AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I turn around to make my way over to Axel and Julissa, hoping that if they share their stories with the kids, it’ll help them to let their guard down a bit so that we can help them but I notice Axel’s far ahead of us, heading toward the front of the train and then he disappears. Where the fuck ishegoing? I suppose his leg’s killing him and he’s probably going to look after that so I decide not to think too much of it as I turn my attention to Julissa who is also staring after him but seems to be more focused on the baby in her hand.
When I come upon her and turn my head to see the carriage filled with babies who aren’t even old enough to walk and talk yet, relief punches me in the chest. I can’t let my mind start to wander, wondering what may have happened to them if we failed today.
I turn my gaze upon her face with tears in my eyes and when she looks up at me, I take her cheeks in my hand, squeezing it a little with joy. “You did it,” I tell her. “You fucking did it. I don’t know why I ever thought that stopping you was the right idea. This. THIS is the right idea and I’m so glad you didn’t listen to me. I’m so sorry for everything I put you through these past few months. I love you so motherfucking much.”
I lean down to kiss her and she turns her cheek with a smile. I figure she doesn’t want to express PDA in front of the kids so I back off with a smile as well. “Thanks for showing up when you did,” she responds.
“Now and forever, J. Always.” I clear my throat. “So, I was thinking. Many of these kids are terrified of us which makes sense since what they just witnessed is terrifying and if we stand a chance in getting them all together again to truly rescue them, they’re going to have to trust us. I think it’d be a good idea for you to share your experiences as a trafficking survivor to help them to do that. What do you say? I was kind of hoping you and Axel would but it looks like he’s taking himself off to the hospital so I guess it’s just you.”
Her eyes widen and she freezes. “The hospital?! Fuck! I forgot! Can you hold the baby?” she asks as she extends it to me.
“Uhhh,” I stutter, “Sure.” I’ve never held a baby before so I’m extra careful as she puts it into my arms. I freeze, afraid to drop it or hold it too tightly. The baby that was just sleeping so peacefully in her arm starts to squirm and scream out.
“Support the head,” she says. “And just kind of rock it, like this.” She mimics with her arms crossed as if she’s holding the baby and bouncing a little while swaying to the side.
Once I start doing it, she laughs but the baby quietens a bit.
“There you go,” she coos to the baby before saying to me, “Watch the kids, I’ll be back.”
Wait! No! What the fuck?! And off she runs.
Chapter 37
Julissa
Fuck,Ijustrememberedthe message about the kids at the hospital. How am I going to do this now and rescue those kids as well? I feel so lost. I don’t know what I’m doing. But I know I can’t stop. I don’t have a choice.
I jump in my car and as I’m making my way to the hospital, I see the two kids I left for a bit sitting in the dirt, picking at it, looking as lost as I feel. It’s official. I’m a failure. I don’t know what to do for them. I don’t even think they’ve eaten since I’ve had them.
I pick them up and as they strap themselves up, I drive off at a slower pace. The hospital isn’t going anywhere, and hopefully, those babies won’t either but these two kiddos have had a rough night and day so I want to make sure I tend to them. I’ll pick up some food and drop them off at the house before I go to the hospital. I’ll just ask Calder to look out for them.
“You guys hungry?” I ask them.
They nod and they look like they’re about to cry.
“How about some burgers and fries, does that sound good?” I ask them and they perk up a bit.
“Then, after, I’ll drop you off with a friend. I promise he’s a very nice man and he’ll never hurt you because he knows that if he does, I’ll kill him. But if you feel unsafe, I’ll give you my key that you can keep close so that you can leave if you want to, okay? I’ll be back for you. I just have another errand to run and you guys look like you could use a shower, some sleep, and a change of clothes actually,” I say looking over them.
So I stop by a fast-food joint to grab some food and while they go at that as if they’ve never eaten before, I stop by a clothing store and grab them some stuff before calling Calder and telling him to collect them out front.
Once I drop them off, I go get that bus Calder told me about, which I hoped was a lot bigger if I’m being honest and I make my way to the hospital. I don’t see Axel there when I step in at first and I don’t step in all guns blazing just yet. I go in without guns at first, to take a look around. Although I do have knives, hidden within the waist of my jeans. At first glance, I look like a patient which works out in my favor. You see, the hospital is tricky.
Sure, lots of people in this town choose to turn a blind eye to what’s going on but some don’t and I don’t make it a habit to make victims out of the innocent. The hospital is filled with patients and some of the older ones could be innocent, not to mention the kids who are admitted to the hospital so as much as going in there, all guns blazing would be a lot faster, I need to scope the place out at first because I don’t want to injure anyone who doesn’t deserve it and even if some of the doctors do deserve it, I don’t want to think about what could happen to the patients if I kill their doctors who they are relying on throughout the day.
Since I look like a patient, I’m not too suspicious as I walk through the hospital, although I do have to hide when I make my way down certain halls. My destinations are the maternal wards and the NICU.
As I walk down these hallways, I sneak a peek through the delivery room doors and the NICU. I make my movements quick, looking for a lone nurse or doctor on the ward. If one nurse goes missing, I don’t think that’s too much of a hazard. I also manage to find a room where they keep the mops, cleaning carts, and solutions. There’s no one in there and I haven’t seen anyone go in for the past fifteen minutes.
So when I see a young maternity nurse walking by me, I take my shot. I follow behind her and once the coast is clear, I hurry up to her, hooking her into a deadlock and pulling her back to the cleaning room. While she’s knocked out, I search her and remove anything that can cause her to raise an alarm, like her beeper and her phone.
Once I’m sure she doesn’t have anything, like access to a silent alarm or something, I slap her awake. Her eyes jump open and they widen once she realizes that I have a knife at her neck.
“Don’t scream. You’re going to help me. Or I’m going to kill you. I’ve got a lot of kids I just rescued that I have to get back to so my patience is really thin right now. Any funny movements and I’ll cut you open like a fucking pig, you hear me?” I ask her, feeling enraged and exhausted and not in the mood to be messed with.
She nods.
“Now, what I’m going to ask you to do for me is lead me to the room where you keep the babies you sell, and please, for fuck sake, don’t play dumb and don’t lie to me. I’m not in the mood to be messed with. I’m this fucking close to losing it.” I gesture pinching two of my fingers together.
