Prologue


Raven-
“The night is an illusion. Its darkness is as much a mystery as a threat.
The night is my companion, my friend, my only family.
The night shields me from daytimes bright light. It protects me, hides me, and saves me.
I live my life in the night. I always have and always will. There is no day for me, and nor shall there ever be any light.
I live for the night, the darkness, the silence. Nothing can compare to, or replace this need. The night is my world.
The night never fails, never falters. It is always there.
Night is my illusion. Night is my world. Night is my life…


Yasmin-
“Having friends isn't everything. Sometimes you want someone there when your friends can't be. And sometimes you want to be left alone, but you can't. Sometimes you wonder what it's like to not have any friends, but there's no way you could ever know what that's like. Or at least that's what you think.
Maybe you see people at school without any friends. Maybe you see people on the TV all alone. And maybe you think 'that could never be me.'
But you could be wrong.
You never know what might happen. One day your friends could be there for you and the next they're gone. Never take you friends for granted.
People say that good friend helps you get up when you fall. I think that's true. But best friends will pick you up, brush you down and tell you to keep going. Always make sure you know which friends to trust. You never know who might end up being your closest friend. It may be someone you never expected. Always remember; good friends may come and go, but best friends, true best friends, are for life. Some friends may abandon you, but true friends will stay with you, no matter what.
Never forget who your true friends are.”


CHAPTER ONE


Alabama, May 15th


"What do you want?" Raven asked, not looking at the man she knew had come to take her away from another family and back to another building full of other bratty kids like her.
"To make you safe, and give you a new home." Harold Jove said, still staring intently at the little girl with raven black hair and emerald eyes.
"Fine, you'll just have to move me again in no time anyway." She said, still not making eye contact.
"And why is that?" He asked, "From what I hear you have the potential to be a sweet child with a bright future."
"Because." She said, that was the only answer he needed anyway, it's not like he actually cared what happened to her, she thought bitterly. She had spent enough nights on the streets to know that when people pretended to care for someone like her it was only for show. No one ever cared about her; she was just another foster kid with a bad attitude and an anger problem. No one wanted her for long anyway; she had been to over seven foster homes in the past two years.
"Ok, I see you don't want to talk so I'll just let you pack while I go talk to your mommy." Harold said, turning and heading for the door.
"Mr. Jove. She is not my mother. He is not my father, and you are not my friend. Get out, I need to pack." With that, she slammed the door.
Well, he thought, never figured on seeing a ten-year-old who was that bitter and to the point.
He walked down the steps of the small two story house that was, literally, a dump in the making. The only reason he was here was a call; the cops had called him saying that Raven's foster father, Brad, had messed her up a bit. That was an under statement, she had a black eye, two chipped teeth, her right jaw was dislocated, broken nose, busted lip, and from her left temple to the bottom of her left jaw she was bruised badly.
But she hadn't cried, no, not even one tear. She had looked at him with disgust when he had walked through the door, a thirty-seven-year-old man; she held no liking for Social Services that was for sure.
But he didn't care, because when you see a kid messed up like she was you don't. You just move, take action. Not time for being a wimp, you slap cuffs on the one responsible and you try to make it all go away.
But with little Raven Night, that was an impossibility. She did not want comfort, or help. She just wanted him to get out of her face and go back to whatever rock he had climbed out from under. She had even said as much. But if you thought about it you wouldn't like being pulled out of home after home for eight years now would you, old Harold? He asked himself as he entered the living area.
Well, a man can only do so much. He thought, knowing it was the truth yet a lie all in one.


