Chapter Ten

The Detective

“I may have the luck of the Irish, but luck is a double-edged sword…”

Daisy sighed. She looked at the paperwork in front of her. She was at her core a detective. Someone who craved action. But in a political move, orchestrated by her husband, she was promoted and now had a desk job. 

A safer job, one more suited to a politician’s wife. The catalyst that lead to that was about a year ago now. She was shot protecting a child. She would do it again with no hesitation, but she hated the desk job. She craved adventure. Her name may be a delicate flower, but she was not one. It was why she asked to be called by her last name, Johnson. Of course, before she married, she went by her maiden name Chance. Even in the Army, she had gone by Chance rather than Johnson. The others in her battalion called her Lucky Chance. She had all the luck of the Irish in a beautiful but deadly package. She looked back at the paperwork, wondering why she took so long to have these drawn up. Divorce papers. She had her lawyer finally draw them up now that both her sons were at a boarding school, military school, much like she would have wanted to go to if she had not met her soon to be ex-husband.

She could no longer turn a blind eye to her husband’s affairs, politician or not. And she could no longer do a desk job. It was slowly killing her. She thought about finding a new job outside of D.C., but she needed the adventure she used to have in the Army. Maybe it was a mid-life, well; more like a third-life crisis, but she needed the thrill of adventure, the adrenaline. She signed the papers that not only ended her seventeen year marriage but gave her sole custody of her teen boys. She sighed. Orion and Rigel were seventeen and thirteen and were all for the divorce. They did not get along with their father. They were too much like their mother for that. Honestly, Daisy did not have a clue why she had such a passion for that man back when they were in high school. And if it was not for becoming pregnant with Orion, she would not have ever married the man. She had been sixteen when she had her firstborn, Orion Hunter, and they had been forced to marry by their parents. Then, at eighteen, they had their second child, Rigel Perseus. She had joined the Army to have a second paycheck while her husband went to college and then law school. The military paid for her education and provided her an outlet for her need for adventure. She had been a mom, soldier, and wife of a future politician for years. Now in her early thirties, she was a mom and looking for another job. Starting over once more. At twenty-two she went and finished a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and at twenty-four she went through the police academy. Now she was a thirty-three-year-old captain who would rather be back as a detective. She had worked hard for that badge and pushed herself to gain it. She looked at her resignation letter and signed it. It was time for a new chapter in her life, and that did not include being a politician’s wife or a desk jockey.

She took the divorce and custody papers and put them into the overnight envelope to go to her lawyer. He would have them processed as quickly as possible. After all, she gave her ex the house and the car he wanted. She was happy with her SUV. And then went to her boss’ office. “Boss?” She knocked.

Oliver Crate sighed when he saw Daisy. “I know you are resigning. In fact, I am shocked you last this long on a desk job. Basically, effective now, right?”

Daisy handed him the letter. “Yes, Oliver. I have vacation time. Use two weeks for my two-week notice.” Daisy shrugged.

“Will do. We will miss you, Daisy. You were a helluva addition to this precinct.”

“I will miss the precinct as well. I will let you all know where I end up.” Daisy smiled a sad smile and turned to empty her office and go home to her little apartment until she found a new house, which would have to wait until after she found a new job. Hopefully, she found one soon. She did not want her boys coming home to a tiny apartment. She wanted a home for her boys, a home for herself, away from the artificial life she had lived since she had come back home from the Army.

When Daisy finally made her way home, she put her box of belongings from her office on the kitchen table. She went to her bedroom to change; she had pulled her pants and shirt off when she went to put her badge and gun on nightstand; that is when it hit her. She felt both lighter and crushed. To be honest, she felt empty now that her badge was gone. That her work issued gun was gone. 

She slid down the wall and cried. After she let the tears track down her face, she laughed. She was thirty-three, divorced, single mother, who had to fill her adrenaline addiction. She sat there and was crying and laughing as she thought about her life. “God, please, just please show me the way.” She begged as she tried to gain composer. She took a deep breath. Finally, she felt the tears stop. She could feel the drying tracks and got up to go wash her face. She took a deep breath as she splashed her face. She would let none of this break her. “Please, God, I need a life.” Daisy whispered.

Abby looked at the details of her next Protector. She was the last before she went for her Guides. The Guides hardly ever left the Catacombs and mines, but to visit family, if they even had family. Many Guides did not, having made knowledge their life. She sighed. Daisy had two kids, a cheating husband. Thankfully, she had filed for divorce from that man. She hoped she took her offer to be a Protector. She was good, loyal, just and would make a helluva Protector. She actually already was with being a cop and a detective.

