Prints on our hearts

Chapter Sixteen

            Despite all of Alma's protests, Alex began to pack for her journey. She had no choice but to take things slow. Amelia and Alma hovered over her constantly and would not let her overexert herself. Alma had mixed up some special medicines to speed up the healing process. Their bones had almost been fully mended and Alex's side cut was almost all healed. Her leg, being deeper, took longer. Amelia's shoulder was healing nicely and she was even beginning to use her arm. Alex had packed a hiking back full of things she would need. A 9mm, a few knives, her skull mask bandana, a phone, a few spare clips fully loaded. Everything else she could get from connections on the mainland. She was leaning against the desk watching Amelia play with Claire. Alma was sitting at the desk watching with her. "Alma.", Alex said carefully. Alma looked up at her. "Yes darling?", Alma asked as she tried to read her face. "How would you like another child?", Alex said slowly, watching her facial expressions. Alma looked confused. "Is there another one coming to the island?", she asked still confused. Alex knelt down to her. "No Alma. A baby. Our baby. I know a great peculiar doctor who has been making huge leaps in being able to get two women to have a biological child.", Alex said taking Alma's hand. Alma's eyes widened in surprise. "Is it possible?", Alma asked as she began to grow excited. Alex smiled. "Yes. When I come back we will go see him okay?", Alex asked as she failed to hold back her large smile. Alma smiled and hugged her hard. Amelia smirked at them and continued to play with Claire.

The next morning, Alex stood at the desk looking over her packed stuff. Today she was leaving to hunt down Charles. She would return to her family. She threw her bag over her shoulder and walked down the stairs. At the bottom stood all of the children and Alma. Her eyes were watering already. Alex took her into her arms. "Alma I will come home safe.", she whispered as she fought the tears from forming. Alma pulled back as her tears began to fall. "Please let me come with you!", Alma pleaded. Alex shook her head and kissed her forehead. "The children need you here.", Alex said. Alma began to cry harder and Emma quickly pulled her into her arms. Alex made her way out to the dock where Dakota was waiting in his boat. Alex turned to her daughter. "Amelia. Do not come after me. You are to stay here and take care of Alma, understand?", she said firmly. Amelia nodded and hugged her. Alex held her child close. They separated and Dakota took Alex's bag. The children waved to her as she climbed in the boat. Alma stood at the front of them and was fighting her tears. Alex glanced at her and jumped from the boat and up onto the dock. She rushed to Alma and kissed her hard. When they pulled away, Alma reached up and unclasped her necklace. She placed it in Alex's hand. "Bring it back safe.", Alma said and kissed her hand. Alex smiled and put on the necklace. As much as it hurt her, she climbed into the boat and waved goodbye. As Dakota sped the boat away from the island and the children and Alma began to face, a tear rolled down Alex's cheek. She reached up and touched the necklace. It was all she had of Alma until she returned. She stared out at the ocean for a while before Dakota said they were nearing shore. They were coming up on Dakota's house. It was a small house on the beach. It was the place she and Amelia's father would always come. Dakota would even assist in some of their hunts. He was their weapons man. Now he was going to watch over Alex. It was the least her could do for James. They were great friends. Practically brothers. The three of them were always together. Now it was just the two. It had not been the same without James. Dakota and Alex could feel the empty hole that had formed. Alex grabbed her bag and hopped out of the boat. Dakota followed closely behind. No words were exchanged as the pair suited up. Alex strapped knives everywhere. One in her boot, one on her thigh, one up her sleeve and one on her hip. She had a small gun around her ankle and a 9mm on her hip. She brushed her fingers on the blade at her wrist. James had designed it for her. It was much like the assassin's blade from her favorite game. Dakota grabbed his bag and stood in front of her. "We can avenge him.", he said trying to catch her gaze. She nodded. "First, we catch the bastard who dared put a bullet in my child.", she growled out. He nodded and followed her out. "Tom has some cars for us.", Dakota said as he walked beside her. They were luckily close to Tom's. He fixed up cars for the fun of it. Any kind of muscle car he could get his hands on. Of course, the three of the hunters would always wreck them. He never seemed to mind. He would simply get more. It had been many years since they had seen him. Alex knocked on the door and they waited. There was some movement inside before the tall greasy man opened the door. He smiled at Alex. "Well i'll be damned! Look what the cat dragged in.", he stated with a smile. Alex smiled and he let them in. "We need super fast. Hook us up with something good.", Alex said as she followed him through the house and to the back door. He smiled and stopped with his hand on the handle. "Take your pick darlin'", he said and swung open the door. The back yard had a large building with the large doors wide open. Inside were dozens of all kind of muscle cars. Alex smiled as she looked them all over. She turned around to see Dakota hugging the hood of a midnight blue 1967 Shelby GT500. She smiled and continued looking through the cars. Finally, she came upon a red chevy chevelle LS6. She smiled widely and Tom walked up to her with the keys. He smiled and handed them to her. She happily took the keys and threw her bag in. She sat down and ran her hands over the steering wheel. It had been so long since she had been behind the wheel. She smiled harder and started her up. She roared to life and Alex squealed with joy. Tom stepped back and let her pull outside. Dakota was already waiting for her. He was smiling just as hard as she was. Tom leaned down to her window and handed her sunglasses to her. It was her old aviator sunglasses. She smiled and accepted them. He patted her hand and stepped back. "Have fun!", Tom shouted. She smiled at him then nodded at Dakota. He was leading the way to their first lead. He had been doing plenty of research on Charles and was able to find some people who wanted Charles dead but would never have the nerve to do it themselves. They roared down the street. Alex loved the wind in her hair. Despite everything that was going on in her world, she felt free and happy. The only thing better than this was taking Charles's life. He messed with the wrong woman. She carried all the wrath of hell with her and all of her attention was pointed at him. No matter where he went, what he did, how hard her tried, he could not get away from her. She never gave up and never failed. The only problem was, he knew she was coming. He was a plan to take her down. He knew her better than she knew herself. Even as they raced down the back roads, he was watching her. He was lying and waiting for her to fall into his trap. She would not be able to fight him now.