Language/Violence Disclaimer: There is violence here. There is also some heavy language here. If this bothers you I suggest you don't read this.
Love/Sex Disclaimer: There is same sex relationship here between two consenting adult women. If this offends you or if you are under age please don't read this.
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Part 9
Not quite sure exactly why she had decided to come to Angel unannounced, Casey nonetheless found herself standing outside the woman's home preparing to knock on the front the door. Her first instinct when she woke up was to see Angel, but now that she was here she just wasn't ready to go inside. She wasn't quite sure why exactly she was nervous. She had faced much worse and survived.
With that small reminder Casey gathered her courage and finally knocked on the door.
"Who the hell is it?" Angel's voice yelled from within the house.
"Casey." The tall woman yelled through the door. She could hear some mild cursing coming from within the house and again had second thoughts of why she had come to see this woman.
"Go ahead and come in." Casey heard Angel yell. It sounded like the blonde's voice was actually moving away from the door. With a slight shrug of her shoulders Casey slowly entered the house looking down immediately when she heard a crunching sound beneath her feet. She was somewhat surprised when she saw glass spread out across the area directly under and around the front door. "Angel?" The woman yelled having not seen the smaller woman anywhere in her direct line of sight.
"I'm right here." Angel's form came from a door down the hallway, but made no move to get any closer to Casey. "What are you doing here?"
'Ok direct to the point,' Casey thought. 'That could be a good thing.'
"I wanted to talk to you about a few things." Casey responded truthfully.
Angel's face looked skeptical. "You want to talk to me?"
"Yes." Casey answered. "Alexia gave me the day off, I think."
Angel sighed and waved a dismissing hand at Casey. "Fine, but before we do any talking why don't you clean up that little mess near the door." Angel turned to walk away. "Your boss greatly contributed to my reasons for doing it." She threw over her shoulder then disappeared again into the door she had just exited from.
Casey watched the woman disappear shocked at the woman's brash behavior. "I'm not your maid." She yelled belatedly at the already missing blonde form.
"You're right you're not." Angel yelled back but said nothing more.
For another moment, Casey stood in front of the door thinking about what exactly it was she was supposed to be doing. She hadn't been in the blonde's presence for more then five minutes and she was already getting a headache. She decided to just pick up the glass knowing she should choose her battles carefully. This one in particular wasn't one she had to win.
Angel conveniently walked back into general vicinity of the front door when Casey was done cleaning up the mess she had left there the previous night. Half of her expected Casey to put up a bigger fight when she told the woman to clean up the mess and she was somewhat disappointed, yet also greatly relieved, when she decided not to butt heads over that particular matter.
"So," Angel moved over to the couch and took a seat. "What exactly is it you wish to talk about?"
Casey moved over to Angel and although uninvited took a seat. "Patrick Garza." Casey decided to just get to the point and not play any games. If that is what Angel wanted she could play them with Alexia. "I'm almost positive you know him."
"That's your brother." Angel replied unfazed. "Never really met him though."
"Actually I'm not too sure you haven't." Casey crossed her arms across her chest and leaned back further into the couches holds.
Angel looked carefully at her companion and decided the hell with playing word games. Casey probably deserved some answers about her brother anyway. "I never really met him." She repeated gently. "The first time I really saw him was with Alexia pointing a gun directly at his chest." Casey's brilliant blue eyes urged her to continue with her story. "I'd like to think I talked Alexia out of killing him, but I'm not that naïve. She let him go and that was the last time I ever saw him." Angel looked down at her entwined hands. "I can't tell you your brother was the smartest person to go after Alexia. I'm positive that once he entered her life he had no free will to leave it."
"I was told his investigation was shut down immediately after that incident."
Angel didn't look surprised by the information. "Of course it was. She wouldn't let anyone continue to investigate her. It creates problems."
"What else do you know?" Casey demanded harshly.
Angel ignored Casey's rising anger. "Why do you want to know all this?"
"I think I deserve to know if Alexia killed my family or not." Casey answered honestly.
The blonde's shoulders sagged in defeat. "I can't tell you that." She said with genuine regret.
