Well this took longer to get uploaded than anticipated. For that I apologise. Motivation has hit rock bottom again and I'm only now pushing through it.
3. Saviour
Swift wings carried the rest of April away, dragging May into existence. Over the three weeks he'd been doing yard maintenance, Zephyr grew to a healthy weight and had gotten to know pretty much everyone in the neighbourhood. Foul rumours started circling soon after, forcing him away from the children he sought only to protect. Second guesses as to who started this mill of false accusations weren't needed; Zephyr knowing the exact mouth they came from but he could do little to fight against them. Worse still, his substance abuse councillor broached the subject at their very next meeting following the rumours beginning to surface. A dark cloud hung over him at school every day, alienated from even Ashley's company at Johnny's insistence. Day by day the dirty looks became more intolerable and sooner or later, Zephyr would snap at somebody if no one could dispel the lies behind the hatred.
On May 10th, Zephyr took the risk of getting some peace and quiet at the park near home. Since the rumours started, the children were all forbidden to go there, false fears placed into their young minds. He was just lounging on a bench staring up at the clouds when footsteps approached him; turning his cold gaze south onto a girl he never expected to see. Frankie stood a few paces away, concern echoing in her charcoal grey eyes. What the devil could she possibly want? Given how nervous Ashley's girlfriend looked, she'd approached the neighbourhood outcast about a child.
"I'm terribly sorry to bother you, Zephyr, but I can't find my little sister anywhere. Have you seen her? Long ashen pink hair, grey eyes wearing a yellow t-shirt and pastel brown shorts."
"No, sorry. Kids don't come around here anymore in case you haven't noticed, Francesca. Now if you've nothing else I can help with, I'd appreciate being alone."
"No, that's all. If…if you do see her, please call me."
Snatching the small slip of paper from Frankie's hand, Zephyr returned to cloud watching. She left him in peace, heading off to search for her sibling somewhere else. In truth, he didn't want to be on his own but that stubborn little thing called pride wouldn't let him ask for company. Friend had always been a mere word to him growing up. Sure he knew people, but they weren't his "friends". Acquaintances would be a more appropriate term for them. Ashley came along some 20 minutes later, sent by Elizabeth to fetch their missing family member for dinner. It came as no surprise when Zephyr turned his back on him defiantly.
"C'mon Zeph. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."
"Just piss off Ashley. I'm not hungry nor in the mood for company of any kind. And while we're at it, tell that girlfriend of yours to stay away from me."
Ashley bristled at the mentioning of Frankie but he was given no time to react. Wyatt came staggering into view, an expression of panic etched onto his sweat-laced face. Just hearing the footsteps of a child caused Zephyr to go tense, not daring to look behind him.
"You shouldn't be here, kid. Unless you want us both to get in trouble."
"I don't care what people say! Please Zephyr, I need your help! Tammy's stuck in an abandoned construction site and can't get out."
"And why aren't you telling a responsible adult about this?"
"Because…because we weren't supposed to be playing near there."
Zephyr had two options open to him. He could ignore the community damnation and run to a child's aid, a little girl no less; or turn Wyatt away to inform somebody better able to help him and face further consequences of going somewhere the boy knew full well was forbidden. What if his friend was Frankie's little sister? Grumbling about likely regretting his decision, Zephyr rose from the bench and gestured for Wyatt to show him where Tammy was waiting. Ashley had very little choice but to follow, knowing Zephyr would likely need an eye witness against the accusation waiting to be thrown once the adults found out.
Wyatt raced down all the backstreets he knew to get back faster, making sure he didn't lose the two larger boys at his heels. Zephyr could see why children were forbidden to play near the construction site when they arrived. It was in a quiet part of town, the nearest payphone a 20 minute walk in every direction. Locating where Tammy went down didn't take long, Ashley keeping Wyatt at a safe distance while Zephyr moved the fence panels aside. Directly below him at the bottom of a steep, muddy slope was the little girl he was here to rescue. She was covered from head to toe in wet dirt, eyes red from crying.
Zephyr looked around to see if there was anything he could use on site, finding only some abandoned planks of wood on the path. No rope, no bricks, nothing. It pained him to hear Tammy whimpering for help while devising a plan of action.
"Hang on Tammy; we'll get you out of there. Can you move your feet or are they stuck?"
"I…I think I'm stuck!"
"Try not to move, I'm coming down."
Ashley dreaded what his surrogate brother had in mind, watching as he removed his t-shirt and folded it, leaving him in a white tank top, camo patterned cargo pants and combat boots. Passing the removed garment to Wyatt, Zephyr strode purposefully over to the tarp covered panels.
"Okay here's the plan. The mud down there is possibly going to be sloppy as a pig pen, so these wooden boards are hopefully going to distribute my weight evenly. Once I'm down I'll need more to walk on."
Zephyr turned sternly to Ashley, making his fellow teen shrink in fear.
"That's where you come in. You'll feed them down the slope one at a time until I've reached Tammy. It's possible that when she landed, her feet sank into the mud. If that's the case, I'll have to try and ease them out from underneath. Wyatt, you're gonna keep watch. If you see an adult, tell them to send help. I can't guarantee we'll be able to get back up without assistance. There's nothing down there that will help. With any luck we're not going to be here all night."
The way Zephyr co-ordinated everything made it feel like he'd done it all before. Wyatt split his attention between the rescue mission and keeping his eyes open for any passing people. Getting two boards into place didn't take long and before they knew it, Zephyr was sliding down the sloppy slope, digging the heels of his boots in to reduce momentum. He couldn't risk getting stuck too. Casting his gaze along the wall once down, he estimated it would take at least 3 more sets of planks to reach Tammy.
Ashley dutifully played his part, providing the required boards until boy reached girl. Tammy was understandably scared, upset and probably cold too; her clothes soaked through. Zephyr observed how deep into the mud she'd gone, relieved that it barely went over her ankles.
"Okay Tammy. I'm going to slide a board under your feet to push you out, okay? It might hurt so I'm gonna need you to try and stay calm. Can you do that for me?"
"Can't you just pull me out?"
"No, I'd risk dislocating your ankles or worse. It's a complicated thing to explain, but what's happened is the mud has been sucked around your ankles."
