Kate didn't mind the drive. It reminded her of road trips with Leon back when they were younger. She remembered how much fun they had, and it made a small part of her ache from missing it. She tried not to worry about what Leon would do or say if she failed to find Delia and bring her home. It made her stomach hurt a lot. After a while, she looked at Brant and wondered about his family...if he had one.

The silence was starting to get to her, so she reached to turn on the radio. When nothing happened except some crackling, she frowned. Even Brant furrowed his brow as he looked at it.

"What new car has a broken radio?" she asked, meeting his eyes. Surely that wasn't supposed to happen, so they'd just possibly caught a huge break in the case. She went to investigate before he could say anything. She felt around before noticing a slight crack, just big enough for a fingernail. She slid hers into it and popped it open.

"Ha!" she exclaimed, finding a very small flash drive and pulling it out. "Now we're talking." Clearly, they'd hit some wires and broke the radio while installing the hidey hole without realizing it.

"That's not drugs," Brant commented.

"No, but maybe it's directions to said drugs," she said, lifting a brow. He pursed his lips slightly, thinking.

"Laptop's in the bag," he told her. She reached behind him to fish it out, settling it onto her knees. She turned it on and found it passworded.

"Erm," she said, turning it towards him. "Open sesame?"

He made a face at her and reached with one hand to type while half paying attention to the road. Out of respect, she looked at the roof of the car so as not to know what it was for security purposes.

"You're in," he said, and she put the drive into the USB slot.

"Ugh, it's coded too," she said with a sigh. Brant pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Nash," he said. "Get Turner to remotely access my laptop. We've got a drive that needs decrypting. He can do that remotely, right?"

Kate half listened as she pondered on what could be on this drive.

"Don't call me a dinosaur," Brant growled, hanging up his phone and cramming it into his coat pocket. Kate bit down her smirk.

"Let me guess, you're old school," she said amidst his mild muttering to himself.

"What?"

"To be called a dinosaur means you still do things old school," she clarified. "Am I right?"

"Maybe I don't want my entire life on the bloody internet," Brant retorted.

"You don't have to put your life on there," she reasoned. "It just helps makes things a bit easier to do."

"For a price," he said back. "Not interested."

"Oh boy," she said under her breath as his phone rang again.

"What?" he answered curtly. "Fine. Here." He held out the phone to her. "He wants to talk to you."

"Who?"

"Turner."

"Oh." Kate took the phone gingerly and pressed it against her ear. "Yes?"

"Hi," Turner said cheerfully. "They're not paying you enough to hang out with that wanker."

"Ha," she scoffed. "You're right."

"You tell him he's the wanker," Brant told her, glowering. When she looked surprised, he added, "I know how that bastard thinks."

"Tell him to be nice," Turner advised.

"I really don't want to be in the middle of this," Kate told him. "Can you unlock this drive or no?"

"I can. Just allow access when it comes up."

She waited, and when the pop up screen came on indicating someone wanted to remotely control the computer, she clicked "yes."

"Oof, this is a doozie," Turner said, humming to himself. Kate watched on the screen as he flipped through window after window, typing in randomness that made no sense to her. He took about ten minutes before he finally got it.

"Yes! We're a go," he said. "You get it?"

"I did," Kate replied, opening the now unlocked drive. "Thank you, Turner."

"Anytime. Don't let Brant intimidate you."

"Don't you worry about that," Kate promised. They hung up, and she handed Brant his phone back.

"Well? What's on it?" he prompted.

"Just give me a second," she replied, annoyed. Had he really thought she'd had time to look at it yet? She clicked open the only file on there, and she just about threw up. She pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling horrified.

"What? Kate, what is it?" Brant asked, noticing.

"It's not drugs," she said hoarsely.

"Then what is it?"

"Pictures," she whispered. "Hundreds and hundreds of...pictures." She scrolled down, wanting to cry at all the images on there of vulnerable and abused women and girls. She stopped when she saw one of herself; she couldn't remember it being taken, but she had been drugged at one point after all.

"Oh my God," she whimpered. She barely noticed that Brant had pulled over at this point and put the car in park. His hand on her arm made her jump.

"Oh my God," he echoed. She let him take the laptop. She couldn't bear to see any more of it. "Kate, there's another piece to this."

"What?"

"It's how much each girl sold for," he said, showing her. She looked and felt even sicker than she already did.

"Wow," she said. "I was expensive." She met his eyes and hated to see sympathy there. She wished he wouldn't. She had chosen to come here like this instead of trying to get over here as an agent to collaborate on the case. She'd thought it would be faster and more informative if she was involved directly. She pointed to another document on the screen. "What's that?"

