The Body Hunters

by Newcastle, Raven

  "Danny, Danny, wait please." Aiden gently grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Still sobbing she buried her head in his chest. He tenderly stroked her back, letting her cry it out. "I get it Danny! I promised not to smother you, and I will honor that. I'm sorry I pushed you, but promise me you won't give up on us. Please promise me that."

  "You're asking for a promise I'm not sure I can keep." She cried, her voice muffled by his chest.

  "Just say you'll try, OK?"

  "I'll try. I really will. But I need time alone. Go back home to D.C. We'll keep in touch, I swear." She told him.

  "Every day!" he demanded.

  "Aiden!"She slapped him in the chest.

  "OK. At least twice a week, please?" he begged.

  "I can do that, I promise."

  "Nani, I will wait for you, I swear." He said, tilting her chin so he could look right into her eyes.

  "I know, Aiden." She said quietly.

  He helped her pack the rest of her things and for a little while things felt like they used to between them: He would crack a joke and she would smile or hit him. After their work was done, he loaded the boxes in the trunk for her. Standing at the Camaro he held open the drivers' side door.

  "I'll miss you...” she said frankly.

  He gently squeezed her hand. "I'll miss you too, Nani. Go get better and don't forget call me twice a week."

  "I won't forget."

  "I love you Nani." He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

  After watching her drive off, he returned to the house. Entering into the bedroom once again, he finished what she started and trashed the room. He tore the bed sheets into ribbons, overturned the mattress, and found the engagement picture of her and Gerard on the floor in the broken frame and glass. Picking the picture off the floor, he ripped it in half and tore Gerard's picture into little shreds as if to punish the man one last time, keeping Danny's side of it intact. He then made short work of Gerard's dresser, smashing the drawers as he threw them across the room into the wall. Finally exhausted he left the house and returned to his motel. While packing he carefully placed Danny's torn picture into his suitcase. He had one more stop to make before leaving town.

  Sitting in his borrowed office at the Phoenix FBI field office, Lucius looked up to see seething staring directly into his face. "Agent Stone, I trust everything went well at the house?"

  "What the hell did you say to her Johnson?" He hurled the words out of his mouth.

  "What?"

  "Don't you what me! What did you say to her to make her want to leave?" He edged right into Lucius' personal space.

  "I was only comforting an old friend's daughter, Agent Stone, and you'd better watch your tone with me!" Lucius dropped his pen on the desk with a clatter, standing upright at his desk.

  "Why do you insist on coming between us? You are not her father!" He roared. "I hope you're happy now because she broke things off with me!"

  "Agent Stone, I'm sorry, really, but if Ms. Labouleaux broke it off with you, that’snot my fault. She is going through a very rough time, Agent Stone, and I suggest you give Danielle her space." Lucius usually controlled voice had raised a few octaves.

  Outside the closed door of the office, agents and office personnel had vacated their cubicles and were watching events unfold in Lucius' office like it was a pay-per-view special. Their professionalism temporarily forgotten, they were like children watching the prelude to a schoolyard scrap.

  "Oh, I get it! You're the only one who can comfort her right? You did this! You did this to her! I wanted to stay with her when she wanted to go back to Phoenix, but you stopped it! This is your fault Johnson!" Aiden’s fists pounded the office desk, rattling everything that rested on it.

  "Stone, you'd better calm down and remember that you are talking to one of your superiors." Lucius warned, rounding the desk and meeting him toe to toe. "I seem to recall someone who didn't want to tell Danielle the truth about her fiancé just so he could get close to her. What did you think you were living, a fairytale? What, were you going to swoop in and be her hero and it would be all happily ever after? You could have ended this before it even started. If you would have told her your suspicions in the first place, she wouldn't have been in Phoenix and we could have continued with our investigation of Wolfe. No, this is all your handiwork, Agent Stone."

  "You ..." Aiden began,his finger in Johnson's face.