Tammy couldn't say she understood the fine details about her predicament, only able to trust that Zephyr would get her out in one piece. While all this went on, the quartet were somehow deaf to a circling news helicopter; and its sights were set on them. It only took a few minutes to ease Tammy up out of the boggy Earth, spinning rotor blades now audible to her rescuers. That was their ticket out! They just needed to get a message up to the crew inside! From where he stood, Zephyr could see at least two people looking down and one of them had what appeared to be a camera.
There had to be a sheet of cardboard or something he could write on. Ashley called after Wyatt as the boy ran off into a nearby alley, returning with just what they needed; a fairly big piece of dry cardboard. Tammy watched with eager eyes as her rescuer scrawled something on it in mud before raising high a worded cry for help.
Certain that the news crew got his message, Zephyr cast the board aside to focus on Tammy's needs as she sat shivering on the makeshift walkway. Unable to tell how long they'd be stuck in the abandoned construction site, Zephyr came to a decision he hoped wouldn't come back to bite him as he knelt beside her.
"Hey Tammy, how'd you like to trade shirts with me? There's less dirt on mine so it'll help keep you warm."
"O-Okay. W-Won't you be cold without i-it?"
"Nah. I grew up in a real cold place so it doesn't bother me that much anymore. Do you need any help getting it off?"
"My arms are tired (sob) I don't think I can move them."
"It's okay, don't cry. Lift your arms as high as you can, Tammy."
Tammy did as Zephyr asked, providing the space he needed to remove the mud-sodden t-shirt and replace it with his much warmer tank top; tying the best knot he could into the shoulders and at the waist so it didn't expose too much of her sore looking skin. Sirens rang out in the distance giving all who heard them hope that help was coming. By the time a fire truck arrived alongside several police cars and an ambulance, Tammy was curled up against Zephyr's bare chest for a little extra warmth. Soon as a fire-fighter arrived, they were made aware of why Tammy's rescuer was shirtless so that no foul opinions were conjured up.
Within half an hour of the first responders arriving, the rescue came to completion. Wyatt ran straight over to Tammy leaving Ashley to see how Zephyr was holding up…that was until one of the three attending police officers placed him under arrest.
"Whoa hold on Officer, what's the big idea?! Zephyr's done nothing wrong!"
"We received an anonymous tip that your friend here has been preying on the local youngsters and this situation is just a cover for him molesting a little girl."
"Are you kidding me?! The only thing Zephyr's guilty of is having a big heart! He wasn't even here when Tammy fell into the construction site! What do you suppose this is gonna teach him huh?!"
"Kid, I'm just doing my job. Get out of the way."
Pressing the matter further would have unpleasant consequences, leaving Ashley with his hands tied. How was he supposed to help without getting himself cuffed for a ride downtown? Zephyr's only hope rested with the reporters who'd sent them the requested aid and were still recording. Or at least he prayed they hadn't stopped rolling. Tammy couldn't understand what was going on when she saw Zephyr being half shoved into the Officers' car. Why were the police taking her saviour away? Wyatt ran over to try and barter for Zephyr's freedom but he only got pushed away.
Spurred on by reckless desperation, Ashley climbed in beside his brother while promising Wyatt that everything was going to be okay. No matter how much the Officer protested, Ashley remained steadfastly buckled in. Phones were ringing off the hook when they got to the station, likely a public outcry about Tammy's knight in military armour being wrongfully arrested judging by the exasperated looks on a sea of weary faces. Try as he might, Ashley wasn't able to remain by Zephyr's side; told that if things went too far south, Sacha should be contacted and that he'd get everything straightened out. It was absolute agony for the next hour or so, Ashley left to wait on pins and needles for the courageous youth he was steadily growing to love as family. Why was Johnny so adamant in ruining Zephyr's future using all the dirtiest, most damaging tricks he knew?
A different policeman interviewed Ashley for his side of the story, unconvinced that the other teenager currently in custody was guilty of any wrongdoing. Someone willing to listen to reason was a refreshing change for the young Dickenson but he still couldn't see Zephyr. Kai's big brother was being thoroughly investigated and there was nothing that could be done except wait. When Ashley asked why, he was told that children of varying ages had been going missing over the course of a few months. Missing person cases had gone unsolved and the whole precinct was on edge as one would expect.
"For the hundredth time, I have not and will never sexually abuse a child!"
Zephyr had lost his last shred of patience he didn't know how long ago with the stubborn mule of a man who'd arrested him. The briefest of interruptions granted seconds of relief but not long enough for the rattled blonde to rein his temper back in. From what Zephyr caught of the conversation, he was cleared of suspicion for the crime he'd not committed and boy oh boy was his interrogator unhappy about it.
"What's the matter PC Plod?" Zephyr grinned, smugly leaning into his chair. "Get some bad news did we?"
"Watch your lip, punk. Just because you're not guilty of raping that particular little girl doesn't mean others haven't come to harm by your hand! Now tell me where you're hiding them you freak!"
Now this man was being an ass for the sake of it, Zephyr was sure. Why had he even become a police officer when he clearly couldn't stand people?
"Who the fuck shit in your cereal pal? And I can't help you if I don't know what it is you're looking for!"
"Those children you kidnapped! Now spit it out before I beat the crap out of you!"
"Bah! You wouldn't even graze a hair on my head, pudgy. I might be cuffed but I'll still kick your fat ass six ways from Sunday and that's a promise. I'm not hiding no damn kids; they're being kept from me under false pretence that I'm some fucking paedophile!"
"Because you are one!"
"You can't prove that, cunt!"
Getting a taste of his own medicine was really getting under the man's skin. He likely would've tried testing Zephyr further when somebody walked in holding a familiar bag. This day just kept getting better and better.
"I didn't give you permission to go through my things."
"Correct, we got a warrant."
"And you wouldn't have needed one if you'd just asked! Sure I got fuck all to hide, but you're supposed to ask first and only get a warrant if permission is denied and there's reasonable cause to believe evidence is being hidden! I've seen my share of bad policing but this tops the fucking cake hands down."
"If you've got nothing to hide, then explain these young man."
