28. Angel
Chapter twenty-eight
Angel
No longer able to just listen in when Daisy says, “There’s a surefire way to find both,” I tap my comm device and switch to two-way.
“You are not going to sacrifice yourself,” I tell her.
Everyone chimes in after that to the point where it’s nothing more than a cacophony of garbled voices in my ear.
“I’m a loose thread that needs to be clipped,” she says as though the end justifies the means. “To come out victorious, sacrifices must be made. I can’t ask, won’t ask, anyone else to do it.”
There’s no way I’m losing Daisy. Not now.
Not ever. “You aren’t thinking clearly. You’re tired, you’ve been through a lot this week, and you need more than a few hours of sleep.
Go get a good night’s rest, and then we’ll come up with a plan together; preferably one that doesn’t have you throwing yourself on a proverbial sword. ”
Daisy laughs, but there’s no mirth in it.
“I am tired, Angel. I’m tired of the nightmares that haunt me in my sleep.
I’m tired of looking over my shoulder. I’m tired of playing a game I can’t seem to win.
When will this ever end? Think about it.
We’ve been warned that the man we’re after knows who I am.
I don’t know how, but he does. And as the one who got away, I’ll always pose a threat to him and his little enterprise.
Now that he knows for certain that I’m still alive, he’ll never stop looking for me. ”
When Owen speaks, his voice is hard, resigned, and devoid of emotion. “I don’t like this any more than anyone else, but my sister is right. This is what she’s spent years dedicating her life to; for this very moment.”
The view of the campground through my night vision scope blurs as anger courses through my veins. “You can’t be serious, Owen. Are you really going to stand by and let your sister sacrifice herself? To be bait?”
Owen’s tone doesn’t change. “No, Angel. I’m not going to stand idly by.
But I will respect my sister’s decision because I know she doesn’t make it lightly.
Every single one of us is willing to take a bullet for those we protect.
This isn’t any different. Stop reacting from the heart and start thinking like an officer who has a duty to this country.
If the roles were reversed, would you hesitate to put it all on the line? ”
Jaxon speaks up. “After we rescued Faith from the cartel, the last thing I wanted was for her to go back in and risk her life. The idea that she might not have made it out alive was nearly debilitating.”
My sister chimes in next. “But I knew I wouldn’t be going in alone because I had a team behind me, just like Daisy does.
Angel, you had to watch me risk my life, and I know that was as hard for you as it was for Jaxon, our parents, and our family.
But you trusted them, me, and more importantly, the Lord to protect me. ”
“Angel, please do the same for me,” Daisy pleads. “Trust me and have a little faith.”
Remembering Uri’s message that we’re all right where we’re supposed to be, I sigh. “Tell us your plan.”
Daisy chuckles. “I don’t really have one.”
Jaxon’s voice echoes in my ear, alerting me to a change in the situation. “We have movement at the campsite. The girls are beginning to stir at the smell of breakfast cooking on the propane stoves.”
Daisy has opted to walk around the campground armed with nothing more than her modified Canik hidden underneath her jacket.
She says, “The girls will be flocking to the bathroom for their morning beautification rituals. The good news is that teenage girls always go in pairs or a gaggle. Look for the outlier.”
Outlier is just another word for outcast. In this case, Daisy means the teenage girl who was sitting by herself yesterday.
“I’ve got her in sight,” I say as I peer through my scope. Even at a thousand yards, I can see the gold flecks in the girl’s brown eyes and the despair hidden beneath them. “If this guy gets ahold of her, it won’t take Dominion years to break her. It will only take a few weeks, if not days.”
“Maybe,” Daisy replies. “Northwyck Academy for Girls is a prestigious boarding school. If this young woman is a scholarship recipient, then she had to have the smarts to earn it. Her mind may be stronger than you give her credit for.”
My sister, who is patrolling the campground with Jaxon so that Jeremy and Jack can get some sleep, adds, “And from all outward appearances, this girl is used to isolation. It might be a self-imposed protective measure against cruel words or a loss of self-worth, but it could also be that she is simply an introvert. Loneliness does not automatically beget weakness.”
Properly chastised by the two women on the team, I keep my mouth shut. If anyone knows how a teenage girl thinks, it would be them. All that matters is that Daisy believes this girl is the target because she has isolated herself and has the physical traits of brown hair and brown eyes.
Once breakfast is served, the dishes are done, and all the young ladies have changed into their winter hiking attire, the woman in charge claps her hands to get everyone’s attention.
“It’s time for the scavenger hunt! Pair up and stick to the trails.
Do not go wandering off! Most predators avoid places where humans travel.
The same cannot be said for the woods where they call home. ”
“Way to scare us, Ms. Toohey!” one of the girls shouts.
Ms. Toohey and the four other adults in the group pass out air horns and cans of bear spray.
“I’m not trying to scare you; just prepare you in the unlikely event that you do come across a bear.
You will want to make yourselves as large and as loud as possible.
Do not run. Instead, you should back away slowly while dispensing the spray. Your partner will blow the air horn.”
“What about mountain lions?” another girl asks.
Ms. Toohey looks to the other adults for an answer, none of whom seem to know the correct course of action.
Daisy comes over and offers to help. “Sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t help but overhear you on my morning walk. I’m an avid hiker, so maybe I can be of some assistance?”
“Thank you. These girls mean the world to me. I wouldn’t want to lead them astray by giving them inaccurate information,” Ms. Toohey replies.
I scoff and mumble, “Then you should have heeded our warnings and delayed this little field trip.”
Despite being obscured by bushes, Daisy’s eyes narrow in my direction.
Then she turns to Ms. Toohey and the girls with a pasted-on, ear-to-ear smile.
