Huddled in the back of the school van Cassie watched Angel and Piotr as they sat in the front seats. She caught the small smile the shared, the easy way Piotr held Angel’s hand on his thigh and wished she could feel so safe.
She hated knowing that she’d brought her old pimp to town, hated knowing that he was so close but she didn’t know what she could do to stop him. Biting her lip she stared at her hands in her lap, remembering the day she’d met him. She’d been so young, so foolish to believe that she could be accepted. Instead she’d found herself in the control of a monster, one who made her do things that hurt, that made her feel dirty.
“Are you warm enough?” Angel’s kind voice had her glancing up and nodded.
“Good. We’ll be at home soon. You can stay in your room if you like?”
“The other girls…”
“Don’t you go worryin’ about them. They’ll stand by you until the death. They know where you’re coming from, most ‘em have had the same experiences as you did.” Angel explained. “That’s why there are no judgments around the house. Everyone has sins and ghosts; everyone has to learn to live with them.”
Cassie nodded and went back to staring into her lap. Glancing up through her hair she caught the look that passed between Miss Angel and her man. There was something there that made her feel safe, made her feel like she wasn’t going to be hurt anymore. Closing her eyes she curled up in her seat, seeking the oblivion of sleep.
Leaving the van parked in the garage, Piotr carried Cassie’s sleeping frame up the stairs and past the open door. He smiled slightly at Angel who closed it after him and started for the hallway. Two flights of stairs awaited him and he didn’t need any distractions.
“ANGEL!”
Both turned at the shout and watched Sally racing toward them, Liam and Bulldog on her heels. “We lost Cassie! She went out…” Sally trailed off as she realized who Piotr was holding.
Angel watched the color drain from their faces and sighed, any other time she’d have chuckled at the mirrored looks of shock and horror, but not this time. “I know. We’re going to put her to bed; do you think you could bring something to eat up? Maybe some toast?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Sally swallowed and dashed off, fear and uncertainty in her eyes.
“Betty said you called.” Bulldog crossed his arms over his chest. “The Northern E-Teams will be here within three hours. Washington will be here in two.”
“How many?” Angel patted Piotr’s shoulder and watched him walk away with his precious burden.
“So far we’ve confirmed thirty six. You and I both know Witchdoctor and her crew won’t call, they’ll just show up.”
“I want everyone whose here now in my office in ten minutes.” Angel smiled at the kids that were moving around, unease and fear on their faces. “We’ll discuss this in detail then.”
Bulldog nodded and the pair turned to walk away. It would be a long, hard meeting and neither was looking forward to it.
Logan watched Rogue dress in silence. Frowning when she grabbed for a t-shirt and gloves he shifted on the couch, “What do you know about the organization Angel’s running?”
“What do you want to know?”
“What happens to the kids they take in.”
“A kid pulled from the streets here is sent somewhere else; somewhere no one knows them for a period of readjustment. Usually six or seven months, they’re given opportunities to enroll in school, counseling, training; you know a chance to be normal.”
“And then?”
“They go out into the world and never look back. Most of those that work for Angel have either known someone she’s taken in or have been rescued themselves. I don’t know a lot of what happens but from what I managed to get out of Piotr, she’s well respected and loved.”
“What about the rumors? You know, the evil woman snatching kids from their beds and such we’ve heard.”
Rogue sighed and turned to face him, half sitting on the dresser behind her. “They’re tales meant to scare. Angel has never snatched a kid from their bed, she doesn’t kill babies, or eat the flesh of those she steals.” She looked at her hands guiltily. “Piotr keeps a journal in his room. I’ve read through it, and its made me sick a few times.”
“Why?”
“The LFAA raided a house in Trenton about three months ago. They killed the two men who were at the door, busted up the place, and took the sex slaves out of there.” Rogue swallowed. “There was a little girl Piotr talked to, and what they had her doing wasn’t even fit for an animal, Logan. Her mother couldn’t pay her crack bill and she wasn’t good enough lookin’ to sell so they took her daughter. The little girl was the payment for her mother’s crack habit, they sold her several times a night.”
Logan clenched his hands, his claws screeching as they came out. “What happened to her?”
Rogue moved across the room and pulled a slim envelope from a drawer. “I copied this.” She handed it to him and watched the rage fill his features as he read the crookedly spelled note. “According to what I was able to find out, she’d have been dead within a year anyway. She’d been infected with the AIDs virus.”
“So you think that the organization is a good one?”
“I’d be willing to fight for them. Logan, don’t make judgments about what they do. Piotr chooses to do this work, he finds a sense of value, a sense of respect in it.”
“How’d they meet?” Logan asked staring at the suicide note in his hands.
“Remember when we had that really bad mission, the one where that boy Piotr was holding was killed? He took off without a word, disappeared until the next day…”
“Yeah, I remember. Jean was some pissed about it.”
“He went to a bar, hoping to drink away his failure. Instead he met Angel, they got drunk, went back to her place, and drank until they passed out. I don’t know what was said or anything like that, but I remember Piotr asked me after he got back what the initials stood for. When I told him he kinda smiled and said figures, only Logan would find worth in the worthless.” Rogue chuckled. “Said it made you more of a man than anyone he’d ever known.”
“We have to help them.”
“With what?”
“There was a girl here this morning. Pretty busted up but at least she’s alive. They took her back to town. I caught part of the conversation, seems they’re gonna call in all their muscle and go after the men that hurt her.”
“Then we’ll help.” Rogue knelt in front of him, her hands resting on his legs. “Please, Logan, don’t let her think she’s wrong. She’s come a long way and she deserves all the happiness she can get.”
Logan stared at her for a moment. “Xavier ain’t gonna go for a turf war between pimps ya know.”
“Then leave him outta this.”
“Come on, hurry up and get dressed. I wanna be there when this plan they’ve got goes down.” Logan paused, a frown marring his face. “Uh do you think they’ll let us in?”
Rogue smiled sadly, “They know all about you Logan. They know just what kind a man you are and they’re gonna love you. Now, lets go kick some prick’s ass!”
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