Hello Friends!

Chapter 10 is the last of the flashbacks. They were necessary to set the background for upcoming events in the story.

Thank You for bearing with me. The boys'll be back in Chapter 11!

In the meantime, enjoy Chapter 10!

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to leave reviews!

And Thank You, Prolixius5, my very wise and priceless BR!

The Messenger

By SFSK8rGrrl

Chapter 10

Danny Oliver pulled his truck over by the ditch, stopped, turned the ignition off and just sat there for a few minutes. He had to prepare himself for what was coming next... he needed to psyche himself up for what he was about to do. He took several slow, deep breaths.

It's just a job... He kept telling himself. Don't overthink it... It's just a job.

He'd known - when he his phone rang earlier that evening - exactly who was calling and he knew, unfortunately, exactly what they were calling about. He'd pretty much developed something of a 'sixth sense' when it came to those particular phone calls. He just knew... he'd get a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach right before the phone would ring. Danny absolutely dreaded answering those calls... when he knew - beyond any shadow of a doubt - that Simon Marcus was going to be at the other end of the line... calling in a favor.

I shouldn't have answered... I just knew that it was him. He chastised himself. From now on, I'm just gonna stop answering the phone when I know it's him. Then he laughed at himself. Yeah, right, Danny. You do that. Just because those psychos know where you live... they know where you work... they know your truck... they know where your family lives... That doesn't mean that they'd do anything to you... that they'd hurt or kill you... or any of your family... Just because they have no problem killing other people... Yeah, Danny, it's not like you'd ever end up in that ditch... He laughed again, nervously. Not that he found the idea of him ending up another dead body in that ditch funny... nor unlikely - especially if Marcus thought Danny hadn't done as he was told.

Danny suddenly felt a deep chill and he shuddered.

He sighed, opened his door and exited the truck. He reached back into the cab and grabbed his heavy-duty work gloves and slipped them on his hands. He stepped over to the truck's bed and reached over the side, into the back and pulled out the folded-up tarp that he used for this particular kind of job. He trudged over to the ditch, dropped the tarp at his feet, pulled his flashlight out of his jacket, turned it on and shined the light into the ditch.

What the...?

Danny Oliver couldn't believe what he was seeing... or, rather, he couldn't believe what he wasn't seeing. The ditch was empty. There was no body. He shone the light in every direction along the ground for several feet. Nothing. He slowly turned around in a circle, looking all around him. Nothing. No body. He was actually quite relieved. He really hadn't wanted to do this anyway. What's that? He shined the light down to one patch of grass that had caught his eye. He stepped into the ditch to take a better look at it and brought the flashlight closer to the spot. Yep, that's definitely blood. And, it looks pretty fresh, too.

He stepped back out of the ditch and looked all around, but he didn't see a sign of anyone anywhere. He wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm and then scratched his head. He shrugged. "Well, if they got up and walked away... that'll sure be a 'first'. And, if that's the case, good for them! I wish them the best." And, he meant that, sincerely. He turned off the flashlight and slipped it back into his jacket pocket, picked up the still-folded tarp and walked back to his truck. He dropped the tarp back in the bed and got into the cab. He popped open the glove box, pulled off his work gloves and tossed them inside. He closed the glove box and sat back in his seat. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly and smiled.

Yeah... Good for them, whoever they are. I hope that they're okay.

He started up the truck, drove away from the ditch and headed back towards the road and home. As far as Danny Oliver was concerned, it wasn't his problem if Simon and his people dropped off a body - under the mistaken belief that the person was dead - and then the person got up and walked away.

No, sir. Not my problem. I just dispose of the bodies... I don't make them. Danny said to himself.

Meanwhile, not far away, Angel had stumbled - literally - upon a road. She still couldn't see any signs of civilization in any direction, but there were hills off in the distance and she figured that they could be hiding the lights of populated areas on the other side. She was exhausted and dehydrated. The dizziness and nausea that accompanied the head injury would come and go and - at this point - her stomach was completely empty and she would only dry-heave when the feelings overwhelmed her. Finding the road motivated her to keep going. Even if it was unlikely that any car would be driving through. Just knowing that there was even the slightest possibility of it happening helped her to push herself and keep going.

