by Victoria Sue
“Because parents of enhanced can just wash their hands of their kids.” Adam’s voice was bitter, scratchy with the remnants of an injustice never put right.
Sam looked over to the corner where Adam sat. He’d not had much to do with Adam or Eli in the two weeks before he went to Baton Rouge or since he returned. He knew Adam was out on parole after being involved in some bank heists. Knew he was Finn’s childhood best friend, had saved Finn’s life, could manipulate electricity—but not a lot else.
“When the children transform, the parents may choose to surrender their child to the care of the state,” Gregory started to explain.
“And in some circumstances the child may be taken without parental consent,” Talon added.
“What?” Sam hadn’t known that.
“If the abilities are deemed dangerous,” Finn said. “There’s a secure unit in Orlando we finally got permission to visit a few months ago, but then a new warden started and all visiting except family was suspended. It used to be for minors, but we understand it has recently been extended to age thirty.”
Fuck. It sounded like a concentration camp. “When you say minors…?” Sam asked.
“The youngest is twelve,” Finn answered flatly. Talon’s hand slid under the table next to Finn, and Sam understood why. Finn did his best to champion the enhanced, the kids especially.
“Anyway, Aaron’s dad turned up with a court order and basically stood there while Aaron packed his things up,” Gregory said.
“But why didn’t we know this?” Finn said.
Gregory sighed. “Because Pete Docherty has been on leave this week, and it’s only just filtered through. I guess his deputy wouldn’t know to call the unit. It was the first call I got this morning, but I didn’t call you because you were at the school.”
Finn nodded, looking miserable.
“Has he run away?” Gael prompted.
“So the father states.”
Sam dragged his eyes from the photo at Gregory’s dry tone. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“As I understand, Ernest Dunn stubbornly farms too many head of cattle on land ill-suited for it. He has run the farm with his brother, inherited from their father. His brother died four months ago from a massive coronary. He can’t afford to pay for help, and he has finally realized his son has the ability to do the work of about three men.”
“He’s fifteen,” Finn nearly growled.
Gregory nodded. “And is, however, showing Vance’s levels of strength and stamina. Daddy was willing to sell him to Alan Swann but now wants him back. He was flown home on Thursday night. Worked with his father for the past four days and didn’t come home from school yesterday. The assumption is he ran away.”
“Crap,” Finn muttered and pulled his phone out.
“He hasn’t got his cell phone with him, or any belongings, we think. Just what he needed at school.”
“Have you spoken to Paul?”
“Aaron’s best friend,” Vance supplied before Sam could ask.
“No.” Gregory smiled. “He’s all yours. Pete’s expecting you later. He’s at school until three thirty and should be home around four.”
“So just to recap,” Sam said to make sure he had understood. “Mini-Vance has been dragged into servitude because Mom and Dad are too cheap to pay for it. He hasn’t come home from school, so the thought is he’s run away?”
“It makes no sense he wouldn’t text me,” Finn said.
“Dad says he left the cell phone in his bedroom.”
“No, I mean before. Last night, even. He knows he can text me anytime. If he was so miserable he wanted to run away, I don’t understand why he wouldn’t reach out.”
“You’re an adult and a cop for all intents and purposes,” Sam pointed out. “If he was determined to run away, you’re the last person he would call.”
Finn shook his head. “No.” He looked at Gregory. “This doesn’t add up.”
Gregory cleared his throat, and everyone turned expectantly. “I also have a preliminary report from the church explosion. We’ve identified both enhanced bodies.”
“Wow,” Sam interrupted. “That’s fast.” The waiting list for DNA testing was a mile long.
“It was made easier because one of them—Sean Kennedy—had a tattoo still visible, which had been documented when he was imprisoned in Orlando. On an assumption they were connected, the second body—Ricardo Lupez—was quickly identified because the DNA from both enhanced were in the database. DNA testing normally takes weeks, but the identification of one subject circumvented that.”