“What’s this one do Abs?” Dean asked as they made their way out of the airport to the rental cars. He swore Abby had a thing for SUVs.

“She was a detective. She had been hinting at resigning after her soon to be ex-husband meddled and got her promoted to a desk job.”

“Is that why the divorce? He was controlling? He wasn’t abusive, was he?” Kendra asked, fear for Daisy, as well as anger in her voice.

Abby sighed. “He was a cheater. Jeffrey Johnson, he is about to run for junior senator. And well, she could not take it anymore. But their boys are now in a military school that is a boarding as well, and she made the choice to finally leave him. Hopefully, she left that desk job too. Would make convincing her to come with us easier.”

The others nodded. “Well, let’s get this last Protector.” George clapped his hands. “Then we can get those Guides and get those mines and catacombs open and the world won’t be at risk of blowing up.”

“Speaking of blowing up, Angel, how are you doing? I am guessing you are connected to the ley lines and getting extra juice to help stop an implosion.” Joseph looked at Abby with a worried look.

“Yeah, but nothing I can’t handle.” Abby waved it off. “Come on, we got a person to go get. Daisy Johnson. Wonder if she will go back to her maiden name. We will have to ask.” Abby stated as she got into one of the SUVs and started out towards Daisy.

Daisy was startled from her thoughts when she heard a pounding on her door. She threw on an oversized tee and went to the door, sighing when she saw who it was. She opened the door anyway. “Jeffery.” She greeted as she let him in. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to tell you the announcement of our divorce and my engagement to my new fiancé will be tomorrow.” Jeffery looked around the apartment. “Why are you here? Is the alimony not enough?”

“I denied alimony for one, and for two I am in the process of buying a house. And third, why would I care about your announcement of your new lover?”

“I hope you do move on, Daisy.” He stated, taking off his leather gloves. “And really, I hope you find a good place soon. Our boys will not like it here.”

“I am house shopping soon and the boys will have a say. After all, you gave up all rights to them.”

“Yes, well, they would impede my political family. As long as I can hide this whole affair with minimum fallout, it won’t hurt my election into the senate.” He tsked as he moved her coat from a chair and sat down. “You are alright, right?” He looked her up and down. “Just because we fell out of love doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. You are the mother of my eldest boys and we have been together for eighteen years.”

Daisy sighed. “We are too different, Jeffery. Yes, you were my first love, and you gave me my boys. I really thought we would be together forever, but forever wasn’t in the cards for us. I hope you treat this new wife of yours better than you treated me. I am letting go. You cheated, you lied, and you manipulated me, controlled me and used me for your gain. We aren’t those same kids anymore. We grew up and grew apart. Back then, it was both of us and I will take my part of the blame for becoming teenage parents, because it takes two. But this divorce, us growing apart? That was all you. You have been cheating on me since before Regal was born. So I am letting you go. So, I hope you are happy with your new wife to be and you won’t treat her like you treated me. But from what I know, she will be happy to be a trophy wife. I hope you have a good life, Jeffery, but I am done. And I am free. I forgive you, because you gave me my two boys and you are letting me go and letting me be me, finally. So I am going to be happy. I am going to find a house to make a home with my boys. I am going to find a job that is for me and I am going to move on with my life, just like you. I forgive you Jeffery; get on with your life.”

Jeffery stood up. “You have always been the better of us.” He kissed her forehead. “I did love you. You are right, we just grew apart and too different. Until next time.” He went to leave and turned around. “Be happy, Daisy, my flower.” Then he slapped his gloves against his hand and left, closing the door behind him, leaving Daisy alone.

Daisy watched as the door closed upon her past. Where she was feeling despair before, it just felt like a huge weight was lifted off of her chest. She looked at the door and that one closed. Now for the next to open. For the first time in the last five years, she felt hopeful that her life would get better, and no longer routine or monotone. She gave a sad, soft smile as she moved to make her dinner. She would make plans later. Right now she had to eat something and get have a beer. She looked at her fridge and the PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals) magnet holding up a picture of her and her boys. The magnet had been a joke from her eldest when Regal went through a vegetarian phase. That phase lasted up until Daisy had cooked a couple of steaks just three days later. She grabbed a beer and pushed start on the microwave, cooking a couple of leftover pizza slices she had found. She then sat down and looked at the legal pad in front of her. It was time to figure out what to do with her newfound freedom.