A small box was brought forward, sealed inside a plastic Ziploc bag. For a moment there was pure silence, the next near maniacal laughter filled the room. Neither adult saw the humour that clearly set Zephyr off.
"Oh, this is fucking hilarious!" He wheezed, stomach in stitches. "That's your proof?! How exactly does a box of condoms prove I'm molesting children?"
"So then why were they in your bag?"
Zephyr's hysterics eased, leaving him very short of breath, head in hands. "Here's the thing. Where I come from, the legal age for consented sex is younger than it is here. Don't remember packing a whole box or any at all before boarding that plane so my guess is a friend of mine snuck them in while I wasn't looking as a joke."
Differing opinions were clear to tired eyes. The woman holding Zephyr's bag looked convinced but her colleague still wasn't budging, further displeased at being told there was zero evidence of paedophilia to be found…meaning Zephyr could be contained no longer. If his limbs weren't heavy with exhaustion he would've jumped for joy when leaving the room. Relief was the first thing to wash over Ashley when Zephyr was escorted into the lobby, bag hanging from a tired shoulder and sore wrists being rubbed. All this time he'd gone without a shirt on his back. How the hell was he not freezing?! Zephyr was too worn out to protest against Ashley shedding his fancy leather jacket onto his shoulders, inwardly glad for the warmth it provided.
Stepping out into the crisp spring air the boys were met with a worried Stanley waiting by the car. No words were uttered, both teens ushered inside the blissfully warm vehicle to be taken home. Neither of them expected to see Frankie in Elizabeth's company; Ashley instinctively bracing himself when his girlfriend made to stand up but she flew right passed him. Zephyr staggered back at the force Frankie hit him with, struggling to grasp the fact she wasn't just hugging the air out of his lungs; Ashley stood staring in disbelief as his girl smothered the surprised blonde with a kiss.
Things were tense between the boys for a few hours after that. Zephyr had bolted out of sight soon as Ashley ripped Frankie away from him, refusing to come out until she was long gone. Luckily Elizabeth had talked most of her grandson's anger out by then, informing him that the girl Zephyr rescued was Frankie's little sister and she was just overwhelmingly grateful that he'd ran to her aid despite all the nasty rumours going around. On top of that stood Zephyr's morals regarding girls who weren't single and his lacking desire to get a woman of his own. If there had truly been something going on between him and Frankie, he wouldn't be so irritated with having her near.
By late evening everyone in the neighbourhood had dropped by to apologise for putting so much stock in false rumours, that they were more than happy to place their children's safety back into Zephyr's hands. Kids of all ages going missing had put the whole community on a knife's edge, and who better to blame than the new guy in town that was still an enigma to everyone? In the darker night, Zephyr laid awake bothered by all these unsolved missing children cases. Ashley had told him about them on their way home, that the Officer questioning him was likely after a scapegoat just to put it all to bed, even if that meant condemning an innocent teenager and ruining their life before it had truly begun.
The ordeal certainly left Zephyr wary of whom he could really trust in the LDPD. There had to be somewhere the police hadn't looked, a blip that never factored in during the searches. And Zephyr did want to help, wondering if it was worth stalking the back streets for information. It was right up his alley, so to speak, and he'd feel right at home amongst the unsavoury types that hung out after dark. Somebody had to know something that could help get those children back to their families. For now, all he could do was rest and get his strength back. Rescuing Tammy had taken a lot more out of him that he'd initially thought or felt, eyes closing to the world when he could no longer fight to stay awake.
Birds sang a merry little ditty to get everyone out of the bed the following morning. Zephyr groaned defiantly, pulling the pillows and quilt over his head no matter how many times Ashley tore them away, determined to get even five minutes more sleep.
"Right, that's it I'm getting a bucket of ice cold water. Then you'll really be sorry."
Ashley didn't even get halfway down the stairs before he heard his heavy footed sibling trundling to the bathroom, bemusedly shaking his head. For somebody who supposedly didn't feel the cold much, Zephyr certainly didn't like the thought having ice water tossed over him. Over breakfast, Ashley spoke of his plan to take Zephyr out for a celebratory meal, just the two of them, at a local diner. Elizabeth wholeheartedly supported the idea as did Stanley. If anything it would help the boys grow a little closer or at least that was the hope. They were kicked out the door around 11am with a generous amount of spending money to cover any purchases they planned to make.
Kids back out at play on the street was a relieving sight to behold but at the back of Zephyr's mind was a nagging worry that one of them could vanish without his knowing as several already had. Some of the parents from last night had spoken of how their daughters went missing right as the rumours started and others slightly before. At the time Zephyr had thought nothing of certain youngsters not coming out to play, figuring they were either unwell or spending quality time with family. Part of him felt responsible for not taking the initiative sooner, that perhaps doing so would've prevented others from being snatched.
Seagulls squawking and fighting over scraps above his head pulled Zephyr back to the real world, looking around to see he and Ashley had arrived in town. Folks bustled around, filtering in and out of shops without a care in the world. The boy's first stop was a clothing store. Much as Ashley kinda dug the stuff Zephyr normally wore, he insisted the pale youth get something a little less…military looking.
After an hour of shopping for various things it was time for lunch, Ashley practically dragging Zephyr towards his favourite diner to refuel. There weren't many people inside, a gentle hum of music floating from high hung speakers behind the counter on opposite sides of a television. Not a minute after the boys sat down they were approached by a cutely dressed waitress who going by her nametag was called Eileen.
"So then lads, what'll you have today?"
Ashley decided he'd order first while Zephyr studied the menu, Eileen jotting down his selection on her pad. Feeling eyes staring expectantly at him wasn't helping Zephyr to make up his mind any faster, overwhelmed as it was by all the food items he couldn't identify.
"First time in a diner buddy?"
"Hm."
"Not much of a talker is he Ashley?"
"Maybe your beauty has him speechless Eileen."
Zephyr scoffed absentmindedly to Ashley's comment, but there was no denying that the waitress was quite fetching to look at with her satin skin, thigh high pleated skirt, bouncy strawberry blonde hair wound into neat curls and soft russet brown eyes framed by mascara and soft pastel red eye shadow.
