Chapter 9

Monday was back to school and work for everyone, Wendy and John met me out in front of the school like we always do. Wendy was the first to say what we were all thinking, “Back to the grind, at least it’s only for another month and a half.”

“Yea another month and a half of classes and cafeteria food.” I responded with a fake shudder. John just grinned at us. As we turned and ran into the school, laughing at ourselves.

Tuesday I started back to my patrols, Clint and I had just passed an alley when we heard a scream. We had a plan for this type of thing I flew up to rooftop level before starting down the alley. Once I was in place Clint entered the alley, I could see 5 people surrounding a prone one. “Clint we have 5 suspects standing over a prone person,” I told Clint over the radio.

My job was to watch and report to Clint until he got in place, I had planned on doing just that right up until I saw one of the men reach and yank down the pants of the prone person. I landed right behind them before backhanding the one that already had his pants down, Clint roared from the other side of them. They apparently saw me as the lesser of two evils, because they ran towards me. I spun into the first one catching him with my wing knocking him into a wall, the next two I grabbed and smacked their head together they went down. The last one I caught and held onto, she started jabbering at me.

We called the police and while waiting on them, I helped the woman on the ground to her feet. She was a waitress at Ray’s and I knew her name was Karen, turns out she was on her way home from work when they grabbed her and dragged her into the alley.

I didn’t understand the woman being involved in the rape of another woman until she started talking and making excuses, “I help him because he likes to do perverted things I refuse to do like anal and gang bangs,” she ranted to Clint me and the cops. All Clint and I could do was shake our heads at her. Even the cops were standing there staring at her. After that we called it a night, I went and spent a fun hour with Sandy on her roof before heading home.

The next morning I told Wendy and John about it, They couldn’t believe it either. After discussing what special kinda crazy it would take to do what she was doing. We headed to class still amazed and wondering.

The next month and a half passed routinely, only one random mugging on patrol netted three gang bangers in jail. School was normal as was my homelife Sandy and I met once a week on her roof for an hour or so depending on when my patrol ended. I like routine. It may not make your heart try and pound out of your chest, but that is what Sandy did for me. Finally the last day of school ended Wendy, John and I ran out of the school singing together, “Schools out for the Summer.”

The first week was paradise, friends, family, fun and sun. That all ended on the second Tuesday, it started with a failed attack on Bohica. After that at least once a week a paladin was attacked, Wendy’s car was firebombed with her in it this time, luckily Wendy is immune to fire so she managed to capture the guy. I had a net thrown over me while on patrol, it was not strong enough to hold me but by the time I got out and took off the roof it came from was empty.

The one day this summer I was really looking forward to finally arrived, June 20th Sandy’s birthday. I was throwing her a pool party at my house. I had invited all her friends I had met at the dance at her school as well as Wendy and John. Today I wasn’t going to pick up Sandy since her family was coming as well, so all I could do was wait.

Sandy finally arrived and she was carrying an overnight bag, she was spending the night tonight with both sets of parents knowledge, they had decided that since we were both 17 now it would be okay on rare occasions. She scampered up the stairs to put her bag in my room blushing the whole time. When she came back down I gave her a kiss and cuddle.

As the other guests arrived the pile of presents grew to be huge, Sandy had a lot of friends by the time they all arrived there were 25 teens around the pool. We all had a blast even though I didn’t get in the pool, my wings held too much water for playing. Dad fired up his big grill and did burgers and hot dogs, we all ate til we couldn’t eat anymore.

Sandy opened her presents, getting a lot of CDs. She does love her music. When she opened my gift she smiled but looked at me kinda confused, I whispered to her, “I’ll explain later when we are alone.”

She looked at me and gave a small nod. The party lasted till almost super time before everyone headed home, Milly and Victoria stayed until almost nine before leaving. After the news I led Sandy to my room making sure to grab her present on the way, once I got her upstairs I began to explain the reason behind her gift.

Picking up my angel bear I told her, “The gift I got that meant the most to me last year other than you, was this bear it’s from my cousin Bella she was three years old when she gave it to me,” holding up her gift I continued, “I got you this bear here because you comfort me just like hugging Angel bear does and I wanted you to have that same comfort. Not to mention in a few years I see them sitting together on a shelf in our bedroom in our house.”

Sandy smiled before heading to the bathroom saying, “I’ll be right back and get comfortable.”

