Chapter 5
Angel pressed his knuckles against his lips to try to stifle a sudden yawn, as they pulled up to the WVU Princeton Community Hospital about forty-five minutes later. Charlotte had gotten the girls to laugh at her stories, and he heard some levity in her voice, which he knew she needed. Pulling into the first parking spot across from the emergency room, he shifted into park. He heard shuffling behind him as Charlotte moved on her knees between the front captain chair seats, peering out at the sharp lights of the hospital.
"They'll be safe here?"
Angel noted the concern in her voice, "Yes, the people inside know medicines and treatments, and this will be the best place for their parents to come for them."
He noticed two police cars pulling in and turned towards the back, "Girls, we're at the hospital, and I radioed ahead so your parents should be here soon, but I do have to ask you a very special favor."
The girls looked at him and Amy nodded, "What is it?"
"Don't tell anyone about Charlotte or her scary costume, okay? She's my secret weapon against the mean men I chase, and if they ever found out, she could be in danger. Deal?"
Having come to trust Charlotte on the drive, Amy promised and she'd tell Jamie to keep Charlotte a secret as well. He knew it was not a guarantee, kids being kids, but since Charlotte had been seen, it was all he could ask of them. He then looked at Charlotte, "That means you gotta stay in the van and out of sight, at least until we figure out a cover story for you."
Backing out of sight silently, Angel accepted that as agreement and opened the drivers side door and slipped out. Seconds later, the side door slid open and he motioned the kids to exit the van. He gave Charlotte a nod and whispered, "Go invisible if anyone comes by."
He didn't wait for a response, and shut the door and guided the kids across the lot to the emergency entrance, disappearing with them inside the welcoming bright lights of the entrance.
Charlotte sulked into the rear of the van, pulling the blanket she'd had earlier around her shoulders. Her mind was racing, the adrenaline having come down earlier and now her body slumped in exhaustion. She curled up, using one of the garbage bags of clothes for a makeshift pillow and quickly drifted off to sleep, the first she'd had in… well, she didn't know.
Inside the ER, Angel flagged down a nurse and explained the situation, giving the girls an encouraging smile as three other nurses and a doctor swiftly swarmed in to whisk the girls off for evaluation. Feeling just as exhausted, Angel leaned against the painted concrete walls of the entrance way, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Angel?" A feminine voice invaded his very short moment of reprieve and he opened his eyes, a wry smile forming at the edge of his lips.
"I really had hoped to avoid you tonight, Amanda."
Having propped against the opposite wall to mirror Angel's stance, FBI Special Agent Amanda Sims, a tall slender built woman, wearing a zipped up blue FBI jacket, black hair tied back in a tight bun, and piercing blue eyes, returned his wry smile with one of her own, "If you had it your way, you'd avoid me all the time."
"Reports and procedures slow me down." It wasn't the whole reason, but the other reason was known and unspoken between them.
Amanda sighed, not pressing the rest, "Listen, Angel. I appreciate what you do, and you skirt the lines just on the right side to keep me from having to bust your balls, but for me to give you the space to operate I need to be kept in the loop. Plus, the brothers demanded a ransom and you know that means FBI involvement, every time."
"I know. It's nothing personal, Amanda. I really am not trying to argue with you. I'm just tired. I was scared tonight…"
Amanda cuts him off, "You're scared every night, Kevin."
Cutting her with a sharp glare, "I don't want to hear it from you, Amanda. Just because you know me doesn't mean I want or need any of your psychological bullshit. Okay?"
Holding her hands up in surrender, Amanda sighs, "No, you're right, it's not my place anymore, if it ever was. But I'm worried about you. You go head first into every missing person's case that comes up, and if children are involved, you are almost out of control. I stand up for you to my superiors, reminding them of your military service and your record, and that you've solved and saved over a dozen lives that we may have otherwise lost."
Angel turns his head away. Over a dozen lives saved came with the stark reminder of the ones he lost and there was no balancing that in his mind. How long would he be tortured with what he did?
Amanda continues, "It keeps them just off my case and so I stay off your case, but sometimes I have to poke my nose into your business. Like tonight."
Her tone catches his attention, "What about tonight?"
"It's really strange, but the report I got over the radio from the arresting offices at the sight, says the Pry brothers were white as sheets and rambling on about a monster attacking them. Now, I've read every report from your missions and never heard of anything like this. Care to explain?"