But, there was also a part of her that just wanted her to sit down and catch her breath. A part of her that wanted her to take a break, rest, close her eyes and... maybe go to sleep... just for a little while. She was fighting off going into shock and was definitely a little delirious. Yet, she knew that she had to keep going. There was no way that she could allow herself to stop. No, she wouldn't stop. Sure, I'm exhausted. And, yeah, I'd love to just lie down, curl up and go to sleep. She looked off the road and to the right. Right there, as a matter of fact. That spot looks nice... well, as nice as any other. But, with Simon having parted my skull, as a farewell gift.... I think that if I were to do that, I might not wake up. So, the answer is "No." No resting. No sitting. No sleeping. Not even for 'a little while'.

Despite her protestations and, although - at least for the moment - Angel wasn't willing to admit it to herself... she was on some level - looking forward to doing exactly that. In some deep, dark, exhausted corner of her mind, she was already anticipating the moment when she would... simply collapse... fall to the ground... with all of the fight and the fire gone from her. Then, she would just close her eyes and, simply, go to sleep.

Then, I will have finally escaped from Simon... then, I won't be stuck out here, in the middle of nowhere... lost, bleeding and broken... then, I'd be...

Dead! You'd be dead, Angel! D-E-A-D... Dead! She screamed out loud. And, if you're dead... the freaks win. If you die, Simon wins! You cannot die... if for no other reason than because, if you do, then Simon wins! D'you understand that? You can't allow Simon to win!

Now, the pain in Angel's head was pounding along with her heartbeat. She raised her arms to either side of her head. Oh... God... Nn..Note to ss..self: When you have a cc..concussion, don't yell... She lowered her arms. She thought she was going to be sick, again. She heard a noise... a humming... she thought it was caused by her head injury. She was feeling dizzy, now, too. Then, she thought she saw a flash of light. The humming was getting louder.

Oh boy... this can't be good...

Standing on the road, Angel turned to her left, then - following the humming noise - turned completely around... and found herself standing in the bright, beaming headlights of an approaching truck... and she simply stopped.

Danny had just taken his eyes off of the road for a minute, as he leaned toward the dashboard to find a station on the radio that he liked. And, having had no luck, he shut the radio off. When he glanced back up at the road ahead of him, the vast and dark emptiness that extended in every direction... well, suddenly... it wasn't so... empty. Danny had never seen anyone out here, ever. Well, no one other than those whom he was sent out to make disappear. And, definitely, no one who was upright, breathing... alive. So, the last thing he ever expected to see was a girl... all alone... coming out of nowhere and appearing in the middle of the road... directly in front of his truck. Danny cursed aloud, "Damn it! What the hell..." and he gripped the steering wheel with both hands and slammed on the brakes.

Please... Please God! Please don't let me hit her! He hissed under his breath.

Braking so suddenly may have left traces of rubber from the tires melted onto the road, but Danny was able to bring the truck to a screeching halt, a couple feet in front of the girl.

Sitting behind the steering wheel, Danny struggled to get his heart to leave his throat and go back to where it belonged.

Then, he made a point to start breathing again... In... and out... In... and out...

Danny closed his eyes, briefly, and said, "I know I don't deserve any help from You... But, Thank you, God.".

He opened his eyes and looked at the lone figure that was, even now, still standing - dead center - in the beam of his headlights.

Now, that the crisis and near-disaster had been averted and Danny's adrenaline levels were leveling off, he was more annoyed than terrified and getting a bit aggravated.

"You would think that if a person were to find themselves - for God only knows whatever reason - standing in the middle of the road... in front of some approaching vehicle's headlights... that they would have the presence of mind... or the basic survival reflex... or even, just enough common sense... to get the heck out of the way!" he yelled. Danny hit the steering wheel with both palms. "Well?..." he looked at the girl and made an exaggerated shrug, hoping she would get the clue and move.