"Tell ya what hotshot." Eileen piped, tapping the end of her pencil on Zephyr's shoulder. "You can't go wrong with Denny's fries accompanied by a side of his special sauce."
Ashley rolled his eyes at how Eileen bigged up the "house specialty" like it was some culinary marvel. Zephyr merely shrugged. It wasn't like he knew what anything else was and Eileen couldn't stand around all day explaining each one. You'd have to be a disaster in the kitchen to mess up something as simple as fried potato slices. Her job at the table done, Eileen tottered into the kitchen and put the chefs to work. With nothing else to really do while waiting for their food, Ashley tuned in to a freshly starting news broadcast, Eileen appearing briefly to turn the volume up a bit and to deliver an order to somebody else all while amethyst eyes watched her every move. Ashley gave Zephyr a sly kick under the table to distract him from doing something dumb.
Not a few minutes later Eileen was back, this time with Ashley and Zephyr's orders on a tray, giving the local hero a seductive wink as she walked away. Both boys had just started to dig in when an announcement on the TV got their attention.
{"On behalf of the Liskeard and Devon Police Department I would like to both thank and apologise to the young man from yesterday's rescue. The conduct displayed by one of the attending Officers was appalling and I cannot express how sorry I am that your first encounter with us was so unpleasant. Disciplinary action has been taken against them in accordance to the severity of their offense."}
Zephyr bowed his head when an image of him appeared on screen alongside footage, the reporter from yesterday lauding him as a hero. He sure didn't feel like one, even when other diners cheered and applauded his "brave" deed. Peace and quiet was going to be a mythical beast for a while, of that Zephyr was sure. Thankfully the boys were allowed to retain their solitude, everyone else more preoccupied with going about their day outside the diner, leaving only two or three tables in use. Ashley would've asked his brother how the food was but a disturbance across the room grabbed Zephyr's undivided attention. The blonde's head was down but his eyes were on a disgruntled customer, hand hovering over a half-full basket of fries.
Eileen handled the situation with graceful poise even if she looked ready to rip the complaining young man to shreds as they demanded to speak with the chef. His request was indulged, Eileen returning with a man dressed in chef's threads. Zephyr observed him quietly; noting the dark brown skin that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the white chef's overalls. From the little that was visible; he had ash brown hair and his eyes were coloured like red wine. Going by height, the cook was about 17, probably fresh out of school.
"Is…is there a problem sir?"
"These fries came out cold and underdone! You trying to kill someone?!"
"I'm so sorry. I'll get you a fresh batch right away…"
Zephyr could remain neutral no longer when the customer threw a punch, dragging an agitated sigh from Ashley as he rocketed to the chef's defence; clocking his attacker clean across the face once they were pulled off of him. Unsurprisingly Zephyr recognised the Greaser boy instantly upon turning him around.
"Well hello again Carlos. I thought we talked about this?"
"Fuck you foreigner!"
Carlos's retort earned him a hardly restrained pop on the nose, a sickening crack coming from the assaulted outcrop of flesh and cartilage.
"Careful what you wish for, Carlos. I've fried punks bigger and dirtier than you. Stop looking for unnecessary fights and maybe I wouldn't have to kick your butt every time we meet. One way or another you're going to learn the lesson I'm teaching. Because I can promise you I ain't going to be scrawny in a couple years. Now do us all a favour and get outta here. Ain't nuthin' wrong with your food."
Carlos gladly complied, dashing out of the diner with Zephyr's boot practically up his ass. It didn't matter how many beatings it took, the bully was going to reform whether he liked it or not. Returning to the assaulted chef, Zephyr's features softened. Eileen had got him sitting at a table to tend his wounds. They weren't too serious, just a busted lip and a couple of cuts but they'd dug deep enough to draw a fair amount of blood. For a flicker of a second, Zephyr saw Kai in the chef's place. He'd been jumped by a couple of thugs on the way home from school one day and looked much like the dark skinned lad did now. Boy did those guys regret their decision quickly, both for battering a defenceless child and later bragging about it.
Soon as she saw Zephyr standing close by, Eileen assumed a protective stance over her colleague; mildly confused when he gestured for her to calm down.
"Take it easy sweetheart, I'm not a threat. Is he okay?"
"Y-Yes. A bit banged up but I reckon Denny'll make a quick recovery. But…why did you step in?"
"It was the right thing to do." Zephyr shrugged, sparing a glance in Ashley's direction.
"Don't matter to me if you're black, white or green, we all bleed the same colour. Truthfully, people of different races is still a fairly new concept to me. Unlike some folks, I judge on character, not the pigment of one's skin. I see people, not colours. Take chicken eggs for example. They come in a variety of colours on the outside; but the innards are all the same. Humans are no different."
"That's…an interesting way of looking at it. Guess I never thought about it that way before. And I'm guessing you're not the religious type either?"
Eileen was strangely relieved to the sight of Zephyr shaking his head; glad that this was one white male Denny wouldn't have to worry about getting rowdy towards him.
"If it had nothing to do with running a business, I wasn't taught it. Though I can certainly live by the whole "Love thy neighbour" thing. Respect me and I'll treat you in kind."
Zephyr turned now to the boy dabbing at his lip with a napkin.
"So, you're the man behind the house special I take it?"
"Yessir. Name's Denny. Was…was it okay?"
"No complaints here. In fact, I can see myself coming back if all the food served here is that good. Carlos was just digging up reasons to pick a fight. I know the type too well. A year or two ago that would've been me until a truckload of respect for others got pounded into my skull. You've nothing to fear from me, Denny. The name's Zephyr."
Denny took the hand held out to him with eagerness Zephyr did not anticipate, worried his arm might drop off it was pulled any harder. Eileen at least was smiling from ear to ear, happy that her co-worker had made a new friend this day rather than an enemy. But there was something in her eyes when she looked at him that got Zephyr's attention. If he didn't know any better he'd say the waitress had a crush on the dark skinned cook. Giving Zephyr his hand back, Denny retreated into the kitchen whistling merrily and with a visible spring in his step. Ashley didn't utter a word until his sibling sat down to their now cold dinner.
"You just can't stay out of trouble for five minutes can you?"
