Avenger

by Jambrea Jo Jones

  He pushed in his father’s personal frequency and prayed to all above it would work.

  “Commandant Carter.”

  Thank fuck.

  “Dad?”

  “Angel? Son, is that you?”

  “Yes, sir.” No matter how old he got, his dad would always be sir. It had been ingrained in his mind from birth.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Why does—”

  “Cut the bullshit, son,” his dad interrupted.

  “All right then. I’m on Earth.” Angel figured he’d pull out the big guns first. Give his dad a bit of a shock for calling bullshit on him.

  “What the—?”

  “Yes, you heard that right. Earth and…” He looked over at Voit, who nodded his consent. “It’s populated.”

  There was a brief pause and he wondered if he’d lost the connection.

  “Stop pulling my leg, Angel,” his father warned.

  “I’m not. They want to sign on with the Alliance, but we can talk about that later.”

  “We can? I don’t—”

  Angel wasn’t sure how long they could stay connected and he had to get this bit out. “Dad, listen, someone is after me and Frank—fuck, Frank is out there and—”

  “You aren’t making any sense. Who is Frank?”

  He didn’t blame his father for being puzzled. “I love him, Dad.” Well, he shouldn’t have blurted that out. He hadn’t even told Frank yet.

  “Start from the beginning.”

  “I was with Alphonse and I, well, I helped him out, no matter what he might tell you. He was supposed to take Frank, an informant—”

  “A criminal.”

  Angel could picture his dad’s lips thinning out on the words and his nostrils flaring, like he was right there in front of Angel showing his disapproval.

  “An informant in to help his case. Frank was shot so I got him out of there. The ship was attacked by pirates on the way and I finally ended up in Earth’s atmosphere. I was crashing. We were picked up at the crash site and greeted by Commander Voit Reno, and he requested to petition the Alliance for admittance.” Angel left out the part about the jail cell. His dad didn’t need to know everything. “The planet was attacked and I want to request—”

  “Hold on. I’m getting a message. It’s from your brother. It seems he’s had feeler out and someone spotted your ship moments ago and boarded. It was found ransacked and bloodied. I don’t like this, Angel. Are you being coerced?”

  “No. Shit. That was Frank’s blood. I told you he was shot. The wound got bad and started bleeding when it shouldn’t have. Everything is on the up and up down here,” Angel assured his father.

  “Well, you’re in luck because your brother will be heading your way shortly with the Reward.”

  “That was fast. We just launched the ship a few minutes ago. How is that possible?”

  “Your brother was worried about you. He’s been searching for you since you took off. You’re just lucky he sent someone so far to look for you.”

  “The Reward? Is that an Alliance vessel?”

  “It is now. Alphonse’s partner—”

  It was his turn to shout, “Wait—what?” Angel’s brother had a partner?

  “You aren’t the only one on the move, boy. I expect you here as soon as this mess is cleared up.”

  “Yes, sir.” Communication was cut his dad could hear the sir.

  “So…” Voit looked at him expectantly.

  “If my brother is coming we can get your petition out of the way. I have to tell you, though, the Alliance is going to want help on your part.” Angel crossed his arms and leaned against the console. He figured this wouldn’t go that well, but he wanted to be open and honest with Voit.

  “Help with what? It’s not like we have much and what we do have is so out of date it’s pathetic.” Voit had sounded suspicious.

  “With people. I told you the Alliance has been cleaning house—well, I told you or Frank, it’s been so crazy lately I’m losing my mind. I could have told you both.” Angel waved that off because he couldn’t even think of Frank right now.

  “Okay, so how does that affect us?”

  “I like what I see and tend to trust my instincts. You, Tok, the others, we need reliable people. We could set up an outpost here, rotate people in and out. Send you people in return. If there is anyone who’d like to move to fill in some vacated spots, I’d be willing to entertain that as well. So would my brother.”

  “I want to go.”

  Angel hadn’t seen Tok walk in. The man was worse than he was for sneaking up on people.

  “Tok…what…” Voit seemed shocked.

