“How many were inThe Odyssey?”
“I don’t know.Again, maybe four or five hundred depending on the print.Why are you asking this?” he frowned turning to where he stood.
Eric was pointing above his head.Volumes of classical literature were lined up along the two bookcases on the top shelf.Each book was close to five or six inches wide, indicating a thousand or more pages.
“You are a very good man,” smirked Luke.
One by one they lifted the books off the shelf and carefully opened each one.Inside were no pages, no illustrations, no words.Instead, were smaller notebooks containing detailed notes of every child they’d ever performed surgery on.
Some of the children had names, some did not.They were simply numbered like cattle being pushed through a slaughter house.
Eric’s ebony skin was turning ashen around his knuckles.Luke reached for his hand, gently squeezing.
“Easy, brother.We’re going to find these maniacs.They’ll pay for whatever they’ve done.You know that.”Luke continued to keep skin to skin contact with Eric, hoping to make the big beast calm down.But it wasn’t to be.
When all the notebooks were removed from the dummy books, when every scrap of paper was safely ensconced in a box, he turned to look.
“Take it to the car,” he said calmly.
“Eric, we can’t burn it down brother.Not yet.There could still be evidence here.”
“I’m not gonna burn it,” he said staring at the room.Luke gave a nod to Hex and Cam and they carried the boxes out of the room.They waited a few moments, then heard what they knew was Eric.
Rushing back inside to ensure he didn’t hurt himself, they watched as he ripped every shelf from the wall, tearing plaster and sheetrock, wood splintering into a million pieces.He tore the plywood from one of the windows and carried it toward the reception area, leaning it against the desk.
Using a can of spray paint he’d found in one of the rooms, he spray painted his message, tossing the can aside and leaving the building.Luke, Cam and Hex stared at one another.
Run while you can – I dare you
“Someone’s gonna die,” said Hex.Luke nodded.
“Yep.And it won’t be us.”
“Yep.And I’m gonna help him.”
CHAPTER NINE
Keith was able to convince the little boy to allow them to give him a bath.When they’d found him, they thought he was maybe five or six but after examining the boy, he appeared to be closer to eight or nine, possibly ten.
“Why is he so small?” asked Luke.
“I’m guessing malnutrition and perhaps other congenital issues.He also may have been abused even before getting to that clinic.I can’t be sure yet,” said Riley.“Jane is more familiar with pediatric conditions, so she’s leading this.I’m just here for support and to kill his abusers if you need help.”
Luke grinned at the woman and nodded.She was fiery and feisty.Just like all their wives but he didn’t doubt her words for a moment.
“Other than what’s happened to his head, now that he’s clean he’s a beautiful little boy,” whispered Hex.
“This kids making me crazy with the need for paper and pen,”said Keith.
“Here,” smiled Kelsey.“I ran upstairs to the pediatric wing and found some color books, crayons, markers, pens, pencils, and several notepads.”
“Thank you,”smiled Keith handing it to the boy.
He immediately opened one of the empty notepads and with his good hand, began scrawling things all over the notepad.
“What is that?” asked Hex.
Bull and Erica walked in to meet the newest member of their child genius crew.Erica stared at the scrawl and looked at Bull.He bent over the paper and smiled at the boy, signing something they could see.
