I wasn't happy. I wasn't sad.

I was just neutral.

Three days had passed, and my mind was blank. I couldn't think, but it wasn't a bad thing. It was just an empty void inside my head.

Mira was back at school. I was more than happy about that. But I couldn't show it. Something was stopping me from feeling anything.

Or should I say someone?

I didn't even want to think about him.

Why did it bother me so much, that he left the city? For a mission. One I wasn't part of.

It was nothing. I tell myself that every day.
But the more I say it, the more fucked up I feel.

There was nothing going on between us. We were just friends.

Or maybe we were just two people who happened to save each other's lives every now and then. Nothing deep. Just casual life-saving.

I guess I just thought we had a deeper connection.

I sighed, leaning back against the car seat.

"You okay?" Mark asked, his eyes boring into mine.

I nodded. "I'm fine. Just some thoughts I'm trying to bury."

We were sitting in his car, parked in the shadows, out of sight. Both of our eyes were locked on the Safe Nest Orphanage.

We had met up, and he filled me in on what he'd found. Turns out, Mother Hazel was selling the teen girls as suspected.

Mark hadn't gotten any photos, he showed up a little late, but he saw the cars driving off. And he definitely saw a stack of cash in Mother Hazel's hand.

Our plan was to get proof, and maybe confront them. It was just us, and we had no idea who we were going up against. And since Mark was a detective, he needed solid proof, otherwise, they wouldn't even open a case.

"Why did we choose tonight again?" I asked, glancing over at him.

"Because it's the same day I saw them drive off last time," he said. "It's worth a shot. Maybe they follow a schedule, same day, same exchange."

I nodded. Hopefully tonight we can get to the bottom of this and find out who is behind it.

"So, how have you been differently?" He asked, a small smile on his lips.

I shrugged. "Just living you know. That's all we can do at this point."

"That's true. I've been thinking of taking a few weeks off from work. I need a break," he said next.

I smiled. "That's a good idea. Would you stay in the city or travel?"

He hummed. "I'm not sure. I've been trying to date but I can't seem to find a decent woman out here. They all gold diggers."

I chuckled. "Really? Not one good woman is in this city?"

"There is, just very scarce. I want to settle down and start a family. I'm not getting any younger."

I frowned. "You don't have any kids?"

He shook his head. "No. It just never happened you know."

I was shocked. The man was handsome, and had a decent job.

"How about you? Boyfriend?"

I shook my head. "Single as single will ever get."

Now it was his time to look confused. "How comes? You're a beautiful woman. You can't tell me no one has a crush on you."

Me? Beautiful? A joke.

"I'm fine on my own," I replied. It was a half lie. Everyone needs a little love, but it always seems to run from me. So I'm better off without it.

"So, no love interests either? Or anyone who is confused about their feelings for you and won't confirm it?"

He hit a nerve.

Was that what it was? Angel wasn't confused about his feelings for me, because there was none. It can't be. I was not his type. And I wasn't interested in him that way.

At least, that's what I tell myself.

"Look, if he wants you, he'll show it. Sometimes we men take a while to open up. We're taught to be tough, to never show fear. But falling for someone? That brings fear. The fear of rejection alone can stop us in our tracks. So you know what I did? I let it go. I went with the flow. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. And if it's not... then there's someone better waiting."

He reached out and touched my hand, offering a little comfort. I gave him a small smile. He was right. I should just let life take the lead and stop overthinking.

There was silence for a while. It didn't last.

A black car pulled up, driving through the gate, slow and deliberate.

Mark's hand drifted toward his camera, eyes narrowing.

"Recognize it?" I whispered.

He shook his head. "No, it's a different car."

A different car? Does that mean the children are being sold to more than one buyer? This shit just got more serious.

"There she is," Mark whispered.

We watched as Mother Hazel appeared, her hand clenched tightly around a teen girl's arm, like she was squeezing the nerves right out of her. The girl was crying, her tears evident under the moonlight.

Mark raised the camera and started snapping shots. I didn't blink, just watched, waiting for whoever was about to step out of that car.

