"Just so you know I eat a lot." He said it jokingly but I'd already seen the truth in his words. The boy had eaten two omelets and toast with home fries for breakfast, not to mention the pint of juice he'd put away.
"We can afford to feed you not to worry." I led Blossom from the room without trying to be too obvious that I was in a hurry. The guys were waiting for me so that we could head to the safe house. I wasn't taking her with me, not this time anyway. Two members of my security team will be here to keep an eye on her, and now Jason was in the house as well. I must admit to feeling a little better knowing the kid was in the house. He'd be able to keep her out of my hair while I did what needed to be done.
"Baby I need to leave for a bit, I need you to stay here until I return okay."
"Where're you going?" I looked down at her; so innocent and openly trusting, how could I lie to that face?
"We're expecting some of the rescued children to be arriving in a few hours. I need to go make sure everything is in place."
"I want to go." I was expecting this and as much as I hated to disappoint her in anyway there was no help for it this time.
"No way babe, I have no idea what shape they're in and I don't want you exposed to anything until I'm sure it's safe. Some of these kids have been held captive for years so who knows what damage has been done psychologically. Maybe in a few days when I'm sure it's safe for you and the baby I'll take you there but for now I want to keep you as far away from all of this as possible."
"You can't protect me from what I already know Gideon. Don't you think I've imagined the worst after finding out about the others? I have; I'm just glad you were able to save some of them and hope you get to them all." Her little face had gone sad.
"We're working on it baby." I pulled her in for a hug. There's no way I'm telling her that some of them hadn't made it. We'd traced one little girl that had been brutalized by a monster who had paid top dollar for the privilege of deflowering a five year old. She'd suffered internal damages and bled to death as a result of his attentions. I'm trying to track this particular specimen down as we speak. Two of the others had been used in underground snuff films. We'd already found and dealt with the sick fucks involved in that debacle. It wasn't easy linking these people to their crimes since out of necessity they were very secretive, but sometimes we got lucky and once we pulled a string the whole ball of wax unraveled.
We had to move fast because we weren't sure how connected the network was and we didn't want anyone tipping off anyone else. My men on the ground have been working tirelessly trying to get done in a matter of days what it usually took weeks or sometimes months to accomplish. That's what happens when you paid top dollar, though I was sure money wasn't their only motivation. Even hardened criminals find it hard to stomach injustice against a child. I've been lucky enough to have the best working on this, men who knew what to look for and how to proceed. The deeper we dug the more horrifying it became. I would never expose her to those horrors. I'll take that shit to the grave. None of it will ever touch her not now not ever.
"So are you going to be my good girl and stay here while I go make sure everything is okay for them?"
"I guess so, I'll play around on the computer a bit, give poor Jason some time to rest. I don't think he had too much of that while on the streets; that's one more victim huh Gideon?" She had tears in her eyes my poor baby. I wasn't too surprised that she'd figured it out after all but fuck, too damn smart.
"Just take it easy for me alright and I'll bring you back a treat."
It was times like this that I was reminded once more of her age because her eyes lit up and she hunched her shoulders as she grinned at me. So fucking cute.
"What are you gonna bring me?"
"Not sure yet but I'll think of something." Just then I remembered something else that I'd been working on before all this shit started. It could be considered more than a treat but as long as it puts a smile on her face what the fuck did I care?
Chapter 32
It wasn't easy leaving her back there. The way things were escalating so rapidly I wasn't sure what would happen next. The senator seems to be acting erratically according to the men I had following him. His little house of cards was tumbling down around him and as a businessman I know that makes for a very tense situation. He had more to worry about than a business deal gone sour however. He was facing a lifetime in jail if nothing else not to mention the public fallout, the embarrassment. A man in his position would go to very drastic measures to see that that doesn't happen.
I couldn't help picking up the phone and calling her though we'd barely been gone ten minutes.
"What're you doing baby?" Her tinkling laugh helped sooth some of the rough edges.
"Gideon, you just left, I'm not doing anything I promise. Besides I'm feeling lazy I think I'll go back to sleep all this excitement has worn me out."
"You feeling okay, the baby's not making you sick is he?" I couldn't make up my mind if we were having a boy or girl so instead of calling my kid ‘it' I went back and forth on the sex. I hope that didn't fuck the poor kid up when he or she finally got here. The fuck I know.
"Nope we're fine I'll just lay here and watch something until I go back to sleep then I'll go get Jason and we'll do something."
"Okay just make sure you both stay inside okay sweetheart?"
"Will do, um Gideon?"
"What is it sweetheart?"
I wasn't sure what the hesitance in her voice meant, or the way her voice had gone soft and sad.
"My dad."
I closed my eyes as I felt her pain; after all he'd done this precious girl still had the capacity to love him.
"I know Blossom I'm already on it; anything specific you needed me to do?"
"Blue, make sure he has a blue shirt it was his favorite color."
Fuck baby don't cry don't cry don't cry. I really needed to go make sure things are set for the rescued kids but if she started crying there was no way I'd leave her like that. She must've pulled herself together my brave girl because when next she spoke her voice was stronger.
"I'll see you when you get back I love you."
"I love you too my Blossom."
"Blossom do you remember that room I showed you?" I don't know why the sudden though hit me but I went with it. There were men there but I still needed to make sure she was as safe as possible.
"Uh huh, stop worrying Gideon we'll be fine."
"Okay baby I'll see you soon."
I used the rest of the ride to take care of her gift. Looks like it will be needed now more than ever now since her pseudo brother will be living with, us not to mention the baby will be here in a few months. The baby. Damn I haven't even had time to really take it in. I'm going to be a dad, I'm equal parts overjoyed and scared. She was still so young, though she didn't seem to mind too much after her initial fears had been assuaged. I guess I'll worry for both of us. She had so much faith in me. I'll have to be ever careful not to let her down. After this shit was put to bed I can concentrate on all the ways my life will be changing in the not too distant future.
The place was buzzing with activity when we finally arrived. Dad had things set up as best he could under the hurried circumstances. With the need for secrecy he'd had to call in some favors but he'd got the job done it looked like. He had a couple rooms set up for triage and I noticed most of his female colleagues were on hand. I'd left it up to his discretion who he wanted to wrangle into helping him out.
"We're all set and ready to go son. I've spoken to your guy in the air and apparently they're all steady on their feet no known traumas or outward wounds have been reported, so it'll probably be more running tests and having Charlotte talk to the females. Get a feel as to how much mental damage has been done, and where we need to go from there. I have to tell you son this is gonna cause a shit storm. Are you prepared for the fallout, is Ashley?"
That was the question wasn't it? The one thing that kept me on the edge as to what exactly I was going to do.
"I don't want her involved if at all possible."
"That might not be possible son, the way this thing is unraveling somebody's gonna talk, too many people involved. We have to figure out how to get these kids back with their families and back into society, it's going to be rough."