Cedrick tugged my shirt. "Bathroom," he whispered. He was super scared and wouldn’t talk to anyone but me.
“We have to go to the bathroom.”
"Ok," the man said. "Go on...the both of ya."
We ran to the bathroom and closed the door. He was my buddy, and we couldn’t get separated. Unca Adwien and Tia Awyssa told us to stick together no matter what. I was keeping my promise.
Cedrick used the bathroom and then whispered, "I wanna go home."
"My family will come," I whispered back. "'Cause I'm not suh-posed to be away from home, except at their house. And none of them are here."
“Where are they?” Cedrick whispered. “I’m scared.”
I handed him my lucky four leaf clover coin that Poppy Harris gave me when I was scared to meet new friends at school. “Here. Poppy Harris gave me this to make me brave. You can hold it, until they come get us, if you want to.”
He put it in his pocket and nodded.
“Can you keep a secret?” I asked him.
He nodded. “You know I can.”
“My Uncles and Tia Awyssa aren’t soldiers no more, but they still have guns,” I whispered really quiet so the man outside wouldn’t hear. “My Mommy said that they stopped when they got me so that they could keep me safe. They promised that they wouldn’t let anything happen to me, and you’re my bestest friend, so they won’t let anything happen to you eaver.”
That made Cedrick happy. “Well I hope they get here soon and they have their guns.”
“They will.” I nodded sure. “And I’m going to tell them about the mean man.”
We washed our hands in the sink and came back out into the room. The black-haired man was eating a doughnut.
"Ready now?" he asked, after taking a great big bite.
"Don't talk wif your mouth full," I told him. "You'll choke."
"God, kid, gimme a break, will ya?" he sighed, kneeling down in front us. "I don't like this shit any more than you do, okay? Hang in there for me."
The big man that drove us away was smoking a cigarette and watching TV. He was the stranger that tried to pick me up, “Smoking is bad for you.” I told him sitting next to Cedrick.
The big man made a mean face at us and kept smoking. I didn’t like him either. He was tall like my Uncle Macon, ‘cept he was fat.
My coin was making Cedrick brave because he said, “You can’t do that, Juan has asthmar.”
But the big man kept smoking.
The dark haired man took the cigarette from him and threw it out the window. “Did you not hear what the kid just fucking said? He has asthma. They’re no good to you guys dead.” He yelled turning on the fan before sitting back at the table with us. “Do you have an inhaler or something Juan?”
I shook my head. “My mommy has it.”
“Ah hell.” He sighed. “This shit will be over soon.”
"I want my Tia,” I told him, folding my arms across my chest, because my Tia would never like these people. "And you said a bad word."
"Believe me, much longer with Zoe and Myles, and I'll want your Tia," he chuckled, holding out two doughnuts to me and Cedrick. "We have a place we gotta go, kids. Just...eat for me. It'll be over soon." He stood up when we took our breakfast. "How I got into this, I'll never know."
"Mister..." I said, tugging on his shirt until he knelt in front of me again.
"Juan, it’s Kris okay? You can use my name," he sighed, shaking his head. "It won't make a difference."
"Kris...where are we going?" I asked.
His nose wrinkled kind of funny. "We're going to see if your family thinks you're worth a lot of money, but it's a long car ride to get there."
I smiled and turned to Cedrick. "We are going home soon. I know it, because my Mommy says I'm priceless."
Kris snickered and nodded. "Sure, kid. Let's hope so."
Chapter 7- Old Friends
He was right, had it been a member of my crew, or even Adrian, I would've fought, would've aimed my fucking gun and pulled the goddamn trigger, because my crew and my guy would have been able to fight with me. But not my four year old godson.
The odds were stacked against him, because I couldn't have a bullet go nearhim, I couldn't let an innocent like Cedrick die, and there was no way in hell I could calculate getting to either of them before the man in the car fired his own weapon. I couldn't take the chance, but the waitingthe mother fucking, tortuouswaitingwas killing me. We had to do what this crazy dude said to the letter, or I could lose Ross and Doc’s child and someone else's.