  “You don’t need me here, Voit.”

  If Angel wasn’t mistaken, Tok looked sad.

  “But I do.”

  Angel wanted to leave, the moment seemed too personal to have someone watching, but Tok had come in, wanted to join up with the Alliance and Angel had to see that through. They really did need people they could trust.

  “No. You don’t.” Tok shook his head.

  He spoke up to hopefully ease some of the tension. “I gotta say, Tok would be greatly appreciated. I’ve seen how loyal he is to you.”

  “We’ve known each other a long time and you can’t take all my warriors. Who will protect Earth?” Voit glared at him.

  “That’s what the Alliance is for, but they wouldn’t want all of them. Just a bit of fresh blood. Too much corruption going on there now. Your people are used to a different way of life. If Tok would agree to come with me, or go with my brother, we can set up an exchange programme. But he can talk to you about that later. He knows more than I do—my brother, that is. I’ve been away for a long time.”

  The crackle of the coms made Angel stop talking.

  “Mayday, mayday. Angel, fuck…this thing…on? I’ve no weapons and they are about to board. Shit. The hatch is opening…they have me locked in…I can’t get…Goddamn it. Shit.”

  “Stand up. Wait—you aren’t Angel.”

  “I know you, don’t I? Who…why are you—”

  Crack.

  The line went dead. What the fuck? No. This couldn’t be happening. Frank had just left orbit. Angel slammed his fist into the console.

  Frank opened his eyes. He really didn’t want to, but the pounding was getting worse. The last thing he remembered was reaching out to Earth—to Angel, then the boarding party. He had no idea if his transmission had even gone through. They hadn’t been too pleased that he wasn’t Angel, but he happened to be very happy that Angel wasn’t on board that ship. Fuck. He’d recognised one of the men who’d boarded the ship. He really needed to stop passing out on strange ships.

  “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Vincent’s right-hand man. What were you doing with Mr Angel?”

  And there it was—the face and voice finally clicked into place. Chuck Steel, Vincent’s silent partner. The one helping with the deal that had gone bad thanks, in part, to Frank. But why did he want Angel? No one had expected Angel to be an agent. He was too efficient as a hitman.

  Frank cleared his throat. “Does it really matter?” He shrugged, playing nonchalant.

  “Yes, Frank, it does.” Chuck had sounded like he was speaking to a child and it irritated Frank, but he didn’t say anything. “Angel isn’t who we thought. Seems he’s Alliance. He fucked up the deal. I know it and I want him dead.” Chuck caressed the laser gun in his arms with a gleeful look in his eyes.

  If Frank thought Vincent was nuts he knew Chuck was certifiable. That was why he was the silent partner. Vincent never let him out of his cage, so to speak. At least not that Frank knew of. What did this mean about Vincent if Chuck was on the loose?

  “You talkin’ about the same Angel I know?” Frank would try to play it off. It might be his only chance to survive to see Angel again. He didn’t know jack shit and needed all the help he could get. He hated not being informed.

  “Yeah, I am. We managed to break in to a communication before we were
cut off. So why were you with him?” Chuck was pressing him now.

  Not too hard, but he was starting to crowd Frank’s space—almost getting into his face. Frank wondered how much Chuck really knew.

  “We were sent out, by Vincent.” Frank glanced around him as he moved so his back was to the wall—he really had nowhere else to go, he was stuck there and he was becoming uneasy with the way Chuck was glaring at him. The ship wasn’t much to look at with its dull grey walls. He was in some sort of holding cell. Another thing he would really like to avoid in the future.

  “Bullshit.” Chuck crouched down by Frank and slapped the wall by his head before moving back to the door.

  “When was the last time you spoke to Vincent, Chuck?” Frank was just happy the tremor hadn’t shown up in his voice. Chuck could really lose it at any minute.

  “A while,” Chuck hedged.

  “And?” Now Frank pressed him.

  “I got word he was dead.” Chuck peered down at his feet and shifted from side to side like he was searching for some sort of comfort. He tapped his fingers against the end of the laser.

