He followed the kid out the back door of the building.It was dark back there and the Technician known as Elm didn’t like the shade of the area.He hesitated, looking around.
“She’s over here,” the boy said, pointing to a pair of feet protruding from behind a dumpster.
“Kid, I hope this isn’t some trick because I’m not about that life,” Elm said, moving closer.
His breath caught at what he saw.A smaller boy held the woman’s head in his lap, stroking her hair.The older boy was doing his best to hold it together and be strong.Elm looked at the kid, wanting answers to questions his heart didn’t have the courage to ask.
“Three men,” the boy said.“She went in to pay for the gas and get us some snacks.They grabbed her.I tried calling for help, but no one came.I tried to fight them off, but they hit me.I tried again and found you.This is how they left her.Can you help us?”
“I can try,” he said, looking down at the woman.The possibility of her surviving through the night was slim.Whoever did that to her wasn’t counting on the lady living.He took out his phone and pressed one.Based on her appearance, he could tell the eldest boy had tried to cover her up to protect her modesty, but she was worked over.
“State your need,” the Moloch’s voice said.
“Stopped at a truck stop on I-90 coming from Albany heading home,” he said, “in case you can’t track my location.Kid asked for help.His mother is in a bad way; said it was three men.”
Moloch asked, “Possibility for survival?”
“Through the night, if the tree has beetles, I wouldn’t count on it,” he added, trying to lessen the blow.“Can I get an assist?”
“Hold one,” he said into the line.
In the background, he could hear the boss talking to maybe another Archangel.He was still in Louisville.“Rolling emergency services your way.How old are the kids?”
“Somewhere between 8 and 10 for the older, the younger, maybe seven; lack of regular meals may have me off by a year or two,” he replied.
“Any deets?Where they were heading, family close by?”
“Hold one,” he said, looking down at the lady.He told her help was on the way.“Hey kid, where were you guys headed?Do you have family close by?”
The boy shook his head no.“She got a job offer in Springfield.We were coming from Schenectady.The new job paid more money.Ma got us a hotel, and we were trying to make it there, but she needed more gas and to pee.She took us to the bathroom with her, but we heard the noise.The men came into the bathroom, grabbed her, and drug her outside.I was screaming, but no one helped me.”
His bottom lip was quivering.The second child was not saying anything, just watching carefully over his mother.In the distance, Elm heard sirens.
“Moloch, did you get all of that?”
“Yeah,” he said.“Any ID, anything you can get out of her before they roll her away?”
“Will try,” he said, “And the kids?”
“Your call,” Moloch replied.“If they are from out of state, it will be a gamble what happens to them.White Cedar is in Vermont right now and won’t be near you for a week.Again, your call.”
“Hold on; she is saying something to me,” Elm told his boss.“I’m sorry; what did you say?”
“Please don’t let them separate my boys.They are good kids,” she said.“Find them a loving home for me.Find my boys a good home.”
It hit him hard in the center of his chest.The voice on the line was speaking as he stepped from behind the dumpster and waved to the ambulance.The driver pulled up, walking around the green dumpster, eyeing the damage.
Into the line, Elm said, “Help has arrived.Requesting guidance?”
“Either they go with the ambulance and take their chances, or you take them tonight, give them a good meal, and be there when the news comes in, if it is what you say it is, you know, the beetles in the bark and all.”
“The beetles are in the bark,” he replied.
“Get the info, touch base when you get home, and send me some data to start getting info,” Moloch said.“Anything else?”
“Pull any CCTV, footage, film, or any idiot on social media thinking of posting the results of the unwanted party,” Elm said.“I’ll be in touch.”
He watched the boys closely as the smaller one held onto his mother’s hand while they loaded her into the ambulance.Her purse was close to her, and Elm picked it up and looked inside.He found a driver’s license and an insurance card.He passed the insurance card to the driver.