"Why? What is it exactly that makes you put all your loyalties into a woman who has constantly hurt you?" Casey asked baffled.
This was not the first time someone had asked Angel that question or at least one similar to it. Usually her answer would be that she loved the woman and love afforded certain allowances. Unfortunately, that wasn't the truth or at least the whole truth. Love could be blind but it couldn't the absolute blind ignorant devotion Angel had most people believe she saw it as.
Angel looked at Casey and knew this wasn't the kind of person who would accept her standard answer. This woman would demand reasons and explanations of which Angel had none. "She is my friend," she answered. "I love her very much and that makes me devote a certain amount of my loyalty to her."
"But not all of it." Casey finished for her.
Angel's emerald green eyes became distant as the blonde withdrew slightly into herself. She had to distance herself from the personal and professional aspects of her relationship with Alexia. "Have you ever tried to accomplish a goal where every single factor put into the equation is against you but one?" Casey considered the question carefully then shook her head in the negative.
"The minute I walked into this 'business', Angel said the word with disdain. "I have been fighting forces far greater than myself. Even as a child when I wanted to branch out and do something besides become the next big drug lord, I was fighting greater forces than myself. I've had to draw on a strength I never thought existed within me. I would have lost myself a long time ago, but Alexia won't allow that. She forces me to remember who I am apart from who this woman is who seems to be in charge of this stuff. She does the things I can't or won't allow myself to do." Angel took a moment to allow her emotions to settle. "She has salvaged my soul and that is what makes me give her all my 'loyalties', as you have called it."
Casey ran an unsteady hand through her dark hair. She took a moment to gather her thoughts. She had not expected such honesty from the blonde woman. "I still believe," She said slowly. "I still believe I have the right to know what happened to my family."
Angel looked intently into Casey's sapphire blue eyes. She cocked her head to the side a small ways and studied the woman's features. "What does it matter?" She finally asked when she turned away. "If the Santiago's are the only ones to blame then you kill them, but if somehow Alexia is involved as well…then what? Would you kill her as well?"
Honestly, Casey hadn't even thought that far ahead. In her need to get the entire truth she had never took the time to wonder what she would do with it. When Patrick had died she had sworn all those responsible would pay. Nothing was going to be able to stop her from making sure her brother was avenged. She was even working for the damn DEA in order to carry out that promise-something she had never seen herself doing before and most likely would never do again. Casey hadn't spent a whole lot of time thinking about what would happen to her after the Santiago's where taken care of. There was no plan past the immediate one for vengeance, and formulating one now seemed almost pointless. Keeping to the rule of just living life a day at a time, was the only thing that kept Casey going after being forced to climb her way up into a position where she would have access to Santiago.
"I don't know." Casey eventually answered after Angel had given up on any sort of response. "If Alexia had something to do with Patrick's death, then I guess she'd have to be taken care of as well."
"I would really hate for you to be related to me." The blonde woman said disgusted. "Your brother, I'm sure, is overjoyed with the prospect of you spilling so much blood in his name because isn't that what he stood for?" Angel asked sarcastically. "Patrick must be looking down on you right now and smiling with joy that his sister has been selling her soul so she can eventually be in a position to kill a few people who may be responsible for his death."
Casey jumped up angered by Angel's words. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
Angel sat further back into the couch and crossed her arms over her chest. She stared directly into Casey's angered eyes with all the strength from within she could muster. "I know a whole hell of a lot more then you do."
"Then you really do have everyone fooled," Casey snorted in disgust. "You've got everyone thinking that you're some innocent 'Angel' involved with Satan's daughter, but you're no better then Alexia is."
Casey watched the blonde woman stand up with extreme care. Angel ran her left hand through her hair then dropped gracefully to her side. She looked down to the floor and took two careful breaths. When she looked back up to the dark haired woman, Casey could hardly recognize her. Angel's entire face had changed. She looked almost defeated.
Angel walked pass her taller companion straight to the front door of her home. "Let's get out of here."
Without hesitation Casey followed the blonde out of the house. She didn't bother to wonder where they might go, being too enticed by the change that had overcome Angel. Something had just happened and Casey needed to know what it was.
