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Chains

Chapter 4: Nine

"As we walk among these shadows, in the streets, these fields of battle, take it up; we wear the medals. Raise your hands with burning candles. Hear us whisper in the dark. In the rain, you see the spark. Feel the beating of our hearts, fleeing hope as we depart. All together, we'll walk alone against all we've ever known. All we've ever really wanted was a place to call our home. But you take all we are, the innocence of our hearts, made to kneel before the alter as you tear us apart. So we march to the drums of the d*mned as we come. Watch it burn in the sun. We are numb!

"We are young, but we have heart, born in this world as it all falls apart. We are strong, but we don't belong, born in this world as it all falls apart."

―"Young" by Hollywood Undead

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Are you looking at that case again?" asked a woman with long, blonde hair held in a bun. She leaned over the desk where a man had his dark eyes fixed on a file that read "Noah" at the top. He nodded. "I know they took her. Besides, don't you specialize in sex trafficking and sexual abuse?"

The woman straightened. "I do, but there haven't been any leads on the Noah case in months." She smiled sadly. "Komui, it's been three years since Lenalee went missing. You know that twenty-four hours is―"

"I know that." Komui closed the file and glanced at her. "And I also know that you're still looking for that boy."

Her expression hardened. "If I hadn't have been on vacation that week, I would have known he was in the trade. One of the Noah walked into this station and took a victim back to wherever they keep them, and no one stopped him."

"Klaud, you don't even know his name or what he looks like. You can't obsess over it."

"I'm finding that boy one way or another. And if you help me, I'll help you find Lenalee."

Komui nodded silently.

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

Kanda and I walk along the stream, the morning sun peeking over the trees.

"Can you hear that?" Kanda asked. I pause. "I hear a stream and birds."

"Listen closer. It sounds like a road."

I stop walking and strain my ears. There was a faint echoing. "You're right. Where's it coming from?"

He pauses. Then he turns to the left and walks onto the bank. As I follow him into the trees, the noise gets louder. Through the scattered tree trunks, I could see a thin, black line. A road.

"If we follow this, we should get to a city," Kanda said, standing next to the pavement. In the forest, the road wasn't bustling with cars, but there were several.

"What about when we get to the city though? We don't have any money," I say as we walk in the tall grass and weeds.

"We'll have money if I get some."

"What, like stealing?"

"I assume prostitution is much more rewarding when you get the money you worked for."

"No!" I protest. "I'm not letting you sell yourself! We got out of that prison so we wouldn't have to do that anymore!"

Kanda shakes his head. "There's not another option if we want to survive."

"Then let me―"

"No," he cut.

"Why not?"

"Because you actually look your age, and I'm not letting you do that."

After a long silence, I mutter, "We could try the police. Jail would be favorable."

"If we're in jail, we can't get the others out."

"There's got to be at least one good cop out there!"

"I wish."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"So what are you doing tonight?" Komui asked. Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Klaud deadpanned, "Was that a proposal?"

As they walk away from their shared desk, he shakes his head. "No. It's just that you never do anything outside of work. Can't we go out as friends?"

Klaud smiles. "Thanks for the offer, Komui, but I think my bathtub is calling me. I'll see you tomorrow."

They separated at the door, each going down the sidewalk. Klaud walked toward her apartment, grateful that she didn't have to worry about going through the alleyway shortcuts without her gun. Knoxville wasn't too bad from crime, but you never know.

As Klaud ambled through a dark alley, hand near her holster, she spotted something different than normal. The abandoned pet shop was creepy, but the door was always closed. Not only was it open, but Klaud could hear rummaging, and while she wasn't an officer that normally kept tabs on every little thing, she was cautious. The sound of sniffling was prominent.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Hello? Is someone in here?"

I stop dead in my tracks. Kanda told me to make a bed for us before he came back and not to let anyone get close. Not even a woman; he emphasized that one a lot.

"Hello?"

It was dark inside the building, especially the back room where there were no windows. In a two-room building, there was nothing but old blankets and garbage and other than the darkness, I had nothing to hide behind. The back room didn't even have a door.

"I won't hurt you. Do you need help?"

As I huddle in the dark corner, watching the tall woman, I tell myself, Kanda said to trust no one. He said to make yourself small and sit very still. Hold your breath. Don't let them know you exist.

Unfortunately, the woman saw me. I could only see her outline, but she didn't seem scary.

"Hi," she said quietly. "Are you lost? You're not hurt, are you?"

I push myself further into the corner and shake my head, regardless of whether or not she could see it. Apparently, she did.

"That's good. Are you the only one here? Is there someone else who is hurt?"

I shake my head again.

"Are you hungry?"

After a moment, I nod slowly.

"How about this then: you stay here, and I'll go buy you some food, okay? Do you like McDonald's?"

What if she comes back with reinforcements? I don't reply to her question.

