by Tl Reeve
She'd caught the eye of the PBH, Paranormal Bounty Hunters, after a video surfaced of her using her abilities, and they were tracking her—hard. The head doctors within the PBH agency wanted her. They would brainwash her, train her to be a lean, mean killing machine. She'd go off to war as a piece of property for the United States Government, not as a child who needed a family. The burger I'd inhaled, didn't sit right in my stomach anymore.
Any thoughts of sleeping went out the window the minute I stared at her photograph. All I saw was sadness. Isolation. Fear. She had long black hair like mine and the palest of grey eyes I’d ever seen before. She had fine-boned features—delicate cheeks, almond-shaped eyes, and heart-shaped lips. Her skin was a shade of warm honey, denoting her young beauty. In a few years, guys would be stepping all over themselves to date her. A part of me hated the idea, not in a sick twisted pedophilia way, but in protective sort of way. She’d already been through so much, I didn’t want to see her hurt anymore.
If I had to guess as I continued to read the non-existent file of hers, she didn't go to regular school either. Maybe the foster facility where she stayed did a sort of homeschooling thing or distance learning. Hell, it didn't matter anymore, the only thing that did matter was the girl needed to get to safety or else.
The "or else," scared the shit out of me. I shut down my laptop, then took a long hardy pull from my whiskey bottle. The remaining food sitting in front of me didn't seem all too appealing anymore. Kalkin was right. I needed to sleep because Haley was going to need me.
By the next morning, I still had a rock sitting in the middle of my stomach. I didn't like the idea of not having a complete workup of a mark, especially one so fragile. I could be strolling into a trap for all we knew. However, I also realized I couldn't not go. Haley needed me as much as I needed a vacation. I grabbed my go-pack, laptop, and keys and headed out the door.
Parked behind my truck, sat Kalkin’s sheriff’s vehicle. He leaned against the front quarter panel of SUV, pretty-as-you-please, sipping on a to-go cup of coffee. Smug bastard. “Kalkin.”
"Morning," he said. "Get in. I'll take you to the airfield. No sense in leaving your truck where anyone can see it."
"Why do I have a feeling this is a little more intense than previous cases?" I placed my stuff in the backseat then got in beside the alpha.
"It is." He handed me a stack of papers and a pen. "Sign these."
“What it is?”
He sighed. “For all intents and purposes, for this case, you will become Haley’s new father.”
I didn’t think I heard him right. “Uh, what?”
“You heard me. For the remainder of this mission, you will be Haley’s father. You will treat her like she is your biological offspring. Got it?”
No? Didn’t I get a say? “Mane might be your best bet for father of the year here, Kalkin.”
“Shut up and sign the damn papers. I swear you whine more than my sons did when I asked them to take the trash out.” Kalkin pulled out of the driveway and headed for the empty field five minutes outside of town.
“How is this supposed to work exactly?” I tried to focus on the words in the document in front of me, but they all became a jumbled blur of nothing.
“One of our people knows you’re coming. He will meet you at the orphanage and expedite the paperwork for you. He will explain to the person in charge that you’d heard about Haley and wanted to help her out.”
Sounded too easy. Whenever something appeared too “figured out,” that’s when things went south. I had a feeling the same would happen here. “And, how would I have found Haley or heard of her?”
Kalkin grinned. It wasn’t friendly either. The bastard knew how to go for the jugular, and the gut, when need be. “They like to tape their kids. Special ones like Haley also come at a price. You pay the amount they’re looking for, and you have yourself a pyro on your hands.”
“And that’s really how PBH found out. Fuck!” I could kick all of their asses in the foster care home.
“Yep. Since you’ve already made the initial payment for Haley, she’s all yours. Your contact will deliver the rest of the payment once Haley is released into your custody, hence why I couldn’t get Mane or Crow to do this job. It’s up to you to get Haley back here before those psychic bastards find out the truth and hunt both of you down.” He stopped the SUV beside the gate leading to the landing strip. “I trust you to bring her home. Keep the paperwork with you at all times. Don’t let the girl out of your sight.”
I nodded. “I’ll call after I make contact and we’re moving.”
“Good, get some sleep while you’re flying. You have a good six-hour flight ahead of you.”
“Where am I going?” I hadn’t even thought to look at the name of the city where she was living. I’d only cared about all the other, more important parts.
“New York,” he answered. “Should be right up your alley.”
“I’m from Baltimore.”
“Same difference,” Kalkin grumbled. “Now, get the fuck out of here. You’re wasting time.”
I grabbed my shit out of the back then double-timed it to the plane. Once we were in the air, I sent a text to my mom. It was a long shot, but if I could get Haley out of New York without issue, we could hole up at my parents’ place, then start the long haul of driving tomorrow morning.
Instead of texting me back, she called. “Midnight,” she chirped after I said hello. “Why are you calling so early, are you okay?”
As if she weren’t already up, embracing the day. “I’m fine, mom. I thought I might come by tonight, maybe stay there. I’ll have a... friend with me.”
She kind of knew what I did for a living, but I didn’t like to make her worry. I was their only child after all, and if she knew the kinds of scraps I’d been in more times than not, she’d have a coronary. “Of course. I’ll have the guest room made up, and we’ll make your favorite for dinner.”
Jesus, I hated when she made me feel equal parts embarrassed and loved. "Thanks, mom, I appreciate it."
“Not a problem. Do you know what time?”
"I don't. I hope not to be too late, though. I'll call when I'm on the way." The drive would only take a couple of hours, even with traffic. Still, with PBH nipping at Haley's heels I couldn't be too careful. I'd have to go the back way.
“Sounds wonderful, dear. Be safe. I love you, son.”
Shit. Right. In. The. Feels. “Love you too, mom. See you tonight.”