Angel went to the passenger's side of Casey's Porsche and took a seat. Casey sat down next to her only seconds later and rested her hands on the steering wheel. "Where do you want to go?" The dark haired woman asked.
"Just anywhere else." Angel's voice was almost forlorn, but Casey's choice to ignore it. She started the car and pulled away from Angel's house.
During the entire drive her passenger was silent. Angel sat in the passenger seat and stared out the window not looking at what was outside, but seeing something else entirely. Casey understood the woman's desire to leave, she herself had felt the need to run away, but now she had no clue where they could go. Her house would be off limits especially since the DEA would be hanging around trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.
Not knowing of a safe place they could go, but not willing to turn back to Angel's house she pointed the car in the same direction of the park they had had their first real conversation in. It seemed like it could be their place of solace for the time being.
Half an hour later they had arrived at the park and were seating on top of a lonesome picnic table that overlooked the playground. Casey listened to the birds singing and the children playing while she waited for Angel to break her silence. The blonde woman had not spoken more then five words since they left her home.
After what seemed to be an eternity Angel did finally speak.
"I have no idea what Alexia wanted with your brother, Casey. All I know is that she wanted him alive at least until he got whatever she wanted done. From what I know, your family caused her problems. Your father didn't do what she wanted so she took care of the problem." The blonde recited allowing no emotion to infuse her voice.
"Are you saying she had my father killed?" Casey asked darkly.
"I'm not sure. She had no control over Santiago, but she doesn't often make mistakes. She's the only one that has your answers."
"So what do I do now?" The dark haired woman asked genuinely perplexed. "Alexia doesn't answer questions."
Angel chuckled softly. "You're asking me?" Her hand moved to cover her heart. "The only thing she's told me is to make sure you stay alive. I suggest that is what you do."
Casey's entire body sagged. "Do ever sit back and wonder, 'why the fuck did this happen'?"
"No," Angel answered honestly. "I can't afford to wonder about the 'whys' of life. I just have to take action."
"My action will be to kill Santiago and Alexia, if necessary."
"You say that as if you're in control, but you're not. Whatever you do, will be exactly what Alexia wants of you." Angel explained knowingly. "Everything she does has reason. I haven't been able to find out why she's messing with you now though."
"She keeps on telling me she's not the one to take away my anger. Apparently, I'm no use to her with it." Casey looked directly into Angel's emerald green eyes. "What do you suppose she means by that?"
Angel thought about it for a moment then shook her head. "I don't know. She tells you only what you need to know, and apparently you needed to know that." The blonde's thoughts wondered for a moment. "Switch sides." She suddenly blurted out. Upon seeing Casey's confused look she elaborated.
"She's going to fuck up your life, more so then it already is. By tonight I'll be able to say goodbye to her forever, I suggest you do the same."
"You're actually going to let go of your dear friend?" Casey asked incredulously.
Angel closed her eyes and tiled her head skyward. "I've always known that when I say goodbye to the business I had to say goodbye to her. She's good at making me want to be part of the dangerous life she leads. Breaking away from her finally means I'll really be free."
"So how do you suggest I break away from her?" The dark haired woman asked curiously.
"Just break away from your own hate." Angel answered simply. "She will use it to control you. If you are to kill Santiago then she wins."
Casey couldn't even belief she was actually considering the idea of just walking away from it all. Why did Angel have to use the word 'free'? That was exactly what the taller woman was striving for, her own freedom. She wanted freedom from her guilt and freedom from the pain. Killing Santiago was going to be what finally granted her freedom. Her revenge fulfilled was supposed to be what would allow her to carry on with her life…at least what there was left of it.
'What is left of it?' Casey asked herself. 'What is left of my life once this is all over?' The answer she came up with wasn't very comforting. The only thing she had waiting for her was her father's weakened drug cartel and a life of crime. If anything, the future was looking rather bleak. She had no family left, at least none she wished to be associated with. Then of course, there was whatever future she was making with Alexia, and that prospect of her future didn't seem any more alluring.