"Jealous much snowball?"
Ashley could only assume Zephyr was referring to his hair colour, sipping coolly at his half-finished strawberry milkshake. Maybe he was just a little jealous that Zephyr got all the action, predicting that every girl in school would be falling at his feet tomorrow…including Frankie. That flying smooch of gratitude was far too passionate for Ashley's comfort. Yes she could've just gotten a bit carried away; but what if that wasn't the case?
In the back of his mind there was this nagging little voice constantly telling him that Frankie was hot for Zephyr. Occasionally these thoughts were mixed with visions of the pair all tangled up in Zephyr's sheets having very intimate sex. Ashley zoned out so badly he almost fell out of his seat, caught quickly and gently by strong, pale hands; fingers snapped in front of his face.
"Earth to Ashley. You're a world away, bright eyes."
A grunt was Ashley's only response, blind to the empty basket across the table. Zephyr could think of only a handful of things that would get his companion to space out the way he had, figuring that this time it was about Frankie.
"I'm only gonna say this once, Ashley; and you're free to believe me or not. But there is NOTHING going on between me and Francesca. As a matter of fact, I'm just as irritated with her for kissing me, maybe more than you are. Besides, she's not even my type."
"Then what is your "type", Zephyr?"
There was venom in Ashley's tone and it didn't go unnoticed, Zephyr pausing from wiping his fingers with a napkin, dropping the crumpled red paper square into the matching red basket.
"I'm not doing this, Ashley. Not today. But if you really want to know how I like my women; I take them assertive with a generous seasoning of not tolerating anyone's bullshit and a side of I'm gonna kick your ass if you fuck with my man. From what I've seen so far, Francesca is none of those things."
"Sounds to me like you want yourself some dark meat, handsome."
Whipping his head to the side Zephyr saw Eileen standing there holding a tray, smiling cheekily. How long had she been listening?!
"Ain't no girl defend her boy more than a black woman in my experience. Denny's ma is a fierce gal. Nobody messes with her husband and gets away unscathed."
"Oh really?" Zephyr purred, leaning back on the bench where he sat, an arm resting over the top. "And what about you Eileen?"
"Come again?"
"Who's your ideal man? What do you look for in a bloke?"
"He's…he's none of your damn business that's who he is."
Eileen's cheeks burned crimson as she set the tray down, revealing it to house two bowls of some wiggly red thing Zephyr couldn't identify and two fresh glasses of milkshake, tall ones at that.
"Anyway, Denny sends his thanks. Dinner and dessert is on the house for you boys and he says you're both welcome back any time."
"Thanks Eileen. I'll make sure he behaves."
Ashley gave Zephyr a rather pointed look while digging in his pocket for something. Figuring the white haired lad planned on giving Eileen a tip for her service, Zephyr came to his rescue, pulling several notes from his wallet. A bit of pocket change she'd take but the amount offered was too much, backing away nervously saying she couldn't accept it. Why he'd expected to do this the easy way, Zephyr didn't know. Girls in general always made things difficult for him whether they were knee-high or fully grown.
Ashley observed everything that played out curiously, Zephyr catching Eileen before she could flee into the kitchen and damn near wrestled with the poor girl until her foot almost twisted out from beneath them, swept with unexpected grace onto a table in a rather…suggestive position. Eileen's chest heaved for air, her legs all but draped around Zephyr's waist as he hovered over her. Denny heard all the commotion from his station, appearing in the doorway in time for Zephyr to speak.
"Now. You're going to be a good little waitress and take this damn tip. Deal? Or do I have to throw you around s'more first?"
Eileen was given no time to reply, a black and white blur slamming full pelt into Zephyr, pushing him a couple feet away.
"You'll take your hands off Eileen and get out of here."
A familiar coppery taste filled Zephyr's mouth as he licked his lip and adjusted his lower jaw. Denny had a nasty right hook for a chef that was for sure. Only now did the blonde realise how the situation probably looked, half scrambling to form a counter.
"Relax, Denny. I wasn't going to hurt her. Just a little something for her service, that's all."
"Well you can get on outta here 'fore I let you lay hands on her again."
A hand on his shoulder quieted Denny's rage, his grip on Eileen's waist tightening when she stood to her full height.
"It's okay Denny. I'm just not used to customers tipping so generously. Zephyr had no intention of harming me."
To further prove Eileen's claim, Zephyr held up the folded notes for all to see and placed them into her hand. Denny now felt like a massive fool and downright ashamed of himself for attacking a customer, distracted by something being put in his pocket. Fumbling around, he located a roll of money similar in size to the one Eileen received.
"But…I don't understand."
"Your heart was in the right place, Denny. Without context or regard to your own safety you sprang to Eileen's aid, even after seeing the beating I gave Carlos. It's my fault she landed like that, I was being too rough and I apologise. Maybe think about taking your own advice, sugar."
Denny had zero idea why Eileen went deep scarlet, returning to the kitchen once he knew for sure she was physically fine. Oh yes, they fancied each other all right. And Zephyr would be damned if he let them continue dancing around it. With their server tipped, it was time to find out what kind of weird creature Denny had sent out for dessert.
"It's jelly." Ashley offered while spearing his own wobbly red lump with a spoon. "Didn't realise you hadn't met yet."
"What's it even made of?"
"No clue. Just try it already you sissy."
Popping a teaspoon-sized lump into his mouth, Zephyr swirled this alien food over his tongue a few times to get a feel for its texture, unsure if he liked the slight sliminess. Yet there was something vaguely familiar about it, a similarity with a food from home.
Time flew the rest of the day and all week later. Zephyr had been given a heart attack while spending some time with the youngsters Sunday afternoon when Ashley arrived pulled by a small pack of dogs, taking refuge up a nearby tree to avoid getting chomped by the rattled canines. It was reportedly unlike them to be so aggressive towards people but for Zephyr, such things were normal. Before bed he explained to Ashley that there was an unspoken mutual dislike between him and man's best friend and cats reacted similarly. If any other animals harboured unwarranted hatred toward him, he didn't know.
