Chapter Six.
Mike
The phone rang while we were eating dinner. I’d splurged and let them have cheese garlic bread and wings with it. Jude’s number flashed up, and I hit answer.
“Yo, how’s you, brother? Girls, it’s Uncle Jude,” I said, alerting Jude the kids were here.
“Uncle Jude!” Robin shrieked.
“Hey Princess!” Jude replied with warmth in his voice. Jude was the girls' godparent and my backup. If I died, he’d take them. Without a doubt, he’d set the world on fire for them. “How was school?”
Raven and Robin babbled for ten minutes, Jude paying them close attention and listening to their gossip. I loved my captain for that.
“Okay, Uncle Jude needs to talk to Daddy. Be good, and I’ll have a present next time I see you,” Jude said. The kids cheered but didn’t ask when that would be. They knew Jude did important work and never pressed for details.
“What’s up?” I asked, heading to the office.
“Have you seen the news?”
“Nah, what did I miss?”
“Ten women have gone missing in the last fortnight from Maine. One was spotted in Camden. The police announced it tonight.”
“Fuck.”
“We’re coming to you. The father of a victim has contracted us. We’ve got a lead in Camden. You need to set up base camp. We’ll arrive at six in the morning.”
“I’ll get shit organised. You want rentals?”
“Yeah, brother,” Jude replied.
“On it. Text me the flight and airport. I’ll send an encrypted file with everything.”
I didn’t bother saying bye and cut the call. Then I started a search for what they’d need in terms of a base and headed out to bathe the girls. By the time I got them settled, I’d ordered four SUVs, found a converted barn to rent nearby, and ensured they had internet.
Once Raven and Robin were down, I organised the rest. They were landing at six-ten in the morning.
I arranged for the cars to be waiting, as I knew they’d be carrying supplies on the plane.
While ACI didn’t have an actual base, we had several stashes around the country, including one in Camden.
I dialled my babysitter; I had to start organising the equipment needed.
I was surprised when, instead of the babysitter, her husband answered.
He told me she’d had a fall and was at the hospital.
I wished them well and hung up. Fuck. I couldn’t wake the girls and take them with me, and leaving them alone was out of the question.
Jude would understand why shit wasn’t done, but that weighed on me.
I checked my contacts and ruled out the school moms, not at ten o’clock in the evening.
There was one number I hesitated over before shrugging and punching it. She could only say no.
“Dynamo.”
“It’s Mike,” I said, surprised she’d answered.
“What do you want?”
“A favour.”
“Cut to it, Mike, I don’t have all night.”
“I need someone at my house. The girls are in bed, and I gotta be somewhere. I can’t take them with me, and my babysitter’s had an accident.”
“Are you asking me to watch them?” Dynamo sounded stunned.
“Yeah. There’s no one else that I would trust with them,” I replied.
Silence fell. Shit, she’s mad.
“Don’t worry, I’ll figure something out…”
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Dynamo said and cut the call.
I was unsure how to feel about that, but at least she was coming. A quick check around ensured the house was tidy. Quarter of an hour later, bike pipes roared, and I opened the door.
Dynamo swung off her Harley and gazed at me before walking up the path. Her hair was pinned up, and she let it swing loose as she came. Dynamo wore tight black jeans and a slouchy off-the-shoulder sweater. Her cut, as usual, was dominant.
“Don’t make a habit of this, asshole,” she said, passing me.
A small smile crossed my lips. She’d come.
“I will be a couple of hours,” I stated.
“Go then,” she ordered, and with a sharp bark of laughter, I left. The quicker I got this done, the better. I headed out for our stash.
Dynamo
Mike had been gone four hours when I heard the first whimper. I sat up and turned the TV down. Listening intently for a few minutes, I was about to relax when it happened again. It was one of the girls.
Despite my curiosity, I’d not explored Mike’s house. Somehow, I guessed he’d know if I did. The cry echoed, louder, distressed, and I headed for the stairs. Whimpering began as I jogged up them and started looking for which girl was upset. The doors were ajar with a soft light on in the hallway.
I checked the first room and assumed that was Mike’s, as it had a very masculine feel.
The room opposite was a bathroom, and the one next to that contained a sleeping child.
The third one I peeked into had Robin, and she was twisted up in her sheets and whimpering.
As I entered her room, she broke into full-on sobbing, and her cries were terrifying.
Guilt hit me; Mike had mentioned their nightmares had stopped. Had my actions caused this?
Robin released a small scream, and I hurried over to reassure her that everything was okay.
“Robin, hey kid, you’re safe,” I murmured. She screamed, and I stepped back. While everything inside urged me to wake her quickly, I knew that was the wrong thing to do. From my own experience, being roughly woken made shit worse.
