Chapter 2: Never Trust A Smiling Dog
"I don't see any blue butterflies lately."
I heard her sweet voice and looked at the little girl sitting beside me, looking blankly at the window as we rode another bus. Looking back, I still have no idea how I got to this situation. But hey, at least I get to hang out with an incredibly pretty little girl, who can apparently read minds.
After the incident at the hospital, we made it to Winter's safe-house without any further problems. There he gave us another address for a safe-house in Philadelphia, which was quite a few hours from now, I think. I've never been much of a traveller and safe to say I'm a couch potato, although I do exercise from time to time. I must admit the idea of running away with this cutie is adventurous, but after nearly getting beat-up by a chick with a gun, it's not so easy bearing such responsibility after all.
Not like I had much of choice anyway.
"I'm getting hungry," she spoke up again, and this time she was looking at me, and her mention of hunger reminded me of my own. I looked slightly dumbfounded from her question, which made her seem worried about me, and said, "You're hungry too."
"Nice one, Sherlock," I teased, grinning through the sudden realization that we haven't eaten in hours. "We're almost there, I think, we can eat as soon as we get off the bus."
And then I remembered, Winter's 'allowance' is almost running out, and we won't be getting any until we get to the safehouse. I doubted if our cash was going to last.
"We're gonna need more moolah, I think," I pondered out loud, not really expecting anyone to hear me.
"We can do what did on 's Holiday," she said, "But I'm not really much of a singer or a dancer."
"We can sell our bodies for prostitution or something," I joked, and we both laughed it out like our problem wasn't a big deal.
We got off at the last stop and managed to use whatever's left of our money to buy some sandwiches. We found ourselves walking at a relaxed pace to a train station, saying nothing as both our mouths were filled with grub.
"I don't think that's gonna last," I said with one final gulp of my sandwich. "Let's face it sweetie, we need some cash."
"As long as we don't steal from anyone," she replied, wiping her lips with a handkerchief. I noticed that she missed a spot by the corner of her lips, so I wiped it clean with a finger, although part of me thought about using my own tongue. "I would've slapped you if you tried," she smirked, once again reading my mind.
"Sweetie," I replied with a grin, "It would still be worth it if you did."
Although it didn't count as stealing, I was still against the idea that Oscar suggested. He wanted me to use some of my telekinesis (or TK as he like to say it), and help him get some coins from a nearby fountain.
"We don't have much of a choice," he replied, "Or I could always find someone who'll pay you for a strip tease…"
"You wouldn't," I answered, a little pissed at how inappropriate his ideas always seem to be. "And besides, you're the only person around who's crazy enough to pay for something like that."
"Fine,do whatever you want," He said, rolling up his sleeves as he sat by the fountain. He looked around to check if anyone was watching. I stood around next to him as he told me to 'keep watch'.
I looked around, enjoying the newfound freedom and feeling of safety. I knew it wouldn't last, so I tried to enjoy the small peace we had. The park around the fountain was very quiet, with only a few people jogging around and feeding pigeons. I closed my eyes and felt the wind on my skin, the fleeting breeze felt gentle on my face. I was so at peace that I didn't feel the impending doom that was coming my way.
"Watch out!" My eyes opened with a jolt, but I turned around too late to avoid the huge creature that was about to bump me.
I fell inside the fountain butt-first, but the water was deep enough to soak me all over. I sat down on the cold water, looking face-to-face with a huge Saint Bernard wading in the water with me. We both smelled like wet dog and I struggled to stand up.
"What the heck happened?!" Oscar asked as he held out a hand. I took it,stood up, and explained that the large dog must have pushed me in the water.
"I'm so so sorry," A young voice spoke up behind the dog. Oscar and I looked to see a girl about my age holding on to a broken leash, "He was too strong, and the leash snapped."
I felt Oscar's brain go active with an 'Oh snap! She's a cutie' thought, and I punched him lightly on the thigh to keep him behaved. But he's right though, she's quite adorable, although a part of me was wondering why she was never part of any of my premonitions like I did with Dr. Terry. With Dr. Terry and SENGA, just like with the premonitions I used to have, it felt destined, even though they might need a little push.
As I remembered Dr. Terry and SENGA, I hoped that they still managed to meet each other as they were 'destined' to. I felt that we should've helped him, but we never got around to doing that. I wonder if something was wrong with some of my abilities? It was usually so easy to know what the 'right' or 'destined' course of action was. Lately, I haven't been getting those; they seem to have become as absent as the blue butterfly.