“How did they go from prison inmates to dead bodies in Baton Rouge?” Talon asked.
“Sean Kennedy—twenty years of age—was transferred to the Apopka federal unit five years ago. He didn’t transform until he was fourteen years old, but in a show of temper half demolished his house, trapping his dad in the rubble, who later died of his injuries.”
“Temper?” Sawyer snapped. “More like grief, confusion, and being scared to death.”
“I have no doubt,” Gregory agreed. “Unfortunately, his older brother, who wasn’t home at the time it happened, said Sean was a belligerent child and had shown aggression on numerous occasions. We have nothing else to back this up except he had to be sedated to stop doing similar damage to the police station and the officers who tried to take him into custody. He has been marked as dangerous to the general public and would have remained there until he was due for a hearing on his twenty-first birthday.”
“Is this to do with the guardianship rules?” Sam asked, and Finn nodded.
“It basically means unless the parents can show they are competent, an enhanced who may be a risk to the public can be locked up by the federal government until they are twenty-one.”
“But… children?” Sam was aghast.
“Yeah,” Finn agreed. “It’s only when they are twenty-one they can get a lawyer and argue their own case. They’re hoping, if we get a change of administration at the next election, that these sorts of rules will be looked at.” Finn paused. “Most of these were a knee-jerk reaction when enhanced first became known. We’ve been waiting for change a long time.”
“Ricardo Lupez was also at the same facility,” Gregory continued. “Fourteen. But despite transforming at eleven, he had only been there three months. His ability was strength, but he could also manipulate metal, which made locking him up nearly impossible.”
“Why did he need locking up in the first place?” Jake asked.
“Because he was showing off to his friends and seeing how much he could lift. I understand they were egging him on, and being kids, they hadn’t thought about the consequences. He lifted his dad’s car up at one side and had no idea his friend’s younger sister had gotten too close to see until it slipped from his fingers and crushed the little girl. It was a complete tragedy, but her parents called ENu and he was charged with manslaughter as an adult. The judge didn’t like it, and the parents eventually agreed to him being held until twenty-one, and then he would have been eligible for parole.”
“Were they released early, then?” Talon frowned.
“No. They escaped nearly five months ago.”
“And we’re only hearing about this now?” Talon sounded incredulous.
Gregory nodded. “The contract for a new facility—worth millions—was up for renewal about the same time as the breakout. The old warden was fired immediately. As you know, any crime committed by an enhanced becomes liable for federal jurisdiction, but the facility in Orlando for minors was operated by the state. A new private company, the Tye Group, has taken over. There is talk of a new supermax facility similar to ADX Florence being opened for enhanced. The technical requirements alone are staggering, and for the first time the Bureau of Corrections might have to accept private funding. The escape caused the change in warden, and the Tye Group has his recommendation.”
“What a coincidence,” Talon said, his voice vibrating with anger. “Has anyone considered
the kids might be being helped to leave?”
Gregory met his black look with a resigned one. “It’s actually worse than that. The security team has absolutely no idea how they managed to get out, or why these two individuals who weren’t friends would go and no others. Worse still, Sean Kennedy was eleven months from being twenty-one and was due to commence a legal battle for release. He was a model inmate, and not only had his GED but his associate’s degree as well.”
“Are you thinking that they didn’t escape so much as were taken?” Talon frowned.
“And that this is related to the things Dr. Williams was telling us about?” Jake added.
“Yes,” Gregory confirmed. “Until we have any further information, we’re working on the assumption that there’s no such thing as a coincidence.”
Sam saw Vance meet Talon’s eyes, and Jake started tapping his pen on the desk. “You know, I’m pretty sure there’s an enhanced in California who hit the radar because he was part of an act at the San Diego County fair that lifted the audience.”
Talon arched an eyebrow. “The whole audience?”
“I can’t remember the specifics,” Jake said. “It was last year before I knew all you guys, but I think he gets volunteers to sit in different objects—starts with something small like a cart and then moves up to a small car. Wears a hood as part of a costume.”
