31. Gideon

GIDEON

I got Jason settled in a room upstairs while Blossom fussed around him making sure his every need was met.

"That's enough Blossom I don't think he needs four blankets and don't try lifting that chair again."

"Yeah about that, I meant to ask earlier Ash but got sidetracked; what the heck happened to you anyway?"

"It was an accident." She brushed it off with a slight wave of the hand, I'm sure she didn't want to get into it with him not on his first day back; smart and considerate.

"There's something else I didn't tell you." From the wide grin on her face I knew what was coming next.

"What's that?" He was testing the mattress and looking around the room; probably checking for an escape route.

She reached back and took my hand before answering him.

"We're having a baby." She looked at him expectantly almost as if expecting to be rebuffed. I saw the flash of surprise that was quickly covered before he smiled at us.

"Congratulations Ashley. Man time sure does fly huh you're married and about to become a mom, that's cool." I felt a little sorry for the kid; there was no doubt that he had a slight crush on my wife. I'm not sure if it was a good thing or not that she hadn't a clue.

"Come on baby, let's let Jason get settled in, you have everything you need kid?"

"Sure I'm cool, can I grab a shower?"

"You have your own private bath right through there kid you don't need to ask; you already know where the kitchen is if you get hungry."

"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?