"I'm sorry gentlemen, I don't know where or who this Mika person is." Nick examined the two men that stood near the bar.
"We got word that you followed after her a couple of nights ago. I'd think it would be to your advantage to tell us." Jack gave Nick a cold stare not sure whether to believe him or not. The guy looked harmless, but you didn't find a priest in a bar with a cigarette and alcohol.
"Are you suggesting that it would be to my disadvantage that I can't tell you what I don't know?"
"It could be." Mike spoke up now, giving Nick the same stare as his partner.
"You two shouldn't make threats you can't keep." Mika stood by the door of the bar, listening and watching. From what she could tell, there were only two of them. They hadn't brought anyone with them again even though that seemed to be their mistake every time they came after her. Maybe they had planned to hold Nick hostage unless she turned herself over. That only proved that they made another mistake in not knowing who Nick was.
"We'll do more than threat Mika." Jack pulled out his gun as Mike stood behind Nick and pointed it at Nick. "Come with us and we won't kill your friend."
"Friend?" Mika slid down her glasses an inch and looked at Nick as if she'd never seen him before. "Never seen him before. You want to kill him, you know that I won't care."
Jack glared at her. "Friend or not, we'll take him to the boss and tell him you've been sleeping with this guy. You belong to him Mika and he won't take kindly to you sleeping with other men."
"That's a load of shit and you know it. You guys are nothing but poor excuses for men who suck on Bronze's nuts for a few bucks. I have never belonged to him and I will never belong to him. Tell him that. Lets take this outside boys and try to settle it like real men." With that, Mika walked out, not afraid to turn her back on her enemies and hoping that Nick wouldn't do anything until he got out of the bar.
She leaned on their car, knowing it was theirs. Bronze always used the same cars. They came out, one with their hand on Nick's arm and other with the gun pointed towards him. Mika could tell Nick was mad, but she'd deal with him later. She started to take a step towards them when Nick lashed out. He quickly and easily snatched the gun from Jack and sent him falling on his ass when Nick hit him with it in the nose. Mike was slow to react so as he went to hit Nick with his fist, it was easily caught in Nick's palm. Then Nick hit him in the nose with the gun as well. He stood over the two men with his gun and Jacks gun pointed at their heads.
"Nick don't!" Mika ran over to them, rope in hand. "Tie them up and put them in the car." She quickly tied up Jack and easily hauled him to the car as Nick took care of Mike. She pushed Jack in the backseat and then Mike followed.
"We'll find you again Mika." Mike whispered quietly so only she could hear. "He'll keep donating to his church and we'll keep finding you."
"Shut the hell up Mike!" Jack tried to kick him, but failed.
Mika closed the door and took Nick to the side. "You've been donating to a church? They found me because of you!"
"Don't you dare yell at me. Who the hell are they Mika? Why are they after you?" Nick grabbed her arm. "Tell me Mika, now."
"I'll tell you later, I swear. But we have to get out of here. My car is in the alley behind the restaurant. I want you to drive towards the town where we met and stop at the train station there. I'll meet up with you and we'll drive until I say we've driven far enough. Just trust me on this Nick and do as I say, please." She didn't wait for an answer and headed to the car to abandon Jack and Mike some where. She stuck her head out the window and called to Nick when she saw that he wasn't moving. "Go Nick and hurry, I promise I'll be there." Then she was gone.
When Nick reached the town he decided to call the orphanage and tell them he wouldn't be sending any money for a while. He hated to do it, was hurt by the fact that he had to but he didn't want to risk them getting hurt because of the people who were after Mika. He would help her settle that and soon. He wanted her safe at all times and he would not allow anyone to threaten her life.
"Grace, hi. This is Nick."
"Oh hi Nick! We received your money but I've got some great news!"
"What is it?"
"We received some big donations from a couple of businesses and I mean big. So big that we are well off for at least the next two years. They said they would continue to sponsor us too!"
Nick was speechless for a moment, then he became a little suspicious. "That's wonderful Grace."
"You won't need to send us some money for a while Nick so don't you worry about it. Go out and celebrate because the Lord has truly blessed us!"
"Yes. I'll talk to you later, good bye."
"Bye!"
Nick hung up and stared at the phone for a long while. This didn't seem right at all. He had a feeling that whatever had happened two days ago had something to do with this. He had a lot of questions to ask and Mika had better have the answers. He'd worried the whole drive, hoping she was all right and that he would see her again. He sat at the train station with a cigarette in his mouth and his Cross Punisher by his side just in case. He didn't know when she would be there, but he hoped it was soon. He didn't know where he would go if she didn't come by nightfall.
"Nicholas."
At the sound of his name coming from a familiar female voice Nick sat up a little and turned towards it. He rose when he saw Mika, questions ready to spill from his mouth but he stopped them. From what he could see of her face he could tell that she was a little pale. Frightened, he assumed. He looked back to see if a train had come in and he'd been too distracted to notice, but there was no train on the track. He turned back to her.
"I thought it wise not to ride the train because they would think of that. I took a private plane all the way here. Where's the car?"
Nick picked up his Cross and went to where he left the car. Mika climbed in the driver's seat as Nick put it his Cross in the back seat. Jumping in, Mika took off, driving just a little bit faster that Nick had when he was on his way here. Nick wanted to ask questions but Mika didn't appear as if she could handle them. She was shaken, though she tried to hide it behind all that strong woman. He had told her not to do that and it made him want to hold her until she drained herself weak from the tears she shed. He'd see to that later but for now he let her drive.
Nick was on and off of sleep the entire trip. He didn't sleep the entire time he drove to meet up with Mika and sleep was becoming hard for him to fight. He was only vaguely aware of how many days Mika had been driving but he knew it was time to stop.
"Mika."
"Yes?"
"Stop at the next town."
"Why?"
"You've been driving to long, you need to rest. I am too tired to drive and I know it won't be long before you fall asleep and kill us both."
"I will not."
"Don't argue, just stop at the next town." He sat up and forced himself to stay awake. He was hungry and he wanted to shower. He knew Mika wanted the same.
"Fine." The nearest town was coming up so they would be there soon. She wanted desperately to loose herself in sleep but she knew Nick would probably ask questions. But as usual, her mind wandered back to Bronze as she tried to figure out what he might to next.
