(WARNING: This story has some mature content including violence towards Minors, language and more violence. Please proceed with caution or skip this one. P.s: a note to Witchy turtle, I removed all graphic scenes)  

"Not so rough." Taylor grunted as he grabbed the bar in front of him.

"Shut up." Carmen grunted as he felt around on the top shelf for the box hidden away. Taylor whined as Carmen's feet dug into his shoulder blades. 

"Once we get this box of cash, we will be free to run wherever we want to go." Carmen hissed softly. Carmen was the older boy between them. 

He was eight with a lean face and build. His dark little eyes hidden in his longer brown hair. He was a known troublemaker and hardly ever stayed in any one foster home for long. He had been there less than week already. 

Taylor was the awkward 'too big for his age' kid. He looked like he could be twelve when he was only seven. He was the shy giant hiding as often as he could from the world. Carmen had come and pulled him out of his books, recruiting him for his trouble making schemes.

"Do you have it yet?" Taylor asked as Carmen grunted in response. 

Taylor didn't like being the muscle, while Carmen claimed to be the brains, but with Carmen being the smaller one between them, Taylor had to admit it made sense that he would be the stepping stool. He tried to resist a chuckle when the idea of him standing on Carmen's shoulders entered his mind. 

Carmen only came up to his shoulder normally. He would look like he was squashing the poor guy.

"What's so funny?" Carmen asked as he pulled himself onto the shelf.

"Nothing. Are we done yet? We are going to get caught." Taylor whispered up at him.

"Not yet. I know its here." Carmen hissed as he dug around angrily.

"No, it's not." Said an icy voice as the light flicked on in the room. Taylor turned around quickly forgetting Carmen was still using him as a stool. Carmen squeaked as he lost his balance, growling when Taylor caught him awkwardly, causing them both to tumble to the floor.

"Dumb stupid idiot!" Carmen hissed as Taylor quickly sat up.

"Sorry." Taylor mumbled as someone cleared their throat.

"I suppose I should be annoyed you broke into my room in an attempt to steal my things. However, you are no longer my problem, Carmen Toya. You have been adopted. Congratulations." The cold woman told them as she grabbed their collars lifting them off the floor.

"What?" Carmen asked as Taylor meekly hung from the woman's grasp.

"You are adopted. Your new family comes for you in the morning. pack your bag and get out of my sight." She hissed shoving Carmen out of her room.

"What about Taylor? He is only helping me." Carmen growled back as she huffed.

"His mistake." She told him simply closing the door on Carmen's face. She sighed turning to look at the boy at her side. He kept his gaze on his toes as he trembled slightly in her grasp. 

"Do you know why Carmen was adopted before you?" She asked dragging her long nails along his neck to cup his chin and force him to look up at her. She smiled with her teeth as she brushed his brown hair out of his face. 

He had freckles that decorated his cheeks just below his mismatched eyes. One was bluer than the sky while its partner was as green as meadow on a summer day.

"No mam." Taylor answered as his voice cracked from the fear.

"Nobody wants an ugly son." She cooed as she struck him across the face. He fell into the dresser, whimpering when he hit the floor. His face stung where her nails had cut him. He tried to fight back the tears as she grabbed a handful of his hair. 

"It's such a shame really. I liked you out of all the boys because you were so quiet and respectful. You shouldn't have made friends with that boy. He will never be any good for you. None of them will. Next to you, they are all more desirable. You make them get adopted faster because next to you, anything is better. Even brats like Carmen." She hissed pulling him to his feet.

"I'm sorry." Taylor sobbed as she pouted.

"I know. But I need to make sure this never happens again. You understand. You're a smart boy. The government will only give me money if I have a place for adolescent orphans. And I can only stand to run this place as long as you all behave. You need to be punished if I am going to ensure that mistakes like this never happen again."

"I won't. I won't I won't." Taylor chanted as she dragged him to the closet. She paused pulling him to face her, rubbing the cuts on his face.

"Oh, I know sweetie. You never disappoint me." She growled with a thin smile shoving him into the closet. 

"Too bad you hadn't been a girl. I like girls. Much better than ugly boys." She laughed as she shut and locked the closet doors.

"Please! I promise I won't do it again." Taylor pleaded. She dragged her nails on the thick wood making him hush.

"Don't worry I will let you out again. Expecting parents need someone ugly to compare to their future child." She called as she walked away. Turning out the lights and locking the door. 

