MC: Callahan

by L. Ann Marie

  “Kids’ word for sucks. They all say it,” VP says, rolling his eyes.

  “You calmer, Brother?” Pres asks.

  “About as calm as you when Jessie was taken. I can’t beat the fuck out of the wall with a broken hand.”

  “I’ll get a Prospect to get supplies from Doc’s,” he says at the door. I throw him chin.

  “Stayin’ tonight. Got dormers set you need to sleep,” VP says.

  I’m relieved they’re not throwing me out. “Thanks.”

  Jake comes in with a first aid kit and has me sit at the table while he stops the bleeding and sets my knuckles. “Pretty sure your wrist is broke too.” I nod and clamp my teeth together while he messes with my wrist and hand. When he goes out to see about the casting supplies I call Nancy and tell her I’m staying at Security. Kate and Jess are with her. Heather is helping with the kids. She cries and tells me to find her boy and bring him home.

  I don’t know for how long I sit, but Jake comes in and says we need to go upstairs to the kitchen so he can cast my hand. I follow on autopilot, letting him do what he needs to so I can get to surveillance. It feels like it’s been hours when I finally make it downstairs. VP is at the boards with Digs on the computer. I watch for an hour or so then hit the dorm room. When I wake up Rich and Sticks are at the boards. Half of HS is sleeping in a hotel. Danny is following a lead with three Brothers. I watch until it’s a dead end then pace the building.

  At four I go back to the dorm room. When I wake up there’s a stack of clothes on the chair. I shower with a bag on my hand and check in with surveillance. Nothing is happening, so I pace the building until a Prospect hands me a breakfast sandwich and coffee. I sit and eat then check surveillance. Little Ben is on the speaker. They found a hunting cabin belonging to a dead uncle. He gives the address and says he’ll be with Cloud. Thank fuck! Rich calls Cloud to pick me and Jake up at Security. “I’ll meet him at the chopper,” I tell him. He relays it to Cloud and nods at me.

  We fly through town and I’m glad PD leaves us alone. We park at the club and run to the helipad behind it. Cloud and Little Ben are already here. They took the Club Kids elevator. When Jake closes the door Cloud lifts off. I sit and put some cans on, hearing VP in Ops. Rich has Danny holding until he gets the maps. Little Ben is talking to the Club Kids. I look back when I hear him growl at someone. He’s pissed, telling them to get the information to Rich. “Two locations, one in the grandfather’s name almost ten miles away,” he yells. I nod, looking at Cloud. He heard. Fuckin’ great.

  VP guides Cloud to the first location. It looks empty but there’s a small barn at the back. There’s no place to land so Cloud looks for somewhere close by. HS is on the road, headed to the cabin. We watch them turn off. He hovers so we can watch them go in. The radio blows up. Everyone is talking at once. Driscoll has a boy that’s chained to the floor. Mitch has a lock on the computer and is sending it now. VP found a place to land.

  Cloud: “Blackhawk landing on the road at the turn off. It’s the closest we can get and there’s no traffic.”

  VP: “Roger, Blackhawk.”

  Driscoll: “This isn’t Diego, LP2. Says his name is Chin. He doesn’t speak English well.” Fuck! I want to leave and find Diego, but we can’t leave this kid here.

  Rich: “Roger, HS3 get him to the chopper. They’re waiting on the road.”

  Driscoll: “Roger, LP2, I’m bringing him myself. He’s scared as fuck, LP2.”

  Rich: “Get him to the chopper. HS, LB, and Jake are onboard.”

  Driscoll: “Roger, transporting now.” It takes maybe five minutes that feel like years for him to show at the road. He’s cradling a small dark haired boy in front of him. Jake runs out and carries the boy back. Little Ben takes him and talks softly as Cloud lifts off. He goes back toward the cabin and I look at him. He’s pissed.

  Cloud: “Blackhawk to C-Ops. Clear HS from the cabin, VP. Strike in five.”

  VP: “Need a fuckin’ minute, Blackhawk.”

  Cloud: “One.” He touches buttons. “Lock on for fifty-six seconds.”