But I couldn’t sit idle anymore. I told Doc that I would do anything to get Juan back, and I was more than prepared to go to war. So that was what I was going to do, prepare to go to war.
My phone rang the song that could only belong to Tink. I didn’t feel like dealing with everyone and had sent them all to voicemail. I did the same with her. Not even a second later a text message came through that I couldn’t ignore. It was from Kristen.
You better answer your phone or I will have Tink shut down your car!!!
“I knew that it would happen sooner or later.” I sighed waiting for the call.
It took her less than two hours to figure out that I wasn’t going to the home Adrian and I shared. I needed to be alone, and I couldn’t do that with FBI lurking around. Tink was a genius, and it wasn’t beyond her abilities to hack into my car’s ONSTAR and shut it down. So when Tink’s ring tone played again, I didn’t hesitate to pick up.
“Yes.” I replied dryly.
It was Kristen’s impatient voice that attacked first. “Why are you on the Jersey Turnpike?!”
“You hacked into my car’s GPS.” I accused trying to turn it around, because I assumed she would.
“No, I did.” Tink corrected fuming just as much as Kristen was. “You’re going to New York aren’t you?”
“Yes I am.” I couldn’t lie nor did I want to, and I didn’t have time for Tink to shut down my car.
Kristen sighed trying to be more patient. “This isn’t a way to handle a lovers quarrel Alyssa Giselle Marshall. Turn around and head back, please. We have a shit load of work to do.”
I had to leave to get the stuff that we needed to make sure that we were prepared for whatever that bitch had for us, “I can’t do that. It’s important.”
“Important?” Tink piped a little less furious. “Do you know something that we don’t?”
“No, not by a long shot, but I need to make this trip.” I answered honestly.
Kristen sighed. “Answer me this. Would you be taking this trip if you and Adrian didn’t just have a huge spat in the middle of the lobby? Because if you’re making up something important to run away from the issues here, then I will come up there myself.”
“Don’t insult me Kristen. Everything that is happening with Adrian and I isn’t even on the same scale as this shit. The only thing that changed because of this fight is that I am taking it alone instead of with him. But with him or not I was heading this way.”
They believed me, “How long?” Kristen sighed, and I could hear the baby cooing in the background.
“Twenty-four hours.” I guaranteed, flattening the gas and pulling off ninety-five.
Tink asked, “What are we suppose to tell everyone else? Doc? Adrian? Everyone is coming together.”
I knew that Doc would think that I abandoned her, and Adrianhe could miss me for a while. “Nothing. Let me get the supplies, and figure shit out.”
“Ok, Chance. Twenty-four hours. If your aren’t back by then, we won’t keep your secret.” Tink threatened. Though I was betting that everyone would know before that, because Tink couldn’t keep secrets from people that she loved for anything.
“Alright, I’ll call you when I am on my way back.” I promised preparing to end the conversation. “Or if there is another call.”
“Wait.” Kristen halted me, my thumb froze over the button. “Do you, want to talk about this stuff with Adrian? I know that”
As I headed towards, the Triboro Bridge, I started to feel guilty. I didn’t like keeping secrets from the three women that helped shape me into the person I was. People I owed my life to, and whom I would gladly give it for. I didn’t know how to talk to them about Adrian, because I was never prepared for something like this to happen. Nevertheless, that bridge was one I had to cross later, because I had to make sure that Juan and Cedrick got back to their parents.
Nostalgia hit me the moment I turned onto my old street. Places where I would meet with friends before I joined the military and my life got too occupied. Places that I ate with my mom, when she was well enough to go out. Even the mailbox, that I walked to a thousand times without thought, now held some type of significance. Things I would forever miss circling as I pulled in front of my old house, the one I couldn’t bring myself to sell. I didn’t really feel compelled to go in just yet. Which was sad because I knew that I had a shit load of packing I had to do, but my stomach was overpowering my need to work.
