The Wicked End

“So what the fuck do we do now ? I fucking told you, don’t go to the damn press conference.”
“Will you quit panicking ? All it means is pulling the timescale forward a bit.”
Matt slammed the van door and grabbed Angel by the sleeve as the few remaining men they had taken with them ambled back into the house. This had turned into one hell of a clusterfuck and he couldn’t understand why she was remaining so damn calm.
“Frank knows, we lost all the element of surprise and now they have Johnny. He’s a tough kid but he’ll crack in the end.”
Angel smiled slightly at the tight grip on her arm. Such passion in the man was rare, he was normally such a sweetheart but his friends meant a lot to him. That was somehow endearing but strange to her at the same time. It didn’t really complicate things in the grand scheme of what they had going on but it reminded her of the differences between them.
“So we move Claire and get Gates to do his thing. Once Frank is on his knees getting Johnny back will be easy.”
Matt shook his head at the calm blank stare, she had never opened up to him about what happened. He knew the physical injuries and still catalogued their effects but the mental picture was a lot harder. He knew what she had been before and wondered how much of that was still in place. Angel had pulled him in a direction that had never even occurred to him and now it was within reach he wondered if he wanted it at all.
“It won’t be that easy.”
“I want Frank destroyed, I want everything which is his to be ours. I did it for us baby…”
Angel knew she’d won as the grip on her arm loosened and he pulled her into his arms. For such a smart and capable man he was fairly easy to manipulate. She had always known that Frank would figure it out and that her actions would send them all after her. If the others died in the crossfire it would be an inconvenience but nothing more.
“Where’s short ass ?”
Zacky counted the numbers coming back in and decided that the scratches Claire had left down his arms were the last of his problems. Matt looked pissed, Angel was clearly in one of her less sane moods and there was no sign of Johnny. The idea of going anywhere near where the target was going to be in full force had never been a good idea.
“They got him. New plan and it means you and Claire take a little vacation while we drop the hammer and get Johnny.”
“I’m on it. You springing the trap ?”
Angel frowned, the dishevelled hair and untucked shirt were so unlike the normally fastidious Zack that she immediately wondered what the bitch had been up to. No matter, he could have his fun it that’s what he wanted. Angel had no intention of asking too many questions, a happy Zacky meant a happy Brian and that part was important.
“Yes so we have to get this right.”
Matt also stared at Zack, he had a good idea of what was going on there, Brian and his buddy had made no secret that they were going to have some fun with the captive before Angel decided to execute her and it was a shame to waste a fine piece of ass. If he hadn’t been enjoying Angel in his bed every night he might have been tempted.
They locked down the house and went over the plan again and again before they were all happy that it was going to work. Gates had said nothing when contacted, merely confirmed that it could be done and that he was confident of making it out afterwards. That was all Angel wanted to hear, the man was as good as his reputation and had never let her down.
“And if this goes wrong ?”
Matt smiled at the irritation on her face as Angel glanced at Zack.
“Scatter to the escape points and lie low. We don’t fuck up and it won’t go wrong.”
“I’ll take Claire up to the gulch and wait for you. Just make sure to get Johnny. Those fucks may have killed him already but I ain’t leaving him there.”
There was silence for a moment and they all considered the possibility of running smack bang into an all out war in the middle of the city. Chaos was a good hiding place but the feds and a fully armed Frank with his militia were what Angel wanted to avoid. The plan was to walk into the compound and take the whole thing without a fight.
She left them still talking and wandered down to the basement, partly to check on the damage and partly to ensure that Claire had not managed to find another way out. She had a grudging admiration for the woman, there was something in that urge to escape that reminded Angel of her own fight against what Frank had done to her. In different times and under different circumstances they could have been friends.
“He got a bit rough huh ?”
Claire stared at the other woman with utter hatred, her face swollen and bruised as she huddled under the thin blanket on the bed. Angel was unmoved, although the thought of how Zacky would now handle this new assignment bothered her a little. Claire was still a bargaining peace and a failsafe in case things went bad.
“Fuck off.”
“Now, now….did Frank admit what him and his buddies did to me ?”
Claire turned away, a small sick feeling directed towards her husband flickered in her stomach. Things were never so black and white as anyone wanted, what Frank had done was no different than what that fuck had done to her and yet she couldn’t bring herself to sympathise. James’ smile came into her mind and she glared back up at Angel.
“Yes and I don’t care.”
Angel laughed and pointed back up the stairs.
“You and Zack are going on a little holiday while I bury your husband so I suggest you get used to the company. He’s a pussycat compared to Brian, don’t think you want to know what plan they have for you.”
The other woman stayed silent and Angel left her to brood as her phone rang in her back pocket. The door was triple locked again and she noticed that Zacky was already getting things together. Angel didn’t bother to check the number, Brian had promised to ring back with a schedule and a confirmed drop point so that they could split up and head out.
“Talk to me baby, we ready to do this.”
“Yeah we’re going to do this all right. You fucked with the wrong guy Angel, you should have known better.”
She froze and glanced around before answering.
“Hello Frank.”
There was a chuckle from the other end of the line and Angel cursed the man for everything he had done to her. That he had this number was not a good sign and she doubted that Johnny was still in shape enough to attempt a rescue.
“Hi Angel, I really should have done a better job of killing you.”
“You were never as good as you thought you were. My father was right about you, all piss but not so much brain.”
Silence hung in the air over the miles between them. It was almost surreal to be talking again like the last ten years had never happened, like they were still occasional lovers and not the most bitter of enemies.
“I want Claire back.”
“I want you dead.”
“You never were the most subtle of people baby. The police and feds are all over this, it could end with both of us dead or looking at some serious time. Cut your losses now, return my wife and walk away.”
Angel snorted, not believing one word he said and recognising the tone in his voice. There was no way that either of them were going to come out of this unscathed and she realised that there was part of her that wanted to see him, to talk face to face. The really stupid part.
“Is Johnny dead ?”
“No, unlike James. I can’t control what Mikey does, you know he won’t let that rest.”
“I couldn’t give a fuck what Mikey feels, the boy didn’t beg for his life at least. He died like a man.”
There was a growl of anger down the phone which caused her to smile.
“You have a day. One day. I have more resource than you can muster and I know it won’t be long before Johnny tells me were you are. The number you now have is mine and you can call me back at any time. Give Claire back and live. Twenty four hours Angel.”
The line went dead and Angel leant back against the wall. He would already be on his way of course and walking into the storm that was their past and future. Twenty four hours that would change everything.

Notes