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Evan
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“Avery, don’t do anything stupid! I’ll be right there!” The muffled sounds coming from the two-way set my heart rate quickening. Either she was trying to stop them all on her own, or they had found her. Neither situation was good. I released my weapon from its holster and brought it closely to my side. I had a feeling I’d be needing it.
“Torres,” I screamed across the clearing. “Get everyone into those cornstalks. Avery is in there and spotted Garcia! They’re fucking burying her alive.” I turned to Adams. “Come with me.”
“I’ll always have your back, man. Let’s fucking do this!” He had his gun drawn and the look in his eyes told me he was ready. He lived for this stuff. For the thrill. I used to, but I just hoped that nothing would happen to Avery or Garcia. Our footfalls were heavy, and the sound of our shoes crunching against the dirt-covered earth speared through the frantic sounds of agents running through the fields. But it didn’t matter. My heart was the only sound I heard.
As we neared the edge of the field, the smell of fire invaded my senses, and the bright orange flames were visible from over the stalks of corn. I knew we were almost there. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as my legs surged me forward.
Whispers and frantic chants quickly replaced the sounds of our feet against the earth. I stopped ahead of everyone and made the hand motion for everyone to fan out in efforts to cover the perimeter.
Looking in front of me, I saw something that would be forever embedded in my mind. It wasn’t bloody. There weren’t bodies lining the ground, but there were people. At least ten people stood chanting, helping bury an innocent woman. The blind faith they gave Lorelei and Jameson was astonishing. No questions asked. No remorse or feelings of sadness. Their faces didn’t show concern, and they didn’t second-guess their actions. Instead, they smiled. I watched as one woman gathered the earth on her shovel and covered a woman. I couldn’t see Garcia, and her screams were getting fainter. Fuck! She was the one being buried alive. We had to make a move, or she’d die.
I motioned to Torres who made sure the rest of the agents knew that it was time. My eyes searched frantically for Avery. Then, I saw her, crumpled on the ground at the feet of Lorelei, who looked a little worse for wear. Good job, Avery, I thought with pride. She definitely didn’t go down without a fight. I caught her chest moving with deep heaves and said a silent prayer, thanking God she was alive. I grabbed my gun and positioned it in front me, quickly making my way into the mass of people. I pulled the heavy metal gun in front of me as I yelled, “Let me see your hands!” Adams flanked my back, his gun positioned on someone else.
No one listened as my gun pointed directly at Jameson. “I said, let me see your hands!”
A slow smile crept across Lorelei’s bloodied face as she laughed beside him. Jameson seemed scared as he slowly raised his hands in defeat. Lorelei smacked his hands down, a scowl replacing the smile that had just been on her face.
My mind reeled with thoughts of what Lorelei was doing. In the short time I’d worked with Madison, I had learned a bit about human personality, and it seemed Lorelei was in charge. It also seemed that Lorelei wanted to complete this mission more than anything else.
“You’re too late. By the time you unbury her, she’ll be dead!” Lorelei laughed as Torres’s eyes pleaded with me. Chants continued from the others. I was only able to make out pieces of their words, but they were saying something about accepting them into his world with this sacrifice.
I motioned for Torres and Adams to head over to the grave, but as they did so, the followers lined themselves around it, blocking our path.
“Tell them to stand down, Jameson. It’s over,” I demanded. “I know you don’t want this anymore.” I took a deep breath and watched Jameson’s face scowl with confusion. Lorelei looked between us and frowned. I needed to talk to Jameson. To get him to think.
“Jameson, I know your father was a cruel man. But this isn’t the way. Violence, hate, murder, it isn’t going to fix your childhood.” I took a breath. “These people trust you. They all still have a chance to redeem themselves. You have a chance to redeem yourself. Just tell them to back away, and no one else has to die.” I tried to plead with him while Lorelei continued laughing, and I moved closer. I eyed Avery at her feet. I heard a faint moan and thought I caught a flicker of her eyes moving.
With my gun drawn and all the agents surrounding the area, it would be easy to take them all down, but the preservation of life kept ringing in my head. These people were messed up in the head. They didn’t know what they were doing. No. Killing these unarmed people was not the way. I also knew I had to do something or Garcia would die. If she wasn’t dead already. I tried to listen, to get any sense that she was still alive, but her once-muffled cries had stopped.
