Angel Wings Ranch

"Maaaaaaaaaaaah!" Rocco bleated while Louisa walked to the lamb and she placed the small plastic bucket on the ground.

"Yeah. Yeah. I miss him, too," she said as she knelt down and she removed one of the plastic bottles of milk out of the bucket. The lamb moved closer as she fed him and Louisa smiled. She thought about the new photograph Murphy had sent her, but she still couldn't figure out the connection between the paintings and the murals of Connor and Murphy and the killings.

"I like the wings in this one."

"Why do they paint us as angels?"

"Because you are angels."

"Nah, I'm anythin' but."

"Well, you are to me."

"You're my angel."

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Shut up!"

"Make me!"

"Guys."

Louisa smiled as she placed the plastic bottle in the bucket then she went to feed the other lambs. She stopped short when the air turned cold and she smelt the scent of tobacco and whiskey.

"Look beyond the image. Lass," Noah's voice said in her left ear and she spun around, but no one was there.

"What does that mean?" she whispered. Shrugging, she sighed then she headed for the other lambs.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The soft ping filled the room while the elevator doors opened and Margaret led the way out of the elevator car.

"Just so you know, this apartment has three bedrooms," Margaret said. Nodding, Jessie, Murphy and Connor headed down the hallway and Margaret walked to the dining table. She placed the laptop on the table when she sat down and she powered up the laptop. She looked at the screen when she looked at the email screen and she sighed. Most of the emails had a bold face OPEN NOW in the title screen and she highlighted those emails before she deleted them. She turned the power off as she closed the top of the laptop, got up and she headed for the hallway.

She found Connor in the bedroom as she watched him unpacking his clothes and she walked to the bed. She slid her arms around his waist as he turned and he gave her a small grin. She leaned her head against his right shoulder as he held her and he gently rubbed her back.

"What's wrong?" Connor asked.

"Just tired," Margaret said with a sigh. She watched as he placed the suitcases on the floor then she laughed as he picked up into his arms. She smiled up at him as he placed her on the bed, crawled onto the mattress to sit next to her and she slid against him. She placed her head on the center of his chest while he held her and she closed her eyes. The steady thrumming of his heartbeat helped her drift off to sleep and he placed his chin on the top of her head.

In the next room, Murphy leaned against the headboard while he crossed one ankle over the other and he looked at the text screen on the cellphone. He dropped the cellphone onto his lap after the cellphone started ringing and he laughed.

"Hullo," he said after he pushed the button then he held the cellphone to his left ear and he looked at the wall.

"Hey," Louisa's voice said.

"You jus' scared th'shit outta me."

"Sorry."

"Is everythin' ok?"

"If you call missing my husband ok, then, yeah, everything's just fine."

"I miss you, too."

"I need to tell you something."

"Go on."

"I was feeding Rocco when I smelt your da's tobacco and the scent of whiskey."

"You smelt th'same thing when you went fer that walk while we were in McGinty's."

"Right."

"Did he say anythin'?"

"He told me to look beyond the image."

"What does that mean?"

"I have no idea."

Murphy became quiet as he tried to figure out what his father was trying to tell Louisa and he sighed.

"Murphy?"

"I'm still here," he said as he sat up and he placed one leg under the other leg.

"Talk to me."

"Connor and I went to see Norman."

"You went to the cemetery?"

"Aye, and seein' his grave…. It made me angry all over again."

"He wouldn't want you to be angry."

"You're right."

"Anything else wrong?"

"Nothin' I can't handle."

"Well, I better go help your ma with dinner."

"I still think she should let you do it."

"You know, as well as I do, that she likes doing things on her own."

"Well, you give her a hug from me an' Connor."

"I will."

Murphy got off the bed to check to see if Connor and anyone else was around and he leaned on the doorframe.

"I love you," he said and he heard a small laugh.

"I love you, too," Louisa said and he ended the call. He placed the cellphone in his back pocket as he kicked off the doorframe and he headed down the hallway.

the 43rd. Precinct

The doors slid open while Margaret and Jessie headed for the security station. The police officers looked at them while Margaret gave them a cold look and she showed them her identification. After being scanned, she and Jessie headed for the elevator and Margaret pushed the call button.

"I still think it was a bad idea to send Connor and Murphy to check the Lost Souls' base," Jessie said while the doors to the elevator opened and they walked in the elevator car.