“Come on, sweet girl, wakey-wakey,” I muttered, gently shaking her. Robin’s eyes flew open, and I winced at the panic in them. She gasped for air, and I sat next to her, rubbing her back, murmuring platitudes.
A few minutes later her sleepiness cleared, and she gazed at me before breaking down into sobs. Robin crawled into a corner and hid her face from me.
“Your dad had to pop out,” I murmured, unsure whether to gather her up. Heck, I barely hugged Ham, Maci, and Grace. I knew shit about kids.
“Why are you here?” Robin demanded.
“Your dad asked me, he couldn’t get your usual babysitter.” To hell with it. “What was your nightmare about?” I asked.
“The monster came again with the others. They were taking me away to kill me,” Robin said.
“Nobody’s going to harm you, honey; your dad won’t let them,” I murmured as she wiped tears from her eyes. Guilt was suffocating me. Mike had built a safe place for the girls, and I’d destroyed that by attacking him. The kids were innocent.
“The monster comes at night and hides in the closet,” Robin whispered as her tears welled up again.
“Does Daddy know?”
“No. Because he might get Daddy too,” Robin replied.
I got up and sighed. I was about to make an idiot of myself, but it was worth it.
“Hey, monster,” I called. “I’m not scared of you.”
Robin looked up as she wiped her tears away. Her head cocked to one side, and she blinked.
“Come on, fight me, not a little girl,” I taunted, feeling stupid. But Robin was paying attention. “Robin, watch him run like the pussy he is.”
I threw open the closet door and punched the air a few times, and then kicked high enough to have taken someone’s nuts out.
“Get him, Dynamo!” Robin crowed.
I launched a few more punches and then grabbed an invisible throat. “Think you’re hurting now? Come back here, and I’ll put you in a world of misery,” I threatened.
I shoved the imaginary monster away from me and shut the doors and bowed.
Robin broke into clapping and cheered.
“He won’t return,” I said, and Robin nodded.
“Thank you! He was so scared!” Robin cried, and I forced a smile. I tucked Robin into bed.
“If he returns, tell him to come closer and then kick or punch him in the nuts. Even a headbang there would work.”
Robin nodded, and I stroked her hair away from her face. “Goodnight, kid.”
“Night, Dynamo. Kick him in the nuts,” Robin muttered as her eyes closed. I left the bedroom and spotted Mike in the shadows. Without a word, I followed him down the stairs and into the living room.
“That was kind of you,” Mike stated.
“You said I caused them to regress,” I replied calmly. Mike had amusement mixed with puzzlement in his eyes as he stared at me.
“Not sure I agree with the boot to the nuts.”
“That move will keep her safe when real monsters come for her.” “Did it work for you?”
“No. Nothing did. Are we done?” I asked.
“Thanks for tonight; I owe you one,” Mike replied.
“We’re quits. I owed you for what I did in front of your girls. I’m sorry, I never meant to upset them.”
“Shit happens. What you did might help Robin.” Mike paused and looked awkward. “Seriously, thank you for stepping up. We’re kinda alone here.”
“No family?”
“Nope, although some are moving back to the area.”
“ACI,” I stated, knowing the answer.
“Yeah. They’re brothers.” Mike didn’t ask how I knew. He knew we’d done the background check on him. Had he been the one who’d hacked us? Mike wouldn’t tell me.
“I’m off,” I said as the silence turned uncomfortable.
Mike walked me to the door. “Text me when you get home.”
It wasn’t a question or order. More like a request. That, I’d allow.
“Okay.”
Moments later I roared out of his drive, but I saw him watching me disappear in my mirror.
Mike
I shut the door with a smile. I’d heard Robin when I entered and hurried upstairs, but Dynamo had her in hand.
While everything screamed inside me to hold my daughter, I watched as Dynamo hysterically kicked the shit out of an invisible monster and then threatened it.
Whether that worked or not, only time would tell, but it had been cute, although Dynamo would kick my ass if I told her that.
I checked on my girls one more time and headed to bed. I had to be up in a couple of hours for Jude. As tired as I was, I was happy to be seeing my former teammates.
Grumpy kids were not the most pleasant of things, but they snuggled back to sleep in the SUV when I tucked them in. Both girls liked their sleep.
I drove to the barn I’d rented and placed the girls into a bed there. Damn, they didn’t even flinch. It was half-past-six, and the guys would be here soon. I was putting groceries away that I’d booked an early delivery slot for when they arrived.
“Keep it down, Raven and Robin are asleep,” I ordered as they entered. Sharp nods met my command, but I received some hearty slaps on the back.
“Nice place,” Jude said.