakely’s boat.  The son-of-a-bitch was a good as dead now.  Chase’s eyes narrowed as he stood at the bow of the boat.  He pulled out his weapon and nodded to Sean.  Sean closed the gap and Chase fired.  He heard a scream.  His mind vaguely acknowledged that it wasn’t a woman’s and he fired again. 

Sean pulled closer to Blakely’s boat and Chase leapt across the gap.  His hands clutched the side of the boat as Sean fired at the men, keeping them distracted while Chase threw his leg overboard. 

Chase crept up behind goon number one and wrapped his arm around his neck.  He twisted hard and the man fell silently to the ground.  Chase moved on.  The lover had been replaced by a soldier on a mission. 

Goon number two sat near the stern of the boat, pressing a towel to his bleeding shoulder.  “Boss?” the man called out.  “There’s only one man on the boat.” 

“That’s ‘
cuz
the other is here.”  Chase slammed his fist into the man’s throat.  Chase watched as the man fell forward onto the floor and nudged the man with his foot.  When he didn’t move, Chase smiled. 
Two down and two to go.
 

Chase peered around the corner.  Blakely stood over Angela and Griffin, wildly waving a gun as he ranted.  Chase couldn’t hear the words over the whipping wind but he doubted the man had anything important to say anyway. 

The driver looked over his shoulder and said something to Blakely who snarled and fired at Sean.  Sean returned fire.  As Chase watched, the driver spun the wheel, turning the boat so Sean’s bullets hit the gas tank.

“Fuck!”  Chase thought.  “What an idiot.”  His nose picked up the smell of burning fuel and he knew he was out of time. 

Angela must have smelled the same thing because her foot lashed out, catching Blakely in the nuts.  He bent over, screaming at her and her knee connected with his chin.  Blakely grabbed her and Chase raced forward to intervene.  Angela struggled against him, spinning somehow so Blakely’s back was over the edge.  She swung out with her arm and when he ducked, she pushed back with all her might.  Blakely fell overboard with a scream. 

The driver pulled his weapon and tried to fire at Chase who came at him like an avenging angel.  The driver panicked, jerking the wheel and spinning the boat around.  Chase struck the man just as he caught sight of Sean’s boat in his peripheral vision.  The smell of burning fuel grew stronger and Angela screamed his name.  A line of fire raced toward them and he grabbed her hand.  “Jump!” he yelled to Griffin as he threw Angela overboard.  He caught sight of Sean bailing just as the boats collided.  An explosion lit up the sky and Chase dove under the water, pulling Angela with him. 

Angela floated under the night sky.  A smile crossed her face when she heard Chase call, “Angela,” but she didn’t open her eyes.  “Angela!”  Chase’s voice grew more demanding and she frowned.  He didn’t need to yell.   

“She okay?”
  Angela heard Sean’s voice and wondered why he was in her dream with Chase. 

“A piece of shrapnel hit her in the head.  She’s breathing but non-responsive,” Chase replied.  Angela could hear he was worried but couldn’t understand why.

Non-responsive?
Angela thought.  How can I be non-responsive when I’m dreaming?

“Come on, Angel.  Wake up, babe,” Chase pleaded and Angela’s heart broke.  He sounded so sad.  She forced her eyes open and sat up only to sink and inhale water.  She kicked and thrashed against Chase who pulled her to the surface.  “Angela!” he barked and she stopped fighting.

“Why are we in the water?” she asked.  She had her legs wrapped around Chase’s waist, and he was treading water to keep them afloat.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Chase demanded.

Angela closed her eyes.

“Keep your eyes open!” Chase ordered and her eyes snapped open. 

“Okay,” she replied, her eyes wide. 
“Geez.
  Let me think.  We’re at
Maddie’s
cottage, right?” 

Chase nodded.

“Oh my God!
  Derrick was here!  The boat!  It exploded!”

Chase threw back his head and laughed. 

