Page 43 of Two For One

“We don’t want to give her the wrong impression,” I said, trying to come up with another excuse because that answer wouldn’t satisfy Ezra. “We also never give out our number.”

That’s a dumb excuse and what explanation would we give other than, hey I'd like to contact you. It’s a phone number not a marriage proposal.

“I know, but why give her our number to contact us in the future when we know nothing will come out of it,” I said, grasping for a reason that didn’t sound like a load of shit.

Ezra stayed quiet looking out the window as we passed Xiomara’s apartment. There was a light on. We physically sagged in relief. She was safe in her home.

Ezra nodded as we passed by her home and headed back to our place. I helped Ezra get ready for his stakeout by packing his computer and snacks because who knew how long he would be there. He dressed in all black, grabbing zip ties and everything he would need to apprehend a man or two.

“Remember, not the senator,” I said. “We need to make sure it’s him we need, we don’t need a war starting cause we got the wrong person.”

I think he checks all the boxes. Ezra signed.

“I know, but I feel like it’s not just him,” I said, running my hands through my hair.

Bad feeling? He signed.

I nodded. “I feel like we might be missing something.”

It’s ok, we will find it. They try to hide their tracks very well. He signed.

“A man like him would,” I said, handing him some ammo. “Check in every couple of hours.”

Ezra nodded, grabbing his bag. Text me if you need anything. He signed as he opened the front door.

“Be careful, Gealt Bheag,” I said, before he closed the door.

He studied me for a moment, nodding as he closed the door. The sinking feeling hadn’t gone away and I needed to make sure Xiomara was ok. Maybe it was time I moved her in with us, just so I knew she was ok.

I froze at my inner thoughts. No, I would not move her in. It would give her the wrong impression and we were leaving after this was over. This wasn’t our home, and I needed to remind myself that there was no us, no matter how much my brain wanted it.

14

Ezra

IF I DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE IT, IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.

Senator Cox was a pretentious asshole who had a taste for young men. I took pictures as I watched his room, after having bugged it that afternoon. The cleaning crew was nice here, and gave me ten minutes to do what I needed to do while they cleaned. I’m pretty sure O slept with one of the ladies because she always asked about him. It took everything I had not to roll my eyes, but I was also grateful for his promiscuous ways.

A kid no older than eighteen, and I really hoped he was eighteen, was sitting with him on the couch. Senator Cox was promising him a good education and money when the boy started to undress. I cut the feed, hating that I had to watch some of that. Some men were disgusting, giving the rest of us a bad name.

I mean, I knew I was bad, but at least I didn’t take advantage of underage kids. Men like Cox deserved a lifetime in the pits of hell only for them to get used like they used people.

Me: He has a young man in his room.

O: Proof?

Me: I have the camera running.

O: Sick fuck. Ok, keep an eye on him, hack into those files and I will let you know what Saint wants to do.

Me: Got it.

I pulled out my computer trying to break into the files Senator Daniel had given us and the ones O received from Mars at Halloween Town. They were encrypted with something I had never seen before. Mars and I had bet ten thousand to see who could crack it first. I hadn’t heard from him, so it seemed he was having a hard time too.

Senator Cox lasted less than twenty minutes, and if I was being honest, it was less than that because he was inside his car by the twenty-minute mark. Hopefully, he had just talked with the kid. I shook my head as I put my laptop in the passenger seat, letting the program run, as I followed Cox at a good distance.

After a few turns, I realized we were heading to Valentine Town. I perked up with the possibility of seeing Xiomara. It had only been a few days since I had seen her, but it felt way too long. I took my own route to Valentine Town, so I wouldn’t be spotted, grabbing a table in a section Xiomara was working. Not too long after I arrived, Senator Cox was walking in with his men, heading straight for a table that had Senator Daniel and a man I didn’t recognize.