Anyway, back to this girl. She looked slightly taller than me, with red bob-cut hair. She had freckles that almost covered ¼ of her pale-skinned face. I read the thought 'ginger' and 'redhead' from Oscar and wondered what he meant. She was pretty, that much was for sure, and she wore and adorable but conspicuously short dress. I mean, it was so short it almost showed her underwear. No wonder Oscar looked so alive.
"I'm Hannah," she said with a guilt-ridden face, "I really am sorry about McGuyver."
"It's alright," Oscar replied with a grin, "It wasn't your fault."
"Well, I'm all wet, so it's not really alright." I spoke up, a little pissed off but I don't think it was because of the accident. "And what kind of name is McGuyver, anyway?"
"You're one to talk," Oscar snickered, "Bo."
Hannah was already able to use a back-up leash on McGuyver, and Oscar had to help her get the wet dog out of the fountain.
"You can get changed at my place," Hannah said with a shy smile, "I could lend you some of my clothes."
Before I could even actually think about it, Oscar agreed for me, and I guess I don't have much choice. I didn't want to get sick. I nodded, and all Oscar said was
"Awesome."
Hannah's apartment was considerably above average, for a cute little sweetheart who walks dogs as a sideline. Although part of me wondered why she thought she'd be able to handle walking a dog almost twice her size. I realized that she must be in real need of money when she told us that she had no parents and the only reason she can still live in their apartment is because the landlady had a soft spot for her. Having no problems with rent or electricity and other utilities, the only thing she needed was to have money for basic necessities like food.
"Must be rough, huh?" Bo asked, making sure not to get the floor wet with her dripping clothes, "Losing your parents?"
"It's not so bad when you get used to it, I guess," Hannah replied, then looked outside the window, where many homeless people are making their way through the streets. "Better than not having them in the first place."
Bo was suddenly looking down with a painful look in her eyes. I didn't know much about her, and Winter didn't tell me much, but could it be that she never got to know her parents?
"Um, about the clothes," Bo looked up again, her voice a little weak, "I hope you don't mind."
"It's my fault in the first place, so it's ok."
They smiled at each other awkwardly, and Hannah pointed Bo to the closet by her bedroom.
"Pick whatever you want," Hannah said, "Just please not the pink ones. Go ahead while I return McGuyver to my neighbor."
Bo nodded with another shy smile and I accompanied her to the room.
"You don't have to be here in the room,you know," Bo said while browsing through Hannah's clothes. "I can get cleaned up on my own, I'm 10."
"It's my job to look after you, so I'm with you through every boring part of your life from now on." I replied, feeling a little smug with the way I sounded noble. "Besides, I kinda wanna see you naked." Crap, I just ruined my awesomeness.
"I know," she replied with an exhausted sigh. "It's just that you look more…interested in Hannah. You should hang out with her before we leave."
Woah, does she come off as jealous or what?
"It's not like that," I replied, trying to be careful. I've never experienced this kind of problem before. "She's cute and all that. But you're… something else."
I was too serious with trying to not piss her off that I barely noticed that she had already taken her wet clothes off. With her back to me, I was given a good look at her completely bare body. Well, just the back side, but still. I had to bite down my hand to prevent me from screaming , 'OH GOD WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?'
"w-Wow," I stuttered, and had to clear my throat, "um, I mean, you look good. Not that you don't look good with clothes on it'sjust that-"
"Calm down," she giggled, putting on some white leggings before turning to face me, "I don't see the big deal. I've got nothing interesting for you, I'm not even getting boobs yet, and yet…"
Let me just clarify that I am nothing compared to whatever criminals you hear in the news, I just really like kids. But Bo's not just any kid, she's…awesome. And I'll be honest, I find her kinda hot. And now she's facing me wearing only those white leggings that were unsurprisingly tight since Hannah seems skinnier. I don't need to describe anything, but if there was anything left of my sanity, it was gone by now.
"You're a really weird guy, you know that?" She said as she put on a navy blue camisole, which strangely reached only above her belly button. The neck-line was also incredibly low and loose to the point that any small movement would probably give people around Bo a peek at her raisins. "What's with this shirt?"
"Woah!" I replied with sincere astonishment, "Even I wouldn't make you wear something that slutty."
"A lot of her shirts are like this," Bo replied, trying to look for other clothes, most of the pieces of clothing in the closet were equally skimpy to what Bo was currently wearing. I'm pretty sure we even found a g-string or thong in the closet. Each piece of clothing Bo finds makes me more and more suspicious of Hannah. She's skinny, but even she's not that different from Bo's body structure. Her clothes were either too tight or too loose.
"Just wear it for now," I said, still worried that Hannah might be what I thought she might be, "Once your clothes dry you change back as soon as possible."
"That's the most normal and un-perverted thing you said today." She replied with a grin, so I grinned back.
