Chapter Three: Against The Odds
Seajae sat with her back agaist the couch that Bosco finally fell asleep on. She twisted her ring and looked at the fire. Anyone that knew her knew that if she was playing with her ring her mind was going a mile a minute. She was so lost in thought she didn't hear the young girl come sit beside her.
"Your ring....it's pretty." Seajae looked up.
"Hey Ally. Thank you. Bosco gave it to me for our second aneversery."
"Sgt. Boscorelli? Wow, I didn't think he had any taste." Seajae laughed.
"He's got more taste then he lets on." Seajae looked at the young girl. "I knew your dad." Ally looked up. "He was on a anti terrorest team with me about eight years ago. He was a good man. He talked alot about you and your brothers. You mostly."
"You have any kids?"
"Three. Angel is almost five. Mackenzie is two and Hope is one."
"A lot of kids for two kick ass workaholic cops."
"We balance our stuff pretty good."
"My dad couldn't. He would rather save other peoples family then stay with us that day."
"Ally, it was his job. He had to go back."
"What would you of done."
"She would of gone back." Bosco opened his eyes. "She would of died saving them. Thats what we do Ally. We save those who can't save themselves."
"But he didn't save anyone. He went back and the towers fell. All he got was dead." Ally was scared and right now so very alone in her grief. Seajae looked at the girl.
"I was a thousand miles away that day. I was in Atlanta training a dumb ass rookie who couldn't tie his shoe without a direct order." She looked at her ring. "All I remember is I had to get there. I had to find someone to blame." Smiling she looked at Ally. "It hurt to breath that day. For all of us. And sometimes I think back. I see their faces and smile because all of the hero's that day are not only hero's here on earth but up in heaven too. And the men that forced those pilots to do what they did are for sure burning in hell."
"It doesn't bring my dad back."
"No but unlike alot of kids you have a memory of him. Think about those too young or born after this all happened. They don't know there fathers. They have stories. You had the real thing for ten years of your life."
"You sound like you know what it's like."
"I was two when I lost my parents, my brother and grandparents. An aunt an uncle too. I was the only survivor of a masacure that shouldn't of happened." She layed her head back and Bosco stroked her blond curls. "I know all to well what it was like. But I have no memories. Just flashes here and there."
"You grew up alone?"
"I had an uncle who took me in until I was old enough for bording school. I stayed at an orphanage in the summer." Bosco looked at Ally.
"We know what your going though is tough. But the things you did Ally. They scared alot of people."
"My mom's remarring." Ally looked at the two aduts in front of her. "I ran because she doesn't understand that my dad......he'll always be my dad. I can't replace him like she can. The boys.....they're all I have left of him. I don't want them to forget him."
"She wouldn't want any of you to forget him."
"She took all his pictures down. She packed all of his things and gave them away." The girl looked at the floor. "I took them away from her so they wouldn't forget him."
"You took them to a crack house."
"I didn't know it was a crack house. My boyfriend said no one would look for us there."
"Have you talked to your mom about the way you feel?"
"She never listens." Seajae tooked the girls hand.
"We'll make sure she listens." She smiled. "And we'll find a way to remember your dad the way you want to."
"Thanks Seajae."
"You bet kiddo." Seajae layed her head back and let the warmth of her husbands touch seep though her. "It's going to be a long night Boscorelli."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
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"The little shit better of not been pulling our leg."
"Joseph Doyle watch what your call my God daughter." Faith looked at the man in the mirror.
"You know what I mean Sarg." Jimmy looked back at Faith and Billy looking at the map in the back seat.
"The troopers shut the road down two hours ago. Hell are we even on the road."
"Just watch for signs and that will give you a hint wise guy."
"This was a mistake. We're all going to be lost in this shit. Where the hell are we?"
"Seven miles from the exit....I think." Jimmy looked out the front window at the white out in front of them. "Angel's my god daughter too but man I hope she was right Faith."
"She was right Jimmy, you know as well as I do. It's not like them to stay out of touch this long. Even if they needed to come back into to the city."
"Yeah, I guess." At the rate they were going it would be morning before they hit the exit. "Seajae and Bosco can take care of themselves, but with a those kids in tow." Jimmy looked at the clock on the radio. Three o'clock. He wasn't sure he ever wanted to see another inch of snow as long as he lived.
"So it's another ten miles after we get off the Exit, right?" Billy looked at the map. If someones after them they have a hell of a big area to hide."
"Them I know where they are. I'm sure thier at my old man's cabin. It's the bad guys I'm worried about."
"Maybe they're just cold and need the van fixed. No bad guys involved." Faith looked hopeful but her cell phone rang shattering allt that hope. "McKenzie."
"Faith......Randy Holland just turned up dead."