Taylor fell to his knees sobbing as he winched at his stinging wounds. He had been in this place since he was an infant. Children were adopted left and right while he remained. Waiting. Longing for a home of his own. 

The idea that no one would ever want him hurt as he sobbed on the floor. Carmen had been his first friend in this place. Transferring to the orphanage when his mother died.

Carmen had been in and out of foster homes during his mother's condition. Now that he had no one, he showed up here in orphanage. Befriending him. Taylor cried for a while just wishing someone would want him too. Was he really so ugly? A soft tapping had Taylor sniffling as he sat up.

"Psst. Taylor? Is that you, crying like a hungry baby?" Carmen's voice whispered in the dark.

"Where are you?" Taylor whispered back confused.

"In the broom closet by the pink bathroom. I saw somewhere that sometimes closets have attic access. I was going to break you out. I heard you through this vent near the floor. Are you okay did she hurt you?" Carmen growled softly as Taylor wiped his face dry.

"I'm ok." Taylor responded making Carmen grunt. Taylor smiled as he pictured the boys stubborn face. He crawled over to the sound reaching out to touch the metal plate. Something slipped through the bars making him hold his breath nervously. A monster?

"Found you." Carmen muttered as he wrapped his fingers around the bars and the trembling hands of his friend. "No matter what happens I will rescue you. Just hold on until then. I will find away. Promise you'll stay strong for me?" Carmen growled through the bars.

"I promise. Just promise me you will save me quickly. I am hungry." Taylor mumbled as Carmen let out a quiet laugh.

"I promise I will rescue you. I can't guarantee when. That's why you have to be strong. Like me!" Carmen declared making Taylor smile through his hopeless tears.

"I'll hold you to it." Taylor told him as he drifted in and out of sleep. His friend's fingers wrapped around his. Taylor just wished he knew how long he would have to wait.

* * * * * * *

"Kody!" A voice shouted in his ear making him jump. The bright redhead glared at him as she squinted her nose. 

"What were you thinking about?" She demanded as she plopped down beside him. Kody sighed sitting up looking out over the empty galaxy. 

Some years ago, before Kody had been born, the world had gotten into a vast war. Blowing half of the planet to bits before a truce was made. Work was being done to reconnect those pieces, attaching the floating chunks to cables and extending biospheres around individual pieces. New life was beginning to form on most of the fragments allowing for human population. Kody took a deep breath before turning on the little monster at his side.

"I was thinking of the past." Kody told her as she perked up.

"You mean like the day you first arrived?" She wondered as Kody frowned at her. 

Sariah had been part of the welcoming comity for the labor camps. Most of the camps were occupied by orphans from the war. Their job was to build the new cities for the future generations. When their job here was finished, they would move on to the next fragment. 

Sariah was a go between for the workers and the higher ups. She had a nerve of steal and could very well kick any one of their untrained asses to the moon and back. But she preferred to appear soft and delicate. Which was probably why she had taken a liking to him. 

Six and a half feet tall, he stood above almost everyone. He had bulked out and wore an eye patch over his right eye only adding to the scars on that side of his face. His dark brown hair had red highlights that seemed to sparkle in the sun light but fade in the shadows.

"No before that." Kody muttered as he rubbed his face annoyed. He wasn't sure what had brought up the past memories, making him frown. They should be buried where they belonged.

"Before you met me? You mean when you went by Taylor before I changed your name? That kind of 'Before that'? I thought you said you couldn't remember much after the explosion that killed the lady running your steady home." Sariah pouted. 

Kody didn't say anything as she considered it. She had gone in to get his records, researching everything she could on him when he first came to base. He didn't like talking and the hours they spent together still hadn't changed that.

"I don't. Why are you here? It's my day off. Can't I nap in peace?" Kody growled as Sariah jumped to her feet nodding.

"Your day off is exactly why I am here. Against our wishes, the home planet is sending dwellers to stay here while we finish up. A shipment of them arrive in just a few hours. I want you there as my escort." She told him grabbing his arm and hauling him to his feet. 

He grumbled down at her as he simply complied. The fragment had lots of military guards posted about to make sure they did their job and got it done on time. Though none of them compared to Kody in the way of intimidating looks. 

Sariah could kill anyone, he was simply the dummy, used to draw attention away from the real killer. People often called them the Tiger and deer duo. Most everyone on base knew the real predator from the submissive prey. But the new crew in wouldn't know and Kody would allow for the guards to do their jobs without much hassle.

"Should I change into something more intimidating?" Kody asked as Sariah laughed.

