Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Misty

The vibration of the call coming in on my wrist was like a foreboding into my worst possible fear.

“Answer it,” Beck urged and my trembling hand connected the call by tapping my earbud.

“Hello,” my shaky voice answered..

“Mom!” Cricket’s voice came through. Hope rushed over me at the sound of her voice.

“Where are you?”

“I did what you taught me too,” she rushed. “I ran and didn’t stop till I saw a little old lady going into a restaurant. They let me use their phone,” she explained.

Thank you universe I said letting my eyes close in relief.

“You got away?” Beck asked.

“Yeah, I kicked that shithead in the nuts and ran! I did for a while but I doubled back so they wouldn’t smell me,” she announced proudly.

Thank you Adelaide for teaching my daughter to be a hellion.

“Tell me where you are so we can come get you,” I insisted.

“Um, I don’t know, wait a second,” she said. There was some rustling and I pulled up the navigation on my watch.

“Seeshwwann Palace,” she sounded out. “ 513 Red Road China Town,” she said as if she was reading.

I typed it into the search and the place pulled up.

‘Take wilbur road west to 57th avenue’ the navigation instructed and Beck pulled out as I hooked an arm around his waist. He still had the other bud in so he could hear what I heard.

“We’re coming, sweetie, stay out of sight until we get there,” I insisted. The sound of voices speaking in mandarin wafted from the background.

“I gotta go, Mom, I think they want their phone back,” Cricket said, and the line went dead before I could protest.

I practically leaped off the bike when Beck pulled up to the restaurant. Beck followed close behind as I rushed inside my eyes darting around.

“Cricket!” I called.

“Mom!” Her voice called from an alcove in the back as she rushed out of it. She rushed me and I wrapped my arms tightly around her as I fell to my knees to be at her level. I rocked her back and forth, tears streaming down my face.

“I was so worried,” I told her as I pulled back to inspect her for any harm.

Besides a lump on her forehead and a tear in her hoodie she seemed alright.

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I started questioning her.

“I’m fine! Oh look you got my backpack!” she exclaimed excitedly and I let her take it from my hands. I looked up and saw an older woman watching us with a kind smile near the alcove Cricket had come running out of.

“Thank you,” I mouthed.

The old woman only nodded but continued watching us.

“We got here as soon as we could,” Negan’s voice rushed as the bell on the door was still jingling from their entrance. Donnie stood beside him on alert.

“She’s safe,” I let him know, getting to my feet and taking her hand. Beck reached down and picked her up like she weighed nothing and I let her hand slip from mine knowing she was safe with him.

“Thank you for coming, I don’t know what I would do if they got her,” I told Negan.

“I’m just glad she’s safe,” Negan said, his eyes grazing over Cricket and warming. Something I didn’t expect to see.

“Negan, this is Cricket,” I said, stepping closer to Beck.

“Pleasure to meet you, little miss,” he said with a nod.

Cricket gave him an apprehensive smile.

The old woman called to a worker in Mandarin, before I felt her tug on my arm. I looked at her.

“Come,” she said, gesturing into the establishment. “Eat.” She insisted on pulling me and gesturing to the men to follow. I glanced up at Beck who shrugged and we all followed.

We were all shoved into a booth, Cricket between me and Beck on one side and Donnie and Negan facing us, there were several platters of food now mostly eaten and my stomach was bursting. Cricket had animatedly told us how Josh; one of her classmates had told her about the mummies and she had wandered off to find them when she had been grabbed. That she had bitten her uncle which had caused them all to stop and when he went to reprimand her she had kicked him in his goods like Auntie Adelaide had taught her and booked it.

I was relieved she was safe, but also concerned with our future. As much as I loved working for Valentina, the day I would have to uproot for our safety was coming. Once Creedon was handled and a few other things sorted out. I’d have to consider leaving the city, so I’d take the job Veronica proposed and add to my nest egg.

Donnie and Negan handled Cricket well, but she didn’t warm up to them like she did Beck. I had options here, things I needed to work out. If Beck couldn’t be Cricket’s person, could Negan and his sleuth be another choice? As much as I didn’t want to think about it, I had to keep our options open.

Negan would take me and Cricket home because Beck’s bike would be extremely uncomfortable for the three of us, I didn’t want her on that thing if I could help it anyway. I trusted Beck’s ability. If today had taught me anything it was that he was proficient on his bike. I had allowed it once, but unless there were dire straits it wouldn’t be happening again anytime soon.

When we got home we tucked Cricket into bed, Negan had a detail watching the apartments just in case The Blacks showed up. I doubted they would show their faces with Beck here though. I was weary when I pulled two beers out of the fridge offering Beck one.

“It’s been a long day,” I said as I plopped down in my computer chair and pulled out the slip of paper Veronica had given me. I checked everything running and logged into the camera feed in Alpha enterprises, and besides the skeleton night crew, nothing was happening. So I reached out to the contact and began the back and forth of getting all the information I could on the job. Typical controlling male, with a side piece. She had receipts on his transgressions against her. Photographs of bruises, of money being splurged on the other woman, while the mortgage was forgotten for months.

Upon further investigation the deceptions went deeper. The man was tens of thousands in debt. I cataloged the information while Beck observed in silence. I was dozing off as I worked when Beck grabbed my hand.

“I think that's enough for tonight, little vengeance seeker,” he insisted.

I narrowed my eyes at him and he leaned in.

“I get that you were reminded today of the things you can’t control, and now you are trying to control things for someone else,” he rumbled.

“It’s just for the money,” I lied.

“Bullshit, Misty. You are resourceful enough you could disappear and make it on your own without a penny to your name. You are using it as an excuse, so you stop feeling the waves of your supposed inadequacy,” he growled.

“Suppose it takes someone who's living that same lie to call out another,” I snapped back. His hand tightened on my wrist.

“I’m not the key to keeping everyone else alive here. Without you, Adelaide is as good as dead,” he countered, sidestepping the acquisition. His face, just a breath away from mine.

“That’s where you are wrong.” The words fell out. This man thought he was nothing to anyone, including those he saved. “Where would Cricket be without you today? Huh?” I threw the obvious at him like a brick for good measure. His eyes closed taking the blow and I could feel his breath on my face as he fought to control his breathing. I realized I wasn’t scared, Beck would never hurt us like my ex had. He had no idea what his actions afforded so many, but saving Cricket, that meant something to him. We both knew it. I wanted him to feel that so I added. “What I do is just a step to get these women into positions to get out. You are the institution of karma, the opportunity to run, and the wall these fuckers bounce off of when they finally go feral. For every woman you have saved, there is a man you stole that woman from. I don’t put myself out there in harm's way. I’m just a means to information. Adelaide called you her guardian angel for a reason, and don’t give me some shit about it being Alley. You alone have done it, face it, you're just looking for an excuse not to take the coward's way out,” I said, pushing my chair backwards to get some space. I spun it and got up, walking away from him.