Anticipating that possibility, Angel shrugged, "Been watching a lot of horror movies in my downtime and wanted to test a few theories on scare tactics. That's all."
Amanda eyed her friend. She'd known him since before he joined the military, remembered his carefree attitude, sense of humor and how big of a heart he had, but she never pegged him to be a liar, and something in his tone set off her senses, honed from years of experience as an agent. She also knew the direct approach would yield no results, and just put him on the defensive. This was something she would need to figure out later.
"Well, whatever you came up with did one hell of a number on the brothers. They're scared out of their minds and incoherent to a degree. We've decided to move them to a facility for evaluation before the transfer to the state jail."
"Good!" Angel pushed away from the wall, "It's the least those fuckers deserved. If you'd seen what I saw the one prick did to that little girl, being scared shitless is the only mercy they deserve."
Amanda frowned hard, "Kevin.."
"It's. Angel." He reprimanded in a clipped tone.
"Angel," Amanda sighed, "I'm not disagreeing with you. Just, whatever new tactics you are employing, don't give them any possible outs with an insanity plea."
She was right and he knew it, but after seeing Charlotte in action and how much it could give him the advantage, it was a risk he was going to keep taking if it meant saving more lives, more children, but aloud he placated, "No, you're right. I'll work on my tactics, as long as it does not put any innocents at risk."
"It's the best I can ask, except I'd love to see what your new tricks are?"
"Not likely, "Angel's body was near its end, exhaustion over taking him, "If that's all, Agent Sims?"
Short and addressing her in title, Amanda knew she wasn't going to get any further with Angel, tonight. She frowned but nodded in dismissal, "That is all, Mr. Collins. Go get some sleep. You did great tonight."
He deserved the clipped response, but didn't have the energy to continue, so he nodded once and turned, walking out of the ER entrance into the chill air. He gave one quick glace back to see that Amanda had been called over to the doctors, and moved with a quick pace to the van. Opening the driver's side door, he jumped in and closed the door with a thud. It was louder than he intended, his anger rising, and it came with a follow up mumble from the darkness in the back of the van.
"Angel"
Charlotte's soft, questioning voice had a calming effect on Angel and he spoke softly back, "It's okay, Charlotte. We're done here."
"What now?"
"We need sleep. I have a room booked a bit back the way we came. Go back to sleep until we get there."
She wanted to talk to Angel, but his tone sounded as tired as she felt, so she settled back into her makeshift nest as he started the engine and pulled away from the hospital. The white noise of the road lulled her off to sleep quickly, and up front Angel drove into the night, his thoughts mixed with questions, concerns and utter exhaustion.
.
.
Darkness had started to retreat from the encroaching rays of sunlight on the horizon when Angel pulled into the small, dimly lit old motel off the side of the highway. Twisting the key out of the ignition, he sighed and stretched. When was the last time he'd had any sleep? Pushing the door open, he dropped his boots on the crumbling asphalt and stretched, feeling and hearing the crack of his bones and muscles. The stretch did good, and he moved to the back of the van and opened the two doors. Charlotte bolted up like a jack in the box, her eyes a faint red until she saw it was Angel.
"Sorry." Angel shook his head, "I didn't mean to startle you."
Her eyes calming down, Charlotte looked past him to the motel, "We're sleeping here?"
"Yeah, it's not the best, but I tend to hole up in these kinds of places, as my cash flow isn't always so good. Come on, it's more comfortable than the back of a this van."
Holding his hand out for her, Charlotte takes it gently in hers and lets him guide her out. He let's go and goes to the door of the room he booked and unlocks it and opens it for her to enter. She steps in first and he flicks on the light, shutting the door and he blinks, realization kicking in. He'd booked a one bedroom.
"Shit."
Charlotte looks at him, "What's wrong?"
"It's not a big deal. I booked the room before I found you, so.." He looks at the two very uncomfortable chairs, surrendering a restful sleep, "You take the bed. Get some sleep."
This was another moment that Charlotte had to question what she knew, how she knew it versus all she'd forgotten. She knew what a bed was, and what it signifies between two people sharing it and she felt her cheeks flush warm. She also had a moment to ponder asking him to share it with him because when he was in the hospital, it was the first time she'd been left alone outside of running the mission and it made her feel incredibly lonely and vulnerable. Feeling it would be inappropriate, she closed those thoughts down. Moving to the bed, she pulled the covers down and slipped in, laying her head on the pillow she looked at him, gratefully. "Thank you, Angel."