The door opened and two men in black who I assumed were bodyguards stepped out. They scanned the area before opening the back door.

My breath hitched.

I know that man.

The same one who had approached me when I was volunteering.

"I fucking knew it," I whispered yelled.

"You know him?" Mark asked, eyes locked on the man.

"Yeah. I think his name is Yoshua or Yosiah. Something like that. He tried talking to me when I was volunteering but I basically blew him off. He was with another guy. They were looking at the girls like they were pieces of meat."

"Damn!" He exclaimed, taking a few more shots.

I watched as the man talked to Mother Hazel, an evil smile on her face. My eyes flickered to the girl. She started to look very familiar.

It clicked. She was one of the three girls talking to Mira. I think her name is Zuri.

"Alright, we got half the proof. We just need him to hand her the cash," Mark said.

I bit my lip and let go. "And then what? Are we taking them down or not?"

He looked at me. "It's just us against them. We have to make a plan. They are not going to be dumb enough to make themselves easy targets."

I hummed. "What exactly do we want?"

"We want Mother Hazel behind bars, and we want to take down the man taking the girls."

I nodded and reached for my gun. I clicked the safety off. I was ready for anything.

Mark took one final shot as the man handed Mother Hazel the cash. Without hesitation, she shoved Zuri straight into his arms.

He grabbed her, a sinister look spreading across his face.

She started screaming as they dragged her towards the car.

"Mark, talk now!" I shouted, loud enough for him to hear. I couldn't let them take her.

He tossed me a pair of handcuffs. "Get Mother Hazel. I'll tail the car."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why can't I tail the car?"

"Because I want them taken in for questioning. I know you won't think twice about shooting them."

I clenched my jaw. He was right, but part of me thought they deserved to die.

"Fine. But if you let them hurt Zuri, I won't forgive you."

He smirked. "I'm a detective, Skai. I know what I'm doing."

I didn't wait. Mark drove off, and I headed for the gate. I slipped through as silently as I could.

The front door was locked. I ducked around the side, found a cracked window, shoved it up, and hauled myself through. I landed in the hallway, my feet hitting the floor hard.

I already knew where her office and room were. I'd scoped them out when I was volunteering, thank God I did. I slipped left, eyes and ears peeled.

I stopped at her office door. A faint shimmer of light leaked through the crack, she was inside.

I let out a slow breath and pushed the door open. The creak echoed like a warning.

She jumped, knocking over her chair as she spun around to face me.

"Oh God! You scared me!" She exclaimed, as if I hadn't just walked in with a gun.

My eyes flickered to the cash on her desk. Such a wicked woman.

"Y-You shouldn't be here," she stuttered out, taking a few steps backwards.

I shut the door, locking it in the process. She wasn't leaving.

"How could you?" My voice came out cold, deadly. "These children trusted you. And you sell them off like they're nothing?"

She backed away even further into the wall. "Do you know how much they pay for a healthy girl? I feed them, clothe them, keep them off the streets. I deserve something in return."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Something in return? What more do you fucking want!? You keep charity events and I'm sure you get plenty of donations. You're just greedy for money!"

Her face twisted in anger. "Who isn't? If you don't have money in this world it's over for you. Everyone gets rich one way or the other, whether legally or illegally. I chose the way I could."

My trigger finger was itching so bad. I was infuriated at this point. The only thing stopping me from shooting her is Mark.

"Who were those men? The ones who took Zuri?" I asked, my eye cold eyes fixed on her.

She swallowed, harshly. "I-I won't tell you anything."

I took a few steps forward, my gun still aimed at her. If she won't talk to me, the police will make her talk.

"Do you think killing me will change anything? Girls are being sold everywhere, this is just a small part of it."

I smirked. "You're right. But you're not going to be part of it any longer."

I flashed the handcuffs. Her face drained; her eyes widened as if she could not believe it.

The fear in her eyes told me everything. She knew it was done. No deals. No mercy. Just steel on her wrists and the truth crashing down around her.

I just hope Mark got through. The rest depends on that.

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