Post Script
(Epilogue)
"…Yes, I have her in my custody now."
"Did she cause any problems?"
"Well, Miss Fletcher refused to come along willingly," Agent Forrester replied, walking down the front steps of the courthouse. She stopped outside, observing the street. Just regular passerby, and the black sedan waiting for her at the curb. Speaking into her cell, she continued, "Tried to fight me when I insisted. Girl's stronger than she looks, lemme tell you. Think she cracked a rib."
"Did you sedate her?"
"Wasn't necessary," Forrester winced, twisting her torso. There was bruising, that's for sure. She was going to be sore for weeks because of that stupid kid. "Fletcher couldn't do much once I cuffed her. Got her in the back of the car, and I just retrieved her new papers. We're heading out for California as soon as possible."
"How much does she know?"
"Not much. She was surprised when I told her I was from Witness Protection," Forrester replied with a shrug her boss couldn't see. She started heading towards the car, briefcase in tow. "Or that she and her mother have been living under false identities since before she was born. I'd make an educated guess and say she knows nothing about who her father is."
"Good. Make sure it stays that way."
"Got it," Forrester replied, before ending the call and stuffing her phone into her pocket. She reached the sedan and opened the passenger door, throwing in the briefcase and ducking in. She had already started speaking before checking to see if the girl was even listening, "All right, Amelia, say good-bye to New York, because we're not coming back. You ready to go, Jim?"
"Ready when you are."
"Really? Handcuffs, that's it?" Forrester expected a reply from the girl, so when it was a male voice that answered, she whipped around. She gaped at the boy lounging in the backseat, black mask covering his eyes. "Kind of weaksauce, don't you think, dove?"
Amelia just stared at him, like the two adults. However, she seemed to be the only one happy to see him. "Smoke! I thought you were dead!"
"How did you get in here?" Forrester demanded at the same time, reaching for her gun. There was no way he could've gotten inside. All the doors were locked. Jim would've noticed something, surely.
"Oh, the flowers, I forgot!" the boy, Smoke, said, holding up a finger. A second later, he flicked his hand, like a magician, and a bundle of flowers appeared in his hand. "Sweet pea, like you said."
"You remembered!" Amelia gasped, taking them, pressing the flowers to her face and taking a deep sniff.
"Don't touch that!" Forrester snapped, whacking the flowers from her hand. Amelia let out a noise of complaint and had to bend down to pick up the flowers. At the same time, she aimed the gun at the boy. "You have three seconds to leave before I shoot you. Three."
"Is she serious?" the boy asked as Amelia came back up with the flowers.
"A little too much, I think."
"Two."
"Wow, and I didn't think there was anyone worse than you," the boy replied, his eyebrows shooting up.
"One!" Forrester paused, surprised when her threat had absolutely no effect on the intruder. Forrester's first instinct was to pull out her gun and fire two shots at the unwelcome stranger sitting in the back seat. Only she was stunned to see the bullets go through him.
The boy made a face at Forrester. "Well, that was rude. I'm starting to see why you don't like her," he said to Amelia next to him.
"Do you know him?" Forrester demanded at the same time the girl answered, "Yeah, it gets old pretty fast."
"Sounds like you're ready to leave." The boy said. They were facing each other, completely ignoring Forrester now.
"Are you kidding? I'm so bored. And I've got other things in mind besides California." The girl shrugged. "You want to help?"
"And break my favorite girl out of protective custody?" The boy pressed a hand to his chest, as if offended. Then he grinned a wicked grin. "I thought you'd never ask, dove."
"If you think you're going anywhere," Forrester started, holding up her gun even though she didn't think it was doing any good now. "You better think — what the hell?"
Right before her eyes, the girl yanked her wrists apart, the metal links of the cuffs snapping instantly. At the same time, the boy wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulled her in tight and planted a kiss on her head. The girl just smacked him — and they went up in puff of smoke.
Forrester's gun was now aimed at two empty seats.
She scrambled for her radio. "She disappeared! I repeat, Fletcher is gone!"
Joe was already starting the car, kicking it into gear as Forrester stuck her head out the window, scanning the streets for the kids. But there was no sight of them. "Dammit! Where the hell did they go?"
It wasn't possible.
It just wasn't possible.
"Did you see what I see?" she demanded, turning back to face Joe, her hands clenching around the armrests. "Do you know what that was?"
"Yeah, I saw it!" Joe replied, the van screeching into traffic. They swayed violently in their streets as he pulled hard down a corner. "Have no idea what it was, but I do know one thing."
"Yeah?" she snapped, glaring at him. "And what's that?"
"She's gone, Forrester. Amelia Fletcher is on the run."
*electric guitar riff*