Having pulled the two chairs together, facing each other, Angel had settled into one and his feet up on the other, "You're welcome, Charlotte. Good night."
Charlotte responded with a loud yawn, squeaking out a cute, "Good night" within it and Angel smiled softly, closing his eyes and hearing Charlotte's soft breathing told him she'd fallen right to sleep.
.
.
The midday sun greeted Charlotte's weary eyes as she opened them to see the front curtains failing to defend the room's darkness from the invading light. She had no idea how long she'd slept, but she stirred in the sheets feeling well rested and looked towards the chairs Angel had slept in to find him gone.
Suddenly alert, Charlotte sat up straight in the bed and her sharp ears picked up the sound of rushing water. Oh, she realized, Angel was in the shower. Another sudden wash of warmth greeted her thoughts, and she shook her head. Pulling the sheets away, she stood up and stretched, and did a self check of her body. She felt good, very good. Last night, she saved lives and the sleep had recharged her mind and body. She let herself bask in the moment, until a strong sensation hit her and she looked towards the bathroom door. She had to pee.
Now that she was aware of it, it was a very uncomfortable feeling and she clenched herself. How long would Angel be? She paced for a couple of minutes, and tried to distract her attention by taking in the details of the room. The bed, the two chairs Angel had slept in, a round table with his keys and ranger vest strewn on it, a small desk and an old CRT black Television resting upon a cheap brown dresser. The effort to control herself was a losing battle and she finally gave up and went to the closed bathroom door and gently rapped on it a couple of times. She heard the water turn off.
"Angel?"
His voice carried through the door, "Yes?"
"I uh…" She bit her lip, the word embarrassed her, but she had to, "I have to pee."
She heard shuffling on the other side of the door and in a moment it opened and Charlotte's cheeks definitely flushed for sure. Angel stood there in two towels, one around his waist and one around his shoulder and she was treated to a clear look at his upper body, muscles and trimmed body, speckled with scars and she stammered, "Sorry."
Angel shook his head, "No, I'm sorry. I should have checked with you before just in case. I haven't shared a bathroom with a woman in a long time. Please, go in."
She shifted past him, sensitive to his closeness and thanked him, the urge to pee more important now than delicacy, she turned and shut the door fast. Outside the door, she heard him call out, "I'm going to be changing so don't come out until I say, okay?"
"Okay" was all she could say as she pushed her jeans down and opened the toilet lid and sat down. With a long, drawn out sign, Charlotte let the relief wash over her as the pressure ebbed. So, she chuckled internally, demons urinate. Wonder if that tidbit appeared in any of Angel's stories.
As she relaxed, she looked to the shower. Again, it hit her that the things she knew, or that felt natural to her, conflicted with all she could not recall. Okay, she thought to herself, basic needs such as sleep, bathroom, food were unconscious thoughts and needs she knew she had. Who she was, where she came from? Somewhere in the dark and out of reach.
Cleaning herself, she stood and closed the seat cover and flushed. Turning the knob in the sink, she washed her hands, looking at herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair looked well kept, and fell down to her middle backside, and she wondered if she should bind it in some way. Her large black eyes stared at her with unanswered questions, and she licked her full red lips, moistening them. As she stared at herself, she let her power seep forward and she became an audience to her own transformation. Her black eyes turned a deep crimson and her irises reshaped themselves into snake like slits while her normal round eyes switched to a much more exaggerated monolid shape giving her a natural menacing glare. Her horns broke through the skin on her forehead without even a hint of pain, only pressure as her skin wrapped around the base, wrinkled yet secure to the bone. Her canines sharpened first, larger than the rest of her teeth but each one changed almost magically into cruel, flesh rendering tips. Her tongue flickered through the spaces in the middle and she clicked clawed finger nails on the porcelain sink. She felt her rear end move and she watched a tail with a spade-like tip rise up, swaying like a charmed cobra. She grinned, lifting her lips in a growl to see more of her teeth and she imagined the fear she'd put into those two men. The satisfaction filled her and she relished in the memory, and even though she felt bad for scaring the girls, what she did to those men trumped it.
"I'm dressed."