“Take him down!” I heard Avery yell as she sprang up from her position on the ground.
Her hands were tied in front of her, but that didn’t stop her from elbowing Lorelei in the face. I watched Avery bring the ropes to her mouth and untie them. Blood gushed from Lorelei’s already bleeding nose and loud screams echoed around us. Agents rushed forward, their guns drawn and ready to use if need be. Everywhere I looked people ran and screamed. Although it was chaotic, Jameson’s voice pierced through the madness.
“Don’t fight them! I have misled you in my own beliefs. My own beliefs that taking the lives of the innocent is the way.” I went over to him and I holstered my gun as I moved behind him. He wasn’t going to fight me. Not anymore. Maybe what I had said did impact him somehow.
“Lucifer is not a god. He exists in each of us. He is our inner battle. Our inner struggle with ourselves. We have all lost our path, but we can find redemption.”
“You coward. You fucking coward!” Lorelei screeched as she lay on the ground.
“She’s dead. I did it. I’m so sorry,” Jameson cried as I cuffed him. I watched as police and anyone who had a spare hand dug into the grave. Dirt flew and covered the outside of the makeshift grave. Garcia was buried deep and I tried desperately to remember how much time had passed. It couldn’t have been too long. She had to be okay.
“I see her!” Adams yelled. Avery let go of the Lorelei who she’d just cuffed and handed her to another agent.
“Special Agent Harper, she’s—”
“Just fucking take her to the squad car!” she yelled at him as she ran over to Garcia, pushing Adams out of the way. I held my breath, looking at the scene unfold in front me. Clumps of dirt were flung into the air as Avery scrambled to the ground, trying to pull her free. Seconds, that felt like minutes, ticked by as she dug with her bare hands, not letting anyone else get close. Then, she was free, and Avery pulled Garcia’s body from the earth. Garcia was limp and dirt lined every inch of her body.
“She’s not breathing,” Lorelei gasped as she was being dragged away. I glanced back as a smile flitted across the psychotic woman’s face. I heard the voice of Avery’s father close in. How convenient. He was able to sit back and watch as we did all the heavy lifting, but he heads in just in time to take credit.
EMTs and paramedics rushed onto the scene with Director Grant. They took Garcia out of Avery’s arms, but Avery held onto Garcia’s hand till the last minute. And then Avery was left—empty, alone—kneeling in the dirt that covered her. Her right eye was swollen almost completely shut, and for the first time since I’d met her, she looked fragile. Adams patted her back as he stood, walking toward the people who were cuffed, and began hauling some away.
Jameson was taken away from me and brought to the waiting squad cars. Torres knelt down beside Avery and whispered something into her ear. She hugged him, and as her face turned to meet mine, I could have sworn I saw tears glistening. Standing, Torres ran to the gurney that carried Garcia away. I felt like I had to do something, say something in that moment.
I walked over and knelt beside her, reaching my hand out to hers. It landed on her knee. She stood, pushing me to the ground.
“Don’t fucking touch me. I can’t stand it. I can’t stand to see your face, feel your touch. It’s just a reminder of what we did. How I let Garcia and Marshall down.” Her voice was loud and people were turning to see what was going on.
“I just wanted to comfort you. This has to be—”
“Hard? Yes. It’s hard but I don’t need your comfort. I need Marshall not to be dead.”
“If you are both done making a spectacle of yourselves, I’d like to speak with my daughter. Alone, please.” Director Grant puffed out his chest and inserted himself directly in our space. I wouldn’t let him talk to me like that. Not this time.
“No, you can’t—”
Torres rushed back toward us. “She’s going to be okay.” Avery grabbed him and he picked her up and swung her around. She laughed, happiness filling her. As I watched her let the tears flow freely, I knew this was the Avery I had met just the night before. Carefree. Full of life, happiness, and hope.
“Avery, get a hold of yourself.” Director Grant pulled her out of Torres’s arms. “This isn’t how the daughter of the Director of the FBI is supposed to act. Or an FBI agent for that matter.” He spoke in hushed tones, but it didn’t matter. I heard what he’d said, and the smile that had peeled away from Avery’s face gave indication to the fact that she did not appreciate his words. I’d only seen the man with her tonight, but with just those few times, all I’d seen was judgment and scrutiny. There didn’t seem to be any love radiating off him. No proud parent showing off his daughter who had made a place for herself in a field dominated by men. Instead, he only showed her off when it was convenient for him.
