A/N: Hey! Sorry for updating so late! I was going to do it on Saturday, but I was having some family issues that took precedence. I promise to update more frequently, and I really appreciate all of the support you have given me. Somedays your reviews and responses are the best part of my day! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
The team, fully equipped with their guns ready and bulletproof vests on tight, stand outside of Logan Hert's door. They all lean in towards the door impatiently staring at their leader. Steve makes eye contact with all of them, then nods. Without another warning, Steve kicks down the door and they burst into the room. Each person scans a room searching for any sign of life. Kono sweeps the living room and then moves on to the bedroom. Once she glides in, she stops in her tracks.
She stutters, "Hey, guys! You might want to come see this!" While she waits for them to enter, she gawks at her surroundings. The room displays a typical master bedroom with a king sized bed in the middle, two bedside tables on each side, an armoire standing tall on the side wall, and shelving along each wall, which at first glance seems to hold pictures of a family. Some appear to be forced school pictures that never turn out quite right, and others look like more candid pictures that were taken at just the right moment.
Kono remains frozen in the doorway, eyes fixed on one, small picture frame on the shelf next to the armoire. She aimlessly drifts towards it. One hand reaches for the image, while the other hangs down by her side, loosely gripping her gun. As her fingers fleetingly brush the wooden frame, she hears the others barge in behind her, but does not acknowledge them. She continues to stare into a pair of familiar almond eyes.
"Hey, cuz?" Chin asks, "Are you okay?" She feels his hand rest on her shoulder and turns to meet his calm, steady, gaze. Kono shifts aside, letting him see the troubling image. Once his eyes reach the picture frame, his face becomes ashen. He searches every image in the room and then stammers, "All of these pictures are of the kids either in school or with their families!" Steve, Danny, and Grover take a closer look at the images adorning every open space.
"How did he get all of these?" Grover contemplates.
Danny shakes his head and murmurs, "Who knows!"
"Okay, so now we are dealing with a stalker," Steve surmises. Kono, not listening to their conversation, puts the picture face down and walks out of the room. When he sees this, Chin follows her out. Curiously, the other three wander over to the frame. Danny picks it up and feels his stomach churn. A frail, brown haired, little girl stares back at him with a small smile, but unmistakable fear written across her eyes. The child dons an uncomfortable looking, blue, button-up shirt, a navy and white striped tie, and a navy sweater vest sporting a fancy SOA on the left breast. Dark circles rest just under her brown eyes and her pallor seems unnatural.
"I didn't think it was possible, but Kono must have put on some weight since this picture was taken," Danny jokes about his slim coworker in a failed attempt to lighten the mood.
"She looks like she hadn't eaten anything for a whole year!" Grover exclaims.
"We should keep an eye on her," Steve begins, "because since this is very personal, she could end up getting hurt."
"Why haven't you taken her off the case yet?" Grover questions.
Danny holds a finger up just as Steve opens his mouth to explain, and does so himself, "We've tried that twice. The first time, she was a rookie. Her surfing mentor guy was killed in the middle of a surfin exposition. She was right behind him and watched it all go down. We took her off the case, so she went and reminisced with her old surfing buddy about the good old days in his place in this tent city, until two mad shooters tried to take down their whole camp. Surfer buddy turns into our prime suspect. The second time, all fingers were pointed at the Yakuza and Adam. We took her off the case because she was too close to the whole thing. She goes to Adam's house, clones his phone, asks him about it, and listens in on a call made to some associates after she leaves. She ends up going to this warehouse where she got herself shot in the abdomen. I don't know about you, but both cases Kono got an inch closer to a fatal shot, and I don't want strike three to happen."
"Got it," Grover mumbles.
Kono leans up against one of the posts holding up the carport with her eyes closed. She nervously bites her bottom lip and fiddles with the strap of her bulletproof vest. Her heart races and her stomach churns. A small tap on the shoulder brings her out of her thoughts. She looks over and sees Chin. She feels his arm wrap around her shoulders and lets it pull her close to him in a side hug.
He whispers in her ear, "Cuz, if this gets to be too much, then just tell me."
"Chin, I'm fine," she sighs. He raises an eyebrow at this, but Kono looks away from his gaze. "I just," she continues, "I just need to do this, okay? You guys can't sideline me this time. It's too important."
"It's too personal," he adds, "We both know that you do not want the others to find out about everything that happened, but we both also know that with the way that this case is going, they probably will. It might be easier if you are not there."
She shakes her head and sighs, "Chin, I can't do that. I need to solve this one. I need to…"
"To prove yourself to them?" he interrupts, "Kono, you don't need them or their approval. You know that, right?"
"Cuz, this isn't for approval," she explains, "Yeah, they locked me out in twenty five degree weather and practiced their karate on me and blamed me for everything and locked me away in some boarding school, but I'm fine." She looks down at the ground and nudges the gravel with her toe. Kono continues mumbling, "I kinda wanna use this as sort of a wake up call for them. I really want them to see that they didn't destroy my life, and that I'm not some mental basket case."
"Sounds like you think you have something to prove," Chin points out. Kono rolls her eyes and walks to her car.
The little girl fiddles with the cuff of her shirt while staring absentmindedly out the window. Her window looks out at the Silver Oak Academy Garden. Several children sit amongst the flowers talking to their friends about the latest gossip or sports news. Others run around the greenery playing tag or hide and go seek. She sighs feeling like a bird trapped in a cage and looks down at last nights work written across her wrist. She tries to cover it up with her sleeve with no success. The little girl meanders towards the cabinet and pulls out a box of band-aids. She unwraps the largest one and places it over her gashes, not caring that the adhesive covers the edges of her slashes. After putting on her tie and vest, she sits on her bed brushing her hair. She does not even wince when she yanks at a knot. She finishes and pulls her hair up into a ponytail.
The little girl grabs her books needed for her classes and stumbles out into the hallway. Knowing that she is apart of the "special program" at the school, the other kids avert their glances and move out of the way. She meanders through an ocean of uniform-clad children, until she reaches her history class. She slumps down in her seat in the back and pretends not to pay attention to Mr. O'Riley, her teacher. He is a stout man with little hair on the top of his head. He always wears brightly colored ties and plain sweatervests in an attempt to resemble his pupils and possibly connect with them. His bright eyes shine through his thick glasses and his kind, grandfatherly smile always warms the little girl's heart on the coldest of days, though she does not let him know that.
After his lecture on the beginnings of World War II, the little girl grabs her things to go to english class, but just as she is about to leave, Mr. O'Riley stops her.
"Hey, sweety! Can we talk for a little bit?" he asks. The girl puts down her books and continues to look back up at him. Guessing that this means yes, Mr. O'Riley continues, "I've noticed that you've not been coming to the mess hall for breakfast, lately. Are you feeling okay?" The little girl shrugs and averts her gaze. Mr O'Riley sighs, "You've got to eat, honey."
"I'm fine," she murmurs. Before he can say any more, she runs out of the room down the hall.