It was then that Danny realized that, from the moment when he had first seen her, the girl hadn't moved. She hadn't budged. She hadn't flinched. She hadn't blinked. She hadn't cried out. She had just stood there... like she was right now... She was simply standing there... bleeding.

Bleeding?... Oh, my God... She's bleeding!

Danny grabbed the wool blanket that was folded up beside him, opened his door and jumped out of the cab.

Angel hadn't known what to think... Owwwuch!... Besides, it hurt to think... It hurt to do anything... Everything hurt. She turned into the light and... what? What was she supposed to do? If she moved in any direction, the driver of the truck might decide - at the same moment - to try to avoid hitting her by steering in the same direction... and thereby hit her, anyway. And, if it was them? If it was them... God, let them hit me. Angel thought. ... I don't want to go back there. So, she had decided to simply stand there... and wait for the light.

After all... Angel thought - bathed in the illumination of the headlights ...that basement had always been so dark... this is a much better way to... She closed her eyes and...

The harsh scream of the truck's breaks filled the air around her... coming closer... closer... closer... then... nothing. The truck lurched to a halt a couple feet in front of Angel, kicking up dust, gravel and smoke.

Damn... Angel sighed.

I don't get it... This must be a joke? Angel thought A big, cosmic joke? Or, maybe... I'm already dead? That's gotta be it. That's why the truck didn't hit me... Because, I'm already dead... And, this place... this is definitely Hell... she thought.

Then, just past the glow of the headlights, Angel caught sight of movement... shadow... a man... coming towards her.

Oh n..no. P..please d..don't be them. P..please d..don't be S..Simon...

Danny unfolded the blanket as he quickly approached the girl. As he stepped into the glowing circle of the headlights, the girl turned her eyes towards him and she flinched. Danny stopped. The girl looked to be in bad shape. She was shaking... trembling all over. Danny could see that her hair was matted with blood and there were bloodstains on her clothing. She was holding her left arm like a bird holds an injured wing - cradling it close in to her chest. If this was the girl that Simon's people had left in the ditch... How she ever made it this far...

That'd be a real miracle... Danny thought ... If so, she's sure got heart! And, looking at her, Danny could tell that she'd been through Hell.

He felt compassion for her. And, he hated the things that Simon and his group have been doing. You poor thing... God, Simon is such a sick freak! He decided at that moment that he was going to help her... if she'd let him... he'd take her to the hospital and as far as Simon Marcus was concerned... Well, what Simon didn't know wouldn't hurt her... Besides, Danny figured, Simon thinks she's dead.

"Hello..." Danny started in a calm voice. "I'm sorry if I scared you with the truck like that. Sorry for yelling at ya. Truth is, you scared the heck outta me. I wasn't expecting there to be anyone out here on this road... especially at night." The girl didn't respond, but, she didn't run away either... not that Danny thought that she was in the condition to do that. "I'm sorry... Where are my manners? I almost hit you with my truck, the least I could do is introduce myself. My name is Danny... Danny Oliver. What's your name?" Danny waited for her to answer.

Angel watched the man. He had stopped just inside the glow of the lights. He was holding a blanket. She peered at his forehead.

Well, I don't see an upside down cross... Angel thought to herself. He actually looks rather clean-cut, with that short blond hair. Not at all like one of Simon's freaks.

She was so tired. What? The man was speaking to her. Danny Oliver? ... Never heard of you. But, then, I don't remember... Danny Oliver then asked her name. My name? Angel tried to think past the pain and the fuzzy, jumbled mess that was her memories. Umm... Well, Simon called me "Angel"... She flinched, as if she'd received an electrical shock, at the memory. And, I have this silver bracelet on my wrist that's engraved "ANGEL"... Other than those clues... Angel didn't have a clue. Darn it... "A...Angel. I think..." she said... and her voice sounded far away, even to her.