  VP: “Fuckin’ crazy Indian!” Rich is yelling at HS to get what they can and get out. All I can think of is getting to the other cabin. I look back at the boy. He’s Asian or some type of oriental. I wonder if we know anyone that can talk to him. Little Ben is holding him while Jake checks him out. Jake takes the shirt off him. It’s a Security T-shirt. He has nothing on under it. Driscoll must have put it on him. He’s got bruises on his back and arms. Little Ben is talking to him, but the boy isn’t understanding. From a bag on the side of him he takes out a shirt and slides it on the boy. He calms when he sees the underwear and shorts. Little Ben dresses him, talking the whole time. When he pulls out flip flops the boy smiles.

  The chopper jerks back. I look forward and the cabin explodes. Cloud turns us and flies away. Holy fuck, he’s crazy when he’s pissed.

  Cloud: “Blackhawk clear.”

  VP: “Fuckin’ wait for the order on the next one.”

  Cloud: “I did wait! I gave them three fuckin’ minutes!”

  Jake laughs behind me. I look back and see him watching Cloud. “He’s crazy when he’s pissed. Not as bad as Knight but close. Knight wouldn’t have given extra time.” He laughs again. It was two fuckin’ minutes.

  VP: “You should be gettin’ a visual comin’ up at two o’clock.”

  Cloud: “Heavily wooded, I don’t see anything.”

  VP: “LP1 is closin’ in on the house on foot.”

  Danny: “LP2, let them know the back has a clearing.”

  Rich: “Roger, LP1”

  VP: “Northeast twenty degrees puts you at a clearin’.”

  Cloud: “Roger, VP.”

  We turn. Within a minute we see the clearing. Cloud sets us down and I’m out the door. Danny has the pussy with his knife on his neck. Bob is just going into the house. I follow Bob. A laptop is on the table open and running. Bob goes to one door and I go to the other. “Diego!” I hear him before I open the door. He’s making noise for me. When I open the door I stop. He’s naked and chained like a fuckin’ dog. He runs to me but falls when the chain runs out. He’s still making noise. “I got you, little man. Momma wants me to bring her boy home.” I move into the room and grab him from the floor. He holds onto my neck and doesn’t let go. “Sound good to you, Diego?” Following the chain, I find a ring bolted to the floor and pull it loose. Little Ben brings clothes in. “No, let’s get him out of here.” I’m not keeping him in this fuckin’ jail another second.

  “Uncle Danny is waiting for you out front. I’ll take him into the bathroom and get him dressed.”

  I look at Diego. “Can little Ben help you dress so we can get out of here?” He looks scared but nods. I put him down, handing the chain over and watch him walk away holding little Ben’s hand. He’s got bruises on him and red welts on his ass.

  I turn toward the door, ready to kill the motherfucker. “I’ll get the chain off. You’ve got a couple of minutes,” Bob says from behind me. I throw him chin.

  As soon as I see the bastard I slam my cast into his face. “Bruises and red welts on his ass!” I hit him again. “Naked, chained to the fuckin’ floor!” My cast finds his kidney. “Selling him to the highest fuckin’ bidder!” I throw an uppercut, laying him out. I stand over him, waiting for him to get up.

  “He’s out, Brother. We have clean up coming. They’ll transport him to the yard. We got some Brothers that called a shot,” Danny says on the side of me.

  I go back in. Bob has Diego on the table. He’s rubbing his ankle. I pick him up and walk out. Cloud is waiting by Danny. I didn’t even see him while I hit the motherfucker. He touches Diego’s head and smiles. “Glad we found you, Little Brother.” Diego looks at me and smiles his little lopsided smile.

  He signs, ‘Daddy got me.’

  Danny laughs. “He did, Diego, he’s always got your back.” My boy nods and lays his head on my shoulder.

  “Call Nancy.”

  H
e smiles. “Already did.”

  I throw him chin and walk us to the chopper. “We’re going home in style, Diego. We get to ride in the chopper.” He laughs, bringing tears to my eyes. Fuckin’ kids. I blink them back and get us in. Diego grabs the other boy’s hand but let’s Jake check him out. Little Ben tells him where he is marked. I’m pissed all over again and want to hit the bastard one more time. He wraps his ankle and puts some stuff on the welts, then lifts him up to me. Cloud closes the door and moves to the front. Little Ben sits in front with Cloud and I sit by the boy. Diego seems happy to see him, so I want him close.

  At Security Brothers are waiting for us. Everyone touches Diego, telling him they’re glad to see him. We go in and Pres takes him from me, giving him a hug. “Little Brother, we’ve been looking everywhere for you. Never leave your Security. No matter what, you stay with your Brothers. Yeah?” Diego nods, looking nervous. “Good.” He smiles. “You glad to be home?”

