CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Like everything at Belle Fleur, the adoptions were put on the fast track and completed within the week. The social workers and judges knew the families and knew there was no better place for the children.
When they saw their new homes, their new bedrooms and realized they could make them their own, the children were delighted. There was an obvious theme of music for all of them, with some actually getting an entire room filled with musical instruments and extra sound insulation just for them.
When the seven trackers loaded their gear into the customized SUV, the team knew they would be on the move for a while. They would begin at the last place they knew the doctors were, the hospital, and work their way from that location to the next.
While they were tracking in the traditional sense, the team with Ace and the others was tracking in the digital sense. Working backwards from the advertisement on the site from the dark web, he felt he was closer than ever to identifying where it was coming from.
“Any luck?” asked Luke standing in the doorway.
“Nothing conclusive, although I can tell you they are in Louisiana. I just need to get it narrowed down to the exact spot and we’ll have them.”
“Ace, we’ll find them and stop them,” said Luke. Ace turned and stared at the other man. They weren’t all that far apart in age, but he was older than Luke.
“I know you will, Luke. This just feels very personal to me and to the others. Victoria, Hayes, all of them are feeling the same way. These gifts we all possess, whether we were born with them, or they were forced on us, they should be celebrated and embraced in a loving way. Not in a profiteering way.”
“We couldn’t agree more,” said Kane walking in to join the two men. Adam, Nash, Garrett and Flip were with him. “We were talking and although it’s totally up to all of you, we think it’s best to not tell the kids why they’re the way they are.”
“You mean, keep the source of their gifts from them?” frowned Luke. “I’m not sure.”
“I know we need to defer to Bree, Shep, and Ashley but they’re all so young. It will only make them feel even more different,” said Adam.
“Well, I’m not the expert,” said Ace, “but I can tell you that I wanted to know why I was different. I needed to know that it wasn’t my fault the way I was and my adoptive father made sure to tell me that I was on the spectrum and what that meant.”
“I guess I can see the value in that as well,” said Garrett. “You’re right. We need to leave this up to the experts.”
“That decision was already made,” said Suzette. “When the children were being examined and we were taking bloodwork, they asked so many questions our heads were spinning. Ashley and Shep agreed it was the right thing to do.”
“Then I guess our opinions are overruled,” said Kane.
“Not overruled,” said Suzette. “They deserved to know, Kane. Wouldn’t you have appreciated someone telling you that you weren’t crazy? The things you felt around people, the sensations when you touched them, were real, not in your head?”
“Fair point,” he nodded.
“You know, it occurs to me that all of you could help these kids,” said Luke. “You all know ASL, just like all of us. You could help them to develop their senses in other areas, use their gifts in the right ways, and use them wisely.”
“How do you use music wisely?” asked Nash.
“I don’t mean using music really, I mean their intense need and desire to practice non-stop.
Jane is worried that they’ll develop sensory issues in their fingers and hands.
Help them to understand that honing their gifts is about practicing it in moderation, at certain times.
Create a schedule for play, for schoolwork, and for practice and performance time. ”
“Well, that is something we excel at,” smirked Adam. “I’ll let Elizabeth and Jessica know that we’re willing to help out wherever they need us.”
“Thank you, all,” said Luke. “It really does take a village.”
“Yeah, and our village is crazy, stupid, weird,” laughed Flip.
The others could only laugh as the group left the room. Luke turned to see Ace staring at him.
“What?”
“I have a bite.”
“A bite?”
“Yeah. Someone took my bait. They want to meet up with me to discuss my son with a disability.”
“Ace, what the fuck did you do, brother?” asked Luke.
“I lured them in. I gave them something they really wanted. A desperate father who can’t afford to keep his newborn, infant deaf son. His wife died in childbirth and I’m distraught, or he’s distraught. Whatever.”
“Brother, you don’t look distraught,” said Luke.
“It won’t be me. We all know acting isn’t my forte. Send someone more dramatic than me. Send Remy. He can weave a story better than anyone I know and he’s local, he’ll know how to get hints to where they are.”
“Remy’s a good choice,” nodded Luke. “Okay. I’ll send Remy to you to get the whole story you’ve told and figure out where he needs to go. We’ll send people ahead of him to watch the interaction.”
Ace nodded, sending a signal to Remy and then going back to his computers. He could feel Luke’s eyes on him but didn’t turn around.
“Stop worrying about me. I’m fine. Ask my wife.”