Zephyr wasn't wrong about not getting a moments' peace at school after his escapade was aired all over town, girls he'd never even seen before clamouring to get their hands on him. This in turn made quite a few of the other boys extremely jealous but none more than a particular pair of Scotsmen. Watching the blonde be swarmed made Ashley privy to more about him. Most guys if surrounded would just push their way through but Zephyr displayed great reluctance to touch any of the girls for even a second to get away. In the end, it took Eddy barking jovially that there was enough of the Zephyr to go around, that his new gaggle of groupies should give their idol some space before he got real mad.
Out of all the people Zephyr had met, Eddy was hands down one of his favourites. He was just a super chill, really likeable guy who so far never seemed to think ill of anyone. Well, anyone who wasn't the McGregor cousins. At lunch that day Ashley's African/American friend introduced Kai's brother to basketball, teaching him the basics with surprising struggle. Not wanting the taller teen to feel disheartened, Zephyr explained why some activities were difficult for him to pick up and it legitimately broke Eddy's heart to hear how his shorter pal had been forbidden to engage in recreational things. No wonder the stubborn blonde looked overwhelmed most of the time. Ashley didn't protest to them spending their breaks together, relieved that Zephyr had found at least one person he could call friend.
Things started to go sour by the weekend. Frankie hadn't been seen at school all week by anyone. Johnny finally pushed Zephyr too far, saying that he was glad Ashley's girlfriend didn't come around and hoped she stayed gone, proudly declaring his mind wouldn't change if the purple haired girl had been kidnapped or worse. It took no less than six people to pull Zephyr off of him and by then his face looked like a heavyweight boxers' punching bag. Worse still, Ashley stayed silent and allowed his "friend" to spew all kinds of vulgarities about Frankie. Zephyr restrained himself from tearing Stanley's grandson a new one physically; berating him for allowing such blatant disrespect. If Ashley truly loved Frankie he wouldn't be keeping quiet about the verbal abuse she received from Johnny, going on to call him a coward because in Zephyr's eyes, that's exactly what Ashley was.
After school a detour to Frankie's house was forced. It was about high time they found out why she'd been missing from classes. Just as Zephyr feared, Frankie hadn't been seen since Sunday, her mother in tears as she begged Ashley to keep an eye open. While the request wasn't put to him, Zephyr silently vowed to do everything in his power to get Frankie and all the currently missing children home, making a hastily planned trip down to the police station. He needed to know who his trust could be placed with should the need arise. For about an hour Zephyr spoke with one of very few female officers he'd seen, explaining to her that he desired to help out in any way possible.
To him she gave her work and personal number, insisting he not do anything too reckless if it could be at all helped. The last thing the cops needed was yet another kid going missing because they stuck their nose somewhere it didn't belong. Ingrained in Zephyr's mind were names and images of every child who had been reported missing…Frankie being one of them. At least two of the girls he knew as well. They attended the same primary school as Wyatt and varied in age from 5 to 10.
Come June neither Zephyr nor the police were any closer to finding the missing kids and more had vanished. Steadily the stress of missing family members weighed down on the shoulders of parents, guardians and siblings. What pushed Zephyr over the edge was Tammy running to him in tears; sobbing that somebody, she didn't know who, had tried to lead her somewhere promising that she'd be able to see her sister again. Frankie had been missing a full month by then.
Thanks to Tammy, he now had something of a lead to go on. All that remained was to follow it. Zephyr made sure all children in his company at the time got home safely before dropping Tammy off and getting her to tell him what she could remember of the man who tried to snatch her. Frankie's little sister told of this man being tall, wore some kind of cloth wrap on his head, had a black beard and dark skin. From what he'd been learning of late, Zephyr surmised that he was Asian and likely came from either India or Pakistan. This was certainly not how he wanted to learn about the worlds' races. Now that he thought about it, some shop keepers he'd encountered had similar features to the person described by Tammy. They'd seemed so harmless, and in all likelihood, probably were for the most part. It would be wrong to judge an entire race based on the actions of a few.
For the remainder of the day, Zephyr formulated a plan. He could sit idly by no longer, not with a kidnapper or worse on the prowl. Outside of school hours it became clear that Frankie's absence did pain Ashley. He just never let it show in front of Johnny, afeared of being branded weak. Zephyr assured him that to care for somebody wasn't a sign of weakness; that he was stronger than those who thought only of themselves. It was agony just waiting for the sun to sink below the darkening horizon. Once he was certain everybody had gone to sleep for the night, Zephyr grabbed a few items from his bag, only what he felt necessary, and alighted out the window.
On Ashley's bedside table was a written promise that he'd get Frankie back at all costs.
Dim lamplight was the only thing lighting Zephyr's path as he strolled casually along the streets of Liskeard, looking for any sign of criminal activity. By a stroke of luck he happened across a homeless man, told of a suspected prostitute a block or two away and that she'd shown up about a month ago. Zephyr couldn't get much more out of him, leaving behind more money than the man had seen in days as thanks. Ducking into a system of dark alleyways his heart began to pound, running through his head how probable this sex worker was to be Ashley's missing girlfriend. Of course it could just be a coincidence that she'd shown up around the time Frankie went missing.
Soon he saw it; the silhouette of a woman ahead of him dark within a spotlight. Even with so much light he couldn't make out any defining features. Zephyr had one dark secret that very few people knew; Sacha being one of them. It was why he didn't want any girl getting too close to him. And if this lass played her cards right, she'd meet the real Zephyr Varskovitz tonight. Feeling around in his pockets, Zephyr located the money and condom packet he'd brought along just in case. Slowly and quietly he approached, a lusty sheen bouncing off the surface of his cold, glassy eyes giving him the look of a predator on the hunt for its next meal. His target was fidgety, glancing up and down the street, ill thinking to check behind her. Getting within touching range, Zephyr slid his warm hands onto bare hips, tucking several notes into a visible thong strap.
"Well hello there gorgeous."
He purred sultrily into a milky neck, gently tugging the unnamed girl closer so that her back was flat against him. This in turn allowed him a better feel of her body and provided ample opportunity to give pale skin a restrained nip.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about children going missing now would you?"
Slowly the girls' face came into view and once Zephyr saw clear as day who he'd just been coming onto, he backed away. It was Frankie! Her mask of terror melted quickly upon recognising him, pouncing into his arms gleefully.
