Other links:
Sapphire Angel, Superheroine (Book 1)
Power Play (Book 2)
Deconstruction (Book 3)
Savage Dawn (this book - Book 4)
VIOLENCE WARNING: The two stories in the Savage Gang saga, and especially the second story, involve a gang practicing extreme violence toward everyone — women, the elderly, the protagonist, etc. The stories contain mature sexual content and violence as well. I am placing this warning on all chapters, including those without such violence, so you can choose whether to continue.
EPILOGUE
Olivia Lockheed sat in the ambulance’s rear bay, staring at Megan Lawlor, as sleet pinged off the roof of the vehicle. The snow had changed to sleet within the last twenty minutes and had made Lockheed’s frantic drive across town even more harrowing.
Lawlor sat on a gurney with an IV line disappearing into blankets draped around her. The blankets hid all but her face, which was covered with light splotchy patches, mostly on her cheeks and nose. Frostbite. She needed to be in a hospital, but Lockheed had forbidden the paramedics to leave until Lawlor finished answering the FBI woman’s questions.
The newswoman had already walked Lockheed through the events since her capture at the television station, from her night in the van, to her frigid wait on the bridge, and finally to the appearance of Sapphire Angel.
"The only reason I'm even here is because of Sapphire Angel," Lawlor concluded. "She was incredible."
Lockheed couldn’t suppress a frown. Of course Sapphire Angel was incredible. She left that impression on everyone — including on Lockheed.
But yet again the superheroine had stuck her nose where it didn’t belong. She would get all the accolades, and squash Lockheed’s plan to parlay this assignment into a promotion.
Perhaps it wasn’t all bad. Sapphire Angel had survived, so their paths might cross again someday. If they did, the FBI woman might resume where she had left off, and teach the stunning super lady the lesson she so badly needed.
And if the gang had killed or badly injured Sapphire Angel, what would that say about Lockheed’s chances of surviving? Over the past several days, the gang’s actions had shaken Lockheed, making her rethink her choice of careers. The FBI didn’t pay her enough to put herself in this kind of danger.
She looked at Lawlor, and at the woman’s once-beautiful face, now marred with frostbite. Lockheed made a silent vow that if her job ever got this dangerous again, she would resign before something this bad happened to her. And she made one other vow. Someday she would sink her claws into Sapphire Angel, and not let go.
As the Gulfstream G550 descended toward the remote airstrip in Illinois, Maximus Savage looked at the television report streaming on his iPad. A television anchor sat behind a desk, looking at the camera, unable to keep the excitement from her voice.
“Reports are coming in of an explosion in uptown Harrisburg. No word yet on whether that has anything to do with the showdown between Sapphire Angel and the Savage Gang. We have a team racing to the scene.”
Savage already knew what had happened at the lake. One of his men had sent him a secure text minutes earlier, telling him of the confrontation at the bridge, and how the few remaining members had evacuated the hideout. Anger percolated in the gang leader, and he clenched his fists at his side.
Savage stared at the screen with cold detachment, his jaw tight. He reached to his left, set the iPad on the seat next to him, and turned to Benjamin Drummond, his advisor, who sat across the aisle.
“Lynch failed,” Savage said, his voice steady. “Now the people of that city will think their heroine is unbeatable, and that she ended the Savage Gang. I need to show them just how wrong they are.”
“We’ll think of something after your meeting with the Illinois governor tomorrow.”
“To hell with the Illinois governor!” Savage snapped. “Tell the pilot to turn this damn plane around! We’ll make a pit stop in Ohio to pack this thing full of our best men, and then we're off to Harrisburg. And when we get there, Sapphire Angel is going to suffer.”
Drummond nodded, stood, and headed for the cockpit. A few moments later, the plane banked and rose for the clouds.
TO BE CONTINUED
(END OF BOOK 1 — SAVAGE DAWN)
** In the update on November 6, I’ll let you know what my plans are for the launch of the next story, including the date of its arrival.
Other links:
Sapphire Angel, Superheroine (Book 1)
Power Play (Book 2)
Deconstruction (Book 3)
Savage Dawn (this book - Book 4)
I really thought Lockheed’s story arc was going to end in this novel, but apparently it’s not. In some ways, I could see that being a positive, but in others, I could see it being a negative instead. It’d mean that Sapphire will still have to deal with her while going against Savage and the remainder of the Gang, but also that Beth still has a chance at making allies with her. And she’ll likely need her, ‘cause who knows how strong Savage is (especially with those drugs pumped into him)? Still, I don’t think Sapphire can handle another encounter with Lockheed if she just barely managed to escape from her the first time. Maybe Lockheed will have learned from her mistakes and make her next trap(s) even more convoluted. But until then.....I guess we’ll have to see in the next one!
And perhaps the surviving/still able-bodied members of the current Savage Gang foes (Vick Dillard & Mike Mitchell) will join up with Maximus Savage, Benjamin Drummond, and Larry Oberkfell in the sequel? It’d make for quite the diverse skillset. Savage is the leader, Drummond’s the informant, Oberkfell’s the scientist, Mitchell’s the fight coordinator/tactician, and Vick Dillard......is the moral support? I don’t know.....it did seem like he was closer to Lynch than Savage. Then again, most of Lynch’s squad did.
I’ll be right here, waiting for November 6’s update! Until then!