Hello, my loves! Now, THAT was my idea of a celebration! As always, love to my wonderful girls wwechristina, Tm12Brady and GoldenGirl1920!
So now it's time to shift the story to the next phase as we move on to a new mystery...or is it?! You decide! Enjoy!
The Fire
Kevin and Lady Christina were giggling about nothing as they walked back into HQ. Almost at the same time, Cherry was getting dressed again, looking behind her at Drew who was grabbing clean clothes and sighing. Cherry sighed at the tall, gorgeous Scotsman zipping his pants up, "You know how hot you look in a black tank top, and those jeans?" He wiggled his eyebrows, "All you ladies are alike. Looking at me like I'm a sex object or something."
She went over to him, "Oh, I'm just like every other woman?" He whispered, "Nah, Love. Yer quite extraordinary. So goddamn sexy! I can't keep my hands off ya." She shivered at his touch on her body, "You are such a stinker, Mr. Galloway." He pulled her closer, "Speaking of that, when am I getting you down that aisle ta make ya Mrs. Galloway?"
She thought, "Well, as much as I want that right now, I don't want bruises, cuts and scrapes in my wedding pictures. Let's wait until we're both healed up." He nodded, "Aye, agreed. Well, we're still gonna shag like crazy though, right?" She reached down between his legs and caressed the giant bulge in his pants, "What do you think?", batting her eyelashes at him. He laughed and kissed her forehead, "We better rejoin the team while I still have some self-control."
On the eighth floor, Sheamus stretched his arms as he tossed Christine his green shirt. She slid it on, and put on her pair of comfy pajama pants, which had Irish flags on it. He giggled as he took her in his arms, kissing her, "Look at ya. A bloody nightmare. Yer my nightmare, Phoenix." She as she put her long hair up in a messy ponytail, "Ah, Sheamy, you sure know how to woo a lady."
They walked back down hall to the common area. Sheamus nodded at Drew and Cherry, "Look at these two!" Drew was sitting with Cherry behind him, brushing his hair. She shrugged, "What? Christine laughed, " Ooh! I dare you to braid his hair." Drew protested, "Uh no!" Christine said, giving Cherry a high five, "I think it'll look great." Sheamus cackled, "Don't be silly! She left her bows at home!" Drew only glared at him and flipped him off.
Christine wondered, "Who do you think is a bigger dork?" Cherry said, "Geez! That's a tough call!" Drew puffed out his chest, "Well, it ain't me. I'm just adorable." Everyone rolled their eyes. Sheamus said, "I know, fella. Sure! Wait, Kevin! Kevin's pretty dorky." The four looked at each other for a moment and then agreed.
Kevin and Lady Christina both walked in, smiling. Drew boasted, looking smug and well fucked, "So, lads?" Kevin smiled, "Eh?" Sheamus asked, "What?" Drew leaned back with his hands behind his head, his eyes at Cherry, "You two, hell, the three of us! Good night, huh?", winking at her. She rolled her eyes, "Yes, Baby. Aside from the whole kidnap and rescue thing, it was a blast!" Drew smiled, "That shag in the shower. Damn it, I'm a lucky man!" She just shut her eyes and shook her head thinking, "That's my Scotsman!"
Kevin waved his hand, "Ok! Guys, Angels, let's get on with it. We took care of the situation. Taryn is in jail. She's still not giving up the name of her sugar daddy. And we all, uh...had time to freshen up." Sheamus coughed, "Freshen up? The bugger is nuts." Drew mumbled to him, "Don't know about ya, mate. But that shag's got me feeling like a million bucks!" They fist bumped as Christine and Cherry shook their heads.
Just then, the group heard a banging on the doors of the hallway coming from the intercom system. Cherry jumped, "What's the hell was that?" Christina got up, "Someone on the ground floor is banging on the doors!" Christine got up to check it out, Sheamus behind her, his hand on his gun, "Lass, let me go with ya, it's late and it could be serious." Christine nodded, "Ok, come on." Cherry said, "Wait. I'll go with you." The three went down to the ground entrance.
They descended the staircase quickly. They were shocked by the site that greeted their eyes. Cherry gasped, "Oh my god! It's a girl! A young girl!" Christine ran to the locked inner door, opening it for the confused child. She sniffled, "Please...please help me!" Christine looked around them, bringing the child into the inner hallway, "Ok ok. Here, come here. " She locked up, walking with her back to Cherry and Sheamus.
Sheamus said, "A wee lass?" "She's a pretty gal." He knelt down to her eye level, "Dark red hair, eyes like emeralds." The girl said, "I like the way you talk, Mister." He smiled, "No need ta call me mister. My name's Sheamus." Christine, looking curiously at her, said, "And I'm Christine." Cherry answered, "I'm Cherry." The frightened girl said, "Cherry, that's a cool name. Love your hair color. You guys are all cool."
Cherry said., "How about you come upstairs with us? We've got more friends. Maybe can help you." Christine asked, "By the way, how'd you know to come here?" She said, "Before everything was on fire, my mommy told me to find this address. There were Angels here." Sheamus asked, "What's yer name, lass?" She answered, "Oh. My name is Alyssa."
Cherry, Sheamus and Christine went back to the HQ common room where Drew, Kevin and Lady Christina waited for them. Alyssa was quiet as she went with them, but she mumbled, "Her mom told me I would be safe here. There were bad men out there. Cherry and Christine caught what she said and looked at each other. Cherry saw fear in her eyes.