Well... Angel thought... maybe Danny Oliver will help me... maybe he'll give me a ride... seeing as he almost just ran me over... maybe he'll take me over those hills... take me back to civilization... help me to get the hell out of this Hell...

"Well, 'Angel. I think'... Nice to meet you. You... You look like you're injured. Like you've been bleeding. Well, actually, you are bleeding. Will you let me help you? I mean... I've got this blanket here for you." Danny raised the blanket in front of him. "You're shaking... Are you cold?"

"N..no. I'm not c..cold. I just c..can't s..stop shaking." Angel replied, looking down at herself.

Relieved that he was getting semi-coherent responses from the girl, he continued. "Okay, you're not cold. Or, you don't feel cold. It could be that you're in shock. Could be exposure. If you'd let me, I'd like to take you to the hospital. Let them check you out. They'll help you. I'll help you. Okay?"

To Angel, Danny Oliver's voice had developed an echo. And, it sounded like it was moving further away from her... like he was moving away from her. And, the thought of him leaving her out there terrified her. "P..please d...don't leave m..me out here!" Angel was beginning to feel like she was falling. "P..please help me!".

Danny ran over to her and was at her side to catch her when her knees buckled. He wrapped the blanket around her and lifted her up in his arms, "It's okay. I gotcha. You're safe now." he said. He carried her back to the truck and got her into the passenger seat. He put the seatbelt around her - being extra careful for that injured arm/broken wing she held against her - and then he got in, closed the door and headed for the nearest hospital.

By truck, especially as fast as Danny was driving, the nearest hospital was only 15 minutes away. He was sure that Angel had a serious head injury and that her fingers were broken. He didn't know what other injuries that she might have, but he knew that he shouldn't let her go to sleep. So, he kept talking to her. He explained to her that she needed to try to stay awake. She understood, but, after a little while, staying awake became harder and harder for her to do. From what he was able to get out of her, she seemed to not remember much beyond being kidnapped and tortured by Simon and his freaks.

"I'm so sorry that they did that to you, Angel." he told her.

"Yeah, me t..too. But, y..you know what? I'm just g..glad that you came by when you d..did, Danny. Thank you. Th..thank you for stopping. Thank you for helping me." Angel said.

"No problem, Angel. To be honest, I've done some things in my life that I'm pretty ashamed of... and I really want to start making up for those things." Danny confided.

"Well, y..you're d..definitely one of the good guys in my b..book." Angel said.

Danny pulled the truck up to the Emergency Entrance of the hospital. "Angel? We're here. You just hang tight. Stay there. I'll be right back, I'm going to get some help. Stay awake, okay?" he touched Angel lightly on her shoulder. She flinched and then nodded. "Okay." Danny opened his door and ran from the truck to the reception desk in the E.R.. He returned, moments later, with several of the staff and a gurney. By the time they'd gotten Angel out of the truck and on the gurney, she was unconscious. As they wheeled her into the E.R., Danny pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, wrote his name and phone number on it and handed it to the head nurse. He explained that he couldn't stay. He made the nurse promise to give the note to Angel if... when she had recovered enough. She smiled at him and promised to take care of it. Danny thanked her and then left.

And, several days later, the nurse did as she promised and gave Angel the note with his name and phone number. She explained to Angel that it was from the young man who'd brought her to the hospital. And, after she was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit, Angel called Danny and - although he didn't come to visit her at the hospital due to the presence of the detectives and the fact that they weren't allowing anyone to visit her - they developed a friendship over the time that she was being treated.