"I feel the same, but Connor said they'll be fine," Margaret said, pushing the button and the doors closed. Jessie noticed the look on Margaret's face as Jessie sighed and she folded her hands in front of her.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm as alright as I can be."

"Have you heard from your uncle?"

"I have received several emails and texts with the heading "Open Now" on them."

"Are they from him?"

"Who else would they be from?" she asked while the elevator doors open and they headed into the hallway. They headed for the squad room as Jessie opened the door and they walked in the room. They headed for the door to the Captain's office as Margaret knocked on the door and the gray hair man sitting behind the next nodded for them to enter. Margaret opened the door as they walked inside and she closed the door behind them.

"Hello. I am Captain Kenneth Knox," Kenneth said as they shook hands and Margaret and Jessie sat down on the chairs in front of the desk. "What can I do for you?"

"We are investigating the Lost Souls' murders. We believe they might be connected to the murders in London, Dorset, Manhattan and Greenwich," Margaret explained and he gave her a puzzled look.

"How are they connected?"

"Have you ever heard of the Saints?"

"Yes, I have heard of them. Aren't they dead?"

"Yes, they are, but the Lost Souls were influenced by them. As were the others."

"Can't see how those two could considered an influence on anyone. They were just two lucky assholes who were able to take out a second-rate Mafia boss and his kid."

Jessie noticed the muscles in Margaret's jaw were twitching and Margaret sat up a little straighter.

"Are you saying you're not going to cooperate with me?" Margaret said in an icy tone and Kenneth saw the hard look in her eyes.

"Hey, I didn't say that," he said as Kenneth handed Margaret the file folder and she looked at the information. She saw the photograph of the mural of Connor and Murphy and she showed the photograph to Jessie.

"Have you been able to talk with any surviving Lost Souls?" Margaret asked, handing the file folder to Jessie. "We heard the survivors of the London, Dorset, Manhattan and Greenwich incidents believe the police are responsible for the killings."

"I am afraid there wasn't any survivors," Kenneth said with a sigh and she saw the hurt in his eyes.

"Do you have any leads on who might be responsible?"

"That's why I wanted to talk with you."

"All we know is the victims were shot in the back of the head after they were tortured."

"Isn't that what those Saints assholes did?"

Jessie saw the muscles of Margaret's jaw twitch again and Margaret's icy stare made Kenneth sink slightly in his chair.

"From what we have on the Saints, they did shoot their target in the back of the head, but they never resorted to torture," Margaret said with a slight growl and Kenneth nodded.

"I'll be in contact if we find anything else."

"Thank you for your cooperation," she said as she stood and they shook hands. Kenneth walked to the door as he opened the door and Margert and Jessie left the office. Jessie looked at the information in the file folder when she noticed something and she glanced at Margaret.

"His son was one of the Lost Souls," Jessie whispered.

"Yes, he was," Margaret said while they headed down the hallway and she balled her fingers into tight fists.

"Tell me again why we're here," Murphy said in a soft voice while he and Connor walked along the catwalk in an abandoned warehouse and Connor looked over the edge of the railing.

"This is where Maggie said those Lost Souls people lived," Connor explained. They walked to the staircase while they cautiously headed downstairs and they held the handles of their guns in their hands. They headed across the room as they looked up, but they only saw shadows and Murphy knelt down next to one of the sleeping bags on the floor.

"Sad,' he said as he stood up and he scanned the room with his eyes.

"What is?" Connor asked.

"That people end up like this," he said and his twin nodded. They searched the room when they saw the mural on the wall and Murphy moved to take a closer look. Unlike the others, Connor and Murphy were not angels, but some sort of gaunt looking figures. Their hair was long and dark and they had such a forlorn and haunted look to their faces. Murphy noticed the look on Connor's face as they moved back and Murphy took the cellphone out of his back pocket. He took a photograph of the mural and the writing under it then he placed the cellphone back into his back pocket.

Connor had walked to the stairs as he sat down on the bottom stairs and Murphy walked to sit next to him. Connor placed his forearms on his thighs while he looked at the sleeping bags and Murphy lightly nudged him.

"This could've been us," Connor said in a soft voice and Murphy frowned. "Remember when we first came t'Boston? If it wasn't fer Uncle Sibeal, we would've ended up on th'streets. He was th'one who got us our jobs, found us our apartment an' he made sure we came into this country legally."