I got undressed before putting on a negligee my mom had helped me pick out. Sandy came back in and my breath caught she was wearing a forest green baby doll nightie including a garter belt and stockings. It took me a few to catch my breath, “You’re the best thing I’ve ever seen, I Love You,” I managed to get out past the lump in my throat.

“I Love You Too,” she replied while gliding into my arms.

It was the best night, ever but the best part was waking up with Sandy in my arms. She looked so peaceful laying there using my wing as a pillow, she even had a cute little snore. When she woke up she blushed before giving me a quick kiss and jumping to run into the bathroom. I got up to join her looking around at our clothes scattered all around the room. I had to smile, I walked into the bathroom and started the shower before taking her hand and pulling her in, we washed each other and played some as well.

We had just gotten out when I heard Mom from downstairs, “Breakfast is ready girls, come and get it.”

We got dressed and headed to the kitchen, where Mom had a huge breakfast prepared for us.

“Are we expecting company for breakfast Mom?” I asked her looking at the amount she had fixed.

“Well with as much noise as the two of you made and as long as you made them, your dad and I figured you would have a hell of an appetite this morning, at least for food anyways,” Mom answered with an evil grin.

Sandy turned so red I thought her head was going to explode for a moment, my face was just as red I think. We both buried our faces in our plates and started eating, to the sounds of Mom laughing.

A week later the new Paladins house was attacked, lucky for him and his wife he had taken her for a night flight over the city and wasn’t home. He had those lights that come on and go off at random to mimic people being home, so whoever blew his house up thought he and his wife were home when they blew it up.

Dad decided that he was going to offer to have Sandy and her family move into our house since we had become a common sight around her neighborhood. He was worried they might attack her to get to me. I agreed with him so he spent the weekend moving them in, but poop Milly made it clear Sandy and I would not be sharing a bed every night. Uncle James also moved in but didn’t bring his family with him, just his guns.

We had people try and take advantage of us not being able to patrol a given area as often. It started in the Docks, we caught a group of smugglers bringing in a boatload of drugs. After a brief fight which had me getting shot by a 9 MM Uzi multiple times we managed to subdue them for the police.

The other happened when I wasn’t even on patrol, I was meeting Sandy and her mom at the mall. I saw a man pushing a girl that looked like she was unconscious into a car. When I confronted him he tried to say she was his daughter and was having a diabetic event, but I could see a trickle of blood from her neck. I tied him up and called the police, turns out he was a pimp and had grabbed the girl to replace his stock.

It was getting very tense in the city, all Paladins now patrolled in pairs. Training patrols were canceled though I did still join whoever was patrolling the Docks, now it was three of us together. This stopped the attacks or seemed to anyway, we found out the hard way it hadn’t on the 4th of July.

It started out as a perfect day for a picnic in Riverside Park, before the fireworks display. “Sandy get a move on baby, or we are going to be late.” I said grabbing an arm full of blankets on my way to the truck. I loaded them into the bed before looking back at the house. Sandy finally came out carrying the basket of food.

“I’m here, let’s get this show on the road,” she said while loading the basket. I scooped her up and put her into the truck bed, before climbing in myself.

Since everyone else was already loaded up when Dad came out, he started the truck and we were off to a family day at the Park. Holding the rope that Dad had installed for me to hold onto when riding in the truck. Sandy got on her knees in front of me, with her hands between mine. We arrived at the park about four in the afternoon, with plenty of time to listen to the concerts and eat before the fireworks.

I saw the other Paladins I knew walking around, as well as a new guy fly by overhead. I approached Di and Fang to ask her a question, “Do I need to be geared up today, Di?”

After a moment she answered me, “It wouldn’t hurt for you to be Angel, at least as backup.” I nodded at her and headed to where I had left the family.

I told them when I arrived, “Di wants me geared up as backup, so I’m going to fly home real quick and do so, I’ll be right back.”

Dad remarked, “In that case, bring me my rifle and pistol just make sure you keep it hidden.”

I flew home and put on my full armor before getting Dad’s stuff from the safe, I broke his rifle down and put it into a drop bag. It was starting to get dark and time for the fireworks to start before I got back. When I got overhead, I saw a man trying to hide on a roof overlooking the park. I wouldn’t have spotted him under his camouflage net if he hadn’t moved just when I was looking at him. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.