“A hood, huh?” Gael snorted. “Good for him. There have been enough times I wished I could wear one.” He waggled his eyebrows at Jake, making everyone grin and taking the awkwardness out of the words.
“Ughh,” Sawyer joked. “I do not need to know your bedroom kinks.”
“Thing is,” Jake said, “I’m pretty sure he turned up dead. I only know because my mom mentioned it on the phone to me last week. She’d read the local paper. My mom is convinced I know every guy who’s enhanced. It’s worth reaching out to check the case.”
“But unless I’m missing something, the only thing that doesn’t fit is the attempt on Sam,” Gael added. “It also means that we now have two different targets.”
Sam nodded and looked at Vance. “You know, I’ve been thinking about that,” he said slowly. “There is another explanation. If whoever pulled a gun on me and managed to get to Jaylen knew where I lived, it’s likely they also knew Vance was with me. What if I was never the target at all?”
“You mean they were hoping for Vance and using you to get him?” Gael spelled it out, and Sam met Vance’s eyes.
Life seemed to have suddenly gotten even more complicated.
Chapter Nine
“JACOB ASKED me to let you all know he’s having a barbeque for Helen tomorrow night and you’re all invited.”
Sam stared at Vance. “You just got told you were at risk of being kidnapped, and the first thing out of your mouth is an invite to a cookout?”
Vance shrugged. “No point worrying about it.” He looked at Finn. “I’d like to come to the home with you, see the kids.”
Just then their cells all rang with the preprogrammed emergency warning, and Talon answered it. “Absolutely, sergeant. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.” He put the phone down.
“Jake, Sawyer, Eli, and Adam—with me.”
“Do you need me?” Vance asked immediately, and Talon shook his head.
“No, low-level domestic, but an enhanced might be involved. I’ll see you later. Gael, you’re with them.” He looked for a brief second at Finn, and Finn nodded at some silent instruction. Sam knew why Talon was taking Jake. Policy dictated they needed a regular at all times in case there were any problems. It was sad, really.
Vance, Finn, Gael, and Sam left the office. Vance gazed at Finn’s car as they walked past it. “I love you like a brother….”
Finn grinned and unlocked his car. Gael huffed but managed to fold his frame into the front seat. Vance carried on and slid in next to Sam. Sam chuckled. “So you’re riding with me?”
“Damn straight.” Vance settled back. “I’m not gonna fit in that thing. Hell, Talon doesn’t even like getting in it.” He seemed to think about it. “Although to be honest, I think that’s because he doesn’t like going anywhere he’s not driving.”
“It’s an alpha thing,” Sam replied sagely.
“A what?” Vance grinned.
“You know exactly what I mean.” Sam pulled out after Finn. “Vance—”
“It’s fine, Sam,” Vance reassured him and, not seeming to think about what he was doing, rested his large hand on Sam’s thigh.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” Vance said, still not taking his hand away.
“Don’t you drive? I’ve never seen you.”
Vance looked away. “I have a truck at my dad’s.”
Sam was silent for a minute, not sure what to ask next. The comment was offhand, but Sam got the impression it was a sore subject. “I—”
“I just don’t really like to,” Vance interrupted as Sam had been going to change the subject.
“We’re all different,” Sam said casually, even though that wasn’t what he wanted to say at all.
“It’s no secret, but the first time I got behind the wheel, I hurt my granddad.”
“Accidentally, though,” Sam decreed. There was no way Vance would hurt anyone on purpose.
“I pressed on the accelerator to back the car up, and I pressed too hard because sometimes I forget how strong I was… am. I pinned my granddad between the garage door and the car. It broke his leg, but it could have been a ton worse.”
“It was an accident, Vance.”