Brant clicked it open, and they both saw that it was detailed plans of shipments. They looked at each other again, and Brant finally smiled.

"Got him," he said.

"For the trafficking piece," she confirmed. "What about the drugs?"

"I think they might be linked," he said. "Somehow."

"So who is getting this information?" Kate asked, gesturing to the screen. "And why?"

"I guess we will find out." Brant looked at the computer for a moment. "You know how to get all this stuff from the drive onto the computer?"

"Just drag and drop," she answered logically. He turned his head at her and lifted a brow. "Seriously?! Oh my-...Give me that." She took it back from him and copied the entire file to his laptop. After making sure it had actually copied, she removed the drive and put it back where she'd found it.

"Good?" Brant asked.

"Yes," she answered. She looked at him again, unable to help herself. "How do you drive with those little T-Rex arms, Mr. Dinosaur?"

"Ha, ha," he said sarcastically, putting the car back in drive now. Kate pressed a hand to her face, trying to rid of the images in her mind. She hadn't told Brant, but there had been an image of Delia on there; it had broken her heart a little bit more. She hoped Leon would never see such an image of his daughter, ever.

She definitely wished she never had.

...

Brant felt bad for Kate after seeing all those photos. Seeing her on there had made him feel that much more protective of her and even more disgusted with Norman and his crew. He didn't know what to say to Kate, so he stayed quiet. She was definitely lost in thought as she looked out the window. He wondered if her niece had been on there, and he figured she probably was since it was so in depth. He wondered next if this drive got passed back and forth a lot. Was that why there were cars being moved so often?

"Brant?" Kate asked a moment later.

"Yea?"

"What's a girl gotta do to get something to eat around here?"

"Oh." He looked at the clock, seeing it was past noon. "Right." He felt hunger now that he thought about it. Eating was one of the first things he skipped when he was working too hard. He found a small diner and parked away from the windows but still within sight of them. Before they went inside, he lit up a cigarette and offered Kate one, which she took.

He and Kate stood there smoking in silence, and he wondered what she was thinking but didn't ask. Once finished, they went inside, and Brant held out an arm to gesture her to go first. She picked a booth not far from the door and that had clear visibility of the car. Brant sat down across from her, keeping an eye on the door.

"I wish you hadn't seen it," she said quietly. Brant knew what she was referring to.

"It doesn't make me see you any differently, if that's what you're worried about," he assured her.

"No, it's...it's just really personal," she said quietly, looking down at her fingers on the table top. She was fidgeting with them, pulling on her thumb with her index finger to peel a hangnail.

Brant knew she was right. Out of character, he reached to rest his hand over both of hers, making her look up at him.

"We'll get 'em," he promised. "I'm not giving up until it's over."

"I appreciate that," she said, giving him a very small smile. He returned it, squeezing her hand comfortingly before pulling his back. The waitress arrived with menus by this point, so it gave him something else to focus on. Kate was sipping on a coffee a few moments later while Brant stuck with water.

"People have no idea," she said, watching a group walk by the window talking and laughing. "No one knows this shit goes on right in their own backyard."

"I think maybe they do, but in order to live as carefree as possible, they have to pretend it doesn't exist," Brant advised.

"How come we don't get to pretend it doesn't exist?" she asked, meeting his eyes again. "How come it stays with us day after day, night after night? How come it makes us feel like we're never going to win the war against evil?"

He sucked his teeth lightly, pondering her questions. He knew what she meant. He'd seen a lot of things he could never unsee, and he lost a lot of sleep to nightmares sometimes.

"I don't know how to answer those questions," he said slowly, "But what I do know is: If we don't do this job, then who will? Who will even remotely try to stop the bad things happening around us? It's shitty, for sure, but I signed up for this. I can deal with some rough nights and unpleasant images."

"I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this," she confessed, wrapping both hands around her mug now. "I've been questioning why I'm staying in this job for the last few days, and I think the answer is going to be given to me when this case is over."

Brant thought about what it would be like without her around, and it suddenly made him feel an ache in his chest. This greatly surprised him. How could he be that attached to her company already in such a short time?

"Well, whatever answer you get, I hope it's the right one," he said finally.

"Me too."

They said no more, and then their food arrived. Brant did his best to stay focused on the work. He couldn't go about having thoughts of Kate that weren't strictly professional. It really wouldn't end well if they got out of hand and he acted on them.

...

Kate dozed in and out of sleep as they kept driving. Her dreams were riddled with bits of terror, especially around Delia. She kept waking up with a jerk and a racing heart, her niece's terrified eyes staring back at her in her mind.

"I'm calling it," Brant said now, making her realize it was growing dark. They'd been on the road for a long time.