"The kids shrink from DCF?" Faith could barly here Christopher. "We need to get there now." She looked at Jimmy and hung up the phone. "Angel was right."
"Why does that scare me more then knowing she was wrong."
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"Bosco let me go now. You know I can make it if I stay on the shore line."
"Seajae, I can't let you go. It's to risky."
"We're dead if I don't."
"Your dead if you do."
"I'm stroger then that and you know it."
"What if you don't come back?"
"I always come back Maurice." She stood up and he grabbed her and pulled her to him. He raised her T-shirt and kissed the heart shapped tatoo just above her waist line. He looked at the words like he'd done so many times in the past. She belonged to him. The writing inside the heart declared her his. Seajea was right......she always came home. But he also knew that the way home didn't always connect point A to point B. There was always trouble in between.
"I can't live without out you Boscorelli. Don't make me."
"Never." Seajae looked into the eyes she fell in love with. "Keep warm thoughts." She strapped a bullet proof vest before starting to layer her clothes.
"Fifteen below. Seajae are you sure?"
"If we stand half a chance I need to try." She slid on the snow pants and strapped her shoulder holster on.
"That really turns me on."
"Only you would think strapping on my gun was forplay Boscorelli. But keep that thought." Seajae ran her hand down his face and leaned in to kiss him. "I love you more then anything in this world Maurice Boscorelli. You and those babies are my life. I'm not letting this kick our ass's."
"We're all going home in the morning."
"You bet we are baby."
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Emily Yokas sat holding Angel Faith on her lap. A nightmere had awaken the little girl who was now sleeping soundly. But sleep evaided the older girl.
"Em?"
"Yeah dad." Caleb McKenzie looked at his almost grown step child. She looked so young sitting there holding his best friends little girl. "You couldn't sleep either?"
"Guess not. Bad dreams?" Caleb sat on the couch.
"She wants Bosco." Emily looked down at the little girl. "Mom's going to find them."
"You know she is."
"Dad?"
"Yeah sweety?"
"Seajae, Bosco, mom and you really like this rush that comes with the danger don't you."
"I like helping people Em. The rush is a bonus." She smiled.
"Seajae and Bosco...do you think they'd give it up?"
"I've know Seajae most of my life. She lives for the rush. Bosco, well you've known him longer then I have."
"Him and mom had a huge blow up once just before he met Seajae. He was working with Sgt Cruz on some things. Mom almost quit because of what Bosco was becoming. Seajae saved him from himself. They've been saving each other ever since." Emily looked at Angel. "They've got so much to come home to."
"They will come home. All of them. Bosco, Seajae, your mom, Billy, Jimmy, Joey. The kids. Their all coming home Emily." Emily looked at the man who had been more of a father to her in the last five years then Fred Yokas had ever been.
"I hope your right. For all our sakes."
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Seajae laced up her boots. She took a long drag of her cigarette. There would be time to quit tomorrow. She looked down at the snowmobile she'd ridden on so many times for fun. Now it ment life and death. Jimmy, Billy, Bosco and Jack kept the four machines running like a fine tuned watch. Knowing how to drive had been part of her training in Texas. There wasn't a snowmobile with in five hundred miles of Texas.
"You ready?" Bosco handed Seajae a key.
"You and Jimmy taught me good." She crushed out her cigarette and put on her hat and gloves. "Wish me luck baby."
"You got the luck of the Irish and the Italian behind you." He hugged her close. "Say a prayer along the way just in case."
"I know I said this before but God, I love you Maurice Boscorelli."
"Not as much as I love you Sunshine." With one last hug Seajae started the powerful machine. "See you before the sunrise."
"Don't leave without me." Seajae slipped on her helmet and slowly headed toward the water and hopefully help.
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"The road to the cabin is about a mile from this farm." Jimmy held on to the wheel tightly in the blinding snow. The sun would be coming up soon putting them all in more danger then they realized. "I hope were not to late."
"You know Jimmy, for once we may be right on time." Faith looked into the snow covered wilderness and prayed she was right.
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The sound of a snowmobile awoke the men. Five of them had fallen asleep. It was still dark but years of training told them the machine was moving away from them. One took out night vision binoculers.
"Someone's on the move."
"One of the teachers?"
"Most likely. They wouldn't risk one of the kids."
"Take them out?"
"Let's see were their going first."
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Bosco heard the vehicle before he saw it. Taking cover behind the old red barn he raised the rifle to take the first shot at whoever was coming for them. He had a box of shells. He hoped when that was gone they'd still be safe. The powerful vehicle rounded the last bend before the barn. The snow was falling harder now then it had all night. Through the snow and the glare of the head lights Bosco took aim and prayed Seajae made it back in time.