"Babe, you could walk around naked and be more intimidating than a soldier with a canon." Sariah teased making Kody roll his eyes. It was reasons like that that had most of the fragment believe they were a couple. 

It wasn't that Kody didn't like her. Sariah was a great commander and companion. But Kody had learned the hard way that caring about people would only let him down in the end. Kody simply followed the little bubble of energy until she decided she was done with him. 

She barely reached five feet in height and wore her bright red hair in an odd fashion. It was cut short, longer in the front and shorter in the back. The top of her head was spiked like a mohawk, and spray painted with gold glitter. Or she used the same stuff that was on her face, highlighting the silvery blue eyes.

"Commander! We have a problem. The ship seems to be ahead of schedule and there is someone on board. Its Sirius. He's coming." The guard told her as Sariah growled. They both seemed to know who he was, but the name was new to Kody.

"Why the hell is he coming here?! There is no need! First these ape shit scientists who want to move in before we are ready and now this! I will be complaining to high command after this delivery." Sariah hissed. She stomped down the pathway as Kody wandered after her slowly. In case he was still needed.

"Hey, since its Sirius, do we really need freezer case back there?" The guard asked softly squeaking when Sariah hit him in the face.

"He's only like because he is saving his energy for when he makes crazy, passionate love to me between the sheets. It's hot enough my mirror steams, soldier. Am I clear?" She hissed as she stalked towards him.

"He gets you. Leave him be. You already broke his nose. What if you get blood on your silk top?" Kody asked. Like hell he was cleaning another silk top for her because of her anger management issues. Sariah paused to glance at her frowning giant as his green eye watched her dully. She looked him up and down before shrugging and walking away from the soldier on the ground.

"Hurry up, tiger. The shuttle will be here any minute." She called over her shoulder as he followed. Sariah quietly growled to herself as Kody simply obeyed orders. Like a dog that had been beaten one too many times. 

He had more privileges than the average lower-class worker, but he never used them unless she forced him. He never stood up for himself and simply accepted things around him. She had been trying to breath some life into that shell for the last two years, but the twenty years before he came to her had done damage she couldn't repair. She paused by a locker room dragging him inside.

"What's going on?" Kody asked softly as Sariah dug into the spare equipment.

"Strip and put this on. The man who is coming is not a friend to anyone. He works for the government or so he claims, but he only works for himself. He has killed one too many guards. Because of that, I am not willing to risk your safety. At least put on the bullet proof gear." She commanded as Kody sighed striping. 

Sariah watched him quietly as he made no move to cover himself from her gaze. He finished buckling the vest frowning at his bare arms. 

"Down." She demanded as Kody simply obeyed, falling to his knees. She worked at putting up his hair, pulling it away from his face.

"He scares you, doesn't he?" Kody asked softly as he felt the fingers on his head stiffen.

"Yes. Let's go." Sariah muttered storming out of the locker room. Kody got to his feet slowly, pausing in front of the mirror. His hair had been pulled back into a bun, making his scars and eye patch clearly visible. 

He felt like he looked older than he really was. Like he was in his forties instead of only twenty-two. Not that it mattered. What did he expect anyways? Ugly boys would always be undesirable. Second to everyone else. No one wanted him.

"I said let's go!" Sariah's voice echoed down the hall. He hurried down to the platform where they would be greeting this new shipment. Sariah stood in front of him as Kody simply kept his hands behind his back. 

They watched quietly as the ship passed the check point at the sky barrier. It worked its way down to the platform shooting warm air all around. The other guards growled annoyed as Kody simply pouted at his lose hair that pulled away from the rest of the bun.

The ship powered down causing the landing pads to click as they took the full weight of the star shuttle. The pilot waved at the guards before beginning his routine at the end of flight. A door in the side popped open letting a stair way fall to the platform. Sariah tensed up as the first figure stepped out. He had dark black hair that swirled around his pale face as he squinted around. He wore unusual armor in the fact that it was practically skin tight.

"Sirius." Sariah informed Kody as he simply watched bored. The guards shuffled nervously at the hunter's appearance as he calmly walked down the stair well before nodding his head. A second man followed him, though he was clearly not a warrior. Sariah gasped in shock hurrying over to greet him.

"Dr. Fenrir. It is both a surprise and an honor to see you here. I am Sariah, commander of this base sir." Sariah told the older gentleman as he nodded.

"Good. May we go somewhere we may talk more privately?" Dr. Fenrir asked as Sariah nodded.