  "You what? Agent Stone! Tell me!" Lucius was not backing down and continued Aiden's dressing down, his voice barely a whisper. "Every time you think of the bruises on her face or the fear in her eyes, remember who put her in that situation, you. Every time you think of what could have happened to her had you not arrived in the nick of time; remember this situation was of your own creation. Tell me this Agent Stone. Have you told her that you suspected Wolfe in the human trafficking ring or are you conveniently concealing that truth as well?" Lucius scoffed, looking at him with contempt. "No wonder she doesn't want to be around you. You're a liar just like Wolfe. You're just hiding it behind a badge!"

  Aiden's fist connected with Lucius' jaw. Stumbling back against the wall, Lucius hit it with a thud so hard the standard scenic pictures of the headquarters in D.C fell off of it. Lucius shook his head and dabbed his fingers in the blood dribbling down the side of his mouth.

  "You want to fight? C'mon big man give me your best shot!" Lucius snarled as he squared off with him.

  The crowd outside were up against the office window watching in disbelief. Aiden took another swing that Lucius ducked. Lucius came up from under and rocked his jaw with an uppercut. Aiden fell back hard against the desk, surprised that the smaller man had such a potent punch.

  Aiden grabbed Lucius by the waist and had him on his back, battering him with blows. Lucius kicked him off while rolling him right through the glass partition surrounding the office into the hall where the scattering agents were watching. Not even bothering with the door, Lucius followed him out of the office stepping through the portal where the glass had been just seconds ago. He kicked the still dazed in the ribs and stomach. Before Lucius could kick him a fourth time, Aiden grabbed his leg and pulled him down to the floor. Both men were locked arm in arm and soon found themselves grappling and wrestling on the floor, oblivious to the fact that they were rolling in glass. The crowd quickly parted and SAIC Donald Brown entered the hallway.

  "Stop it Agents, now!" SAIC Brown bellowed. Both men got up off the floor. Lucius’ suit coat was torn at the sleeves, his shirt bloodied from his busted lip. Aiden's t-shirt was in shreds, showing his muscled stomach. Both men got up and stood informally at attention, immediately regretting what they'd just done.

  "I don't know what this is about nor do I care! I am calling your superiors at the D.C office and letting them know what just happened. Both of you get out of my building and go back to D.C.!"

  Both men stood in silence, realizing they had just made a huge mistake. Aiden was promptly escorted out of the building. Lucius tried to talk Agent Brown out of calling his superiors in D.C. explaining it was a personal matter between the two and promising it wouldn't happen again. They didn't need to jeopardize the trafficking case by removing him. Brown wasn't fazed. He told Lucius it was up to his superiors in D.C. how they wanted to handle it. He allowed Lucius time to gather his papers and for the first time in a long time, Lucius found that he was powerless. He called to check in on Cassie and Danny only explaining that he was needed in D.C and would be back as soon as he could. He left them under the guard of Stephania's cousins.

  Two weeks later after a formal hearing and an in house investigation was completed, the two men had no choice in the matter, Lucius and tendered their resignations from the FBI. Their successors had been brought up to speed as far as the investigation was concerned, so the case wouldn't suffer in their absence. There was a lot of paperwork, but there was no doubt that the doctors and the co-conspirators involved in the cartel would be going away for a long time. The women who were sold were
now in protective custody, and once the dust settled would likely be offered asylum in the United States.

  In loving memory of their daughter, the Cavender’s had set up a charitable organization designed to prevent women and girls on the streets from being prey for human trafficking. The organization, which would consist of several shelters across the state of Texas, was under the moniker of Sherry's House. Each Sherry's House location offered clothes, food, counseling and shelter to at risk women. For those that were drug addicted there was the opportunity to get clean while those that needed a chance to just get on their feet were given the chance to do just that. Doctors, certified through extensive background checks, provided medical assistance for those that required it.

