Chromosome 'S': The Angel

by Rey, Solomon

  “Good idea!” She paused. Derek saw her expression change. Her face grew angry as tears welled in her eyes. “What’s wrong? Oh God, what happened?” He closed his eyes, bracing himself for horrible news.

  “One man is threatening to kill the other one. The one who was shot…”

  “And…?”

  “That’s the man who killed my Mom,” she turned away, trying to control herself. She needed to contain her anger or else people could die. She wouldn’t be able to handle that. She wasn’t a killer and never would be.

  “Wow… that’s heavy,” Derek said, “Olivia…as difficult as it is to put that aside—you have to! Our parent’s lives depend solely on you, so you need to stay focused!”

  His words snapped her back into the here and now. “You’re right! I’ll be back.”

  He watched her bend her knees and vault straight up, landing on a thick branch two-thirds of the way. She was at a perfect vantage point to see the house and the

  surrounding area. She saw no one outside, but she heard a vehicle approaching. Looking toward the road, she saw a black suburban turning on to their property; pulled in front of the house. A man in camouflage got out and began unloading propane tanks—ten in all. Then, he off-loaded five green colored, missle-like tanks. She was confused. She dropped down next to Derek.

  “What’d you see?”

  “A suburban pulled up and a military guy got out and unloaded propane tanks and some green tanks; I don’t know why?”

  * * *

  “Would you really want to save the life of the man who killed your wife?” Leader-one smiled at Richard.

  Anger swelled inside of Richard after hearing the news. He flashed back to the day, when he found Brenda dead with her arm reaching out to Olivia. He relived the pain, as he remembered holding her, rocking back and forth, crying. He recalled the anger and hatred he felt toward a faceless person—a murderer. Now, the man was before him and he was just given the power to decide this animals fate. What should he do? He wanted to say, ‘blow his brains out’, but it went against his beliefs. He wasn’t about to change his character, because of what this man had done. “I am not a killer nor will I give the okay; regardless of what my answer is, you will kill him anyway,” Richard said firmly.

  “Very true, Dr. Osborn…very true.”

  Saunders turned to Leader-one, “Please don’t—“ Leader-one raised the gun and fired. The bullet left the barrel and entered between his eyes and exited, blowing the back of his head away, spraying blood, bone and gray matter all over Donna and Richard; a pink mist hung in the air for an instant.

  Donna screamed hysterically as Richard turned her head into his chest to comfort her, all the while whispering to Olivia, “We’re okay, we’re fine. Don’t come in, stay where you are.”

  Leader-one took his cell out, bending next to the dead body, he snapped a photo of Saunder’s face.

  He looked up at Richard, smiling, “My employer requires proof of death for this scumbag.”

  “What about us? Are we going to end up like him?” Richard asked.

  “Oh no…I mean you are going to die, but not like him.”

  “Can I ask why you are doing this?”

  “Apparently, your research could put a lot of people out of business. They are not prepared to lose billions of dollars. I’m sure you can appreciate their precarious predicament.”

  “Since we’re going to die anyway, can you tell us how?” He was hoping Olivia was listening. Please God, be listening, he thought.

  “Blown to bits. Does that make you feel better?” He said casually, as he returned to the other team member, “Keep them covered while I tie them up.” The other stood with his sidearm down. Leader-one sat them in chairs with zip-ties securing their hands and feet to the seats. He grabbed the vial of serum and smashed it, then he lit the research on fire as Richard and Donna watched.

  * * *

  “They’re going to blow up the house! I need you to stay here, while I run around to the backside, okay?” Olivia directed.

  “No! It’s not okay. I want to go with you and help!” He was being irrational.

  “Derek, right now is not the time to be stubborn. You could get hurt. Now promise me you’ll stay put.”

  “I’m not promising anything. Now go,” he said.

  She wasn’t going to win this one. There was no time to debate with him, she needed to get going and try to save them.

  “I pray you listen to me and stay put. Wish me luck,” she didn’t wait for a response, she became a blur again.

  * * *

  Richard and Donna were immobilized, the zip-ties were surprisingly strong.

  “Goodbye Dr. Osborn, it’s been a pleasure,” he said coldly.

  “Can I ask you one last question?”

  “Shoot.”

  “What do you think will happen when the police start their investigation? It’s not every day a house blows up in Coos Bay.”

  “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. My employer and her associates have governmental connections. The reports will simply say that one of the largest Meth labs in Oregon exploded. They won’t be looking into your deaths, because the DEA will confirm anything we tell them. Besides, who’s going to care about a low-life drug manufacturer who screwed up…goodbye.”

  Donna and Richard watched them walk up the stairs.

  * * *

  The men secured all doors and windows, to keep all gases contained within the house. They placed the tanks throughout the house, for every two propane tanks, one oxygen tank. The men worked efficiently−within minutes they were ready. They opened each tank, releasing the gases.

  “Get to the vehicle, I’ll set the timer,” Leader-one instructed. They fled the house, as Leader-one placed a small electronic device designed to ignite the gases, when the clock reached zero. He set it for ninety seconds; running out, securing the door behind him. They were in the suburban and on their way. Satisfied with the job.

  * * *

  Derek saw the suburban leave, getting to his feet, he ran for the house. All he could think about was his mom and Richard and he wasn’t about to sit by when he knew they needed help.

  * * *

  “Olivia don’t come in yet, wait til they are completely gone, until their vehicle is far enough away that you think it’s safe. I pray you’re out there listening.”

  “Richard, in case we don’t make it out of this,” Donna’s voice cracked, “I love you so much.” “I love you too!”

