Guardian Angels: Chapter two

Chapter Two:

Two nights earlier

Kell sat straddling his bar stool nursing his screwdriver and chatting with Lyndsey, the bar tender on duty that night. Suddenly BOYB by System of the Down started playing and Kell slid his cell phone out of his leather pants. Looking at the caller ID he sighed and flipped it open holding it up to his ear.

            “Talk to me.” He said, sipping at his drink. There was a pause on the other end of the phone before his boss spoke.

            “We need you back at HQ. Scribbler just called my office with an urgent assignment.” The Boss Man’s raspy voice barked. Kell rolled his eyes. When didn’t the Director call without the assignment being urgent?

            “What’s the job?” He asked in a serious voice. There was an interruption the other line and he waited for his answer.

            “I’ll explain it when you and the boys get your asses over here. What’s your ETA?” The Boss Man demanded. Kell glanced at his watch and downed the last of his screwdriver.

            “I’ll be there in twenty. Just have the details ready for me when I arrive. You know I don’t like to wait.” The man on the other line laughed.

            “Oh yes. Don’t we know it?” He said. “Just be sure to hurry.”

            “Will do, sir.” Kell said and snapped his phone closed. Lyndsey gave him a look of curiosity.

            “That your boss?” She asked, her voice holding a slight lilt. Kell nodded.

            “I’ve got to go. Duty calls. Here” He slipped her a twenty and turned to walk out of the bar to where his Harley sat parked by the curb. Adjusting his black leather coat, he tossed his leg over the bike and straddled the chrome. He inserted the key into ignition, started the bike and peeled away from the curb to go flying down the noisy streets of Miami.

            He arrived at HQ exactly twenty minutes later and, parking his bike in the buildings underground parking lot; he strode up the five flights of stairs that would take him to his boss’s office. He opened the door without knocking and walked into the spacious office where he found his brothers-in-arms waiting, the Boss Man sitting behind the huge oak desk that took up a good portion of the room. They all looked at him with a stern fondness. The Boss Man stood from him desk and grinned at him.

            “Nice of you to join us, Kell. And right on time.” He said. Kell nodded at him and went to stand next to Julian, standing back erect and his hands clasped behind his back. He heard a soft “as always” come from Reed and he grinned, staring straight ahead. The Boss Man turned to address the group.

            “Let’s skip the preliminaries, shall we? As you know I called the lot of you here in concern of the call Director Scribbler graced me with this evening. It seems that the daughter of Senator Jason Avalon has been targeted by a group called Vanquish. Does that mean anything to any of you?” The Boss Man asked, casting a glance around the assembled men. Reed stepped forward and in his thick British accent said,

            “I heard of them a while ago when I was stationed in London’s division of Guardian 8 years ago. We had some info on the group and we monitored their activity until they seemingly fell out of existence 6 years ago.” Reed said then stepped back into line next to the other men. The Boss Man nodded then turned to address the rest of them.

            “Apparently Senator Avalon received and phone call from a group that called themselves ‘Vanquish’. They told him that his daughter would soon be transferred to something called ‘Devil’s Paradise’” He was cut off by Kellian who stepped forward.

            “Devil’s Paradise? Are you certain?” He demanded his tone cold and his eyes staring daggers at his boss. The Boss Man glanced at him in surprise at the man’s coldness.

            “Yes, I am certain. The Director would not give me false information, Kell. Why?” He said. Kell sighed in exasperation and stepped back into line.

“Nothing, sir. I have just heard rumors about a place known to the street dwellers as Devil’s Paradise. It is a place that no respectable young lady would ever venture into. Not without force that is.” Kell said. They all turned to look at him, eyebrows all raised.

            “Kell, where did you hear this?” Gaven asked. Kell shrugged his shoulders.

            “I have underground connections to info like that. It’s no big deal.” He said. The Boss Man nodded sharply and pressed a button on his desk phone.

            “Yes, sir?” Came a female’s voice from the speaker.

            “Clarrissa. I need you to contact the Guardian division in London and have them send me all the info they have on the group known as Vanquish and I need you to dig up some info on a dive called Devil’s Paradise. Have the info to me as soon as you can.” He demanded. There was a soft sigh and some ruffled papers, then,

            “Of course, sir. I’ll get right on that.” She said.

            “Thank you, dear.” He said before looking up at the men. “I need you guys to figure out a way to get into this place and check it out. It may lead to some clues as to what Vanquish has in store for Avalon’s daughter. You will need to gather information and get things in order for you to be able to protect the girl. Kell, Jullian and Reed. I want you to enroll in her college and keep an eye on whenever possible. There is a house for rent right down the street from hers. Look into getting it and we will make it our HQ until this is cleared. Understood?” He said. The four men snapped to attention and saluted him.

            “Yes, sir!” They said in unison.