  Diego signs, ‘Yes, Momma, want me home.’ I laugh. Pres hands him back to me.

  “You better get home then. Momma was worried. She won’t be happy until she sees her boy is okay.” Diego waves bye to him, making everyone laugh.

  I take my boy out and see Jake by an SUV. “I’m your ride.” We get in and he starts driving. “I brought the stuff to recast your hand.”

  I look at the cast. Shit. I didn’t even notice it was broken. “Thanks. Where’s the other boy?”

  “Rich took him into the meeting room.” He looks at me, smiling. “I know you won’t let him out of your sight unless he was with your old lady so the best shot I have at getting it done is at your house.”

  I laugh. “You’re right.” We pull to the gate and HS welcomes Diego back, then opens the gate. Everyone is at the house waiting. Someone must have called them.

  Nancy opens my door and hugs us both. “Thank God,” she whispers. Diego holds onto her neck. She steps back for me to get out and I hug them both. Everyone surrounds us.

  I tell her Jake’s got to put a new cast on. She looks at it, then me. “I’ll tell you later. We’ll be in the kitchen.” She pulls me down to kiss me, then she thanks me. I give her a squeeze and walk to the house. Jake is on the porch with his bag, watching everyone put a hand on Diego. “Doesn’t end any better than this, Brother.” I nod and walk in the house.

  I have a new cast and mostly everyone left. Little Ben and Darren are with the kids on the grass. Me, Nancy, Jake, CJ, and Cloud are watching the kids. A Prospect, Balls, pulls in and brings bags of food up to the porch. Cloud and Jake help me set the food out buffet style along the counter. I get plates and shit set up and call the kids in.

  When they stand I see Diego hug little Ben then Darren. He holds Jeremy’s hand coming up to the porch. “He won’t leave again, Uncle Tiny,” little Ben says. Diego shakes his head no. I smile, throwing chin and tell them to go eat. When the kids go in little Ben looks at Cloud. “Pres needs me at his house with Jeremy when he’s done eating. The other boy is over there.”

  “Go in and eat or head over to Pres. I’ll bring Jeremy when he’s done,” Cloud tells him.

  “I’d like to see they’re okay. Billy and Christian are still a little off.” I hold the door open for him and Darren to go in. He’s a good President, making sure they’re all okay.

  When they’re in Cloud looks at me. “He’s going to make a good president.”

  “He already is.”

  * * *

  Nancy

  Tiny drags me away from the boys’ room. I go, but I’m so damn nervous. I haven’t let him out of my sight. I even waited outside the door when he took a shower. Ricky said little Ben told him he had to keep Diego from showering with the other boys. It’s a good thing too. Ricky didn’t want to touch him to put the cream on his behind. I wrapped his ankle and turned him to apply the cream. That’s when I saw the bruises on his back and arms. I didn’t let him see my tears, but I’ve been holding them back all damn night. Going down the hall they finally fall. He was beaten by a grown man. He’s so damn small. I let out a sob and my knees buckle. Tiny turns and catches me. Lifting me, he goes down the stairs and right out the front door. I lose it, crying into his chest. He holds my head on him and lets me cry. When I calm I ask him to explain it. He tells me everything that happened and I cry some more. My poor boy must have been so scared.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Tiny

  I slide out of bed and dress quietly. Nancy didn’t fall asleep until early this morning. Even sleeping she tossed and turned, crying on and off. When I walk out the door I turn toward the boys’ room. I hear them talking but it sounds funny. At the door I stop and hold my breath. Billy is touching Diego’s back so gently. He’s crying. José has a shirt in his hand. They must have been helping him dress. I go in and pick Billy up. “José, can you help him finish?” He looks up at me and I see he’s fighting tears. I go to the door and call Ricky. He comes in with Sheila. Shit.

  “Ricky, help Diego and take him down. I need to talk to them.”

  He nods but Diego signs, ‘No, I tell.’ I’m not sure what to do. Maybe he needs to get it out.

  “Okay, let’s get you covered and you can tell them.” He nods. Ricky helps him get his shirt on. He must be sore; he’s not lifting his arms much. I sit on the floor and José climbs on my lap with Billy. Sheila leans on my arm. She’s crying too. Christ. Ricky sits by Diego.