"You're right. What I never understood is why Ma would allow her sons t'up an' leave home. I mean, we were only seventeen and we had jus' got outta school."

"Aye, I never understood that. But what I'm talkin' about is us ending up in a place like this."

Nodding, Murphy stood up when he headed down the stairs then he stopped when he heard the sounds of footsteps. He held up his right index finger as Connor quietly walked down the stairs and they slowly walked toward the front door.

"Are you sure the caller said they saw someone going inside?" the male voice asked.

"Yeah, that's what they said," the other male voice said.

The footsteps grew louder as Connor scanned the room then the stairs and he pointed to the stairs. Murphy followed his twin as they headed up the stairs then they headed for the windows and Connor checked to see if the windows were unlocked. Murphy looked at the front doorway as he saw shadows in the sunlight and he moved closer to Connor. Connor got the window open as he looked out then up and he saw the ladder leading to the roof. He pointed as he reached up for the bottom rung of the ladder and he started climbing up the ladder. Sighing, Murphy reached up for the bottom rung of the ladder when he closed the window and he started climbing up the ladder.

"What are we gonna do once we're up there?" Murphy asked and Connor looked down at him.

"Haven't figured that out yet," Connor said when he climbed onto the roof then he leaned down to help Murphy. They stood on the roof as they looked around and Connor pointed to the skylights. They carefully walked to the skylights when Connor used his shirtsleeve to clean the glass and they looked down into the warehouse. "See anythin'?"

"Nope," Murphy said when he looked over at the roof to the other building then he saw small catwalk connecting the roofs. He pointed as they headed for the catwalk and they headed for the other roof. Connor walked to the edge of the roof when he saw the fire escape ladder and he snapped his fingers.

"Hey, look at what I found," Connor said and Murphy walked to him. Murphy looked down when he saw the fire escape ladder and he glanced at Connor. Shrugging, he followed Connor down the ladder then they hopped down to the ground. They headed down the sidewalk as Connor slid his hands into the pockets of his black Navy pea coat and he removed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He held out the pack of cigarettes and Murphy took one of the cigarettes. It had been a while since they smoked and Connor light the lighter. They lit the cigarettes as the took a few long drags and Connor placed the lighter back in his pocket. They walked down the sidewalk while they placed their sunglasses on and the wind blew through their hair.

The soft ping filled the air as the doors to the elevator opened and Murphy and Connor walked in the room. Margaret was sitting on the couch as she stood to look at them and Jessie walked out of the kitchen.

"Did you find anything?" Margaret asked while she walked to Connor.

"We found this," Murphy said while he removed the cellphone from his back pocket and he showed them the photographs he had taken.

"Is that what I look like when I'm really miserable?" Connor asked while Margaret noticed the look on the face of Connor in the mural and she slid her left arm around his waist.

"Yes," Margaret said then she looked at Murphy. "Did you send this to Louisa?"

"Aye, I did," Murphy said.

"Did you find anything else?" she asked, looking at Connor.

"Just sleepin' bags," Connor said.

"We would've looked around some more, but someone had called th'cops an' we had t'find a way out before they found us," Murphy explained.

"Luckily, I was able t'get a window open an' we found a ladder…."

"Which led to th'roof."

"Once we got to th'roof, we found a fire escape ladder an' we climbed down to th'ground."

"Then we came back here."

"So, what did you find out?" Connor asked, looking at Margaret.

"We found out the captain in charge of the investigation had a son who was a member of the Lost Souls," Margaret said.

"Were you able t'talk with his son?" Murphy asked.

"No. He, along with the rest of the Lost Souls, was killed."

"Christ."

"Lord's name," Connor scolded and Murphy nodded.

"Did you ask th'captain if he had any leads?"

"I did, but he though we had some."

"He also thought it might have been you two who killed his son and the others," Jessie said and Margaret glared at her.

"Wonderful," Murphy sighed, rolling his eyes.

"So, what do we do now?" Connor asked.

"You two are going back to Ireland and we are going to Boston," Margaret said and Connor gave her a sad look. "And looking miserable isn't going to change my mind."

"What if I look miserable, too?" Murphy asked as he gave her such a sad look that Margaret felt her chest hurting. They blinked their eyes a few times while Margaret and Jessie tried hard not to smile and Margaret sighed.

"How do they do that?!" Margaret thought.

"Fine. You can go with us," Margaret said and they kissed her cheeks.