Angel's sudden voice through the door caught Charlotte off guard and she turned her head sharply towards the sound, hissing softly, her skin rippling like a stone breaking the water's surface, and she felt the heat of ember fire dance between her finger tips. Pulling herself in, Charlotte focused and watched her demonic features melt away just as quickly as they'd sprouted, and once she knew she had her voice under control, felt safe enough to speak, "Do you mind if I take a shower?"
"Not at all." And she could literally feel his body against the door on the other side, which was amplified by her power she'd just let flow, "I'll go get you some clean clothes out of the van and leave them by the door. Do you feel safe here alone for a few minutes? I'd like to go get us some food."
FOOD! The one thing she'd forgotten all about and suddenly her stomach accused her harshly of her forgetfulness. "Yes, please!"
"Anything you want?"
Charlotte didn't know at all what she wanted. She could not remember the last time she had any kind of meal, and considering what she was, she didn't exactly want to think about it. "You choose."
She did not see the smirk on Angel's face as he told her he was leaving after leaving clothes for her on the bed, as he knew that answer would always come back to haunt him. Choose for a woman, food? This was going to be interesting.
Charlotte heard him open the door to go to the van and turned back to look in the mirror, her human features greeting her. With a pull of her power, she let her eyes go red one more moment and then fade. She was gaining confidence in calling her power, and looked forward to all the good she could do. Sighing, she gave her rumbling tummy a scolding to have patience and turned to the shower, she pulled her black T-shirt up over her head, dropping it in a corner and let her bare chest rise and fall in the warm air. Slipping her panties off, she turned on the shower's hot water only and as the steam rose from the heat of the pouring shower head, she stepped in and closed the curtain.
.
.
Windows down to let some warm fresh air in, Angel drove up the drive way to the exit of the motel and looked to see what he could see. Right in front of their accommodations was a BBQ joint which sounded good, but likely more money than he wanted to waste. He could see a Sunoco gas station to his right, and a Subway shop if he turned left. Peering at the gas gauge decided his first destination. Turning right after the traffic cleared, he drove up and into the station, parking next to a pump. Shifting into park, Angel leaned back in the captain's chair and let out a slow breath, and fished his cell phone out of his breast pocket. He clicked on the contacts list, found the number he wanted and pressed call. He listened as it rang one and a half times before it was picked up.
"Angel? You okay?"
Eyes closed, comforted by the soothing voice of his sister, he let out a soft, "Yeah."
"Good. I got the report about the Pry brothers, so I knew you were but you usually call and check in right after a mission."
Angel debated on how much to share with his sister, and in that moment he made a snap decision to not say anything. Not yet. "Sorry, Cassie. By the time I got the kids to the hospital and back to my room, I could barely think."
"Well, I don't like to be made to worry about you." Cassie admonished, though her voice wasn't angry, "Anyway, I filed the report with all the others, as usual, and thankfully the frequencies have been clear since the Pry incident began."
Angel thanked the Gods for that, "Good. I could use the break. Anyway, I wanted to check in so you'd stop worrying. I gotta get a bite to eat. Talk later?"
"Yeah, take care, lil brother. I'll be in touch if necessary." Cassie hung up and Angel put his phone back in his pocket, and got moving on fueling up and collecting food. He didn't want to leave Charlotte alone for long.
.
.
With the shower finished, body dried and new clothes adorned, Charlotte dropped her butt onto the edge of the bed and started untangling her hair with a brush that Angel had left for her. As she worked the knots out, she looked at the TV and had a familiar feeling about it. She reached forward and pushed at the buttons until it warmed to life. With eyes wide and hair forgotten, Charlotte was pulled into a trance of television programming. Sports, daytime TV soaps, Judge programs, news.. she flipped the channels, enthralled by the different programs until she came upon an action sequence in a movie and flipped herself on her belly on the bed and stared intently at the unfolding story.
Some forty minutes later, Angel returned and entered the room with arms full of plastic bags of food and drinks and Charlotte grinned at him, pointing, "What is this!?"
Angel peered at the movie and shrugged, "Robocop. I see you figured out the television." Sitting the bags down on the table, Angel pulled out a couple boxes of KFC chicken, since it ended up being next to the gas station, it was the quickest grab and go he could think of, until he wound up stuck in a long ass drive-thru. He pushed his vest off the table and opened up both the boxes and set two large soda cups down.
"Charlotte, you gotta eat."
Turning her head towards Angel, she tried to keep one eye on the movie, pouting, "But it's so goood!" she drawled out.
