Chapter 8



"Seth Logan was a brave man. There was not a streak of cowardice in his body. Fifty years ago he fought for the ideal of freedom. He saw comrades killed, but he kept fighting. And for the lone reason of what he felt was right. He survived that battle and came home and started a family. He lost his wife, then his son was killed as well. He spent over twenty years not knowing one of his grandsons. Even when he spent a year on the streets, he didn't give up. He spent that time helping others." The priest paused for a moment.

Renee didn't even try to stop the flow of tears. She reached over and took Gabriel's hand in hers. He just stared at the flag-draped casket in front of him. The cold of the early spring day didn't even seem to bother him.

The priest, a good friend of Seth's, continued the eulogy."He finally found his other grandson over three years ago. After saving his life. Seth did that. He didn't care if you were poor or rich. Or even if you had done something wrong in your life. He knew no one was perfect, but thought everyone deserved a chance. For that year, he thought he only had his one grandson and two great-grandkids left. He had no idea his grandson, Thomas Logan, and his wife had been killed. As well as their son. When he found Gabriel, he was overjoyed. With him, he found his great- granddaughter safe and another great-granddaughter as well. He loved them and did everything in his power to keep them safe. In the end, he even gave his life for this. Yes, Seth Logan was a brave man. And he was a friend of mine, as I know he was to many of you. The least we owe him is a moment of silence."

Everyone in attendance at the funeral bowed their heads. After a moment, two men dressed in military uniform stepped forward and folded the flag. One of them walked over to Gabriel and handed the folded cloth to him. Once it was out of his hands, the man saluted and returned to his former post. The two color-bearers stood at attention while the casket was lowered into the ground.

Gabriel couldn't stand to watch it anymore. He turned and walked to the car. Renee caught up to him before he could drive away. "Gabriel," she said, grabbing the door before he slammed it shut.

"What?" He asked, his voice filled with sorrow.

"I know you're hurting. Please be careful. Don't do anything stupid."

"Oh, what? You mean like I usually do," he snapped at her.

"That's not what I meant," she protested. "I just don't want you to be hurt."

"I don't even care anymore. Tell the kids I love them. That's something no one can ever kill," he told her as he shoved the key into the ignition.

"Gabriel, will you please just let Sara handle this?

"He died protecting us. I can't do any less for him."

"Gabriel," she said, trying to stop him.

"Renee, just get away from me. I need to be alone."

Renee stepped away from the car and watched as he drove away. Tears flooded down her face. She tried to brush them away, but to no avail. When the car was out of sight, she sank to her knees. "I love you, Gabriel," she whispered.

*******

Gabriel stood in front of the door. He couldn't go in there. It would seem too empty, too deserted. He looked down at the flag in his hands. Taking a steadying breath, he turned the handle and opened the door. The bed was neatly made, Seth had always made sure of that. No clothes lay on the floor. Everything was organized.

Gabriel walked over to the bed and laid the flag on the pillow. "Sileann do chara agus do namhaid nach bhfaighidh tu bas choiche.* They were both wrong." He turned and walked out of the room.

Walking downstairs, he picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Tony, I need some information. I know you know who this is. You're too paranoid not to have Caller I.D. Come on, you know more about this White Bulls group than I do. I just need to know where they might be hiding. No, I'm not gonna bring the whole group down. I just want their leader. Thanks, Tony, I owe you one." He jotted down an address, hung up the phone and was out the door.

He drove for over an hour. He couldn't keep his family out of his thoughts no matter how far he tried to push them away. The way Renee's hair fell in her face. The way her face lighted up when all she would do was smile. Amie's innocent face, Aidan and Allanah's nearly identical looks but opposite personalities. He remembered holding Parker's tiny body the day he was born. He had been even smaller than Amie. Gabriel shook his head. He couldn't let his thoughts wander. He needed to be focused and do this.

He pulled into an alley near the address he wanted. Leaning over, he opened the glove compartment and pulled out a handgun. He made sure it was loaded, then stepped out of the car. Gabriel kept his eyes open and his body alert while making his way to the entrance to the building. Stepping inside, it took his eyes a moment to adjust to the change in lighting. When they recovered, he saw three men training their guns on him. One of these was Bruno Dante.

"You might kill me, but I'll be sure your boss goes with me," he threatened, lifting the barrel of his gun to aim at Dante's chest.

"Boy, don't be foolish. Just put the gun down."

"No!" Gabriel screamed. "You killed my grandfather, you goddamn son of a bitch!"

"That's a lie, boy. I never touched that old man."

"Maybe not," Gabriel admitted. "But you did send the men who did. Therefore, you are fucking responsible."

Dante clucked his tongue as he advanced on Gabriel. "Those are harsh words, boy. Do not show your teeth until you can bite."

"Every dog is brave on his own doorstep," Gabriel replied as he took a step toward Dante. "But rarely is a fight continued when a chief has fallen."

Gabriel, intent on his target, did not sense the two men approaching him from behind. One brought the heel of his hand down on Gabriel's wrist, breaking his grip on the gun. The other man drew Gabriel's arms behind his back and restrained him. They threw him to the ground where he groaned in pain. The other men in the room advanced on him. He knew what was coming and knew he couldn't escape it. 'I tried, Seth, and I failed.'

"I never asked you to, Gabriel. I didn't want you to."

Gabriel glanced up at the voice and saw his grandfather standing against the wall. "You're dead," he whispered.

Dante, thinking he was talking to him, said, "No, but you will be."

Seth's face looked pained, but he just shook his head. "Trust the wielder, grandson. Trust the warrior," he said as he disappeared.