There was that distant third option of a future now that Angel had presented it. Casey could just give up on her desire to see Santiago's blood spilled. It was possible. She could still ruin the Santiago's by just letting the DEA have them, like her brother's partner had always wanted. He always wanted to see things get done the legal way, and Casey had always fought him on it. It was going to be her way or no way and everyone always seemed to concede to her way.
"Santiago must still be stopped." Casey said after a long moment. She had by no means let go of any hate, but she'd be damned if she was just going to allow Alexia to win. No one beat her and that included the infamous Alexia.
"He shall be." Angel offered softly. "And I'm sure you'll see to it that it's done the right way, exactly how Patrick would have wanted it done. It's the way he tried to do it."
Casey maneuvered herself to where she was standing directly in front of Angel looking down into the woman's eyes. "Alexia must be stopped as well."
"And how do you propose we can do that?" The dark haired woman took notice of Angel's choice to use 'we' and smiled.
"By any means necessary."
"She has ties to every government organization possible. She's beyond the law. How do you stop someone like that?" Angel had never thought about turning against her dearest friend, but as long as she had known Alexia; she had realized that the dark woman had too much power and needed to be stopped from messing with anyone else's life like she had so recently done with Casey. Even though, it seems her involving herself with Casey hadn't turned out being such a bad thing.
"Someone has to control her. If we find them, then we find a way to stop her." Casey ran her hand through her raven hair and took a deep breath. "Alexia must fall."
"If she finds out we'll both be dead." Angel informed her companion needlessly. "And if by some small chance she does fall, she won't hesitate to bring us down with her."
"You've changed what your family business is, because you wanted all this to end. Taking Alexia's power away from her will make this all end. It would be a change for the better." The dark haired woman whispered out the last part wondering what had suddenly gotten into her. Here she was rambling on about doing the right thing and bringing an end to 'Alexia the Tyrant'; the mere thought of it was absurd.
Angel rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking about turning on Alexia. "We'll need help." She found herself answering. "Everyone around here is tied to her in some way, but there is one guy I trust enough to help."
Casey just looked on expectantly. "His name is Clyde Brandon. He's under Alexia's control but isn't very happy about it."
"What makes you think he'll help?"
"Alexia doesn't really talk about her business a lot, but she constantly is damning Clyde's name every chance she gets. When she found out I was involved with him-business wise-she ordered me to pull out."
Casey's mouth lifted in a slight grin. "I bet that didn't go over too well."
The blonde shook her head. "No. It didn't. We got in this huge fight that ended with her breaking the glass panel on my front door when she stormed out. To this day, she still doesn't like the fact that I have any business dealings with him whatsoever."
"Why does she hate him so much?"
"She says-and I quote-'He doesn't follow orders very well'." Angel answered doing a perfect impersonation of Alexia's deep contralto voice.
The taller woman crossed her arms. "I'm curious," She said. "Why didn't she just kill him? If someone was causing me that kind of problem, I'd settle it."
"She can't kill him." Angel answered simply. "His father-in-law is some powerful diplomat who offers Alexia a certain amount of immunity for her illegal behavior. If she kills Clyde, she ruins any deal she has going with the diplomat."
"What is it they're getting from her?" Casey asked cautiously knowing that any deal was give-and-take. Alexia might be getting something out of that relationship but she was also giving something of equal or greater importance.
"It is my understanding that she gives them a certain amount of monetary support. From what I hear, foreign diplomats don't make that much money. Especially, when they're at odds with the their countries official leader."
"When can we talk to Clyde?"
"As soon as you'd like." Angel answered. "But you do realize, that once we talk to him about this, there's no going back. If I'm going to turn on Alexia, I don't want some overly emotional woman standing by my side whose dreams consists of seeing other people's blood spilled." She waved her finger in front of Casey's face to drive her point home.
"And I don't want some woman standing by my side who has the potential to warn her friend about what's gong to happen." Casey's blue eyes looked deep into Angel's green and each one battled with the other.
After a few moments, they each pulled back having come to a silent agreement. They would see this to the end, no matter what that might bring.