“Hey!” she protested splashing him.  “No laughing at me.  I just got a little confused.”  She wrinkled her nose.  “What happened?”

“You got hit in the head by a small piece of flying metal.” 

The back of her head hurt.  When she touched it, her hand came away wet but she couldn’t tell if it was water or blood in the dark.  She
unwrapped
her legs and detached herself from Chase.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m heavy,” she objected.  “I can tread water by myself for a bit.”  She paused.  “Shouldn’t we swim toward shore?” 

“Sure.”  Chase leaned back and floated on the surface. 
“Which way’s shore?”

Angela could hear the laughter in his voice and she splashed water in his direction. 

“Okay, kids.  I hate to interrupt, but I’m holding an unconscious man here.  Anyone got a plan?”  Sean’s voice came from the left, and Angela’s head spun in that direction. 

“Sean?”

“Yeah, Angela, I’m here too.”  He called back.

“Do you have Griffin?” she wondered. 

“Yes, but he’s hurt.”  Sean shouted back as he swam closer to them, pulling Griffin with him.  Time crawled as they treaded water near the site of the explosion.  Both men assured her that someone would come to investigate soon.  Her legs tired, but she continued to move them through the water that had calmed now that the storm had subsided. 

By the time the purr of an engine carried across the water, Angela had resorted to floating on her back to rest.  Chase tensed, pushing Angela behind him even though he had no weapon to protect her.  Bright lights appeared and voices started yelling.  “Angela!  Chase!  Angela!” 

“Maddie!”
  Angela screamed jerking upright and waving wildly.  She foundered once and went under, but Chase grabbed her and pulled her sputtering to the surface. 

Within minutes, she sat, wrapped in a blanket and sipping a bottle of water.  A police officer sat across from her tapping a pen against his notepad while a paramedic worked on Griffin.  Chase stood nearby talking on a radio.  Maddie slung an arm around Angela’s shoulder and Angela leaned against her friend.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Anytime.”
  Angela could hear the relief in
Maddie’s
voice.  “I was so scared when he took you.  Then we heard about the explosion and saw the wreckage.”  Maddie squeezed her harder.  “I thought you were gone, Angela.” 

“I’m okay. 
Tired and sore but okay.”
 

“Hey, babe.”
  Chase knelt in front her Angela and grasped her hands.  “How’s the head?”

“It’s okay.”  She shrugged her injury off. 

“Once they stabilize Griffin, let the EMT check you out, please.”  He dropped a kiss on her head and ambled over to check on Griffin’s status. 

The boat docked at
Maddie’s
cottage, and Cat flew down the dock calling Angela’s name.  Angela stepped off the boat, and Cat crashed into her.  “Oh, thank God!”  Cat clutched her.

“I’m okay, Cat,” she assured her friend.  “Let me breathe.” 

“Sorry.”  Cat released her grip.  “I’m just so glad you’re okay.” 

Chase stepped off the boat and moved the women down the dock. 
Law enforcement officials milled around the cottage, talking and collecting evidence.
  Angela walked up to the front porch and stopped. 

A tall man with a stern face and graying hair stood on the top step.  Angela tilted her head up.  She recognized that face.  “Uncle Zach?”

She walked up the steps and he folded her in his arms.  “I’m glad you’re okay, Angela.”  He glared at Chase who stood behind Angela.  “As for you, Romero….”

“I know I screwed up, Sir.”  Chase stood at attention.

“He did not,” Angela interjected, stepping out of Zach’s embrace and leaning against Chase with her back to his front.  “This wasn’t his fault.” 

Zach stepped closer to the couple, his eyes narrowing with anger.  Chase tried to step back but Angela wrapped his arms around her and held him in place.  

“Care to explain?” Zach snarled.

“Sir,” Chase paused for a second, trying to find the right words to explain.  “Angela and I are….”

“It’s pretty damn obvious what you are!”  Zach clenched his fists.

“Sir, I….”  Chase lifted his chin and met Zach’s fierce gaze.