Seajae sat with her back agaist the couch that Bosco finally fell asleep on. She twisted her ring and looked at the fire. Anyone that knew her knew that if she was playing with her ring her mind was going a mile a minute. She was so lost in thought she didn't hear the young girl come sit beside her.
"Your ring....it's pretty." Seajae looked up.
"Hey Ally. Thank you. Bosco gave it to me for our second aneversery."
"Sgt. Boscorelli? Wow, I didn't think he had any taste." Seajae laughed.
"He's got more taste then he lets on." Seajae looked at the young girl. "I knew your dad." Ally looked up. "He was on a anti terrorest team with me about eight years ago. He was a good man. He talked alot about you and your brothers. You mostly."
"You have any kids?"
"Three. Angel is almost five. Mackenzie is two and Hope is one."
"A lot of kids for two kick ass workaholic cops."
"We balance our stuff pretty good."
"My dad couldn't. He would rather save other peoples family then stay with us that day."
"Ally, it was his job. He had to go back."
"What would you of done."
"She would of gone back." Bosco opened his eyes. "She would of died saving them. Thats what we do Ally. We save those who can't save themselves."
"But he didn't save anyone. He went back and the towers fell. All he got was dead." Ally was scared and right now so very alone in her grief. Seajae looked at the girl.
"I was a thousand miles away that day. I was in Atlanta training a dumb ass rookie who couldn't tie his shoe without a direct order." She looked at her ring. "All I remember is I had to get there. I had to find someone to blame." Smiling she looked at Ally. "It hurt to breath that day. For all of us. And sometimes I think back. I see their faces and smile because all of the hero's that day are not only hero's here on earth but up in heaven too. And the men that forced those pilots to do what they did are for sure burning in hell."
"It doesn't bring my dad back."
"No but unlike alot of kids you have a memory of him. Think about those too young or born after this all happened. They don't know there fathers. They have stories. You had the real thing for ten years of your life."
"You sound like you know what it's like."
"I was two when I lost my parents, my brother and grandparents. An aunt an uncle too. I was the only survivor of a masacure that shouldn't of happened." She layed her head back and Bosco stroked her blond curls. "I know all to well what it was like. But I have no memories. Just flashes here and there."
"You grew up alone?"
"I had an uncle who took me in until I was old enough for bording school. I stayed at an orphanage in the summer." Bosco looked at Ally.
"We know what your going though is tough. But the things you did Ally. They scared alot of people."
"My mom's remarring." Ally looked at the two aduts in front of her. "I ran because she doesn't understand that my dad......he'll always be my dad. I can't replace him like she can. The boys.....they're all I have left of him. I don't want them to forget him."
"She wouldn't want any of you to forget him."
"She took all his pictures down. She packed all of his things and gave them away." The girl looked at the floor. "I took them away from her so they wouldn't forget him."
"You took them to a crack house."
"I didn't know it was a crack house. My boyfriend said no one would look for us there."
"Have you talked to your mom about the way you feel?"
"She never listens." Seajae tooked the girls hand.
"We'll make sure she listens." She smiled. "And we'll find a way to remember your dad the way you want to."
"Thanks Seajae."
"You bet kiddo." Seajae layed her head back and let the warmth of her husbands touch seep though her. "It's going to be a long night Boscorelli."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
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"The little shit better of not been pulling our leg."
"Joseph Doyle watch what your call my God daughter." Faith looked at the man in the mirror.
"You know what I mean Sarg." Jimmy looked back at Faith and Billy looking at the map in the back seat.
"The troopers shut the road down two hours ago. Hell are we even on the road."
"Just watch for signs and that will give you a hint wise guy."
"This was a mistake. We're all going to be lost in this shit. Where the hell are we?"
"Seven miles from the exit....I think." Jimmy looked out the front window at the white out in front of them. "Angel's my god daughter too but man I hope she was right Faith."
"She was right Jimmy, you know as well as I do. It's not like them to stay out of touch this long. Even if they needed to come back into to the city."
"Yeah, I guess." At the rate they were going it would be morning before they hit the exit. "Seajae and Bosco can take care of themselves, but with a those kids in tow." Jimmy looked at the clock on the radio. Three o'clock. He wasn't sure he ever wanted to see another inch of snow as long as he lived.
"So it's another ten miles after we get off the Exit, right?" Billy looked at the map. If someones after them they have a hell of a big area to hide."
"Them I know where they are. I'm sure thier at my old man's cabin. It's the bad guys I'm worried about."
"Maybe they're just cold and need the van fixed. No bad guys involved." Faith looked hopeful but her cell phone rang shattering allt that hope. "McKenzie."
"Faith......Randy Holland just turned up dead."