I tried to remember the last time that I’d eaten as I walked my way up the block. I left the car behind, wanting the air to clear my head. Since I didn’t have time to uncover and set up a bag that had been put away for over a year, this was the only exercise I was going to get without heading back home. I reached the grocery store about three blocks up before I realized that I hadn’t eaten in exactly seventy-four hours. Lunch with Juan.
I didn’t know if Juan and Cedrick had food, or water, if they were hurt, but I knew that he was scared, and possibly not alive for much longer. This guy was a fucking lunatic, and if he didn’t kill them, there were a hundred other different variables that could, Juan not having his inhaler being the first.
I was about halfway into filling my hand basket with the crap I would need to survive my one night stay. Energy drinks, chips, sodas, and any other junk I could get my hands on.
“Well that’s not very healthy.” An amused male voice chuckled behind me.
I didn’t want to, nor did I have the time to explain to a complete stranger the contents of my basket, so I just snapped a quick, “So don’t put any in your cart and you’ll be fine,” and then proceeded to add a box of chocolate chip Pop-Tarts.
The man just laughed again, “I can’t believe it, six years later and Alyssa Marshall is still as sassy as she is stunning.”
My head whipped around at the use of my name, meeting eyes that I hadn’t seen in years. I was frozen as my mind matched the eyes, voice, and face with past conversations, laughs, and surprisingly feelings. It was really him.
“It is still Miss Marshall right?” He joked making light of the fact that I was too overwhelmed to respond. “Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t remember me?”
When I had finally processed everything, I was left with the feeling of surprise, and complete elation from that surprise. “Hunter!” I exclaimed putting my basket down and going into his open arms. “What are you doing here? Do you live here now?”
“One question at a time woman, Geeze.” He chuckled releasing me.
I laughed picking up my basket again. “I’m sorry, I just can’t believe that it’s you. I haven’t seen you in years.” But it was him, the Navy Pilot that I endured Special Ops training with, and survived.
“Well it’s me.” He laughed before getting serious about the question. His voice dropping a little lower now. “And to answer your question, no I don’t live here. I was just in the city handling some business. My HQ is in D.C. so I live in Annapolis.”
“D.C.?” I asked flatly wondering exactly which part of the government he was now affiliated with. His suit and tie perfectly tailored to his six foot frame, made me think FBI or CIA. Which was funny, because we always made fun of the suitsespecially the upper level ones. Saying that the real heroes were in the trenches, not afraid to get dirty.
He nodded. “Well… the Pentagon to be exact.” He revealed with a mischievous grin. “But what are you doing here? Last time I checked you were a hotshot P.I. in our nations capital.”
“Last time you checked?” I caught, raising an eyebrow. “You’ll have to explain that.”
He frowned, realizing that he revealed something that he didn’t really want to. “Well, you and your sperm donor have been all over the news.”
I smiled, because he never could fool me, “That is a perfect reason, but since it isn’t your only reason I won’t accept it Commander Grayson.”
He laughed, “Oh, I’m a lonnnnggg way from Commander now Alyssa. We have plenty of time to catch up.”
My phone rang, reminding me why I was in New York in the first place, and that I was out of time. It wasn’t from Tink or Kristen, so I ignored it, knowing that if it were life altering one of them called me. I sighed. “I’m sorry Hunter but I don’t have time. I’m here to get some supplies for an emergency that I am dealing with.
His blue eyes shifted into concern. “Do you need any help?” He offered as we walked up to the cash register.
I smirked eyeing his suit and grabbing my two large paper bags. “It requires a bit of heavy lifting Grayson, I wouldn’t want you to tear your suit.”
He shook his head paying for his vitamin water putting it on top of the bags before taking them from me. “Just tell me what you need.”
We walked in silence for the first block, as he followed me back to my brownstone. We both had so much that we wanted to catch up on and both unsure of where to start. I was sure that whatever story that he would tell me would be less complicating than my life by far, but he was there the night we left for the mission in Cuba and didn’t return.