"Okay," she agreed, not fighting it. She was sick of being in the car at this point. He found a motel to stay at not long after. They headed up to their room once inside, and Kate felt exhausted all over again. She practically face planted on the bed while Brant went to shower. She couldn't stop seeing herself in that photo, wondering who had put the lingerie on her and tied her down. Had they done anything to her? She didn't remember at all, and she was thinking that might be a blessing. She hated how helpless she looked in that photo...hated how she'd been taken advantage of. She sat up after a while and leaned against the headboard, her head in her hands and knees pulled up to her chest. She worked to steady her breathing to avoid having a panic attack. She barely registered when Brant came out in a towel to hunt for fresh clothes.

"You alright?" he asked, making her look at him.

"Not really," she answered truthfully. He waited for more, but she didn't have anything else to say. He gave a small nod and went to change. She rested her forehead on her knees now, and a moment later when he returned fully dressed, Brant surprised her by coming to sit next to her and put an arm around her. Something about this simple gesture broke something inside of her, and she began to cry despite trying not to. She moved to bury her face against his chest, and he held her close.

"It's alright," he said, rubbing her back lightly. "It'll be over soon, I promise."

"I failed her," she cried. "I failed my brother. I failed everything."

Brant didn't comment, and she didn't expect him to. What could he say anyway? She cried herself out and then felt extremely embarrassed. She pushed herself up and out of his embrace, wiping at her eyes and cheeks furiously.

"I'm fine," she insisted. He just looked at her, and she swallowed down more emotion trying to creep up on her.

"Better to let it out than hold it in, don't you think?" he asked.

"Why do I feel like that's your motto?" she countered. He chuckled.

"It might be," he said, giving her a sideways look and a smile. She sniffed and smiled back a little.

"It's been my experience that when I show my emotions, I get negative feedback," she told him, resting her arms over her knees again. He folded his hands in his lap and leaned back against the headboard with her.

"I hear you," he agreed.

"Something tells me that you aren't referring to crying," she said.

"You are correct."

"Well, it's certainly not your overabundance of cheerfulness," she reasoned, and he scoffed.

"I have a temper," he said, turning his head to face her. Kate tilted her head as she studied him, and he lifted a brow after she said nothing.

"I can see it," she finally commented. "That must get you into trouble at work sometimes."

"Yea," he scoffed. "They say it's bad, but then they throw me out there to use it when it's convenient."

"What gets you all riled up?" she asked, curious.

"Stupid people," he answered. She made a face.

"I'm sure there's more," she pressed. He sighed.

"I have a lot of shit in my past," he said finally. "Shit I don't feel like getting into right now. No offense."

"It's okay," she replied. "I get it." They sat there looking at each other for a moment until Brant cleared his throat.

"I'm gonna nip out for something to eat," he said, trying to continue making sure he ate throughout all of this. "Want anything?"

"I'll come with you."

"Alright." He got to his feet and headed to grab his jacket. Kate pulled her hood up as they stepped outside. It was a bit damp, and she felt a chill after their ten minute walk. Brant walked into a pizza joint, and Kate looked around as they stood in line. She caught sight of two girls sitting near the back, and she just knew they were working girls.

"Brant," she murmured, nudging him.

"What?"

"At the back." She looked the other way as he took a quick peek.

"I see them," he said back quietly.

"You think they're from Norman's crew?"

"Not sure. We're far enough away it shouldn't be his turf."

"I want to help them," Kate said as they moved forward a bit in the line.

"I don't think we can," he replied. "I know it's hard, but if we make a scene, then we're shining a spotlight on ourselves."

Kate knew he was right, but it left her feeling all twisted up inside just the same. Once they had their food, she took one last look at the girls before walking out the door. One of them was watching her, and the sadness in her eyes was devastating. Kate could almost feel her plea of help, and she almost tripped as she stopped and then started walking again behind Brant.

Brant found a bench and parked on it, digging into the pizza after setting the box down next to him. Kate perched on the other side of it, trying to feel hungry. She pulled out a cigarette from the pack she'd bought at their last gas stop and flicked her lighter on. She tried to stop thinking about the girls with each inhale and exhale, but it wasn't working. She finished, noticing that Brant was watching her.

"Kate," he said after a moment and a few bites of food, and she looked at him. "We can't. I'm sorry."

"Can't you call it in at least?"

"Again, it's putting a target on me...us."

"Even an anonymous call?"

Brant sat there looking at her until he sighed slowly. He dropped his slice onto the top half of the pizza box on the table and pulled out his phone. He texted a message and sent it before pocketing the phone and getting back to his slice.

"Well?" Kate asked.