"Of course, sir. Will anyone else be joining us?" Sariah asked as she led the way.

"Just my son. He is my body guard on this mission." Dr. Fenrir told her as she stalled. He smiled thinly before she raised her hand.

"Clean this up boys and then get something to eat. Tiger you are with me." Sariah barked as the men nodded and got to work. Kody pouted as he met Sariah's eyes. 

Yeah, if he left now he would be waking up in a deep hole as Sariah poured the cement. He silently trudged after the small group, wishing not for the first time that Sariah would leave him be. He had been so focused on his freedom to enjoy a day off that he jumped startled when the man beside him spoke.

"You aren't a soldier, are you?" Sirius asked in a soft voice as Kody glanced down at him. Sirius was walking on his right, making it hard to sneak a glance at him with his eye patch. Sirius paused in his walk to frown at him.

"Tiger! Sirius! If you would please, stop taking your time." Sariah called out making Kody focus on the urgency in her voice. He paused by the door, as she growled waving him in.

"I would really just like to speak with you. Nobody else can be trusted with this information." Dr. Fenrir hissed as Sirius went to join him, leaning against the wall.

"I trust Kody with my life. I would only tell him what happened here anyways, so it is best he just hears it from you." Sariah told the doctor taking a seat. Kody stood behind her keeping his eye on the table. He could feel them watching him, making him shift nervously.

"Speaking with a soldier isn't in our best interest. Especially if he is your lover." The doctor growled as Sirius sighed.

"I can assure you he isn't a soldier. Tiger." Sariah said calmly as Kody glanced at her. She wiggled her eye brows before nodding her head at the Doctor who was clearly not amused.

"Why don't we have a moment to discuss our strategy. If you two would?" Sirius suggested as he pointed to the door. Sariah got to her feet when the Doctor nodded. She stood up on the chair so that she could reach Kody's ear. She grabbed it hard pulling it down with her when she jumped off the chair.

"Just let us know when you are ready to talk." Sariah told them with a smile. She tugged Kody out of the room as he softly growled at her. She closed the door roughly shoving Kody against the wall. 

"What the bloody hell was that?! Your Tattoo! You were supposed to show them the symbol of the builders." Sariah hissed grabbing his arm and glaring at the stylized Beaver. 

The beaver was wrapped around a hammer that had a few markings. Each mark represented a fragment Kody had worked on. The tattoo grew depending on the work done. So far, Kody hadn't specialized in anything, but Kody blamed Sariah for that. She had latched onto him the moment they met and took him with her wherever she went. 

Being a commander, she was often moved around to start projects. Kody had to admit she was damn good at her job, but that wasp was as annoying as all hell.

"Maybe you shouldn't call me tiger." Kody mumbled as she growled. "It's my day off! I wanted to be left alone sleeping, not prancing around as your shadow. It's boring and weird. The small guy makes me nervous." Kody hissed back making Sariah blink at him.

"I have never seen you react to anything before." She mumbled shocked. Before she could say anything else the door popped open. Sirius leaned against the door frame smiling sweetly as he waved them to re-enter. Sariah shot Kody a look as he sighed annoyed.

"You owe me a dinner." He huffed following her into the room. Sirius closed the door behind them leaning against the wall.

"So exactly what is a beaver doing prancing around like an ant? Though I have to admit, he is built to be a soldier." Sirius purred softly as his father huffed.

"We do not play with our food." Dr. Fenrir chided as Sirius shrugged.

"He is useful for weeding out the punks that think that can mess with me. I really hate dealing with arrogant bastards." Sariah told them honestly. 

"Kody has been a loyal friend and confidant. Rumors of our relationship are greatly exaggerated." She huffed as she sat in a seat. Dr. Fenrir shot Kody a look as the giant stood behind her unaffected by their banter.

"Look. We came here in secret to try and secure a base. A group of roamers are trying to cut the fragments free, sending most of our colonies into space. I have had more than a few attempts on my life already if it wasn't for my son, I would be dead and our research would be lost." Dr. Fenrir told her.

"We believe there is a spy among the military. It is why we came here incognito. We need to set up a private sector as quickly as able. I was told the lady wasp of this fragment would be the woman to speak with." Sirius told her as the fiery red head cast him a look.

"I always did say it was getting a little boring around here. What do you think?" Sariah asked Kody as he glanced at her.