  Begrudgingly, Aiden and Lucius had agreed to disagree. Not wanting to cause Danny any more strife, they agreed not to mention whose fault it was that she was abducted and not to disclose the reason they were forced to resign. Leaving the FBI Headquarters with his box of belongings and with no job and no Danny, Aiden didn’t have a clue what to do with himself. However, there was one task he needed to complete.

  Early the next Saturday morning, he parked his rented car at the nearest park. It was still summer and the sun beamed down on him, its fingers of light reaching down despite his sour mood. He'd arrived well before the jogging health nuts and the moms pushing their strollers. With a large spoon in hand, he searched for the biggest, strongest tree he could find.

  Kneeling down, he dug a small hole. Once he felt it was deep enough, he reached into his jacket pocket and extracted Danny's engagement ring. The manmade diamonds and gold band hit the sun and glittered brilliantly. Saying a silent prayer, he dropped the ring in the miniature grave and covered it. Hopefully, Martha Wolfe would at last find some peace. After everything that happened, at least someone could. Martha Wolfe looked on smiling at Aiden. He saw her ethereal form kneel down to him and kiss him on his forehead before she disappeared in the morning light as the sun rose higher in the sky

  Epilogue

  "Tell me Danielle, how are you feeling today?" Yvonne Sherman, Danny's psychiatrist asked.

  "I'm doing better, Yvonne. I slept the night through." She answered.

  They had made an agreement on their first session that Danny could avoid calling her doctor. The word stuck in her throat like a bad piece of meat.

  "No bad dreams, Danielle?"

  "No, not last night.The night before though, they do seem to be getting less and less frequent."

  "But they are still happening, right? Let's talk about that, anything different this time?"

  "No, just the usual. I'm on my knees screaming. He's hovering over me with red eyes laughing like the devil. And then he does it. I try to crawl away, but he keeps pulling me back. He lands a punch on my face, and I wake up sweating and screaming." Danny looked away from Yvonne when telling the dream. It had been a recurring one for months.

  "Danny we talked about PTSD. You definitely have the symptoms. I know you don't want to be classified with it, but I want you to hear yourself. You talk about the dream with the same emotion you would have if you were telling me what you had to eat last night. I did notice you can't look me in the eye when repeating it to me, though. What do you think that is saying?"

  "I know, I know! I'm not facing it head on. I try but my brain doesn't want to talk about it." Danny said, frustrated.

  "That's why it's manifesting in your dreams Danielle. I know you told your friend Cassie about the rape. She was held hostage with you right?"

  "Yes." Danny nodded.

  "We've talked about how you have to admit to someone, other than Cassie, what happened. Why haven't you told Stephania yet?"

  "Look, I figured he is dead ..." Danny started before Yvonne cut her off.

  "Say his name Danielle."

  "G-Gerard, Gerard is dead! What's the point! They can't arrest him and make him pay! The chickenshit took the easy way out! Suicide by cop!"Danny barked out.

  "Good, get angry. You want him to pay for what he did to you. You were betrayed, raped and nearly killed by the man who professed love to you. It's OK to get angry. But we need to make it productive. Anger without a direction will only cause you more pain."

  "I'm still in the why stage, you know? I can't get past why!" a few tears welled up in Danny's eyes. Handing her a tissue Yvonne talked her down.

  "You have to face the fact that you may never know the why. What you have to focus on is that you are a survivor not a victim. Let's talk about something that is in your here and now. How is the house coming along?"

  "The Savannah historical society granted me permission to start renovations. Stephania and I plan to start the work in the next few weeks." Her countenance changed when she talked about the old house she purchased in downtown historic Savannah.

  Once again the puppet master had come through for her. Being Gerard's sole beneficiary, Lucius had made sure that Danny received the money from his lucrative life insurance policy which was well into seven figures. At first she refused, considering it blood money, but Lucius wouldn't hear of it. He told her that after all she'd been through, she deserved the money and ordered that she take it and start her life over again.

