Guardians: Protectors of Light

Chapter 6

Picture of Angela's car

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Time seems to tick by maddeningly slow in the silent car as her mind races, the memories of Trent's abduction running through her mind picture by picture, a silent movie she can't run away from. 

Her breath catches in her throat as she startles, spotting movement on her side of the car. She locks her eyes on the trees ahead until she sees Matt and Angela emerge from the woods. They head straight for her. She slams her hand against the unlock button as the air in the car gets heavier. Seeing the look to kill on Matt's face, the rock in her chest sinks. She throws open the door and stumbles into his arms as panic and fear overtake her. 

"There's the break," Angela murmurs as Matt engulfs Valery into a hug. "Deep steady breaths." Angela murmurs, rubbing Valery's back. Matt holds her tight. 

Sobs shake Valery's body as she struggles to breath past the tightness in her chest.

"Everything's going to be alright." Matt assures her. "He already lost one family because of these jerks; we won't let it happen again." His voice is soft and gentle but fueled by an underlying anger. He looks at Angela, his eyes bright with determination. We can't let this go overlooked. Angela nods at him in agreement.

Valery only nods as she works on steadying her breathing. 

"Easy girl, easy. Everything will be alright." Matt assures her as he strokes her hair. "We are going to get him back, damned what the council says."

"Together, we stand a chance." Angela adds.

"This found its way into my stuff as I was packing up " Matt tells them. He yanks out a  map from his back pocket, tapping Valery in the head with it. "Come on, you get in the back, lay back and relax. Let us take over for a bit." He murmurs, his nerves screaming at him, telling him they need to get moving. "The longer we dally around here, the longer he suffers." 

Valery nods.

She takes one more calming breath and lets her arms fall from Matt. Angela opens the back door and Valery crawls inside. She picks up her katana as she settles down. The weight feels comforting somehow. Wordlessly, Angela closes the door and takes her place back behind the wheel. Matt occupies the passenger. 

They trail along the dilapidated  highway. Broken street lights after broken street lights fly by row after row. The low rumble of the car on the bumpy road fills their desolate silence. In this no man's land, they don't even have music to fill the silence. "She witnessed it?" Matt whispers. He keeps his eyes on the freshly budding trees, avoiding the openness of the four lane highway. 

"I couldn't get her to leave in time." Angela answers, echoing Matt's soft tone. "Trent mentally shouted at me to get her away. But I couldn't. She refused to leave him." 

"Do you think she's up for this?" Matt whispers, frowning. "She's not up to our par yet."

"She wouldn't let us go without her. She'll feel better doing something, instead of sitting around and waiting," Angela assures him. "Besides, how would she have handled us going without her? She would have been left there with no support system by her side. We are just going to have to be the ones to get her to par." Angela leans her head against the headrest and groans.  "I'm tired of the Council always letting her down. This is enough."

Matt turns to look at her, "Ang, what's going on?"

Angela takes a deep breath, clutches her steering wheel."I know things Matt. So many things I shouldn't know. Things they would have my head on platter for even knowing, let alone sharing."