Gabriel's face contorted with pain when one of the man's boots connected with his recently healed ribs. Blow after blow landed, leaving him weak. He felt as if a herd of horses had stampeded over his body. He knew his nose was broken and could feel blood seeping from other cuts. His breath came in short gasps, and he could taste blood when he coughed. They had busted at least one rib, and it must have punctured a lung.

Finally Dante called them off. He squatted beside Gabriel, grabbed his hair and pulled his head up from the ground. "Did that bitch, Petzeni, send you?"

"Go to Hell," Gabriel wheezed.

"You first," Dante sneered. He aimed his gun at Gabriel's head.

*Sileann do chara agus do namhaid nach bhfaighidh tu bas choiche.=Both your friend and your enemy think that you will never die.

*******

Sara stepped out of the precinct's door and saw Ian. "What is it, Ian?"

"He's in trouble."

"Where is he?"

"He went after Dante."

"Damn it. That doesn't help me any. I don't even know where the hell to find him. If I did, he'd be locked up by now."

Ian reached out and grabbed her right wrist. "Let it guide you, Sara. You must trust the Witchblade."

She watched as he turned and walked away. Going to her Buell, she started the engine and tore off down the street. After several miles, she took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on what it was telling her. The stone whirled angrily. After another half hour, she spotted Gabriel's car. She pulled in behind it, drew her gun, and entered the building.

Her eyes adjusted quicker than Gabriel's had earlier, and she took the scene in. The Witchblade transformed as she advanced on Dante. He heard her footsteps and sprang to his feet, turning at the same time. "Petzeni."

"Dante, you are under arrest for complicity to murder, abduction, and attempted murder."

"I don't think so," he growled.

She leaped at him, a primordial growl coming from deep in her throat, as he turned his gun on her. He only had time to take a step back before the point of the blade slid through his chest. He collapsed to the floor. Hid men raised their guns and began firing at her. The blade deflected each bullet. She triggered her gun several times, bringing each man down. Just as the last man fell, Jake and Danny burst through the door. Their eyes swept the room then rested on Sara. "Guess you didn't need us," Jake muttered.

Sara ignored him, hurrying to Gabriel's side instead. He tried grinning at her. "Sorry, Sara," he struggled with the words. "I didn't listen. Dead now. Tell Renee I love her." He burst out in a blood-filled coughing fit. "Good-bye, Sara." He saw Seth beside him and smiled. "Hello, Seth." Then, his eyes closed.

"Damn it, Gabe!" Sara screamed at him. You are not dying on me." She glanced back at Danny and Jake. "Don't just stand there. Call an ambulance."

Sara watched as the paramedics loaded him into the ambulance minutes later. As soon as it disappeared from sight, she jumped on her Buell and raced to the hospital.

*******

Renee picked Aidan up from the waiting room floor when she felt he was getting to far away from her. "We have to wait her to hear about your daddy."

"Dada?"

"Yes, your dada. He almost got himself killed."

"Kwilld. Kwilld." He waved his arms happily.

"That's one word I don't want you learning," Renee muttered.

Aidan's face suddenly turned sad. "Mama sad?"

Renee's heart broke for her son. He didn't know what was going on. Wouldn't understand even if she explained it to him. "I'm fine, sweetie. Nothing for you to worry about."

The little boy shrugged and squirmed out of his mother's arms. He sat on the floor and played with his twin sister.

A few moments later the doctor came out. "Mrs. Bowman, he's going to be fine. Two of his ribs were broken, and one of them punctured a lung. His nose was also broken. There were a majority of other minor cuts and bruises. We fixed the major injury, the punctured lung. He's awake now, so you can see him for a few minutes, but he's going to need his rest."

In the room, Renee pulled a chair beside the bed and looked down at her husband. "Gabriel, you can open her eyes. I know you're not sleeping."

His eyelids lifted, but he turned his head to the side. He would not meet her eyes. "You hate me," he muttered.

"Now where the hell did that come from? I have never in my life hated you. Been annoyed with you? Yes. Been extremely aggravated at times? Of course. But hated you? Never. Gabriel, I love you. And no matter what stupid thing you decide to do next, I still will. However, if you ever decide to do something this stupid again, I will kill you myself. Even if you're already dead."

He grinned at her despite the pain he was in. "My stubborn muse."

She returned his grin. "My loyal angel." She bent down and kissed him. "You need to get some rest. I need to take the kids home, and the doctor said he wanted to keep you hear overnight. I'll be back in the morning.

"I love you, Renee."

"I love you too, Gabriel Bowman."

*******

Gabriel walked into the house the next morning with Renee beside him. Amie clung to him like she would never let go.

"You need to rest," Renee reminded him. "The doctor wants you to stay in bed as much as possible for the next week."

"Yes, ma'am," he joked.

A stranger might have thought he was already over Seth's death. But Renee knew better. She knew his humor was just a defense to keep the anger and bitterness at bay. She knew he would be holding her that night. That only time and her would heal this ache. And there would always be the painful scar of his absence.

"I have to talk to you," She said when they reached their bedroom.

"What is it?"

"Amie." At his worried expression, she added, "Nothing's wrong with her."

"What is it then?"

"Before Seth died, we were in his room. She told me that he was telling her he was sad, that he wanted to come back but couldn't, that he was tired of fighting."

This only shocked Gabriel for a second. "She's special. She has a special destiny to fulfill. Time will reveal it."

Seth appeared in the doorway and watched the couple. "A young warrior rises."



The End