“You already have most of what you need in the event that you come across a mountain lion. Only bear spray isn’t much of a deterrent since they aren’t bears. ”
There are a few snickers among the group of teenagers.
“Just like a bear encounter, you do not want to run, and you want to make yourselves as large as you can. Always be aware of your surroundings and avoid animal paths. Mountain lions will be searching for food, and their diet consists of deer and small animals this time of year. But the best method is to avoid them altogether. Make your presence known by talking, laughing, and having a good time. For the most part, mountain lions will avoid humans when given the chance to flee.”
“It’s ‘for the most part’ that concerns me,” our potential target says. Her voice is loud and strong, quite the juxtaposition to her reclusive behavior.
Daisy walks over to the girl and stands next to her as she addresses the group.
“Yes, mountain lions have attacked people, but only at a rate of 4-6 per year across North America. That includes Canada. Honestly, you’re more likely to get struck by lightning than get attacked.
If you stay in groups, be loud, and be aware of your environment, then you should be just fine.
If you encounter any trouble, don’t wait to blow your air horn. ”
“Well done, Daisy,” I say as the group of girls disperses and pairs up.
Ms. Toohey approaches Daisy and thanks her for stepping in. “The girls are about to do a scavenger hunt for a science project, and they’ve been looking forward to this trip since last year. Even with all that time to plan, I should have been more prepared with my answers.”
“It happens to the best of us,” Daisy says amicably. She turns to the girl. “Are you excited about the scavenger hunt?”
“Not really,” the girl says, and then gestures to everyone else who has already paired up. “I don’t have a partner.”
Ms. Toohey puts an arm around the girl’s shoulder, leading her away. “That’s okay, Genevieve. You can join Harmony and Misha.”
“But they hate me.”
Doing her best to comfort Genevieve, Ms. Toohey says, “They don’t hate you.
They’re just intimidated by that brain of yours.
In a few years, you’ll be curing cancer or doing something noble with your life, and the opinions of high school girls won’t matter when you’re winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine. ”
I watch as Daisy heads to her vehicle to grab her daypack to go on a hike, intending to follow Genevieve at a distance. That’s when Roger pipes up with an update.
“Jordan and Seth found an abandoned ATV three miles north of Stillwaters Campground, on the west side of the highway, hidden under brush and branches. The engine is cold, and they assess that it’s been there for at least four hours.
Possibly longer. They found a set of tracks that head east and end at the two-lane highway. ”
Vinny picks up where Roger left off. “Bill, Barbara, and Benjamin are en route to help scout along the highway. It’s likely Brad Callahan used the two-lane road to travel, then crossed elsewhere. Stay sharp. He could be anywhere.”
“I’m on the move,” Daisy says. “I do not have visual on Genevieve, but her companions are loud enough that I can tell they’re about 100 yards ahead of me on the Union Creek trailhead.”
It’s been a while since I’ve hiked that particular trail with my family, but I still remember it fondly. “Just around the second bend, it will branch in three directions. One path leads toward the creek, one straight ahead, and one that loops back around into the campground.”
“Copy,” Daisy replies.
Owen and Scott have returned, announcing that they have taken positions to the east and south of the campground. I have the west covered, but the north side is left exposed. Suddenly, a sense of dread washes over me; my body feels heavy under the weight of it.
“Vinny, we need eyes in the sky. I’m circling north. Roger, monitor the cameras we set at the entrance. Faith, wake up Jeremy and Jack and get them on those trails.”
“On it,” Vinny says. “Where do you want the drone?”
“The Union Creek Trailhead. Find Daisy and don’t lose sight of her.”
Daisy speaks up, but she’s not talking to me or anyone else on her team. “Genevieve, what are you doing out here by yourself? Where did Harmony and Misha go?”
“They ditched me just like I knew they would, leaving me to do all the work while they find a hiding spot to smoke a bowl.”
“I can be your partner. I love scavenger hunts. Besides, it’s really not safe out here all by yourself,” Daisy tells her.
Genevieve reluctantly agrees. “Can you help me find an Oregon grape? The picture in our booklet shows a bright yellow cluster of flowers, but I don’t see any.”
Daisy, more knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna than I would have expected, tells her, “That’s because this time of year they look like long blueberries. They grow closer to the water and make a great snack on a hike. There’s a clearing up ahead where we might find some.”
As the two are walking, Genevieve asks, “How do you know so much about plants and wild animals?”
I can hear the smile in Daisy’s voice as she tells of a childhood memory.
“My parents took my brother and me camping often. And when we would go for hikes, we weren’t allowed to bring snacks.
Only water. We had to forage for our food.
I learned what plants produce edible berries and what plants make a delicious tea.
I even learned how to build a shelter with tree branches in a way that insulates from cold temperatures. ”
“Sounds thrilling.”
As I make my way across the highway, I try not to laugh at the sarcastic tone of a 14-year-old girl. Daisy takes it in stride.
“Those skills can mean the difference between life and death if you ever find yourself alone in the wilderness,” Daisy retorts. This time, there’s no smile in her voice. Only the bitter truth.
Appearing out of nowhere, a man responds. “Skills that I underestimated. I won’t make that mistake twice.”
The next thing I hear is Daisy yelling, “GENEVIEVE, RUN!” followed by the thud of a body falling to the ground and the sound of an air horn.
Genevieve screams, but it’s cut short and followed by another thud.
“Daisy!” I scream as I take off running. I can only assume Owen and the rest of the team are doing the same thing.
“Knight down! Knight down!” Jaxon yells.
My heart drops in my chest when I reach Union Creek and see Daisy lying on the ground and Genevieve nowhere to be found. The creek is only about ten feet wide, but it’s deep enough that I’ll have to wade through it if I want to get to her.