“Now what!” I yelled. My heart raced as I tried to ignore my gut feeling.
“They took her! They took Lily!”
My sister had been taken and the police were not going to do a damned thing about it. What was I going to do? I fell to the ground as my useless father ranted that his “bitch of a daughter was supposed to be taken as payment for some debts that he owed” to none other than a man named Anthony Ricci.
ONE
BADGER
It had been six long months of trying everything within my power to find Lily. I had been a thorn in the local police department’s ass, and at this point, everyone in the department knew me by name. I had gone to the precinct at least once a day trying to see if there was any sort of lead or update, but never got anywhere. I knew it was due to the influence of Anthony Ricci.
My father was now in a home for Veterans thanks to the local VA, but I wouldn’t have cared if he were rotting on the street. I would never forgive him for what he did. I tried to have him charged for his involvement with Lily’s kidnapping, but it was my word against his. Whatever had transpired with him and Anthony Ricci seemed to give him some sort of immunity.
I now lived with the woman who had helped after the attack. We lived in a cozy, garden-style two-bedroom apartment above the women’s shelter that Nellie owned. Our agreement was simple; I helped with the intake of women and children and led self-defense classes, and Nellie provided me with housing.
The first four months after Lily’s disappearance, I had become obsessed with self-defense. It took no time for me to excel at Jiu-Jitsu and other martial arts. It was as if my body and mind were made for it. I continued to work at the diner, but mytime at Olympus had ended. There had not been enough hours in the day for three jobs.
It wasn’t long until I met a tall man with a salt-and-pepper military hairstyle after one of my self-defense classes.
The women of my class looked at the stranger with matching weary expressions as he stood at the far entrance. Most of these women had been abused by men who looked like him, so I understood their apprehension.
“Can I help you?” I asked, trying not to squirm under his intense demeanor.
A broad smile spread on his lips, contrasting the hard features of his body. Tattoos peeked from underneath his suit jacket. His features were harsh, but his gentle eyes held my gaze as he continued.
“Yes, are you Jessica Fitzgerald?” His eyes softened when he saw me straighten. Who was this man, and how the fuck did he know my name?
“Who wants to know?” I snapped.
Before my thoughts could spiral, the man continued. He placed his hand on his chest. “My name is Agent Derrick Flemming. I wanted to discuss a job opportunity with you.”
I looked at him, confused. “And what makes you think I need a job?”
Derrick’s hands were now relaxed at his sides. “I know everything about you, Ms. Fitzgerald. And I know that currently you are running a negative balance in all of your bank accounts.”
I looked at him with shock. “How the fuck?—”
“I mean you no harm, Ms. Fitzgerald. I am simply here to offer you an opportunity that would not only allow you financial freedom, but also get you answers on your sister, Lily.”
He said the magic word. Lily. Now I was really freaked out. Was he a detective or something?
I remained still as a statue. “H-how do you know about my sister?”
“I am in charge of a special operations unit that is looking to take down the man responsible for your sister’s disappearance, and I want you to be part of the operation.”
My mouth hung open. This couldn’t be happening. I didn’t know what to say. My blood ran cold as my heart started to beat frantically.
“Here’s my card.” Agent Fleming handed me a black business card. “Think about it and give me a call.”
I held onto the card and looked down at it like it were a lifeline. When I looked up, the agent was walking out the double doors and out of sight.
What the fuck just happened?
TWO
BADGER
“Oh Badger! Come out, come out wherever you are,” Arrow taunted.