Angel shook his head, the first real smile he'd had in days crossing his lips, "I thought you were hungry?"
Charlotte nodded and stood up, walking sideways to the table, trying not to miss the show. She sat down and the smell of the chicken focused her attention and she peered at the box curiously, "What is it?"
Having taken a big bite of a biscuit, Angel held up his hand to ask for a moment and swallowed, pointing to each item in turn, "Chicken, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, biscuit."
"Chicken?" Charlotte repeated in question, and picked it up. It smelled really good and she took a small bite. Eyes thrusting up at Angel, Charlotte squealed and took a second larger bite, eagerly devouring every bit but when she started to crunch down on the bones, Angel whoahed, "Hey, no. You don't eat the bones!"
Bones!? Charlotte started choking, spitting out most of the chicken she'd inhaled in her ravenous hunger and frighteningly stared at Angel's worried face, "Bones!? This is an animal?"
It never even occurred to Angel to explain the types of food humans eat or from what. He quickly explained the concept to Charlotte, that animals such as chickens and cows are processed for consumption as well as fruits, vegetables and so on. Charlotte was not happy with the explanation, and firmly said she would not be a hand in, or consume any meat, if it meant the suffering of any animal. She sniffed and pointed to the other items, and Angel told her what they were made of and with one eye on Angel, daring him to touch his chicken, she slowly ate the slaw, potatoes and biscuit. Angel grumbled and dumped the chicken into the trash and joined her in the vegetarian feast. He could not believe it, Charlotte was a vegetarian demon, and he was going to be judged at every meal.
As she ate in silence, the food settled into stomach and she felt better, and her attention returned to the TV, "What is 'Robocop'?"
Grateful for the subject change, he checked to see what scene was playing and gave a quick recap of the story to that point, sharing a few facts about the actors, where it took place and such as Angel loved these kinds of movies and it had been years since he got to share in watching one. As they watched, one of the characters repeats a line from earlier and she looks to him, "What does 'I'll buy that for a dollar' mean?"
"It's kind of like a 'catch-phrase.'" And seeing her look, continues, "In film and TV some characters develop them as comedic phrases that represents them, or a punchline in a climatic moment. Heroes will sometimes say it as they take out the bad guy at the end of a story."
Charlotte's eyes sparked, "Heroes say them? Like you, right? Do you have a catch-phrase?"
Angel shifted uncomfortably, "I'm no hero, Charlotte. I do this because it's the right thing to do."
"Which is what heroes do, right?" She prods him.
"I don't like the label, Charlotte, okay? "Angel turned away, "I wouldn't deserve it anyway."
The movie no longer thrilling her, with Angel's voice strained with sadness, she pushes the off button and comes over, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Why wouldn't you deserve it?"
Shaking his head, Angel does not answer. Charlotte tries a different approach, "Will you at least tell me something about you? I trust you, very much, for you've taken such good care of me but I am so very curious."
"I don't like to talk about myself, much, Charlotte."
Charlotte stepped around and knelt before Angel, taking both of his hands into hers and gives him her full soft eyes, "I don't know who I am. It scares me so much. Who am I? Where am I from? If I could, I would share with you my entire soul, gift you my being as a thank you for saving my life. I can't do that and it pains me so much."
Her vulnerability was raw and Angel surrendered to her request, "Very well. I will tell you some stuff for now, but.. there are things I do not want to revisit, not anytime soon. But you deserve to know things about me, Charlotte, especially if we're going to be a team and trust each other."
Giving his hands a firm squeeze in appreciation, Charlotte stands up goes to sit in the other chair, eager to listen.
Turning in his chair to face her, Angel doesn't even get a word in when his phone rings. Pulling it out, he sees it's his sister, "Hold that thought a moment, it's my source, and could be important."
Angel sees Charlotte's demeanor change, becoming serious and nods as he steps outside, shutting the door. He answers the phone, "Yes?"
Inside, Charlotte sighs. In the shower all she could think about was Angel. Who he was, what drove him to do what he did, which she found amazing and heroic, but she knew there had to be something behind it. She craved to discover more of him. It wasn't just because he'd saved her, let her join him, trusted her demon side and took care of her. No, it was something else, something intimate. Her thoughts were interrupted as the room door was open quickly, Angel's frame large and tense, filled the space.
"Pack up. We have a mission!"