  He takes a deep breath and starts. ‘Boy played and said man wanted me, mad I lose money. I go man mad, hurt me back head, put rope, then...’ He looks at me, pointing to his ankle bandage.

  “Chain.”

  He nods. ‘Daddy got me. We fly home. Momma want me home. No more mad man, no more hurt. Momma want me home.’

  “We all want you home, Diego, you’re our brother. We all want you,” Sheila says to him. Jason brings her tissues.

  Ricky hugs him. “We all love you and were scared when you were gone. It hurts us to see you got hurt. That’s why they cry. You’re ours now. No more leaving with strangers. You stay with your brothers.”

  Diego sits and signs, ‘Brothers, I stay home.’

  Ricky laughs, giving him a chuck on his chin. “Yeah, you dweeb, it nurses when everyone’s always crying because they miss you. You stay home.”

  Diego laughs. Then we all do. I hug Billy and José. “You good now?” Everyone’s good.

  Ricky takes them down while I check on Sandy. Sheila follows me but stops me in the hall. “He didn’t get...hurt by a man again, did he?”

  I hug her. “No, not that way, just the bruises.”

  “Thank God.” She steps back and takes a breath. “I’ll get Sandy down.” I nod and go down with the boys. I love getting my girl up. She always has a smile and hug for me, but I think Sheila needs a minute and maybe the smile and hug this morning.

  I get breakfast done. The kids are doing clean up when someone knocks on the door. I check the time. Not even eight. Who the hell knocks before eight? I’m preparing for bad news when I hit the alarm. It’s Danny smiling. He’s got the boy with him. Diego hugs him signing, ‘I home.’

  Danny laughs. “You are home, Diego. My friend seemed nervous this morning. I thought if he saw you he’d feel better.”

  Diego takes his hand and brings him to the kitchen. We follow, he signs, ‘brothers’ and points to the kids. They all stop and look at the boy. Ricky moves closer to them, but the boy moves away, so he stops. Diego goes to him and hugs him, then turns to the boy and signs, ‘Brothers, I ours dweeb.’ He spells out, making us all laugh.

  Ricky hugs him. “That’s right, little Brother, you’re our dweeb.”

  The kids gather around the boy. Jason shows him how to fist bump and they all trade bumps. Sandy hugs him and Sheila asks his name. He looks at Danny.

  “We don’t know right now. We think he said Chin. We have someone coming today to help us figure all that out,” Danny tells them.

  “We can call him friend for now,” Jason says.

  “Perf
ect,” Nancy says from the stairs. She walks toward us. I’m Nancy. It’s nice to meet you, friend.” She smiles and gives him a hug.

  He looks at Danny. “Kate.” His voice sounds funny, the ‘a’ sounding like it comes from the back of his throat.

  “Nancy, she’s like Kate, she’s a mom,” he tells him.

  Diego signs, ‘Momma ours, Kate yours.’ We all just look at him then Danny.

  “I don’t know what the hell is going on. We need to find his family. They’ll be happy to have him home. It’s been six years.”

  Sheila starts crying and Ricky pulls her away from the kids. He grabs a box of tissues and hands them to her, looking at me for help. I go over and hug her while she cries. The kids take the boy into the living room to play Legos. Nancy takes Sheila upstairs. “I’m surprised you brought him over. Alex and Ally didn’t calm him?”

  “He kept looking out the window, saying boy. Diego is the only boy he would know. He shies away from the bigger boys, just like he did with Ricky. He wouldn’t go near Cloud but has no problem with me or Ben. He even went looking for Ben this morning. I figured the best way to settle him is to let him see that Diego is fine.”

  We sit at the table with coffee. Nancy comes in with a coffee and sits on the side of me. “Thank you for helping get Diego back, Danny.” He throws chin. “I was so scared, I didn’t want to leave him in the room last night.”

  “Did he sleep okay?” he asks me.

  “Yeah, I checked on him three or four times,” I tell him.

  The boy comes to Danny and moves his arm so he can sit on his lap. “You ready to go, friend?”

  “Go,” the boy says.

  Danny stands with the boy in his arms and puts his cup in the sink. “Thanks for letting him hang with the Little Brothers.”

  I open the door for him. Nancy gives the boy a kiss. “Bye, friend, I hope to see you later.” The boy waves. Danny throws chin.

  “I’m going to work from the house today. I’ve got a couple of hours to get in then I’ll take them out for a while.”