"How would I know? You have me working even on my days off. I don't have time to be bored." Kody mumbled as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"When I asked what you thought, I was refereeing to the build aspect of the whole thing. I know you would miss me if I stopped pestering you." She huffed as she rotated in her chair. Kody paused to consider it.

"How big of a space do you need?" Kody asked as he thought it over.

"Big." Dr. Fenrir told him as Kody nodded.

"I have a thought." Kody told Sariah as she sat up, hopping up onto the table so that they were eye level. Kody took a deep breath as he told her his weak idea. "Well the thing is this. Most of the buildings on this fragment have already been built. We are only looking at a few more sections." Kody explained as Sariah nodded.

"The east. Yes, we know. Which part of the east though? It doesn't have any cover to note. So, it wouldn't be very hidden per say." Sariah growled getting to her feet.

"Yes, that why you shouldn't build there." Kody agreed as she paused. He held up his hand to keep her quiet. "The space is too small. The crews will be on top of each other. Building a secret base with moles in the system means it isn't very secret. Instead I suggest we build a decoy and go backwards." Kody told her as he went to her wall of finished plans. Kody nodded when he found what he was looking for bringing it back for the other three to see.

"That's the mall in sector 34. To the north." Sariah grumbled crouching down to look at it.

"Yes. It's already built, the basement is a large open floor plan. I can work on small details undercover of a faulty foundation. We can easily sneak in any equipment we might need because it's a mall and has everything one might need for fragment life. While we prepare his lab in secret, we can build a large lab on the lake side in sector 720 of the east. What scientist that works in the lab all day wouldn't love great views?" Kody asked her as she smiled brightly.

"So, I guess that means we will be working together." Sirius told him with a grin as the bulked-out worker simply frowned at him.

"I only work with Sariah." Kody grumbled as Sariah smiled brightly.

"Oh, I love you too tiger. Let's work out where you will stay and get you settled in. I owe this man a dinner." Sariah suggested as the doctor agreed. "You can meet me in the dinners hall." Sariah told him as she pet his shoulder. 

She had seen the tightness in his shoulders as soon as the assassin spoke to him. She led the other two away happily engaging in conversation about her work around the fragment. Kody sighed relieved wandering off to the food court where she would meet up with him. 

He wasn't surprised when he sat down at a table with two trays to see Sariah sliding into her seat across from him.

"Goodness. I said I would pay. Are you ok?" Sariah asked softly as she dug into her mashed potatoes. Kody simply nodded rubbing his scared face as he thought. 

"Not a lot of people trust Sirius. After talking with them privately I noticed a change in his mood. He's interested in you; I just don't know how yet. So, keep that in mind." Sariah told him as he shrugged.

"Should be easy enough to avoid him. He will be with the professor and I will not be. Simple." Kody muttered as he shut up and dived into his food. Sariah watched him with her eyes as she thought quietly.

"There is a chance the traitor is a builder too. A beaver knows more about the fragments structure than an ant does after all. Keep your eyes open. Well eye." Sariah told him as Kody nodded. She reached across the table grabbing his hand. "Thank you for helping me today. I really appreciate it." Sariah told him leaning in to kiss his cheek. Kody simply shrugged making her sigh as she sat back down.

"If that is all, I think I am going to head to bed. Morning comes early for some of us." Kody told her getting to his feet. She waved him off as he put up the tray and wondered away from the food court. 

He gazed out the window along the walkway frowning at all their hard work. Beavers came to camps by the dozen. Too old for orphanages or simply too low class to afford any education, most builders were poor and quiet. 

Becoming a beaver had more perks than a lot of places back at home on shattered earth. For one, they each got their own place and they all got free meals. Most of that was thanks to Sariah. She had fought hard for the comfort most Beavers experienced. They even got days off to themselves. It was nice and relaxing.

Which made him wonder exactly what kind of man would want to betray this kind of existence. Destroying the tethers that held the fragments in place would not only destroy everything on the fragment by throwing it out of orbit, it would also throw the rest of the planet out of rotation, killing their home as well. What was the purpose of everyone dying? 

Kody shook his head as he entered the cubicles. They were large cubes built out of spaceship parts so it could be transported from fragment to fragment. It allowed the builders to always have a place to call their own.

Kody simply sighed as he opened the door to his little cube. Each cube was divided into eighteen parts. Nine apartments on one side. Nine on the other. The space wasn't much, sporting a bed on one wall and a tv on the other. He had a small fridge and an even smaller bathroom. With just a toilet and a sink. 

They had a cube dedicated to showers closer to the work sites so that men could shower before going home. It wasn't much, but he loved what he had. 