“Are you still in?” I asked finally, unsure of how I would respond to whatever answer that he was about to give me.
He looked down at me over the bags, instantly catching on. “No. With the events following your disappearance and return, the Special Ops teams were disbanded, assigned to different projects, all confidential of course.”
I nodded. “So what are you now? CIA, FBI?”
He shook his head again, “DIA” He answered quickly.
I still couldn’t see him in an Intelligence Branch, even it was one solely military based. “You, Intelligence?” I asked skeptically.
He rolled his eyes. “I’m no analyst, I know. But I’m in charge of a few special projects.”
I nodded. “Stuff you can’t tell me I’m guessing.”
“Secrets from you? That’s impossible.” He laughed, but still not answering the question. I noticed, but then again, I didn’t really want to know the inner workings of the government, I had enough to worry about.
When we finally made it back to my house, it wasn’t a moment too soon. I had forgotten how cold it got in New York, and it was barely October. I pulled my key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. I flicked on the lights and looked around, the furniture in my living room still covered, stripped bare of all the pictures and memories that I moved with me to D.C. The air smelled somewhat stale due to the lack of activity this entire time.
Tink suggested that I have a cleaning lady come once every few months or so, to keep things dusted and cared for, but I couldn’t really risk someone else seeing the things that I stored in this house. Time had been getting away from me, but after everything was over and we had Juan back. I would do a lot better.
“If I remember correctly, the kitchen is through here?” Hunter recalled going down the hall with the bags before making the first right.
“Yeah.” I answered making a quick mental checklist of everything that I needed. I could hear him rustling bags in the kitchen, and decided to warn him. “You might, have to look the other way on a few things I’m packing up.”
That got his attention. He stuck his head down the hallway looking at me as I walked, “Look the other way on…?”
My phone sang Tink’s melody before I could answer him. I sighed with
a quick, “I’ve got to take this.” Before picking up. “Tink I am going to have to call you back. I’m literally just walking through the door.”
It was Doc’s carefully steadied voice that met me though. “Walking through the door?” I froze like, a kid unsure if they were in trouble or not. Tink then explainedto who I could assume was everyonewhy I wasn’t in D.C. “Yes, Chance here decided to go home. Literally.”
Then there was Adrian’s shocked and somewhat hurt voice that came after. Though he masked it carefully, I knew him enough to pick up on with no problem. “You’re in New York?”
I didn’t like hearing that voice, especially when I knew that it was my fault it was there. I had left him out of my plans to leave because of our argument. I normally included him in everything since we’d been together, so I could understand the sense of betrayal he was feeling by me acting alone. I wanted to explain when I got back, not over a phone. But Tink’s inability to keep a secret ended that. I sighed, “Thanks for the warning Tink. Yes, I am at my brownstone.”
Doc’s voice was a mixture of confused and angry. “Alyssa Giselle, why on Earth are you there instead of here? We need you here? Have you forgotten about Juan?”
“I could never forget Juanito Doc. I’m here because of him.” I declared, a little annoyed by the accusation that I didn’t care about my godson. “Trust me.”
When she realized that she made me upset, she receded with a sigh, her voice now pleading. “I need you here Alyssa. Everyone else is here, even Victor.”
A hint of elation poked through the annoyance, at the name of the man that was almost like a father to me now. I hadn’t seen him since the wedding over a month ago, but I found comfort in knowing that he was there to help. “I will be back tomorrow I promise, first thing in the morning. I have to go.”
When the call ended I joined Hunter in the kitchen, and I suppose the expression on my face must have triggered concern, because the next thing he asked me was. “You okay?” His own expression tentative.
I nodded shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans, and leaning against counter. Though I really wasn’t he knew when to let things go with me. Instead handing me an energy drink and cracking a joke. “You know, if I knew you wanted me over to help clean I would have brought my apron.”
The Law of Motion (Law Series) Page 11
