Chapter 1 #2
He shone his light on the floor, but it was enough to illuminate the people huddled together.
“Promise?” the man asked. “We are hungry. Need water.” Atlas relayed the message, and water bottles were passed to him.
He handed them out along with granola bars.
They seemed to calm somewhat after that, and Atlas helped them get out.
The man watched him warily, helping each of the women to climb out before he followed.
Chris was already there, doing her best to reassure them and helping three of the women to her car and then helping the other two into Atlas’s back seat, along with the man, who thankfully was able to translate. Then Atlas followed her as she pulled out.
“How long were you in there?” Atlas asked as he drove. All three of the people kept turning toward Evie as though she was going to eat them. “Evie is the one who found you.”
“We were in truck for days. We start in Florida,” the man said, his eyes huge.
“It very hot and no water.” They had all drunk what Atlas had given them, and by the time he pulled in at Chris’s building and got them inside in the air conditioning, she had already gotten more water out as well as more food.
“I believe they’re speaking Russian, but they could be from anywhere in that region.” Chris said softly as she did her best to reassure them that they were safe. He didn’t understand a word of what they were saying, but thankfulness was almost universal. The women sat together talking softly.
“What happen to us?” the young man asked, eyeing Evie warily as she sat next to his feet.
“We will find you a place to stay,” Chris said.
“I’m trying to see if I can find a halfway house that can take them.
We have a few who speak some of the Cyrillic languages.
I believe they are speaking Russian or maybe Georgian, and I know of at least one place that can help them.
But I don’t know if they have room.” She lowered her voice. “But they will only take the women.”
Atlas nodded slowly. He knew a lot of these shelters were for the victims of domestic violence, and a man in those places could be disruptive for women who were trying to put the initial pieces of their lives back together.
“Do what you can,” Atlas told her and took a step back so he didn’t make everyone else more nervous.
The women tended to eye him warily, while the young man stood between them and him like he was the guardian of their virtue.
And maybe he was, in a way. They had all been packed in the back of a truck like cargo, and who knew what all of them had been through.
Chris hurried away, and Atlas heard her talking on the phone.
She made as number of calls and then returned.
“I found a place for the women. The home with a Russian speaker had four openings. But someone is leaving tomorrow, so the fifth room will be available, and I was able to give them dispensation for a night.” She seemed a little worn out and wired at the same time. “But I have no place for him.”
“They speak Russian and Georgian and I stay with them. Keep them safe,” he said, standing as tall and proud as a man a little over five feet could.
“They are going to a safe place for women only,” Chris said gently. “They will be fine and no one will hurt them. The woman who runs the shelter speaks Russian. She will try to help them.”
He sighed and relaxed slightly. “Okay. I sleep in park or wherever. I be okay. I be okay. You no worry.”
Atlas sat down and watched as Chris got the women and, with the man’s help, Chris was able to get some basic information about each of the women. Then she got them together and led them out to a van, where another woman drove them away.
“You can’t stay in the park or camp out somewhere,” Atlas said.
“Then I figure it out.” He sounded so confident.
Chris returned and went back to the phones. She made call after call before returning.
“No luck?” Atlas guessed.
“Not right now. I might have space in a few weeks, but at the moment there are no openings unless I put him in Harrisburg, but then he’d be out of my jurisdiction.”
“No. I stay here,” the man said firmly.
Chris seemed at the end of her resources, so Atlas spoke up.
“Why don’t you put him with me for a few days?
I have the next two days off, and maybe something will open up by then.
” He couldn’t let the guy stay in the park somewhere.
There were too many homeless people in town already.
“He’s been through enough, and I have a guest room. ”
Chris seemed skeptical. “Are you really equipped for this? I know you’re a cop and all, but taking in someone like this is a big responsibility.
It’s likely he has issues that we know nothing about.
” Atlas held her gaze, waiting for her to come up with a better plan.
“I guess I can place him with you, but I’m going to stop by to check on both of you. ”
He rolled his eyes. “I appreciate your faith in my abilities.”
“Atlas, you’re a cop. You give orders and expect people to do what you tell them.
You’re trained to take charge of a situation, for your own safety and that of others.
This isn’t like that. He’s going to need a gentler hand and a lot more understanding.
I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself in for. ”
“I guess I’ll find out,” Atlas told her.
Chris threw her hands up. “Fine. I’ll keep him here for today, and you can pick him up after your shift. I’ll stop by tomorrow and the day after to make sure everything is good while I find him a more permanent placement.” She hurried away, and Atlas sat down.
“You’re going to come stay with me for a few days. Okay? I’m Atlas De Vaus, and this is Evie. She’s the one who helped us find you.” Evie sat with her tongue out, staying where she was the way she’d been taught.
“I Bazel Dadiani,” he said, putting his hand on his chest.
Atlas nodded. “I have to go back to work, but I will come back here once my shift is over, and then we will go home.” He stood, and Bazel did the same.
Atlas left with Evie and got into his car, hoping like hell that he was doing the right thing.
He couldn’t just let the man survive on his own.
Maybe Chris was right and he was the least prepared person on earth to take someone in like this. But it was too late to go back now.