  Frank hadn’t been aware that there was a rumour regarding Vincent’s demise. He hadn’t asked because too much had been going on. He remembered being shot, then nothing else until he woke up on Angel’s ship, then again in the cell. He wondered if he’d still have to testify or if this made his deal null and void. It would suck if it was off the table because he had no idea what it would mean for his future. Frank gulped. First he had to make it out alive. That’s what he’d focus on, not Angel and not what their future could hold. There’d be time for that when this fiasco was over and done with.

  No one had expected Chuck. At least he hadn’t. Frank figured the Alliance would have to root him out in order to prosecute him once Frank gave over his information.

  “Who’d you hear that from?” Frank laid his head back on the wall hoping to ease some of the pounding. He had to stall, keep Chuck talking.

  “I have my sources.” Chuck sniffed and ran a hand under his nose.

  Frank tried to remember the plan if they got caught. Vincent always had something up his sleeve. Yes—go to ground. Re-group. He had to play this just right—get Chuck on his side so he wasn’t so defensive and maybe he’d put that damn laser down.

  “He’s not, you know.” Frank moved so he could look at Chuck.

  “Again, I call bullshit.”

  The laser pointed his way. He really didn’t want to get shot again.

  “He’s in hiding.” Frank held up his hands, trying to reassure Chuck.

  “Vincent would have contacted me.”

  Now Chuck was pouting. What was up with that? He’d never had this much contact with Chuck and his up and down moods. How had Vincent dealt with him?

  “I don’t think he had time. They were comin’ in hot and we scattered. I went with Angel.”

  “Why am I hearing he’s Alliance then? And where is your partner—Lorenz? Why didn’t you leave with him instead of Angel?”

  Frank stood. It took a bit to get his balance, his fucking head hurt. “I told ya, to ground. Everyone is. No way were we going together, everyone knows we’re partners, it would look suspicious. What I want to know is, why the fuck are you out here with guns blazin’?”

  “I’ll ask the fucking questions, Frank.” Chuck pushed him back down.

  Frank growled, “Asshole.”

  “Now, if you’re on the up and up, why did you flee the planet? Why not just invite me down to hide out with you?”

  “You were firing on us and making demands. It was easier to get your attention this way, plus I had no way of knowing it was you. You never identified yourself. If you had commed us and told us who you were things might have gone a bit different. As it was, I needed to get you away before someone noticed an idiot firing on a planet and alerted the Alliance. Then where would we be, Chuck?”

  “What’s it matter. The place is supposed to be empty anyway.” Chuck shrugged and went back to tap, tap, tapping on the weapon, hugging it close to him like a security blanket.

  “Well, it’s not. It’s full of people loyal to Vincent and you fucked up royally. He’s gonna be pissed.” Frank stood back up and smirked.

  This is kinda fun—if I forget about the gun and the fact that the lunatic wants to kill Angel.

  “Fuck.” Chuck began to pace and mutter things Frank couldn’t understand.

  “How long have I been out?”

  “Day and a half. You’re such a wimp. My man didn’t hit you that hard.” Chuck stopped long enough to point and laugh.

  Angel was going to be furious, but at least he wasn’t dead—yet.

  “Fuck you, Chuck. I’ve already been shot and I’m having issues.”

  No wonder his head hurt so badly. He just wanted to go back to bed. Preferably in Angel’s arms. He was lucky he hadn’t slipped into a coma or something. Fucking head wounds. And the bastard had let him sleep it off. Even Frank knew you weren’t supposed to do that.

  “Now what? I can’t have Vincent upset with me. I just can’t.” Chuck tugged on his hair, his eyes wild and unfocused.

  “We call Angel.”

  God, he hoped Chuck went along with him.

  “No.”

  Shit. It was like dealing with a kid.

  “What do you mean, no, Chuck?” Frank towered over Chuck and glared down at him.

  “I don’t trust him. He’s not one of us, you know?” Chuck slapped Frank’s chest like they were old friends sharing a joke. “Plus, Vincent had a thing for the bastard. I still want him dead, like an accident, you know—can’t let Vincent know I done it, right?” Chuck grinned. “You won’t tell.” Chuck pointed the laser at him again as if that sealed the deal.