"Let's just hope Hannah's not some kind of prostitute or something."
But as it turns out that's exactly what she was. When she came back she was with some skinny and pimp-ish looking dude,with a hairstyle so bountiful and wavy that I almost forgot that we might be in trouble.
Hannah explained that the whole dog-fountain-accident thing was actually a set-up to get Bo in her apartment. Why? So this guy(most probably a pimp) can 'check her out' and possibly recruit her for his nightclub.
"We're starting to run out of ladies like you," he said with a smooth but suspicious voice, "What with the aging population and all."
Bo and I just stared at the man, who introduced himself as Cesar Flow. I felt the little girl beside me grasp my hand tightly, and I knew right then and there that she read something from Cesar that made her scared.
Problem was, I'm scared too.
"Look," I managed to speak up without stuttering, "She's clearly not interested-"
"I'll pay you," he replied looking determined, "And with a face like that you'll get lots of tips."
"No.", Bo said, her voice sounding weak. She looked up at me with clear fear in her eyes,making me more nervous, "Let's go. Please."
The two of us started walking towards the door, Bo holding on to my arm like she was afraid to be taken. I looked at Hannah with a confused feeling of anger and forgiveness, I was pretty sure she didn't want to do this. She couldn't even look at me straight in the eye, but she mouthed something that looked like 'I'm sorry'.
"Whoops, I forgot to make something clear," Cesar said from behind me, and grabbed my shoulder with a grip so tight I almost shrieked. "It wasn't really a request."
"Bo," I said,my voice shaky. I forced her to let go of my arm, so I could get this asshole's grip off my shoulder. "Run!"
Bo sprinted for the door, while I turned to get Cesar's hand off me. He let go of me,and without thinking I punched him on the face. I felt my knuckles connect with his nose and heard a small crunch as my blow caused him to step back. When he looked up, there was a smear of blood on his face and a look of rage that could instill fear on the devil himself.
"Oscar!" I heard Bo scream and looked to see two large guys in bouncer outfits grabbing for her.
I ran towards her, knowing that I don't stand a chance against two muscular punks. I couldn't tell if it was adrenaline, but all of a sudden everything in the room felt like it was shaking. Like some poltergeist decided to crash the party, I watched as the windows exploded to tiny pieces. The concrete from the ceiling started to crack, and loads of cockroaches crawled inside the room like some kind of horror movie.
The roaches attacked the bouncers, but instead of running past them Bo ran to Hannah.
"Come with us," Bo asked,holding Hannah's hand, both of them teary eyed, "You don't have to do anything for them anymore."
Hannah was speechless, but I could see it in her eyes that she was merely a victim as well, having no choice but to do some man's dirty work. I ran towards them and took both Bo and Hannah's hands, but Hannah wouldn't budge when I tried to get her out.
"I…" She said, tears streaming down her young yet strained face, "I can't. They have my sister."
"We can help-" Bo started but I couldn't risk her any further,so I carried her in my arms and ran like hell outside.
Once outside, I sprinted towards the most populated area I could see, knowing that Cesar wouldn't risk taking a little girl in a very public place.
A lot of people stared at the man who carried a kid, both looking like they were being chased by monsters. I sat her down the nearest bench I could see, and we became incognito again, 'just another day in the city' they must've thought.
"Well," I panted, nearly coughing from the tiring run, "That was weird. On so many levels."
"We need to help her," Bo replied, she was starting to calm down. As inappropriate as it may seem at the moment I couldn't help but admire how her smooth skin glistened with sweat, and how the shirt she was wearing left little to the imagination. And to think that this beautiful girl I was with was almost taken and sold into doing god knows what; it made my head ache knowing that I barely managed to keep her safe.
I plopped down on the bench with a tired sigh, thinking about whether we should help Hannah or just hightail it to the next hideout. It was bad enough that Skouras' people were after Bo, we shouldn't risk getting into any more trouble.
"Please," she said looking into my eyes, perhaps knowing that I'll never be able to say no to her. "You said you loved kids, and that you believe that you're not like that guy who tried to take me. This is how you can prove it."
I looked at her. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Isn't this what you want? A chance to be a kid's hero?" she continued with her hand on mine, "It's time to be Hannah's hero… and mine."
Before I could say anything else, I felt my phone(given by Winter for emergency calls) vibrate, and answered. I heard Channing's voice asking "Where the hell are you?!" , and all of a sudden I thought I might have a plan.
I took a deep breath, and spoke up.
"Channing?" I asked the lady on the other side of the line, "I need your help."
"Why?" She asked,sounding less annoyed and more worried.
"I'm going to kick some ass."