The elevator doors opened and they came out. Kevin asked, "Who was banging the door?" He looked down at the girl, "A youngster?" Christine sat down, concern on her face, "Yeah. Her name's Alyssa." Kevin kneeled down to her level, "Alyssa. Well, I'm Kevin. Kevin Patrick. This beautiful woman here is Lady Christina. And the big guy there is Drew."
Alyssa marveled, "Wow! What is all this?" Kevin explained, "Well, yer very young, but there was once a TV show called Charlie's Angels. Ya see, sometimes the police can't help a person, or a girl, or anyone because there's lots of roadblocks." Sheamus smiled, "We break the roadblocks, Lass." Alyssa said "Woah! "You guys look strong!" Drew, taken with the child, joked, "I am strong! Just look at these muscles!" He flexed his arms and made her crack a smile.
Christine, losing patience and feeling anxious, broke in, "So, why are you here? You said there was a fire." Cherry looked at her, knowing what she had been through before she became an Angel. Alyssa looked at the six adults in front of her, "Yeah. The fire at the mall. You guys didn't know about it?" Cherry glanced at Drew, who nodded, "Well, we had another assignment."
Kevin pointed to the windows, "Holy shit!" They had a view of the area at a distance of the Arcade Nashville. They could see the brilliance of cars set ablaze. Christine stood up, her hazel eyes trained on the fire, "How did we not see this?" Drew coughed. Cherry hit him on the arm, shaking her head as she reminded him. "There's a child here!"
Lady Christina sat next to her, taking her hand in hers, "How old are you, Alyssa." She mused, "I'm twelve. My Mommy worked for a mean guy in Florida. That's where I'm originally from. But he said we had to relocate here to finish the job." Christine went to her and looked her in the eyes. There was something so familiar about this child. Lady Christina asked "Do you know what job he's talking about?" She shrugged, "I don't know. I just know the guy is a douchebag."
That got a laugh from Drew and Sheamus, with Cherry telling them, "Not the time, guys. She asked Alyssa, Do you know where your mom is now?" She shook her head, "No. She told me to get here and told me to go find you guys. She said three Angels, a sword, a snake and...a... bird?" Christine asked., "Bird?" Alyssa pointed to the tattoo on Christine's right arm, "That!" Christine said, "That's a phoenix. It's my nickname." The child started to cry, "She told me to find you. I miss my Mommy! I'm so scared!"
Alyssa sobbed, suddenly hugging Lady Christina, whose embraced her saying, "Don't be, honey. We'll help you. Are you hungry? Why don't we see what we have here? I bet there's ice cream. " She smiled, taking her hand and going to the kitchen. Cherry said to Drew, "Christ, that poor child looks shook." "Yeah." he said, his blue eyes on Christine who still looked out at the fire slowly dying as the firemen put it out.
Christine sighed as she started pacing, "This isn't good, kids. I've got a bad feeling about this!" Cherry said, "Chris, don't even think it!" Sheamus stood next to Christine and whispered, "What's inside yer head." She slammed her fist on the table, "I just...I see myself. In Alyssa." She walked off, slamming the door. Sheamus shook his head, looking at Kevin and Drew as he followed where Christine went.
Sheamus looked up and down the halls and rooms wondering where Christine went to. He cussed as he opened door after door., "Where'd that bloody gal go to? Christ!" He arrived at the outdoor upper porch overlooking downtown Nashville. There she stood, still looking in a trance like state at the remnants of the fire.
Sheamus's voice was light as he said, "Lass, talk ta me. Please." She murmured, sounding terrified, "It's him." He asked, "Him who?" She ran her hands through her hair, "Don't you see, Sheamy?" He shook his head, "Nah, I do not. Lass, yer scaring everyone. Yer scaring me. Remember what we said to each other after we got the Muppet out of that sticky situation in Orlando?" Christine sighed, "No secrets." He soothed, "No secrets, ever. Nothing between the Phoenix and The Snake."
She was shaking as she said, "It's a sign. He's sending us a message because we got Taryn!" Sheamus asked, "Are ya talkin' about yer ex-husband? Lass, ya said he died in the fire." She took a deep breath as she wrung her jeweled hands, "They took a body out. It was burned beyond recognition. I've tried to get confirmation for years. So many years. He's a bastard, Sheamy. He was abusive. He tried to kill me from the inside. Strangle my passion. Extinguish the fire."
He offered, "I can hack into the computers. I'm sure there's documents somewhere." She said, "Oh, there was a burial, but the coffin was empty. Trust me, I've looked." Sheamus looked at the woman who held his heart. He never seen her this upset or agitated. He placed his hands on her shoulders, "Lass, are ya OK?" She shook her head, "This isn't good, Sheamy. Not good at all. He's just...he's a nasty bastard of a guy."
Sheamus looked confused, "But the fire, the one ya talk about how it made ya who ya was he burned in it?" She sneered, "Cause that bitch Taryn seduced him. They fucked in our bed! In our house! I was trying to chase my passions. I wanted to help people. They tricked me. Apparently, I wasn't good enough. Pretty enough. Woman enough."
Sheamus grabbed her to him, leaving a kiss at her forehead, "Lass, don't. Yer strong, and tough. Look what ya did fer Cherry. Look at all you've done fer me. Fer my bestie. Don't allow him ta live rent free in yer head. Besides, we don't know who we're dealing with. Don't jump ta conclusions." She looked back out at the fire and said, "I just have a bad feeling, Sheamy. But I'm more scared for that little girl who just walked in our life."