  Frank sighed. It was going to be one of those days. Could it get any nuttier?

  “You don’t have to worry,” Frank assured Chuck.

  “I don’t?” Chuck tilted his head, curious.

  “Nope. Angel’s taken.”

  Chuck snorted. “By who?” Like it couldn’t happen—Angel being taken. Boy, did Chuck have a surprise in store.

  Frank would use what he could to get Chuck to stop thinking of Angel as the enemy—even if in reality Angel was going to be Chuck’s worst nightmare.

  “Me.” Frank grinned.

  Chapter Nine

  “It’s almost been two days, Voit.”

  “Voit, just got a com there’s a ship in orbit and it’s hailing us.” Tok peeked into the room.

  They were back in Voit’s office and all Angel had managed to do was wear a path into the carpet with his constant pacing. It should have been him on that ship. He could have contacted the Alliance en route.

  “Patch them through here.” Voit’s voice brought him back to the situation at hand.

  Progress was being had on the Avenger—, at least that was something. They’d pulled it back down after Frank had left. If there was an Alliance ship out there, the one who’d informed his brother, nobody had seen it—they must have left orbit after contacting Alphonse. And it wasn’t like he could go after Frank. They could pinpoint where the distress call had come from, maybe, but he knew Frank wouldn’t be there. He could be anywhere by now, or, heaven forbid, dead. But he couldn’t think that way, not if he wanted to keep his sanity.

  “This is the Reward requesting permission to land.”

  The Reward? That was—hot damn, his brother had finally showed up. Now maybe they could get somewhere—the technology on his ship had to be better than what they had on the planet. He really needed to see about getting Earth into this century.

  “Permission granted.” Voit turned towards him. “Good news, yes?”

  “Yes.” Angel stood and grinned for the first time in days. Thing were looking up and maybe Frank would be alive—he had to have hope.

  “Great. I was getting tired of mopey Angel.” Voit snickered.

  Angel heard Tok in the other room laughing as well.

  “Bad idea to
poke at me, Tok—Alliance training starts soon and I might have a bit of pull.” He was used to being the one people feared, but he didn’t have to play a role here with these people, he was just Angel. It was kind of nice—but he still had a darker side to pull out when he needed it.

  That shut Tok up, but not Voit. If anything he laughed harder. Angel shook his head and wondered, not for the first time, what was up with those two.

  “Let’s go greet the ship.” Angel rubbed his hands in anticipation.

  The sooner they informed his brother of the situation the sooner they‘d take action, and Angel wouldn’t feel so useless.

  They walked over to an old docking bay and waited. The hatch opened and Angel saw his brother, Alphonse, striding towards him. He opened his arms for a hug, but got a punch in the face instead.

  “What the fuck, Alphonse?” Angel rubbed at his jaw and got up off the ground. His brother knew how to throw a punch. That shit hurt.

  A man held Alphonse back. He was pretty sure that it was the guy from the warehouse back on that pleasure planet and he wondered if he was his brother’s partner. Whoever he was, Angel wanted him to let Al go so he he’d be able to hit him back—a fight was always a good stress reliever and he’d been stressed for a while now.

  “You couldn’t contact me? No, I had to get a report of your ship, abandoned no less, by Earth, with blood all over the place.”

  Angel shrugged. “I called Dad.”

  “Motherfucker.”

  “Yeah, he is.” Angel grinned and pulled his brother to him. “I missed you.” Angel released Alphonse.

  “Why did you run, Angel?”

  “I…ah…wasn’t thinking straight?” And wasn’t that the truth.

  “I hate to break up the family love here, but I want a tour. Damn if I’m not on Earth. James, in case you forgot.” James held out his hand for Angel, but Angel pulled him close for a hug too—after all, James was family now according to his dad.

  “Don’t hurt my brother or I’ll kill you.” Angel wasn’t above threatening even if James was family.