When Angel had decided to sneak out of the hospital - against medical advice and without informing the staff or the L.A.P.D. detectives - before the news story broke, she called Danny and he agreed with her concerns about Simon's people learning from the news report that - not only was she not dead, but she was recovering and at that specific hospital. He made arrangements to pick Angel up at the hospital and told her that she could stay with him - for as long as she needed - no strings attached. Danny had progressively developed strong feelings for Angel - he felt very protective of her... and perhaps he felt something more than that. But, he held that back and he didn't tell Angel that he might have feelings for her - as more than friends. He didn't want to push himself on her. After all, Danny understood better than anyone how much Angel had been traumatized by Simon and Jonathan. He had spent plenty of sleepless nights trying to avoid getting punched and/or clawed by Angel as he tried to calm her down after she'd awakened from one of her recurring nightmares. And, there was the fact that she didn't like to be touched and - although Angel would try not to - she flinched every time that Danny touched her or brushed against her.

And, so, Angel stayed in hiding at Danny's for a couple of months - until she heard the news that Simon Marcus had been arrested, tried and convicted in Bay City. Reading that Simon was in prison was a great boost to Angel's emotional recovery. And, once she had recovered enough physically to travel, Angel explained to Danny that she had to leave Los Angeles. She couldn't stay in hiding at his place forever and she definitely didn't want to risk running into Jonathan or any of Simon's numerous freaky, L.A.-based followers. Besides, she had some relevant information that she needed to get to the authorities in Bay City that would be of great interest to them... if she could get them to believe her. She was so grateful for all that Danny had done for her. He'd saved her life, opened his home to her - giving her a safe place to hide - and he'd also retrieved her beloved skateboard from the locker in which she'd stashed it at an L.A. bus station.

Danny had insisted on driving her to the Greyhound Bus station to see her off. He'd also bought her the ticket to Bay City and given her some traveling money. (Yes, he had feelings for her. But, that wasn't the only reason that he'd helped Angel. Danny knew that he had done a lot of bad things in his life and - as he saw it - this was one way he could try to make up for some of them. One of the other ways had been to stop answering the phone when he knew it was them at the other end of the line.)

Just before Angel had turned to board her bus, Danny spontaneously went to throw his arms around her and hug her... but, he saw Angel catch her breath and stiffen and he froze. Angel looked in his eyes... she looked at his chest, shoulders, arms. Then she bit her lower lip and swallowed and said, softly, "... It's okay...".

Danny wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or to him nor to what she was referring... "What's 'okay', Angel? Are you saying that to me or to yourself?".

She looked back up at his eyes and said, "Both... To you and to me. It's okay. You can hug me."

Danny smiled, yet hesitated. "Are you sure about this?"

Angel paused, thought about it and then replied, "Yes. I'm sure.".

Danny looked Angel in the eyes, smiled some more and spoke slowly, "So, just to be sure we understand each other here... What you're saying is that... if I hug you - in the next few moments - you're absolutely sure that you're not gonna cock your arm back and then punch me... am I right?"

Angel smiled. "You're never gonna let me live that down are you?" She was referring to an incident at Danny's when - after they'd both learned of Simon's conviction on the news - Danny had come up behind Angel and hugged her... and she'd reflexively drawn her arm back and slugged him.

"Well, I did have a black-eye for a week..." Danny teased.

Angel rolled her eyes. "You're lucky that I missed your nose. Now, yes, Danny I'm sure that no, Iam not going to hit you if you hurry up and hug me and make it a real quick one." Angel then closed her eyes, clenched her fists at her sides and held her breath.

Danny threw his arms around her and - in his exuberance - picked her up of the ground... at which point Angel's eyes flew open and she blew her breath out. "Danny..." she began. "Danny..." a little louder. She took a deep breath, opened her clenched hands and placed her palms on either side of him. Okay... that's enough, now... Angel thought.

Then, Danny began to spin Angel around and... Now, that's really enough... "Danny, stop..." not loud enough. Anxiety began building in Angel.

Angel turned her mouth towards his ear, "Danny, if you don't put me down right now... I won't be held responsible for what I might do to you...". Danny heard her that time. He immediately stopped, set her back down on the ground and apologized. Then, he pretended to cower and cover his face. "Ha... Ha... Stop it, Danny. Get up, will ya?" He stood back up. "I gotta go now." Angel said. "You take care of yourself, okay?" she looked him in the face.