"Told you that would work," Connor said when he gave Murphy a high five and they headed for the kitchen. Jessie walked to Margaret as they looked at each other and they softly laughed.

Unknown location

Jordan felt whatever she was lying on dipping down then long fingers moving through her hair and she opened her eyes, but all she saw was darkness.

"Ah, you're awake," the voice said, softly.

"I'm hungry," Jordan said.

"I thought as much."

She felt a slight shifting as a small grunt filled the darkness then she felt something on top of her stomach.

"Will you please let me go?" Jordan asked then she heard a sigh.

"I will let you go once we're done."

"Done with what?"

"Open your mouth," the voice said, changing the subject. She opened her mouth when she felt the fork moving over her tongue and the fork moved away. She chewed and swallowed as she opened her mouth again and whoever it was fed her. She felt the softness against her lips then a large hand lifting her head so she could drink something she hoped was water, but it had a tangy taste to it. "It's wine."

"Oh," she said as she was fed again and a soft laugh filled the darkness.

"Do you know why I don't let you feed yourself?"

"You're afraid I'll attack you."

"No, I'm afraid I'd have to hurt you if you did."

"How can I attack you if I can't see you?"

"Would you like me to teach you how?"

She wondered if she was being flirted with or being treated like a child as she sighed and she felt whatever it was on her stomach being removed. She felt whatever was holding her legs and arms down being removed then someone gently climbed on top of her.

"What are you doing?" Jordan asked.

"I'm giving you a fighting chance," the voice whispered in her right ear after she felt warm air on her cheek and she slowly moved her arms up. Her muscles screamed from the lack of use as she touched strong shoulders and she swore she could see a smile. "Well? What are you going to do?"

Jordan moved her hands over the strong shoulders when her fingers touched the soft skin and she blinked. The long fingers moved her hands back to the strong shoulders and she heard a loud snort.

"No, don't touch my neck," the voice scolded.

"I do apologize," she said and a soft laugh filled the darkness.

"And you think I'm being forward."

She couldn't help laughing as she moved her legs and the muscles screamed for lack of movement.

"Do you really think I am going to let you kick me in the balls?" the voice asked and she felt a slight shift.

"So much for that idea then," she teased and a small laugh filled the darkness. She felt strong hands on her shoulders as she was pressed down and she moved her hands so they were under whoever was on top of her. She made a deep sigh as she used whatever strength she had to slam her fists into what felt like tight muscle and she heard a low grunt.

"That hurt."

"Good."

She punched the tight muscle again while he right leg bent upward and she slammed her leg into something solid. She felt the strong hands letting go of her shoulders then she heard a low thud and she reach out into the darkness.

"Very…good," came from the darkness as she reached down and she felt someone taking her hand. With a sharp gasp, she felt someone pulling her off of whatever she was lying on and she landed on something solid. She found the strong shoulders as she felt something softly vibrating and a small laugh filled the darkness.

"Do you usually do this with your prisoners?" Jordan asked.

"No, just you."

She felt the strong hand on the back of her head as her head was lowered and she felt the soft lips on hers.

"Hey, are you done feeding….? What the fuck!?" came from the darkness as she felt herself being gently rolled away and she reached for whatever she was lying on.

"Get out!"

"What the hell, Dude!? She's….!"

"She is none of your concern!"

"This is sick! If she could see….!"

Jordan heard the sound of fighting then a thud and she tried to pull herself up once she found what she was lying on. She felt someone picking her up as she kicked the air and she swung her arms.

"It's me," the voice whispered in her left ear and she relaxed. She was placed on her feet while the strong hands cupped her face and soft lips touched hers. She wasn't sure why, but something familiar moved through her as her arms moved around a solid waist and her fingers moved over a strong back. She moved back slightly as a soft sigh filled the darkness and long fingers moved through her hair.

"Are you going to have to restrain me again?" Jordan asked in a soft voice.

"Are you going to try and kick me in the balls again?"

"No."

"Then, no, I won't do that. But I do need you to pretend that you are."

"Or your friend will kill me?"

"He is not my friend and, yes, he will kill you if he finds out."

She moved closer as she placed her forehead against the tight muscles and she felt long fingers carding the back of her head.

"I promise," she said and she was lifted off the floor. She was placed back on whatever she was lying on when she heard heavy footsteps and a dragging sound and she sighed before closing her eyes.