Wounded Heroes The Redemption Series

Book 1: ALWAYS MINE

Bullets rattled through the night air.

Pain exploded in his shoulder.

He fell.

The gunfire raged on.

Eyes slitted, Lt. Diego Rodriguez witnessed his men drop to the ground one-by-one. It was surreal, like something out of a movie; he reached for his weapon. But his arm wouldn’t move. His face was smushed into the wet dirt.

The world went dark.

It was still nighttime when Diego awoke, shivering in the cool air. He blinked twice as lights shone from…more gang goons coming after him? Then he heard, “Check the victims. Hell, I hope somebody’s alive.”

Men with neon stripes and flashlights fanned out over the brutal scene. Then someone knelt next to him. “Damn. Diego are you…man, say something. Or move.”

Diego recognized the voice but couldn’t place it.

The guy yelled, “Over here. The lieutenant’s alive.”

Others arrived. “How alive?”

“I don’t know. I was afraid to turn him over.”

“Move away, Romano.”

A miasma of even more pain pummeled Diego as he was eased to his back. He groaned.

Then, “Hand me pads. Keep them coming.”

The pain turned into a thousand little pinpricks as the gauze pressed into his shoulder. His shrill outcry echoed in the night air.

“Sorry buddy.” Again, the familiar voice. Romano. Ah, these were firefighters. He knew them.

Above him now, Romano, yelled, “Call out if you need the medics.”

Silence. Diego’s head lolled to the side. He didn’t want to live if everybody else on the task force died.

Book 2: BEYOND PERFECT

25 years ago

“Time for some fun.” The leader of the Tarantulas let out an ugly laugh. Pierced and tattooed up the wazoo, Lupo trained his gaze on Jackie. “I hope you’re ready, kid.”

Jackie held his head high. He had to get through this. He would get through this.

All ten of the gang members lined up with pipes and sticks. No bats, though, because they could kill the new guy with those.

Sneering.

“Woo-hoo.”

“You gonna get hurt, boy.”

“Go!”

Jackie thrust his body forward. The first blow landed on his back. Pain splintered through him but he held his tongue. The second seared his right leg. Oh, oh, God, oh God. The third came out from the front of him and hit his chest. His knees buckled in agony but he stayed upright.

Jackie kept going in a blur. He hunched over, covered his head. Bit the inside of his mouth till he tasted blood.

Finally, he got to the end and dropped to his knees. His whole body was in a big ball of pain. Still, he didn’t scream.

He felt a boot prod him. “Good job, Jacko. You jumped in real fine.”

He got a new name that night and now stood on the other side of the gauntlet himself. He’d been on oxy for a while so he was feelin’ great. When his turn came, he smashed the ten-year-old in the gut. The kid went down.

And didn’t get up.

At least Jacko got his turn. He had years to look forward to. At twelve, he was an official member of the worst gang in upstate New York.

Book 5: BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE

As you heard in this passage, God is constantly with us, looking out for us. Today, we may not feel that way. He smiled at Mr. Simons who was scowling. We aren’t safe, Reverend. Cancel services immediately.

But Caleb refused. He had faith God would be with them today and always. “In light of recent events, I’m veering from the lectionary to a different passage. I know you’re probably scared after the fire in Lutheran West and the vandalism of five churches in town.”

His own parish, Community Christian Church had been defaced with yellow spray paint on the siding, and the message scrawled, God is dead !

His wife read the passage, then took a seat on the altar.

Caleb continued, “As the reading shows, God is here in our midst always. Even though our friends the Lutherans and the three other houses of God are shuttered this morning, we did not. I believe—”

A blast came with the power of Satan. Caleb was knocked back and hit the chairs behind him. A gray cloud filled the sanctuary. Gasping for breath, he managed to stand.

Through the smoke, he witnessed the carnage: all the pews and the people in them had been demolished.

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