She tilts her head. "I won't hurt you. I'll be alone, I promise."

Mind reader? I nod.

"Is it just you? Or should I get more for someone else?"

After a minute, I say, "One more. He'll…he'll be back soon…and he…won't like you…."

"Where is he now?"

"Don't know…getting money," I say.

"He's getting money? How old is he? How old are you?"

I shake my head. "Not old…."

"Did he tell you not to trust anyone?"

I nod. "Don't tell…police bad."

She paused. "I won't tell. I'll be back in a little bit, okay?"

I nod.

The woman left. When she was gone, I jump up and start to gather whatever I could to make a bed. The blankets were damp and smelly, but with wadded up papers underneath, they made decent bedding.

Several minutes later, Kanda came in. At first, I thought it was the woman again, but I knew it was the bluenette when he spoke. "Fifty dollars. We can get something in an hour or so. I need to rest for a bit."

He sat down on our makeshift bed, and I followed, staring at my hands as they fumble with each other. "Actually…a woman came by earlier. She's bringing us some food."

"What did I tell you?" he asked. He didn't sound mad, just exhausted.

"She just wandered in here. She seemed nice, but I didn't tell her anything about us."

As I said it, there's a light knock on the open door. "I'm back."

The smell of hot, greasy food hit me like a bird into a window, leaving me a bit light-headed. However, Kanda didn't seem to care as he sat up and crawled in front of me. "Who are you?"

"My name is Klaud Nine. I brought some food for you and your friend." The woman set the paper bag and two large bottles of water on the concrete floor before she backed away. "May I ask for your names?"

Kanda darted forward to grab the offered food and water and gave them to me, back in his protective stance. "Raven Dancer and Snow White." When I take a bottle of water, he adds to me, "Make sure the seals aren't broken."

After I twist the lid off of the bottle and break the seal, I start to chug the water, suddenly the best thing ever. Kanda glances at me. "Don't make yourself sick. Take your time."

I come up for air and hand the bottle to him. He shakes his head. "That's yours."

"Drink some or I'll make you," I demand. This time, he takes the water and drinks. Not much though, much to my irritation. When he hands it back to me, he asks, "Happy now?"

"Not really. You didn't drink that much."

"I can take care of myself. Now eat or you might start drooling."

I didn't need to be told twice. Two burgers and a box of chicken nuggets lied in the bottom of the paper bag, and I quickly took the burger and unwrapped it. Nothing had smelled so delicious in my entire life.

Kanda kept his eyes on Klaud while I ate. "Why are you helping us? What's in it for you?"

"Snow White told me earlier that you don't like cops, but I'm a police officer. I like helping others," Klaud replied.

"No one does anything for free."

She pauses. "What about you then? What do you get out of helping him?" She nods to me.

Kanda doesn't reply, and I comment, "She has a point."

"Be quiet and eat," he mutters. Klaud asked, "Are you two brothers?"

"Why?"

"Because you act like it."

Around a mouthful of cheeseburger, I say, "He a figurative big brother."

Over his shoulder, Kanda shot me a sharp "shut up" look.

"I'll leave you two to eat. Will you be here if I bring food tomorrow morning?"

Kanda nods.

"Is there anything else you need?" Klaud asks. "I can bring some clothes, but I'm not sure if they'll fit."

"Disinfectant."

She nods. "If you want, I can get something set up so you can stay at my apartment. It's not much, but it's better than this."

I give Kanda a pleading look. An apartment. An actual home. Warmth and love.

But the bluenette shook his head. "Not interested."

"You're always welcome if you change your mind." As she walked out the door, Klaud said, "Goodnight. Be safe."

"You, too!" I say.

While Kanda started on his burger, I say, "I like her. She's so nice! Can we live with her for a little while?"

"You're far too trusting," he mutters with his mouth full, voice slightly muffled.

"She's taking care of us though."

"Acting."

"Not everybody's out to get us."

"Best to assume that they are first."

I nibble on a chicken nugget, afraid of eating too much. I didn't want to make myself sick. "I think we can trust her."

"And I'm leaning that way, but give it another day or two. If she passes, we can go home with her. A cop on our side is our best bet at getting the others."

At the mention of the others and what they're probably going through, I lost any hunger I had left. And I remembered how Kanda got the two twenties and two fives lying on the blanket.

"We escaped and you still had to sleep with someone you didn't want to," I murmur. Kanda glances at me, then back at his meal. "It will hopefully be the last time if Nine helps us."

But I still felt awful about it. I lie on a somewhat soft part of our makeshift bed, and after a few minutes, Kanda joins me. When I curl up against him and snuggle into his chest, I can feel his hips trembling again. They didn't do that last night, only when we were in that prison.

"Stop worrying and go to sleep. I swear, you're as bad as Lena," Kanda said. I don't reply, but when he plants a kiss to my forehead, I purr and whisper, "Goodnight."