“I know” was all the reply Sam got, but he understood. Vance often seemed wary he would hurt people. Sam had an image of the way Vance flattened himself against any wall so people could get past him. He had thought at first he didn’t like to be touched, but of course that was wrong. He just didn’t like the thought of hurting anyone. But then his size had been an issue for a lot of years. Vance was the epitome of a gentle giant. At the store when they had gone shopping, he had been the first to notice Mrs. Vine needed help, and Sam wasn’t sure he’d have been as quick. He needed to change the subject, and not just for Vance’s peace of mind. He was getting too involved in Vance.
“How many kids are at the home?”
“Six, including Aaron. But there’s four more beds if they need it.”
They were talking normally, but Vance still hadn’t moved his hand. Sam gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. “All enhanced?”
“No, but that’s only because Sam Harker is there, and his older brother, Jason, is enhanced. Super speed like you can barely see him move. They aren’t going to split them up, thank goodness.” Vance leaned back and lifted his hand.
“And the others?” Sam wasn’t sure whether it was relief or disappointment that made his voice sound an octave higher.
“Paul Reece, fifteen. He has incredible hearing, but it’s not the same as Jonathan Deen’s. He doesn’t need headphones, and apparently he can tune other stuff out. We ought to put him in touch with Dr. Rayner, I guess.” Vance looked concerned, like he wished he’d thought of that yesterday, but then Finn was probably already on it.
“Who else?” Sam prompted.
“Terry Myers. He’s ten, I think. Had a birthday last month. We don’t know what abilities he has yet. Cody’s gone back to his gran’s.”
“Cody?”
“From the school.”
Sam nodded, turned around a corner, and pulled up behind Finn. “Not too far.”
About five seconds after they arrived, the front door opened and kids spilled out. Finn opened his arms as a little whirlwind flew into them.
“Sam,” Vance confirmed. “He’s close to Finn.”
Finn laughed, and a gray-haired older man appeared at the door, smiling widely. “They made me save cake till you got here.”
Sam assumed this was Pete Docherty, the manager, and held his hand out as Vance introduced them. They all went inside into a big kitchen. A young woman looked up
from where she was putting a large chocolate cake on the table. “Vance.” She smiled and flushed a little.
Vance smiled back but didn’t go any nearer, and Sam immediately noticed. He put his hand out.
“Sorry,” Finn said. “This is Amanda Spellman, who is an amazing cook and makes all our favorites whenever we visit. Agent Sam Piper.”
Sam eyed the young woman who was gazing at Vance like he was God.
“It’s no trouble,” she murmured. “Although it’s lucky I had a chocolate cake, because I know it’s Agent Connelly’s favorite.”
Sam met Pete’s eyes, who promptly rolled his. Okay, so that was how it was. Miss Amanda had a thing for Vance, huh? Sam eyed Vance speculatively.
“No Paul?” Finn looked around.
“Upstairs,” Pete grumbled. “He won’t have heard you because he plays his damn music so loud I make him wear headphones.”
“I’ll get him.” Jason smiled and shot out of the room. Sam eyed the large space approvingly. It was homey. Lots of corners full of toys and books. Didn’t look like everything had to be just so. A whole lot different from some of the places he’d been in. Was that why he’d wanted to come? Vance had been so definite about the system changing, and on the surface this seemed quite good, but it would take more than one place to mend a broken system.
“Finn.” A tall boy rushed into the room, and Finn threw his arms around him for a brief hug. He turned and rushed at Vance and Gael, getting the same treatment, and shook hands with Sam. They all sat and just hung out for a while, eating cake and all the kids taking it in turns to vie for Vance’s and Finn’s attention.
In a little while Amanda reluctantly excused herself and left. Much to their disgust, Sam and Terry were sent up for baths, and Jason stood up when Pete would have. “I’ll go help,” he said, and Pete nodded gratefully.
That left just the six of them, and as soon as the door was closed, Paul turned to Finn. “I know you haven’t heard from him, Pete told me, but what’s happening?”
Finn scanned Paul’s face. “We only found out today he wasn’t here. Have you spoken to him?”
