Archie hadn’t been kidding when he’d said that no one really cared who Jasper’s parents really were.It would be nice to know, if anything, because Jasper wanted to know, but Archie just wanted his boyfriend to be happy.Who his parents were wouldn’t change the person he was.He’d still be Jasper, a man raised as a hunter who’d left them because he hadn’t liked what they were doing.He’d still be the man who was here today, planning on rescuing a bunch of monster kids.He didn’t have any reason to do so beyond wanting to do the right thing.That wasn’t something that Leroy had taught him.That was all him.
“Where do you suggest we find more people?”Braith asked.“Archie and I don’t work with anyone.”
“I can’t believe you don’t have people who would happily step in to help if you asked them,” Jasper told him.“You can’t tell me you haven’t made allies since you opened the agency.”
“We have, but it’s one thing to have informants and another for them to put themselves in danger to help kids they don’t know.”
“It doesn’t hurt to ask.Besides, isn’t that exactly what I’m doing?”
Braith snorted.“Yes, but you’re doing it for Archie.”
“I’m not.I’m glad Archie asked, but I’m doing it because it’s the right thing to do, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one feeling that way.Kerry and Corey have already agreed to help, as did Cullen.”
“It’s probably best ifhedoesn’t get involved.You said that he fell on his face while trying to fight two monsters.”
“It was sweet.”
“We don’t need sweet.We need people who know what they’re doing.”
“Which is what I was saying.We need more people.”
Braith huffed, but even though he and Archie were used to working on their own, Archie couldn’t say that Jasper was wrong.Considering the number of guards and customers they’d seen at the warehouse, even five of them—Archie didn’t count Cullen—wouldn’t be enough.Besides, Archie didn’t only want to get the kids away from that mess.He also wanted the people involved to pay, and it wasn’t something he and Braith could take care of on their own.
“What did you have in mind?”he asked his boyfriend.
Jasper chewed on his lower lip for a second.He didn’t look happy, which made Archie wonder what he was thinking.
He didn’t have to wonder for long.
“The hunters’ organization was created to protect people,” Jasper said.
“To protect humans, not monsters,” Braith pointed out.
“You’re right,” Jasper said.“Most hunters agree with that.They want to protect humans, but not monsters.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“Mosthunters feel that way, but others don’t.We’re talking about kids.A lot of hunters probably would feel that whatever happened to these kids, they deserve it, but some won’t.Others will want to stop the fights and will help because of that.”
“Why would they want that?”
“Because it involves monsters.I’m sure that some humans are taking advantage of it, but who’s organizing this?Who’s earning money from it?”
“Probably monsters,” Archie said.“Some humans, but hunters won’t like that because these humans are working with monsters.”
“Exactly.As little as the hunters will like this, they’ll probably want to help just because of that.They’ll be able to stop a bunch of monsters from hurting people.Besides, not every hunter is an asshole.Some of them want to help people, but they have to be careful.Being a hunter sometimes feels like the only way to do that, and getting kicked out for standing up for their beliefs would ruin that.”
Archie and Braith looked at each other.Archie didn’t like it, but they might not have a choice.“Braith and I have a few friends who might want to help,” he offered.“We can reach out to them.”
Jasper nodded.“Do that, and I’ll reach out to the few people I think will still agree to talk to me within the hunters.I can’t make promises, especially if they know what I am, but I might be able to find someone.Even better, I’m sure that Kerry and Corey still have friends in the organization.They’ll probably have more success than I will.”
“We’re doing this, then?”Braith asked.“We’re involving hunters in this mess.”
“Only so that we can get Finn and the other kids out,” Jasper promised.“You’ll never have to work with hunters again after that if you don’t want to.”
Archiedidn’twant to, but he couldn’t deny that the thought of having that kind of support was appealing.He and Braith always worked their cases on their own, and sometimes, it was dangerous.Sometimes, Archie wondered how close they came to getting hurt, or worse.Luckily, not all of their cases involved going against organized crime, but when they did, it was dangerous.Archie might not have cared that much before, but he had someone to come home to now.That meant he couldn’t be as reckless as he had been in the past.Jasper would never forgive him if he got hurt.
“I don’t like this,” Braith grumbled, soft enough that Jasper, who’d already taken his phone out, didn’t hear him.