Disarming the suddenly overjoyed "prostitute" took more muscle than Zephyr expected, able to get free before his lip came under fire of being bitten. Why the hell was Frankie so scantily dressed in a short leather skirt and strapless top more akin to a corset?! Tammy's big sister never looked overly busty the few times Zephyr encountered her and he had to say; what she wore now worked marvels on her cleavage…mostly because there was a torn area between the breasts to look like a heart being ripped in two and the cups smooshed the fleshy mounds together making them look bigger. Frankie came in for another hug, calmly this time with tears building in her eyes.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Zephyr. Is…is my sister okay?"
"I want to say Tammy is fine, but the truth is some creep tried to snatch her this afternoon. Tall fellow that had a cloth wrapped around his head and bushy black beard, likely of Asian descent."
Frankie's already light skin paled considerably, telling Zephyr she knew the man Tammy described. Despite the rules in place, he allowed himself to offer her some comfort as she wept into his shoulder.
"That's the man who grabbed me. I barely had time to see his face before someone put a wet cloth over my mouth. The next thing I remember is…is waking up to a room full of naked girls watching as no less than two men raped me. My only freedom is when they leave me out here, to perform sexual acts on any man who pays for it."
Hearing all Frankie recited, Zephyr felt awful for approaching the way he had. She likely assumed he was one of these creatures come to prey on whatever innocence she had left. Just hearing her sob broke his heart.
"Come with me, Francesca. You can tell the police everything you just told me. Do you have any idea where the bastards are keeping you?"
"I can't go, Zephyr. If I try to escape again they really will get Tammy this time. I don't want my baby sister being subjected to those monsters. I'm not sure on the exact location, but we're kept in a large basement where upwards of 10 men rape us daily."
Zephyr's blood boiled. There had to be a way to get a more accurate location. Something wet caressing his neck dragged him from his thoughts, pushing back a moan when the spot right at the back of his jaw received a suck. Was Frankie trying to get him aroused or something? Given how she was rubbing and pressing against him, the answer was a definite yes.
"That's enough Francesca." He growled, putting some distance between him and the girl he vowed never to touch. "I won't do that to you, I can't. If we cross that line I'll never be able to look Ashley in the eyes again. He trusts me to keep my word."
"Zephyr, I can't just take the money."
"Why not?"
Frankie shied away slightly, saying without words that the men abusing her would somehow know if she hadn't provided sexual interaction for the cash he tucked into her underwear. Were they watching from a rooftop or camera somewhere? What a fine predicament Zephyr had landed himself in. He couldn't just drag Frankie away knowing that by doing so, Tammy would be in grave danger. Yes he wanted to protect both of them but there had to be a better way than shagging a girl who wasn't single. Again she tried for his affection, arms wrapped tenderly around him.
"I don't love Ashley anymore Zephyr. I've just never had the courage to break it off with him. He's not selfless and brave like you are. You're the man my heart aches for."
"Francesca, listen to me. What you're feeling isn't love. It's blind attraction. I'm not the sweet little hero you think I am. I've done things, Francesca. Awful things that I feel no amount of pride for. I can't and won't engage in intercourse with you under these circumstances. It's not right."
"Then why does my pulse race every time I look at you? When our eyes meet for even a second my heart skips a beat. If that's not love Zephyr, then what is? I didn't just kiss you out of gratitude that day."
A short lived squeal peeked out from Frankie's lips as she was pushed against the nearest wall, Zephyr hovering hungrily overhead.
An eerie silence draped over the alleyway, all sense of time lost as grey stared longingly into amethyst. Zephyr stood impossibly still as dainty hands roamed over him, slender fingers making short work of his trousers and finding the treasure hidden within. For somebody who didn't want to fuck his brother's girl, he sure was stiff as a board. Without fear she took him into her mouth, tongue seductively licking all up the chunky, pulsating shaft. Zephyr groaned to life as Frankie began to bob her head, slowly at first. Thick fingers tangled in dark lavender hair, tips giving the head to which it belonged a praising massage, more so when a certain square packet was pulled from a nearby pocket.
An involuntary whimper escaped Zephyr's lips as he felt the blissfully warm mouth leaving his erect flesh with no defence against the cold night air, shivering to a sensation he hadn't felt in months. Frankie came back up to eye level, kissing a trail up Zephyr's torso on the way, unsure of when he'd taken his shirt off. She couldn't complain. He was candy for the eyes after all. Being given a rather pleasing oral certainly seemed to get him more in the mood, Frankie's thong ripped clean off and thrown onto the floor as a red hot mouth gnawed on her neck. Oh how she moaned when Zephyr used no less than 2 of his fingers to prepare her, an unusual gentleness about the way he worked them in and out. Frankie could take no more of Zephyr's teasing, hopping up onto his hips to smother him under a kiss fuelled with passion.
"You don't want this, Francesca." The words were barely squeezed out in the brief gaps unwillingly given.
"But I do want this, Zephyr." Came Frankie's purred reply, cupping his strong face in her soft hands as she kissed him again, tasting every inch she could reach. "Give me a taste of who you really are; not the watered down man everybody else sees. You know you want to."
"This is your last chance to stop and walk away. I won't warn you again, Francesca."
"Please Zephyr, I need this. Just give me this one time to feel anything other than pain."
At long last the chains that had held Zephyr back all night snapped, and violently so. Frankie quickly wished she hadn't been so eager, pounded without mercy against the dirty brick wall, her cries pushed down into the depths of her lungs. Slowly but surely the heavy, angry thrusts eased giving Frankie that feeling of euphoria she desperately craved, grasping urgently at Zephyr's golden locks when his hands and mouth moved to provide some much wanted attention to her breasts, teasing stiff nipples with chaste little kisses and pinches.
"You're such a bad girl, Frankie. I was doing so well until you came along. You really want to know why I kept you out of reach? Do you, you little slut?!"
"Yes! Tell me why I'm so bad!"
Zephyr growled as he bit Frankie's neck, not caring if he left any bruises. She'd wound him up so he'd make her pay, reaching down to spank her firm buttocks.