It made me mourn for Avery, and for the loss of her mother, who, in just the one time she’d spoken about her, seemed to have given her all the love her father had failed to. Yet, her mother had left her all alone, with a loveless father, and I’d be damned if I stood back and let him speak to her like that.
“Sir, you can’t speak to her like that.” My voice was a low growl as I placed my hand at the small of Avery’s back.
“Excuse me? Who do you think you’re speaking to? I am the—”
“The Director of the FBI. Yes, we all know.” I wedged myself between him and Avery. All eyes were on us. I didn’t care.
Let them all watch.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re the goddamn President of the United States. This woman here is an excellent agent. She graduated first in her class at the academy.”
“You don’t have to spit out my daughter’s credentials. I know she’s the best. How do you think she got that way?” A small smile crept on his face.
“Seriously?” Avery’s shocked voice interrupted the tirade I’d wanted to continue. She pushed past me, now face-to-face with her father.
“You think you had anything to do with my success in life? Sure, I watched you when I was younger running off and playing cops. But the only reason I did any of it, trading my dolls for GI Joes and playing cops and robbers instead of dress up was to get your attention. And Mom, well, Mom drugged herself into oblivion to get attention from you. But you were too blind to see what you had in front of you. Two women who loved the hell out of you.” She took a deep breath, and I reached out for her hand once again. It felt cool in mine, and she gave me a quick squeeze. “I thought that by doing all this, looking the part, being the part, and never disappointing you, I thought I’d be worthy of your attention. But I realize now, that no matter what I do, it will never be good enough for you. I will never be good enough for you.”
“Avery—” Her father’s voice was interrupted by the sounds of gunshots in the distance.
I released Avery’s hand from mine, grabbed my weapon and ran toward the sounds. Avery was on my heels, her weapon drawn as well.
“We needed another sacrifice. I had to finish it, and he was a coward anyway.” Lorelei stood before her husband, a crumpled heap on the ground. A single gunshot wound wept from his head. All I saw were his eyes. More than the blood pooling at his head like thick syrup, his eyes drew me in. They had that same pleading look like they’d had earlier. He had wanted my help. He had pleaded with me to end it all, but he was dead.
Next to him, an agent writhed in pain, holding his leg. Blood seeped from between his fingers, staining them red. The paramedics were already on scene, but there was nothing they could do for Jameson. Avery went over to Lorelei who didn’t protest at all. She gave herself to Avery willingly.
“Who the hell cuffed her in front?” Director Grant ran up behind us, out of breath and annoyed.
“Shit,” I murmured. Avery had cuffed her in front.
“It was me, sir,” I said.
Avery’s wild eyes met mine, her red lips parted, ready to interject, but I shook my head slowly.
“Your boss will hear about this, Detective Bradley. Two agents down and Jameson dead because of your carelessness.” He took out his phone and walked away, ready to make whatever call to get my ass in trouble. He was happy. I could tell by the extra pep in his step. Ever since he’d found out I was interested in his daughter, he’d thought I wasn’t good enough, and this, this was just the icing on the cake.
“What the hell, Evan? Why did you say that?” Avery asked as she placed Lorelei into the back of the police car.
“Because, I’d do anything to protect you, Avery, even from your own father. He doesn’t realize what a great person you are. All that verbal abuse. You deserve better.”
“Well. Your protection isn’t needed. I can take care of myself. I always have.” She let her shoulders fall, the weight of her words forcing them back down.
“You shouldn’t have had to take care of yourself for so long, especially as a child. That’s just wrong.” I shook my head.
“It is wrong. But it’s all I’ve known. It’s how I survive. I only rely on myself.” She opened the car door, turning her back to me. “Then that way I don’t get let down.” She slammed the door, revving the engine and driving away.
All the guilt I had tried to push aside, to focus on bringing Marshall and Garcia back, yeah, that wasn’t possible anymore. Marshall was dead, Garcia expected to survive but with mental scars so deep, I couldn’t fathom how she would overcome them. I couldn’t help but feel that there was nothing for me anymore.
The job in Shreveport was looking better and better.