  What better place for her to start over than what is considered the most haunted city in America? The money had been more than enough to purchase the historic Savannah home she now shared with Stephania. While livable, the women wanted to renovate the house to its original standards. They were also renting a store front in Savannah's historical shopping district for their new business venture. Stephania and Danny would soon be the proud owners of an upscale boutique called Milan.

  "Good, that will keep your mind busy. And how's the shop coming along? I'm asking for personal reasons. I really can't wait to see what shoes you two will get in!" Yvonne laughed.

  "Stephania has it almost stocked, so we can expect you as a first customer?" Danny smiled slyly.

  "Of course! In a professional capacity only! But seriously your homework is to tell her. Are you afraid she will think of you differently?"

  "Of course not.I just don't want people to know."

  "I know we've talked about this before but are you ashamed of what happened?" Yvonne uncrossed her legs and was writing on her pad looking down.

  "I feel like he…G-Gerard …stole my confidence. I am angry that I couldn't fight him off. I figure if I don't talk about it then it will just go away with time."

  "Danielle, you know that is not true. It also seems to be hindering your relationships with men. What about Aiden Stone?"

  "I talk to him every now and then. He doesn't say much about his life in D.C. He just wants to talk about me. I limit how much time I spend on the phone with him and don't want to answer his texts." Her face saddened at the thought of him.

  "You know that is avoidance. You told me you still have feelings for him. Sooner or later you will have to deal with them one way or another." Yvonne offered.

  "Someday, just not today, OK?" Danny insisted.

  "OK, for now, but you do have homework. You must tell Stephania what happened. I want to hear how it went in our next session. No avoidance, she is your friend, and she will understand. It will make you feel better, I promise." Their session ended soon after and Yvonne's words rang in her ears as she entered the new boutique. Stephania was pricing a new shipment of garments, getting ready for the grand opening the following week.

  "Stephania Can you please sit with me on the couch? I have to talk to you."

  "Sure Danielle I'll be right there." Stephania put her work aside and joined Danny on the fancy French couch she bought for the boutique decor. Danny took a deep breath and began. Twenty minutes later Stephania was holding a crying Danny, but this time her crying was not of pain but of relief that she was able to tell someone else that she trusted to keep her secret. She felt the release of emotions and realized the psychiatrist was right. It did make her feel a bit better for the moment.

  That night Danny didn't dream of th
e rape or the beatings. Instead she was in grand mere’s kitchen enjoying her cooking. In her dream she told grand mere everything that happened. The old woman told her she knew the whole story but was glad that Danny admitted it to her. Grand’Mere gave her a kiss and hug. Danny woke up still feeling her embrace. She wondered if it had been real. The light shining in the corner of her bedroom faded showing grand mere smiling before she disappeared.

  Feeling better than she had in months, Danny was nearly finished dressing when she heard Stephania call out for her.

  "Danielle the movers are here!"

  Today marked the arrival of the last of their belongings out of storage. Danny walked out of the old half-finished kitchen into the grand hallway with the half peeling wallpaper that they planned to renovate themselves. It would take a few years she calculated, which was fine with her. Keeping her hands and mind busy was a priority to her slow recovery.

  "I'm coming!" she yelled. The two women met the delivery men and started helping with boxes. The movers were in and out quickly with Stephania directing traffic. Soon they were gone leaving only a few boxes on the ornate veranda. Both women were in the kitchen again when they heard a booming voice.

  "Where would you like me to put this box ma’am?"

  "Oh, geez did you guys forget some boxes?" Danny called out. Walking from the kitchen back to the grand hallway, she stopped in her tracks.

  "Aloha Nani!" Aiden put the box on the floor.

  "Aiden!" She shrieked.

  Running quickly to him she jumped into his waiting arms and wrapped her legs and arms around his waist and neck, biting his bottom lip softly while slipping him her soft tongue. They pressed their lips together for a deep kiss.

  Look For

  The Body Hunters 2

  Coming Winter 2013