"The kids shrink from DCF?" Faith could barly here Christopher. "We need to get there now." She looked at Jimmy and hung up the phone. "Angel was right."
"Why does that scare me more then knowing she was wrong."
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"Bosco let me go now. You know I can make it if I stay on the shore line."
"Seajae, I can't let you go. It's to risky."
"We're dead if I don't."
"Your dead if you do."
"I'm stroger then that and you know it."
"What if you don't come back?"
"I always come back Maurice." She stood up and he grabbed her and pulled her to him. He raised her T-shirt and kissed the heart shapped tatoo just above her waist line. He looked at the words like he'd done so many times in the past. She belonged to him. The writing inside the heart declared her his. Seajea was right......she always came home. But he also knew that the way home didn't always connect point A to point B. There was always trouble in between.
"I can't live without out you Boscorelli. Don't make me."
"Never." Seajae looked into the eyes she fell in love with. "Keep warm thoughts." She strapped a bullet proof vest before starting to layer her clothes.
"Fifteen below. Seajae are you sure?"
"If we stand half a chance I need to try." She slid on the snow pants and strapped her shoulder holster on.
"That really turns me on."
"Only you would think strapping on my gun was forplay Boscorelli. But keep that thought." Seajae ran her hand down his face and leaned in to kiss him. "I love you more then anything in this world Maurice Boscorelli. You and those babies are my life. I'm not letting this kick our ass's."
"We're all going home in the morning."
"You bet we are baby."
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Emily Yokas sat holding Angel Faith on her lap. A nightmere had awaken the little girl who was now sleeping soundly. But sleep evaided the older girl.
"Em?"
"Yeah dad." Caleb McKenzie looked at his almost grown step child. She looked so young sitting there holding his best friends little girl. "You couldn't sleep either?"
"Guess not. Bad dreams?" Caleb sat on the couch.
"She wants Bosco." Emily looked down at the little girl. "Mom's going to find them."
"You know she is."
"Dad?"
"Yeah sweety?"
"Seajae, Bosco, mom and you really like this rush that comes with the danger don't you."
"I like helping people Em. The rush is a bonus." She smiled.
"Seajae and Bosco...do you think they'd give it up?"
"I've know Seajae most of my life. She lives for the rush. Bosco, well you've known him longer then I have."
"Him and mom had a huge blow up once just before he met Seajae. He was working with Sgt Cruz on some things. Mom almost quit because of what Bosco was becoming. Seajae saved him from himself. They've been saving each other ever since." Emily looked at Angel. "They've got so much to come home to."
"They will come home. All of them. Bosco, Seajae, your mom, Billy, Jimmy, Joey. The kids. Their all coming home Emily." Emily looked at the man who had been more of a father to her in the last five years then Fred Yokas had ever been.
"I hope your right. For all our sakes."
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Seajae laced up her boots. She took a long drag of her cigarette. There would be time to quit tomorrow. She looked down at the snowmobile she'd ridden on so many times for fun. Now it ment life and death. Jimmy, Billy, Bosco and Jack kept the four machines running like a fine tuned watch. Knowing how to drive had been part of her training in Texas. There wasn't a snowmobile with in five hundred miles of Texas.
"You ready?" Bosco handed Seajae a key.
"You and Jimmy taught me good." She crushed out her cigarette and put on her hat and gloves. "Wish me luck baby."
"You got the luck of the Irish and the Italian behind you." He hugged her close. "Say a prayer along the way just in case."
"I know I said this before but God, I love you Maurice Boscorelli."
"Not as much as I love you Sunshine." With one last hug Seajae started the powerful machine. "See you before the sunrise."
"Don't leave without me." Seajae slipped on her helmet and slowly headed toward the water and hopefully help.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"The road to the cabin is about a mile from this farm." Jimmy held on to the wheel tightly in the blinding snow. The sun would be coming up soon putting them all in more danger then they realized. "I hope were not to late."
"You know Jimmy, for once we may be right on time." Faith looked into the snow covered wilderness and prayed she was right.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The sound of a snowmobile awoke the men. Five of them had fallen asleep. It was still dark but years of training told them the machine was moving away from them. One took out night vision binoculers.
"Someone's on the move."
"One of the teachers?"
"Most likely. They wouldn't risk one of the kids."
"Take them out?"
"Let's see were their going first."
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Bosco heard the vehicle before he saw it. Taking cover behind the old red barn he raised the rifle to take the first shot at whoever was coming for them. He had a box of shells. He hoped when that was gone they'd still be safe. The powerful vehicle rounded the last bend before the barn. The snow was falling harder now then it had all night. Through the snow and the glare of the head lights Bosco took aim and prayed Seajae made it back in time.