Abby looked at the apartment building. “Okay, I think all of us going in would be a bad idea.” 

Dean moaned. He hated staying in the car. “Come on, Abs!”

Abby raised an eyebrow. “I am thinking Martin, Kendra, and Sakura should come in with me.”

“What?” Dean asked. “I have to stay in the car again?”

“Dean, it is an apartment. She may be a bit crowed if we all go in. We are going to invite her to dinner and have her meet everybody. But first we have to explain things.” Abby sighed. Dean did not like to stay ideal. It is what will make him a good Keeper, but sometimes he has to learn to sit still.

“Fine. But if I think you all are taking too long, I am going to come up and get you.”

“Fine. Now behave.” Abby stated and walked towards the building with the three she had named.

Daisy looked up when there was a knock at her door. She moved to get her personal gun out of the safe and went to the door. “Who is it?” Daisy asked, looking through the door.

“Ma’am, my name is Abigail Elyondottir and I have a job offer for you.”

Daisy was confused. “What? How do you know me?”

“Ma’am, we have been watching you since you joined the Army.” Abby stated. Not fully a lie. Abby had been watching her from birth.

“Who are you with?”

“Ma’am, I am with an unknown team dedicated to preserving life upon this planet.” Abby hoped she let them in, so they could explain.

Daisy put the safety back on her gun, but did not put it back, and unlocked the door. “Come in and explain.”

Abby smiled and came in and waited until everybody took a seat to begin. “Well, let’s start with the fact you are a natural born Protector. And what that means is that you were giving qualities and talents to protect this Earth, rather in some small way or as an official Protector.”

“Is that the title you want to hire me for?” Daisy asked. “Water, coffee, tea, beer?”

“Yes.” Abby nodded. “Water please.” The others were taking coffee. She sighed. She longed for coffee, but she had to limit her intake of caffeine and drinking as much as she did when they got Kendra was not the smartest idea she ever had. Was not the worst either, though. Caffeine did sadly cause her to have to work harder to keep her magic and powers under control. She shook her head to get her thoughts back on the task at hand. “Let me explain…”

Daisy stared at the woman, who basically told her she was God, well, an angel of creation, but close enough as she created this realm with her brothers. She started to laugh. She could not help it. She bent over and started laughing her ass off. “Oh, my God! I was just begging God for a sign and here you are! God is sitting in my damn small ass apartment; offering me everything I need and want on a silver damn platter.” She could not help the hysterical laughing as tears ran down her face. “Prove it!” She yelled through the tears and laughter.

Martin wanted to sneer. He had been raised Catholic, and this woman was doubting his creator. But he felt Abby’s hand on his shoulder. “To have faith, one shouldn’t have proof presented to them.” He whispered to Abby.

“Martin, this world has become overrun with the darkness four of my brothers left for it. I shall prove it.” She looked at Daisy and smiled and moved and placed her hand on the bullet wound on her stomach that had almost killed her, that left massive scaring both inside and out. “I shall, and can, heal all.” She whispered to Daisy as she let her magic flow through her and heal her of the damage the madman who wanted to kill a child had caused to this woman with a soul of a Protector. With the soul of one that would give their all, including their life, to a cause they believed in.

Daisy stared at the woman in shock as she felt the warmth enter her. When the woman moved her hand, she pulled up her shirt to see all the scaring gone. Gone. This woman, no, this angel, had healed her and proven to her beyond a doubt there really was a God and she was merciful. Daisy’s eyes rolled back into her head and she passed out.

“Well, that could have gone better.” Sakura rolled her eyes.

“Well, she didn’t start hysterically laughing again.” Kendra pointed out.

Martin nodded. “Let’s get her on the couch.”

Daisy woke up to the banging of pots and pans. She groaned and turned on her side. She sat up and blinked. “It wasn’t a dream.” She felt her stomach, still free from scars.

“Nope.” Dean stated as he held out a spoon. “Taste this.” He stuck it in her mouth.

Daisy’s eyes went wide. “That is amazing!”

“Good to know someone appreciates my cooking!” He laughed. “Come on, dinner is almost ready, and not that microwaved pizza bullshit you tried to pass off as dinner.”

Daisy moved slowly and sat down at the makeshift extended table. She took a plate and smiled. “I am so in.” She stated. “So what now?”

“Now we get the Guides!” Dean rubbed his hands together. “Then we open the greatest treasure on this Earth!”

Daisy raised an eyebrow. “So where too?”

Abby smiled at her new family. “Kevin Richardson, fifty-two: Manhattan, New York.”