"Drugs aren't the only thing I developed an addiction for. During my first high, I raped my own mother; ravaged her all while drunk on the power I held over the abusive bitch."
A sudden but not painful thrust accentuated the point Zephyr was trying to get across causing Frankie's already spinning world to spiral more out of control.
"After that, I couldn't get enough of it. My body cried and wailed for more so I found a girl who was able to supply what those drugs couldn't. I'm addicted, Frankie, to the euphoric sensation of sex. Until tonight I'd gone 5 months without treating that annoying itch in the pit of my gut."
Sweat began to bead across Zephyr's determinedly angled brow, his whole body feeling the strain of their somewhat awkward position. Were the ground not dirty he would've laid Frankie down. Harder still he went the more she pined for him to be a little rougher, encouraging him to "scratch his itch" with her and he was all too happy to comply now. Frankie's moans were like music to Zephyr's ears, adding that little bit more delight to the experience. What goes up must eventually come down, the peak coming and going in a hazy blur.
As his libido dropped, the reality of what he'd just done took hold. Zephyr also now realised just how suddenly Frankie started coming onto him. Was it possible she'd been slipped something before being ditched? If these men weren't shy about kidnapping children in broad daylight Zephyr was absolutely positive they'd sink low enough to push drugs onto their victims. Should his suspicion be proven right, MDMA was tonight's culprit. Regaining the breath he'd lost, Zephyr warily tugged Frankie towards him, well aware that her legs were trembling like crazy. She rested her head on his shoulder, exerting very little effort to get his back facing the street.
"See that house over there? The one with a light on upstairs?"
Directly across from the alleyway at a diagonal angle, Zephyr did indeed see an upstairs light gleaming in the darkness…and a figure standing dead center.
"Hmm. Yeah I see it."
"That's why I can't just take someone's money. They're always watching me when I'm here."
Being watched was not something Zephyr liked, keeping as close to the shadows as he could. When he next looked to the window, the black figure was gone. Frankie noticed too, frantically pushing Zephyr deeper into the alley.
"You have to go, he's coming."
"I'm not gonna run away and let that bastard hurt you."
"And if you stay he'll enslave you too. I don't want that on my conscience. You're the only one who knows where we are, Zephyr. Please promise me you won't do anything stupid."
What else could he do? Options were limited enough without the added risk of being abducted and likely killed. Reluctantly, Zephyr faded into the darkness, deep enough to not be seen and not a moment too soon. Two people robed in shadow approached Frankie, dragging her away with next to no resistance. Swiping his shirt from a nearby box where it had fallen, Zephyr pursued the trio with practised stealth. His journey stopped across the street, Frankie vanishing through a door where more abuse waited. Once he learned the road name, Zephyr tracked down a payphone.
Annoyingly, Zephyr's contact with the police didn't answer so he could only leave them a brief message detailing everything he'd learned. Detective Roseheart would want him to go home and get some sleep but Zephyr had other ideas. For twenty or so minutes he scoped out the abandoned looking building, trying to get a feel of the place. If not for the light from earlier you'd never know anyone was using the house never mind lived there.
Going by his surroundings, Zephyr deducted that he was across from the old construction site where he'd rescued Tammy. The grounds were fairly basic; both yards were unkempt with gravel paths that would make sneaking in a challenge. Hip-height hedges walled the property in, barely tall enough to duck behind. Confident that he'd gone undetected, Zephyr intended to get closer and see if he could find a way inside. There had to be an outdoor entrance to this basement Frankie told him about; and there was but it was locked pretty tight.
One padlock was fine. Two, okay you're being cautious. But fifty? Now you're looking suspicious. Perhaps that was a slight overestimate of exactly how many padlocks kept the basement sealed, but it was still a scary amount. Getting them off would make far too much noise so Zephyr's only option was to enter the main building and find a stairway down that hopefully wasn't locked like the royal treasure vault. Leaving unnoticed with possibly upwards of thirty children and teenagers was unlikely, meaning that if Zephyr wanted to rescue them, he'd have to take some drastic measures to disable any and all adults on the premises.
Doing one final loop he was certain there were no guards posted outside, devising a plan to get in the front door. Back was too obvious and as an added bonus, if a passerby not in cahoots with these abusers appeared, they'd hopefully call the police to report a break in. Zephyr didn't think to get backup himself, creeping up to one of the hedges. As he tiptoed across the lawn, a dark figure snuck up behind him and brought a bat down on his head.
Everything hurt and spun when Zephyr came to. He had no memory of being attacked; confused when it became clear he was indoors. More specifically; chained to a ceiling while no less than four men stared at him with evil intent.
"Glad you could finally join us young man." Greeted the bloke directly in front of the group. "That was awful bold of you to try sneaking in here. Who sent you?"
Zephyr bit back a yelp when the so far unnamed man ripped a strip of duct tape off of his mouth so he could speak.
"I sent myself you child abusing prick."
Was his reply, spitting at the ringleader for extra measure, hitting him almost dead in the eye. In response, Zephyr was struck right in the middle of his stomach and he merely laughed it off.
"The fuck you laughing at you little bastard?"
"Is that seriously the best you've got? Bitch, I was beaten to within an inch of my fucking life as a child so you're gonna have to do better than that little sissy punch to make me cry."
This time Zephyr received three punches at once, the effort not even graced with a response. He just hung there frowning. Only when knives were brought forward did Zephyr tense. But he'd had worse. A few measly toothpicks wasn't going to hurt. Contrary to what he thought, being cut numerous times stung like hell but was still nothing compared to the tools used on him as a kid. When Zephyr least expected it he was dropped to the floor, his head meeting the concrete with enough force to daze him just long enough to be thrown into a chair and have a funnel thrust down his gullet.
Trying to kick out only got him slashed more. From the crowd came a woman robed in red. Man was she beautiful on the outside. A stiletto heeled foot pressed down on Zephyr's crotch, the pressure increasing until he growled in pain.
"There's a good boy." She cooed, arms folded loosely across her midsection. "You like that, don't you? It's so nice to have a little puppy who loves being stepped on."
Zephyr didn't like it when a small vial was revealed, thrashing around in vain as its contents were poured down his throat.