"Well what?" he countered, his mouth full.

"What did you do?"

He swallowed. "I texted Nash. He'll do it."

"He said he would?" she asked. Brant's phone buzzed now, and he pulled it out to check it.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Thank you."

"If this comes back on me, it's your fault."

"Fine." Kate shifted on the bench, still not eating. It was starting to really get to her, the fact that she was pretending to be in this world while so many others were really trapped in it. She wasn't getting the full experience, and it made her feel guilty. It made her want to destroy Norman and Elijah with her bare hands and anyone else they were working with. Sometimes, she could still hear Elijah's wicked laugh and see his leering face when he'd had her taken away to be shipped. She really did hope that by taking down Norman, he would fall too. He deserved it.

"Come on," Brant said, making her look at him. "You gotta eat something. I saw you pick at lunch earlier even though you said you were hungry. You need your strength."

Kate wasn't sure what was going on with her. She'd been hungry at lunch, and then when her food arrived, she'd suddenly lost her appetite. She looked down at the pizza, willing herself to feel a shred of hunger. She watched Brant pick up a piece and hold it in front of her.

"I could do the airplane trick, but I wouldn't want to embarrass you," he advised, getting a slightly cheeky look on his face now. As if that would be the most embarrassing thing to happen to her right now, and she knew he knew it and was trying to deflect from it. Kate twisted her lips and sucked on her left inner cheek, giving him a level stare back. She took it from him, folded it in half, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"You know it's not a burrito, right?" he asked.

"You've never tried it?" she inquired after swallowing.

"No cos I'm not a freak."

"Are you calling me a freak?" She lifted a brow at him. He smiled.

"Nah. I'm just trying to get your mind off of what's going on inside."

She took another bite, not wanting to let on that it had worked for a moment. She finished the slice and licked her fingers, twisting her head to look over her shoulder at the door of the pizza joint. She could still see the girls in there through the window.

"Well," she said, looking back at him, "maybe I'm a little bit of a freak, but you'll never know in which department."

It was his turn to lift a brow as she smirked and slid off the bench. She wasn't really sure what had made her say that, but she liked seeing how it had created a reaction in him. She remembered how he'd looked at her that night at the club too. She started walking back to the motel, and Brant caught up with her before too long, pizza box under his arm. They walked in silence, and Kate couldn't stop thinking about those girls.

When they arrived at their motel room, she stood outside and listened to the sounds of the night as it grew darker before finally going inside to join Brant. He held out a second slice to her without a word, and she took it to spare herself the continued lecture he was sure to give if she didn't. It was kind of sweet, actually, that he cared about her wellbeing.

Brant turned on the TV and leaned against the headboard. Kate wondered how it was going to work sharing a bed with him.

"You don't kick or snore or anything, do you?" she asked him.

"You'll just have to find out," he replied, not looking at her. She rolled her eyes. She debated just sleeping on the floor, but she knew he probably wouldn't let her do that, and it wasn't fair to make him sleep on the floor. She'd be an adult and share the space.

She went to brush her teeth and change into pajama pants and a t-shirt. She came back to find him in a white tank top and his cargo pants.

"No pajamas?" she asked, slightly teasing.

"I didn't think you'd appreciate boxers," he commented. She felt the smallest of flushes on her neck and hoped he couldn't see it.

"Well, thank you," she replied, lifting the covers and getting into bed. She'd never tell him that it wouldn't have been a bad thing. She got settled on her back, her arms on top of the blankets. He was still propped up leaning against the headboard, remote in hand. Kate pulled her hair tie out and shook her fingers through it, relieving the tension. She saw Brant look over at her slightly, and she stopped, meeting his eyes.

"You look nice with your hair down," he said, and she wondered if he meant to say it out loud because his eyes revealed a bit of shock at his own words.

"Good to know," she said back, giving a slight smile before turning her head away. She tuned in and out of whatever it was he was watching on TV.

"I have nightmares," he told her a few minutes later. "I don't know if they make me call out or thrash around, but I thought you should know just in case."

"Oh. Thanks for telling me."

He gave a curt nod, and Kate couldn't help but wonder what he nightmared about. She closed her eyes and did her best to not think about it. Ten minutes later, he turned off the TV and the lamp, and she heard him get settled in the darkness.

"Good night, Kate."

"Good night."

She hadn't slept next to someone in a long time (minus her trip in a container with the other women...she was definitely going to need some therapy for all these pieces when it was over, but for now, she was in survival mode), and it felt a bit strange but also comforting at the same time. She lifted her head slightly to see that he was sleeping on his left, his back to her. She sank back down on the pillow and tried to fall asleep.

At some point in the middle of the night, the screaming started.