"Night, Baka Moyashi."

"Allen, BaKanda."

Oo_oO_Oo_oO

"So what are we doing?" Komui asked as he sat on Klaud's bed. She had her head stuck in her closet. "You're a guy."

"Thanks for noticing."

"I need to know what kind of clothes a guy would want to wear," she said and pulled out a black, plaid button-up. When Komui nodded, the woman balled it up and tossed it on the bed.

"And these boys are just hiding out in an abandoned building? Shouldn't you bring them to the station so they can go into foster care?"

"They don't trust the police. And even if they did get put in foster care, they would get separated. I don't want that, and I'm sure they don't either."

Komui asked, "So are you going to bring them here?"

"If they'll come, yes."

"Then you should probably be ready to give up your bed."

"I am."

"And you're ready to feed them and buy all the things they'll need?"

"I have the money."

"And if you get attached?"

"Then I get attached."

Komui smiles. "Remind me why you aren't a mother?"

Klaud laughs. "Ha, ha, very funny."

"No, seriously. Why haven't you adopted?" Komui asked. The blonde woman pulled out a pair of sweatpants and tossed them on the bed. "I don't have enough time to take care of a baby. These boys will at least be able to take care of themselves when they're here alone."

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

The smell of sausage wakes me. I blink open my eyes, only to find that my human heater had moved. Closing my eyes again since my belly was still full, I whimper, "Kanda, where'd you go? I'm cold…."

"Baka Moyashi, there's a reason I didn't tell her our real names."

"Oh, I won't tell anyone, I promise!" a feminine voice said.

I sit up and open my eyes again, the sun barely lighting the room through the alley. Klaud set three bags on the ground and backed away so Kanda would get them. The first was a full trash bag, the second a tiny pharmacy bag, and the third from Burger King.

"And I know you guys don't trust me yet, but even if you don't stay, you can take a shower at my apartment if you want," Klaud offered.

As Kanda drags the bags to our bed, I ask, "Can we, Kanda? Please?"

He ignores my question and rummages through the trash bag, which held clothes. After he pulls out a black, plaid button-up, he pulls my crop top off my torso. I shiver, but when Kanda helps slip the shirt on my arms, I soon felt warmer than I had in a long time. The sleeves were several inches too long, and the bottom reached my mid-thighs, but I didn't care. Next, Kanda slid a pair of gray sweatpants onto my legs. If I stood, they would immediately drop, but they were soft and cozy, so I didn't care that they were huge.

While Kanda switched his tattered fabric for a gray t-shirt and jean shorts, I stand, holding my pants up, and ask, "Miss Klaud, may I hug you?"

Kanda gave me a look that told me I was an idiot.

"Go right ahead, Snow White." Klaud smiled.

Kanda gave her a look that could have made a wolf run with its tail between its legs.

"It's Allen," I say as I wobble towards her, the long pants much harder to walk in than I had anticipated. Once I get close enough, I wrap my arms around her waist and squeeze her. Her hands rub my back. "You give good bear hugs, Allen."

I nod. "I like bear hugs. Daddy told me that when you give someone a bear hug, they'll always want to come back for more."

Klaud laughs. "Well, I certainly wouldn't mind more bear hugs from you and Kanda."

From behind me, Kanda growls, "I never gave you permission to call me by my name."

"I'm sorry, Raven Dancer."

After Klaud left, Kanda said, "You're an idiot."

"I don't know how you can stand anyone calling you by that name," I mutter as he applied Neosporin to the cuts on my legs and feet.

"For six years, adults only knew me by that name. I got used to it eventually."

"Or maybe you're trying to find something wrong with Miss Klaud."

Hard, sapphire eyes burn holes into mine. "Unlike some morons I know, I don't trust appearances. She's a cop. Big deal. She's helped us. Could be a set up. She's offered us a place to stay. Next thing we know, we're back to be raped by five plus men every night." He returned his gaze to my wounds. "Let me make my decision on Nine after some time."

I sigh, but don't push.

oO_Oo_oO_Oo

"Test my reality. Check if there's a weak spot. Clinging to insanity in hopes the world will ease up. Try and make it look like it's all somehow getting better. 'Cause I know I can play it pretty good against the measure. Everyone started out a little insane, but we learn pretty quick how to fake it for the game. But some of you never learned to drop the act, so under that skin of yours, a heart attack.

"'Cause everybody's so scared. We don't want to go there. We don't wanna make a move. We got all our lives to lose. Standing in the dark while we just play our part, and I play all along, like I don't know what's going on. Somebody make a move. Somebody make a move. Somebody make a move. We all know, we all know what's going on."

―"Make a Move" by Icon for Hire

Author Note: Told you it wouldn't be too long of a wait! I want to know what you guys think, so please, Please, PLEASE REVIEW!