Most of the guards were down or retreating, but shouts from the main room suggested things weren’t going as smoothly there.It made sense considering how many more people had been there when Jasper had walked through.
The final cage held two kids huddled together.The youngest looked no more than ten, her face streaked with tears and dirt.When Jasper opened the door, she didn’t move.
“Hey,” he said softly, crouching down.“My name’s Jasper.We’re here to help you.We’re going to take you somewhere safe, okay?”
She stared at him with huge, dark eyes.“You’re like us.I can tell.”
Jasper’s throat tightened.He wanted to cry and scream at the same time.“Yeah.I’m like you.And I promise, no one’s going to hurt you anymore.”
She took his hand.
All the kids were out of the cages now.It was a relief, but Jasper waspissed.
“Everyone okay?”Archie asked.
“Some injuries, but nothing life-threatening.They need medical attention, though,” Jasper said.
“Let’s get them out first, then—” Corey cut himself off as a hunter appeared at the door.
“Martinez, we’ve got a situation out here.Several of ours were working with the people who organized this mess.We’ve got four in custody, but three escaped.This is bigger than we thought.”
Martinez swore.“I’ll be right there.”
Jasper might not be a hunter anymore, but he wanted to know what was happening.Something told him that the hunters weren’t done with him, and he needed as much information as he could find.He might be able to use that against them.
The way back to the main room felt longer than when they’d come in, but they made it.The main room was now chaos of a different sort.Martinez’s hunters had the situation under control, but barely.Several people were zip-tied on the floor—guards, organizers, and yes, four hunters that Jasper recognized.None of them looked happy.
“We got four hunters,” one of Martinez’s people explained, gesturing to them.“But three got away through the back exit.We’ve got people looking, but...”
“They’re gone,” Martinez finished.“Damn it.”
“What about the organizers?”Braith asked.
“We got them.”Martinez nodded toward a small group of people.“This operation is done, at least.”
“One operation,” Archie said quietly, voicing what they were all thinking.“How many others are there?”
No one had an answer.
Jasper looked down at the little girl still holding his hand.How many other kids were in other locations, still trapped and fighting for their lives in cages?
“We did good,” Corey said, coming to stand beside him.His knuckles were bloody, his shirt torn, but his gaze was steady.“Don’t forget that.”
“It’s not enough,” Jasper said.
“It never is, but it’s something.It’s a start.”
Archie’s hand landed on Jasper’s shoulder, squeezing gently.When Jasper met his eyes, he saw the same determination he felt burning in his own chest.
This wasn’t over.
The little girl tugged on his hand.“Are we going home?”
Jasper crouched down.“Yeah, you are.You’re safe now.These people won’t hurt you ever again.”Jasper couldn’t ask this little girl about what had happened, but Finn was older, and he might have answers.
“Hey.”Archie stepped closer.“You okay?”
Jasper looked around the room.Monsters and hunters were still working, and they were doing it together.Maybe they could find a way to make things work.