  * * *

  Olivia watched the SUV drive away, waiting until she couldn’t hear it anymore, as her father instructed. She was concentrating on the vehicle so hard, she wasn’t aware that Derek was quickly approaching the house.

  When the time was right, Olivia sped to the backside of the house, and down into the lab, still unaware of Derek.

  Donna and Richard didn’t see her. She appeared out of thin air, giving no time to react.

  She broke the zip-ties. Everything slowed to a snails crawl. She picked up Donna and bounded up the stairs. Within seconds she returned for her father, who was soon reunited with Donna out in the woods.

  “Are you guys alright?” She asked smiling?

  “We’re fine,” Donna said, “Where’s Derek?”

  Olivia heard the timer detonate and turned to watch the house explode.

  Olivia’s eyes widened, as a look of horror surfaced. Without a word, she ran at a blistering speed toward the infernal which used to be her house.

  Minutes went by, Olivia finally appeared in the distance, smoke rose from her still smoldering body. Her clothes, what was left of them, were barely covering her. In her arms lay Derek’s limp body.

  Olivia was burnt badly but was healing with every step she took. Charred, smoldering skin was replaced with new skin.

  Donna ran to see her son, as Olivia gently layed him on the ground. His body was badly burned. Donna grabbed him, crying frantically. She kissed him.

  “He’s dead! I can’t
hear a heartbeat. I told him to stay put, to not go near the house,” she looked at him, “Idiot. Why couldn’t he listen to me? Damn it!” She screamed.

  Before Richard or Donna had a chance to respond she vanished. She sped away to be by herself−to deal!

  CHAPTER XXX

  ---two months later—

  “We appreciate all you’ve done for us, Max,” Richard said, putting his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

  Max had insited on driving to the new high school. He had arranged, through his connections on the not-so-right-side of the law, for them to have new names, backgrounds and identification.

  Olivia had chosen the name that seemed to stick in her mind—‘Angel’. She adapted quickly to it, but the hard part was living in beautiful green Oregon, what some people refer to as ‘God’s Country,’ then moving to the brown dusty dry desert, the locals call the ‘High Desert.’ The skies are clear, people seem nice, but the summers can get very hot.

  “Uncle Max, why did you pick Hesperia for us to move to?” Angel asked, gazing out the window as they drove down ‘I’ Avenue.

  “Is that a tumbleweed, really? I’d only see them in Westerns,” she said pointing.

  “Well, you guys needed to disappear and it needed to be somewhere out of the way—safe. Hesperia is perfect and I’m right down the hill in Ontario, so if you guys need me, I can be here in forty minutes.”

  “At least the high school looks nice,” she said.

  “It is…it’s one of the best in the county. You are attending registration today. I’m told it will last only a couple of hours,” Richard said, “So we’ll see you then.”

  They pulled into the parking lot of Sultana High School. Angel opened the door, stepping out into the warm sun, wearing shorts, tank top, converse and most importantly sunglasses. She stood for a moment taking in the air and the scene. She turned back to Max and her Dad.

  “Bye, I’ll see you guys. I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you too.”

  She looked forward, taking a deep breath. This is not how I imagined I would be starting high school, she thought.

  “Hey, Derek! I mean…Roman…are you coming? Why are you being so quiet?”

  “Yeah, I’m coming! Don’t get your panties in a bunch!” He joked.

  Derek stepped out, all six foot, three inches of him. His hair raven black, steel blue eyes with broad shoulders, ripped abs and bulging biceps. He wore shorts, tank top and Nikes. He wasn’t about to be outdone by his sister−sunglasses required.

  “Bye guys…see you in a bit, love you, “Roman said.

  “Love you too, Son,” Richard said.

  Taking Chromosome’s’ did not change Roman’s sense of humor. “I love you more, Dad! Oh…Dad, I’ve been wanting to ask you a question for a while, but I keep forgetting.”

  “What is it?”

  “Can I have a baby brother?” Angel and Roman laughed.

  “Get out of here you two,” Max said, “we’ll be back later,” they drove off smiling.

  Angel and Roman stepped onto school grounds. They listened to a multitude of voices. There were two that stood out the most.

  “Doug, give it back. I need that, please!”

  “Make me! Come on…Let’s see what you got you little wuss!”

  Angel and Roman looked at each other and smiled.

  “This is going to be so much fun,” Angel said.

  “Oh yeah!” Roman replied. “It’s clobberin’ time!

  “Oh my God, stop with the comic book stuff, already.”

  Brother and sister at last—Best Friends Forever!

  To Be Continued…

  Acknowledgments

  1) God−I thank you for everything. Without you I am nothing.

  2) Dr. Greg Howling−On July 24th −the year irrelevant−you came into my life. I thank you for exposing the gift God had bestowed upon me. My beta-readers-Joseph Laybourne, Robert ‘Monster’ Ayala, Dave Aday, Ronald ‘Pro” Greer, Kathy Hernandez.

  My best friends that helped me through a lot− Richard Ruiz, Mauro Hernandez, Angel Mendoza, Segundo Leon, Jose Luis Millian, Connie Juarez−My respect, admiration and love will always be yours.

  About the Author

  Solomon Rey was born in San Martin, Michoacán, Mexico. Newly born, his family moved to the United States where he led a gypsy’s existence, traveling throughout the U.S. never to put down roots in any one place. He’s lived in: Greencastle, Indiana; New Orleans, Louisiana; Oak Harbor, Washington; Grants pass, Oregon; and Huntington Beach, California−to name only a few.

  He is a confirmed bachelor, currently resides in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with his Great Pyranees “Goliath.”