He paused in the bathroom to get ready for bed, taking off his eye patch and hanging it up on the mirror. His reflection made him pause as he frowned at the mismatched eyes. No one will ever love the ugly boy. 

Kody growled as her words haunted his thoughts, turning out the light and crawling into bed. He didn't care if anyone loved him.

***

"Do I even want to know where you have been?" Gregory Fenrir growled as Sirius simply smiled taking a seat at the bar. He had disappeared shortly after they had arrived at this penthouse to settle in. 

"I was just investigating something." Sirius mumbled, sighing when his father slammed his cup on the counter.

"The last time you investigated something, we lost everything. You ran off without a word and two years later we are still paying the price. I don't give a damn about who you were before we took you in. In my book there was nothing before you came to us." Gregory hissed as Sirius stole his glass filling it with more whisky.

"I am willing to do anything you ask, but I will not forget him. I made a promise and one day I will fulfill it. I'm sorry father. Truly I am. I wish I could be the mutt you want me to be, but as long as there is a chance, he is alive I must find him. 

I never meant to cause trouble, but I always assumed I would have time to go back for him. When the orphanage exploded due to a terror attack. I panicked. That was my fault, and I will always regret it." Sirius told him as he drank the whisky.

"I don't understand why that boy mattered so much to you. According to the caretaker, you weren't related and only knew him for less than a week." Gregory grumbled filling the glass again.

"Why do you think I only knew him a week? I was there for almost two months before you picked me up. She liked to torment him claiming I was always on the verge of being adopted. And he never would be." Sirius asked confused as Gregory paused going to pull another glass out of the cabinet and pouring himself a drink.

"After the first few weeks of you running away trying to rescue you so called friend, I went to speak with the mistress about adopting him. I figured maybe a pair of elites wouldn't be so bad and it would stop you from running away. 

The mistress who greeted me explained that you and he used to get into trouble a lot and that you were only there for a week before I picked you up. Not long enough to make any serious claims of friendship. She said the boy you were looking for was adopted out and suggested that maybe distance was what you needed. I agreed and we moved to a fragment where I started your training." Gregory huffed as Sirius charged to his feet.

"And you believed her without asking me?! There was a reason I was so desperate to get him back! She tortured him. Enjoyed abusing him in more ways than one. The day before you came for me, I planned to take him and run. We broke into her room to steal anything we could. I only got away with this." Sirius growled pulling the chain out of his collar. A rusty key dangled from it making Gregory frown. 

"I have no use for a key with no lock. I wear it to remind myself of the boy I left behind. I made it out. He never did. The night I heard about the explosion I rushed to see if he was even alive. Nobody could confirm or deny anything. 

Ever since we started base hoping and I learned about the true origin of the beavers I have been searching for him. Hoping to find him. And now I think I have." Sirius told him downing the whiskey and pouring himself another glass.

"Is that why you have been so interested in Sariah's lap dog? Are you sure he isn't just another boy that fits your tastes?" Gregory asked dully as Sirius glared at the liquid in his cup.

"Oh, I am sure father. Taylor isn't someone you can easily forget. Especially if you have seen his eyes." Sirius mumbled softly as Gregory huffed.

"Yes, that green is very memorable." Gregory muttered into his glass as Sirius chuckled dryly.

"He has Heterochromia iridium. Only one eye is green. The other is blue. I went to get a look under that eye patch of his. Its him." Sirius told him as Gregory paused.

 He had remembered a boy standing by that woman's side as she explained things to him. The boy had reminded him of a beaten puppy, but the brief eye contact they had... The woman had openly verbally abused the boy as she forced him to do tasks for her. 

He was the only one treated as such and though the doctor hadn't approved, he also hadn't done anything to stop it. Sirius paused his next remark when he saw the look on his father's face. 

"You've seen him before, haven't you?" Sirius asked as Gregory waved his hand. He huffed annoyed with himself as he downed the glass. That vial woman had lied to him.

"So, you recognized him. Does he recognize you?" Gregory asked as Sirius paused sipping his whisky. His father realized what a fool he had been to trust that woman. That was good enough punishment for him.

"No, I don't think so. But thanks to his friend we will be working together so there is time. I promise I won't screw things up this time. Goodnight father." Sirius told him as Gregory sighed nodding.

"Just remember, son. We are hunters. It's what our family does." Gregory called after his son. Sirius nodded closing the door to his room. He was so close. Soon Kody would be his again. And only his.