A non-expendable asset
Chapter 3:
The morning after Callie came to live with Barney.
"So Tool," Said Barney walking into the tattoo parlor nice and early "Any news on the job?"
"Nope." Said Tool looking up from the paper he was reading "Not a peep, haven't even figured out who killed her yet."
"Well what should we do?" Asked Barney taking the seat across from Tool at his kitchen table
"I have a guy in deep with the government," Said Tool "who just happens to owe me a favor, so he is doing what he can to find everything he can out.
"Yeah we need to figure things out soon," Said Barney "because the shit is hitting the fan, they found Linda's body, and are looking for Callie as we speak."
"It'll be okay we'll keep her safe." Said Tool taking a gulp of his coffee
"I know." Said Barney getting up to get his own cup of coffee
"How is the kid?" Said Tool
"I have no idea." Said Barney "I haven't seen her since Gunnar took her home last night. I went home and Gunnar was asleep on the couch."
"Is he okay?" Asked Tool
"I have no idea." Said Barney
"I hope he's not using again." Said Tool
"So do I." Said Barney "I know he needs my help, but it's different now that he is living under the same roof as my daughter."
"Speak of the devil." Said Tool looking up to see Gunnar coming in through the back door
"I hope it was good speak." Gunnar groaned as he made his way over to the coffee pot
"How's Callie?" Asked Tool
"Since last night I have no idea," Said Gunnar "I think she's still asleep."
"Well that's good right?" Asked Barney
"Not really."Said Gunnar
"Why?" Asked Barney
"Well she cried herself to sleep last night." Said Gunnar "I make a motion for you to have to deal with that from now on."
"Why did she cry herself to sleep last night?" Asked Tool
"Well when she saw her bare room," Said Gunnar "everything seemed to sort of come to the forefront of her mind all at once and it brought her back to reality."
"I imagine," Said Tool "If I was her age in the same mess I would probably do the same thing."
"I do need to fix the room thing." Said Barney "I have plenty of money left over from the last mission, I could take a couple thousand and buy all of her stuff she needs."
"The sooner the better." Said Barney
"We can't do it in the next couple of days," Said tool "We meet with the informant in D.C tomorrow."
"Well she needs this stuff now so…" Said Barney looking at Gunnar
"Fuck no." Said Gunnar "Don't look at me."
"If you can handle the room stuff today," Said Barney " then I can talk to Christmas about getting Lacy to take her clothes shopping tomorrow."
"Do I have a choice?" Asked Gunnar looking like he would rather be dead
"If you want to be crashing on my couch anymore then no." Said Barney definitively
"Fine." Said Gunnar leaning over to rest his head on the table
"Here," said Barney "is my card. Take her out to buy some coffee and then go buy her anything that she would like.
"Anything?" Said Gunnar
"What?" Asked Barney "I am going to be one of those parents."
"Now what?" Asked Gunnar
"You go wake a teenage girl up before noon." Said Tool "Go with god my son." Tool said while making the motion of the cross
""Hey." Said Gunnar knocking on the door to Callie's room
"Go away." Said Callie from her bed on the other side of the door
"It's time to get up." Said Gunnar
"No." Said Callie
"Wake up of I'm coming in." Said Gunnar
"Fuck you." Said Callie
"Okay I'm coming in," Said Gunnar "You have been warned.
As soon as he opened the door a very flat and hard pillow came hurtling across the room and hit home right on the bridge of Gunnar's nose
"Fuck kid." He said holding his nose "Get up. Your dad sent me to take you shopping."
"No." Callie said rolling over in bed
"Alright kid you leave me no choice." Said Gunnar as he threw off her sheets and picked her up along with one of her bags and deposited her neatly on the bathroom floor
"Get dressed quick." Said Gunnar "We roll out in five minutes."
"Fuck you!" Yelled Callie the whole sound of the profanity echoing through the townhouse while Gunnar walked out the door chuckling and shaking his head.