“Yeah, and I bet the fucker isn’t digging with his bare ass in the air.” Blue mutters which has me smiling, we must looklike quite asight. Four men completely naked kneeling over a piece of earth while digging at it with our hands. “Shit,” Blue suddenly grunts, “I think I’ve just touched something.” he starts moving the earth more gently around what he has found.
“Fuck,” I mutter when I see it is plastic. “I think we have just found a sick motherfucker’s graveyard.” I just hope this isn’t Onix’s sister. We move the earth until we can pull the body out of its shallow grave, and then Hunter unwraps the plastic.
ONIX 13
Walking downstairs I frown at the silence in the place, I think it’s the quietest that I have ever heard it. I walk towards the comms room to find Gunner there; his back is to me when I approach the room, but he glances back and smiles, “Hey Onix.”
“Hey Gunner, do you know where Hawk is? I fell asleep earlier and just woke up.” I hardly ever sleep in the day, but it looks like Hawk exhausted me. I can feel my cheeks heating when I see Gunner’s grin, I’m sure he knows why I was knocked out.
“Yeah I know, I could hear you snoring from here.” At his words I gasp horrified, was I snoring? And then he throws his head back and roars with laughter. “That look was priceless, don’t worry I won’t tell.”
“I was snoring?”
“No, I’m just teasing you.”Hesays with a wink as he looks back at the screen which he was looking at before I interrupted him.
“Ohhh, youaremean.” I say with a laugh at his teasing, approaching I go to stand next to him looking at the photos that he is looking at, they all look like photos of the Hades men, and on the other side is a dozen photos of women and some girls which I’m guessing are women that have either been taken by the Hades or are with them like Linda is, or was.
“He went out with Hunter, I’m sure he will be back soon.” I nod as I see one of the men that was at the bar we went to; I think his name was John.
“Are those all the Hades men?” I ask with a frown.
“Most of them.”Hemutters.
“And those?” I ask pointing at the photos of the women and children.
“Their victims.”Hemutters as he turns away walking toward his desk.
“Linda really got herself into trouble this time.” I mutter, my heart heavy as I think of the life she has been leading. How can such a beautiful soul be so lost? I wish there were something that could erase all her bad memories and bring back that sunny, happy sister that I remember before everything that happened with my father and the drugs.
“Onix.” Ijumpstartled as my mind was miles away and I didn’t hear Frost approaching.
“Frosty, hey.” I greet only to see him frown at my greeting, but he doesn’t comment.
“Come with me, you have a visitor.” I frown, did they find Linda? Who else would be visiting me here? I fall into step next to him as we make our way to the bar area at the club. I stop at the door, frowning again when I see a woman and a girl that must be about nine sitting at one of the tables and then I see the man at the bar.
“Jasper.” I greethim, he turns holding two bottles of water and a beer in his hands.
“Hey, I said I would be back.” He greets, “are you still okay to help my old lady?” I look over at the women seeing a look of hope, a look that I have encountered many times before in the women that I help back home.
“Hello,” I greet, “I am Onix.” I stop by their table and smile at the girl that is looking up at me.
“Hi,” the woman greets, “I’m Charlotte and this is my daughter Aimee.”
“Well Charlotte before I can help you I need to ask you some questions,” looking around I see Sam behind the bar and Frost sitting on one of the chairs,his back to the bar looking at us, he is making no effort to hide that he is purposefully listening to our interaction. “Jasper, would you mind taking Aimee outside? I’m sure Frost will accompany you.”
At my statement I seeFrostraise a brow and then he is folding his arms over his chest clearly ignoring my subtle hint. “Come on Aimee, let’s go explore outside.” Jasper says taking a sip of his beer before standing. “I’ll be just outside.”Hemurmurs to Charlotte before taking the little girl’s hand and making his way outside. I see him look at Frost, but at Frost’s determined stance he walks outside alone.
“You know Frost, there is such a thing as Client confidentiality.”Heglances back towards where Sam is and inclines his head which has Sam immediately leaving what she was doing and walking out of the room, he then faces me again, his look telling me that, that is as good asit'sgoing to be.
“Charlotte, do you mind talking to me with Frost present?” I ask.
“No, it’s okay.”
“Tell me about your ex-husband.” I see her handsturn tofist and the tremor on her lips, a typical sign of someone trying to be brave after months, sometimes years of abuse.
“I was married to him for seven years, at first he was amazing but then as time passed, he changed.” She takes a deep breath and I cover her hand with mine giving her the little comfort that I can. “It started with him swearing at me, telling me how useless I was as a wife, as a mother but it became progressively worse.” She looks up at me,the turmoil of the past clear on her face. “He started by slapping me and then it just escalated. If I hadn’t left, I would be dead now.I ran the day he slapped Aimee because I knew he wouldn’t stop there.” My heart goes out to this woman, to all the women that go through this and that are strong enough to get out.
“Did you go to the hospital, or to see a doctor at any time?” Charlotte nods, looking down she pulls out an envelope that she had in her pocket.