"Me? I'll be fine. I'm not the one who was in the hospital... remember?" Danny grinned.

"Yeah, I remember. And, I won't forget... you. Thanks, Danny."

"You're welcome, Angel. Anytime you need rescuing... just let me know."

"I'm hoping that it was a first and a last-time thing... but, I appreciate the gesture."

"Go on... hurry up and get on that bus... Or, you're gonna see a grown man cry."

"Okay, Danny. Thanks... for everything."

"Don't mention it... to anyone. Just call me when you get there, okay?"

"Gotcha. I'll call you... number's in my jacket pocket. Talk to ya soon."

"Bye, Angel."

"Good-bye, Danny."

And, with that, Angel boarded the bus. As the driver closed the doors, Danny turned away so that Angel wouldn't see that he had tears in rolling down his cheeks.

After the bus pulled out of the lot, Danny returned to his truck and drove home. He pulled into his driveway, turned off the engine and looked at himself in the rear-view mirror. "Damn it..." he hissed under his breath as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He opened the door and stepped out of his truck. "I'm gonna miss you, Angel..." he said as he turned around - only to discover that he wasn't alone... at least not where he was standing in the driveway.

Danny glanced around as casually as he could, considering his heart felt as if it was about to pound its way out of his chest. He quickly realized that he was cut off from all of his potential escape routes - at least for the moment. His truck was right at his back - locked up tight. Directly in front of him, there was a mountain of a man now blocking his view of the street that he'd just turned into the driveway from. He was at least 5" taller than Danny, broad in the shoulders and the fabric of his clothing was straining to contain his muscular build. He spoke with one of those low, deep, resonating voices... one of those voices that - when the person speaks - you can actually feel their voice as well as hear it. And, it was a voice that Danny recognized immediately and which sent his adrenaline pumping.

It was Jonathan, Marcus's second. And, he was smiling like the cat that had found the canary... not a pleasant smile.

"Angel, huh? Danny-boy? What a coincidence! It just so happens that she's exactly the person we're looking for and whom we came to see you about. Long time no see, Danny. How's the family? We just drove by your folks place. Saw your sister leaving to run some errands. We thought about giving her a ride... you know... picking her up? But, we decided to come over and see you first. We'd have called but..." Jonathan paused, as if he were remembering something. Then sarcastically said, " No, wait. Actually, we did call... apparently you've stopped answering your phone."

"So, we - you know, Simone and the family - we got kinda worried about 'cha so... me and my friends here made a special trip over here just to make sure that you were okay...".

Jonathan had also brought company. There were five other men - well, five that Danny could see from where he was standing - who had formed a semi-circle around him.

"Yeah... Hey Jonathan. Sorry 'bout you not being able to reach me. Actually, I've been dealing with a personal matter... a family emergency. You know how it is... A crisis with a family member. If you must know, I've been taking care of someone..." Danny said.

Jonathan sighed and shook his head, slowly, as if he were a disappointed parent talking to a child, "Danny... Danny... Danny."

"You know what? That's what we had figured. Particularly, after we heard the news report about a certain Jane Doe who had been dropped at the hospital a short while back... by an unidentified man driving a late model, black pick-up. You might have heard about her... cracked skull, three broken fingers on her left hand, various healing as well as recent cuts, bumps and bruises. Oh, yeah... had a silver bracelet on her left wrist that said "ANGEL". And, what else? Hmmm.... Oh, that's right! She was supposedly dead and buried." Yet, she lives and only very recently disappeared without a trace."

Jonathan then put his sizable arm around Danny's shoulder and pulled him close, "Let's step inside and have a brief talk about this 'family crisis' of yours. You see, Danny... Simone knows... Simone always knows." And, with that ominous statement, Jonathan bent his elbow tightly around Danny's neck - threatening to cut off his air supply with just a flex of his elbow - and forcibly walked him to his front door with five of his associates bringing up the rear...

(*T.B.C.)