It’s a Spy’s Life, Part 13

By: Liz Davidson

This a chapter-by-chapter book about a 16-year-old spy, Angela Darkmoon, as she finds her way in the mixed-up, topsy-turvy world she lives in.

Part 13

Jake whistled and instantly the dogs sat down, wagging their tails and their tongues lolling out of their mouths. Calico, laid down and looked desperately at Isha in her own delicate way. Isha, of course, instantly walked over to the  and showed her the puppy Angela had found. Calico, being who she was sniffed at the small puppy before she licked the little wobbly thing.

    “You better not be counting on giving it to Isha. I don’t want a dog, or need a dog,” he replied, looking sternly at Angela.
“You’re not accounting on her begging you for the puppy.” When Japser started to groan, Angela laughed as she walked to the trunk of the van. Taking her bags out, she than let Jinx out. Packman instantly rushed over and started licking the cat. Jinx, used to the rough attention, started purring before following Angela into the house.
“Jake, which room do you want me to use?” the teen asked.
“Your regular room. After you get settled in, would you like to meet the new filly?” Jake asked.
“Of course,” Angela replied over her shoulder as she walked into the room she usually stayed in when she was at Jake’s. He was the only father-like figure in Angela’s life, and the only one in the group who got lonely living alone, like Angela. Jake’s house was huge. He owned several hundred acres, complete with a stable, paddocks, pastures, practice rings, trails, and much more.

Sliding into her riding clothes, Angela pulled her hair into a high ponytail as she walked out. Smooching to Junior, she patted his head when he rushed to her. She remembered when he was a puppy trotting after Jinx and trying to play with the kitty.

When she entered the stable, she found Jake and Johnathon talking about the horses.

“You really did pick a good filly. Spirited without being overly enthusiastic. Nice solid hooves, slender legs, nice arch in the neck. You really did pick a superb filly for you know who.”

“Who’s you know who?” Angela asked curiously as she walked over to them.

“Ah, Angela. Meet, Crescendo. Crescendo, meet Angela.” Angela walked up to the bay filly. She was brushed enough that her coat shined and her mane and tail flowed softly. The filly walked up to the girl, and butted her playfully.

    The next hour sped by Angela so quickly she could hardly remember much of it. She did remember riding the horse for just a few miles out on the trail and a few miles back. Jake had told her the filly was from Nevada, so she wasn’t quite used to the humidity of Washington, D.C. Crescendo had a moved smoothly, even in a trot.
“Hey, Jake, what breed is she?” the sixteen-year-old asked the horseman as she finished caring for the tack. She had already groomed the bay, so she basically finished except for checking the tack.
“A mustang, from Nevada. She’s actually not fully broken, that’s why the bridle was a bitless endurance.”
Angela nodded. “Well, does Dude need to be taken out?” Hearing his stable name, Desert Dude looked outside of his stall. The gelding was a chestnut Quarter Horse and Appaloosa mix. He had the Quarter Horse build and chestnut color from his daddy.  The solid white markings that covered his whither, his stripped hooves, and the white ring around his eye where the characteristics he had inherited from his Appy mother.
Jake nodded. “I know he’s your favorite, so he hasn’t been ridden yet today.” Angela grinned in response and hurried to get him ready to ride.
As soon as Dude was ready to go, Angela led him out of the stable before she mounted up. She loved being on the seventeen hand high gelding. Making a snap decision, she dismounted and removed the saddle, leaving the saddle blanket. Dude nickered curiously as she ground tied him and put the saddle away. Walking back out, Angela smooched to make Dude’s ears prick forward.
Quickly, she headed towards the fence with Dude following her. Promptly, she was mounted again.

“Where should we go, Dude,” Angela asked thinking. Deciding on a trail she reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and left it balancing on a fence post. She had to get Dude in shape for the Hunter competitions a few months away.

    As both the horse and the girl started down the trail, the world seemed to pause. It’s so peaceful, Angela thought as she signaled for Dude to go from a walk to a trot. The day wasn’t too cold or too hot, with the right amount of sunlight. Urging the gelding to go faster, she laughed as the wind started to blow in her face. Just as she gave the Appy mix his head, he skidded to a halt.
“You’re okay, big guy. Now what scared you?” she asked the horse as she bent down and patted his neck. The whites of his eyes were showing. Great,just what I needed, a spooked horse.
The shots rang out again, hitting the ground a few feet from her. As Dude reared, Angela leaned forward, holding onto the end of the reins (to give the horse his head), and gripped his sides with her legs for dear life. She gripped his mane and neck to stay on.
“You’re okay. Listen to me, big boy. You’ll be fine,” she murmured, trying to calm him down while not letting herself panic. When the gelding placed all four hooves back on the ground, she took control again, making him turn in circles before he had the chance to rear again. After a few seconds she had him calmed down enough that she could make him gallop. Giving him his head, she directed him in the direction of an abandoned, stone church. It would be strong enough to hide the two of them while she fired back with her own back-up gun.
As the pair approached the old building, Angela didn’t take the time to enjoy the landscape around the abandoned church as she normally would. Stopping the horse a few feet from the door she slid off, lifted the reins over Dude’s head, and walked to the door. Opening the heavy oak door with one hand took some work, but finally Angela had it open enough that she could lead the horse through it.
Once both the horse and the girl were inside the building, Angela closed the door so it would be harder for anyone to get a good shot at her or the horse.
“Dear God, why did I leave my phone back at the house,” she muttered as she took out her back-up gun. Dude just pricked his ears in the direction of her and butted her arm playfully with his nose.
“Angela. Angela! Angela!! ANGELA!!!” somebody yelled at her. Waking up with a start, the teen quickly dodged the paper wad that was thrown at her.
“What do you want, Japser,” she mumbled as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
“You feel asleep at your desk again. You know Jake said you should go see someone about that case. I can see you refusing to go see a psychiatrist when you had the same dream five times, but after twenty…You need to go talk to someone. And a professional at that,” her coworker chastised her. Waving her hand at him, she dismissed the subject. Turning back to her computer, she started working again. Just a normal, boring, old day. But sometimes boring, old days were better than the days filled with too much activity.
“Angela, can you file this,” Nate asked. Angela nodded.
“Of course I can.” With that she took the papers from the man and walked to the elevator.

THE END!!!!!