Who did he think he was? He could not just waltz in here and take her away! She was a human and she had rights too! She was only ten but she took care of herself well enough to be an adult. She never cried, never pouted, and never used anyone's weaknesses against them unless they were attacking her first!
So what, the old fart who had hit her had left a few bruises, but that didn't make her weak! She fought, and fought well at that, heck; if she hadn't fought, he would have strangled her to death! she thought, taking her backpack from in under the bed and putting her two best pairs of jeans in it, along with her favorite, signature, black t-shirt, along with a red t-shirt, and a white one. She slipped her worn-out and old running sneakers into her bag. Then she grabbed the only other things she owned, she reached into the back of the dresser and pulled out a silver circle locket that was a gift from her real father before her had been murdered, and a small wedding picture of her father and mother.
She looked like her father with her black hair, Indian skin, sharp chin and small ears, the only features she had inherited from her mother were her high cheekbones and pert little nose. (Which was slightly crooked thanks to being broken three times!)
She got her eyes from her grandfather, he was a Cherokee tribe Cheif, and in a way, she was an Indian princess. But she had never met him, and only knew about him from her father's journals, which were already stashed in her backpack. Her father had written letters to her in them. She had only read three of the seven journals but she knew for sure that they held all the secrets she could ever dream of. With them, she had hope of finding where the tribe was, and if she took the journals, maybe her grandfather would accept her. She knew it was a long shot since he had no idea she even existed, but it was all she had.
No one else knew about the journals, and she would never tell anyone. She didn't have any friends to tell anyway.
Pulling on her jeans jacket over her black tank top, she hitched up her jeans and doubled tied her black and white running shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and it was long, it went just barely past the nape of her neck when she had it up. After she had her jacket on she lifted her pack and slung its strap over one shoulder, slipping her free hand into her back pocket after whipping her bangs out of her eyes again, they were down to her temples now, and wouldn't stay out of her eyes, she walked down stairs.
"I'm ready to go, can we hurry up." She demanded, being purposefully rude when she came to a stop in front of Harold Jove.
"Don't you want to say good-bye to anyone?" He asked, surprised that she would be so cold and unconcerned when she was leaving her home of five months.
"No," She said, "I have no ties here. Now may we leave?" She demanded, becoming bored with his annoying gestures of sympathy and care, they were all fake as far as she was concerned anyway, she decided.
"Ok, if you are really sure you're ready to go now." He said, surprised by the hint of boredom in her voice.
"I'm sure, now let's ditch this joint already." She said, and headed for the car parked on the curb.
"I'll be right there, just wait in the car." He said, but the car door had already slammed.
"Wait! She forgot a few thing's, give these to 'er will ya'? They were gifts form me and Brad, let 'er keep 'em." The busty blond in red heels that looked like torture devices said, with the hint of an Oklahoma accent.
"Ok, I will, Mrs. Henderson," He said, balancing the notebooks, a couple of cd's, CD player, and pencils and pencil sharpener, "And thank you again, for calling us. I know how it must hurt to have to call the cops on your husband."
"Oh, it was nothin' he didn' deserve me no ways. `Sides, I hate seein' a poor thin' like 'er gettin' hurt by a big ol' ape like Brad."
"Ok...Well, I had better get going Mrs.Hende-"
"Please, call me Beverly. And by this time next month big boy, it'll be Ms. Henderson."
The woman said, batting her fake eyelashes at him and trailing her fingers down his arm.
"Well, I had better get out of here Ma'am; my wife will worry if I'm not home by ten." He said, thinking himself clever for dodging her fingers by shaking her hand and turning away to walk to the car.
"Bye, Raven! Bye, Mr. Jove!" She shouted to the taillights of the car, considering how much seduction it would take to lure him away from that wife of his.
In the car, Raven sat, ramrod straight, with a pile of gifts next to her. She had picked up the headphones and CD player and was listening to Avril Lavigne's 'Complicated' on full blast.
Ignore it, she thought, ignore it all. It`s just as it's always been. No one cares they just want you gone. But after a while, you get used to it, to the loneliness and pain. You have to, when it's you against the world.


CHAPTER TWO

U.K., May 19th


"Yas? You coming?"
"I'll be out in a minute!" Yasmin called out to her friends.
She chewed on the end of her pen and stared down at the blank piece of paper.
Their teacher had announced that their school in Glasgow, UK was linking with a foster home in Alabama, America, and that all of the kids would be linked to a foster child as a pen pal.
Yasmin and her friends had crowded round the table that their teacher had put all of the fact-files of the different kids on.
"I'm gonna pick him", Miranda had said, picking up one of the files. "Brad, 12 years old."
"I like the look of this one", Jack had said. "Sara, 10 years old."
"What about you, Yas?" her best friend Tracy had asked. "There's one you might like. Julie, 11 years old. Or Fred, 10 years old."
But Yasmin wasn't looking at Julie or Fred. Her eyes had fallen on a photo of a girl with black hair, green eyes, and a bored expression on her face. She picked up the file.
"Raven, 10 years old", she had muttered.
She opened the file. Tracy read over her shoulder.
"Wow, seven foster homes in two years? Sounds like she's a difficult kid!"
"Shut up Trace, you sound like a Social Worker", Yasmin had laughed.
So, Yasmin had chosen Raven, and here she was, sitting at her desk trying to think of what to write while her friends were out having fun. She didn't want to put the boring old, 'My favorite color is... My favorite food is... My favorite sport is...' She wanted this to mean something to Raven. It sounded like she had had a tough life.
"Yas!" Tracy called through the open window. "Come on! Recess is almost over!"
"I just want to finish this letter!"
"Finish it? You've not even started it! Just scribble something down and come out!"
"God sake...." Yasmin muttered under her breath.
If they would just stop pressuring her into doing something... wait a minute!
Something clicked inside Yasmin's head, and she started writing. She was finished within two minutes. She signed the letter, 'Yasmin Brooke, xxx', dropped the letter on the teacher's desk, and ran out to join her friends.


Miss Johnston walked into her class five minutes before Recess was meant to end. She started tidying up her desk, ready for the afternoon lessons, when a piece of paper caught her eye. She picked it up.
It was one of the letters that she had asked the children to write to the foster children in America. This one was by Yasmin Brooke to someone called Raven Night.


Dear Raven Black,


Hi! My name's Yasmin Brooke. I go to a school in Glasgow in the UK. Sounds like you've been through some tough times. I mean three nose breakings! Flipping heck, what'd you do to deserve that? I've only had my nose broken once, when I was six. I got in a fight with my friend's big brother over his skateboard. I wanted a go on it and he said we were too small, so I kicked him where it hurts, and he got so mad that he punched me in the face and broke my nose! It hurt. Huge understatement, it reeeeeeeally hurt. I hope you write back! I’ve got loads more gory stories, if you want to hear them. Well, talk to you soon!


From, Yasmin Brooke, xxx


Miss. Johnston smiled, and put the letter in an envelope. She would be posting these as soon as she left work, and they should get to Alabama in about a week. It would be at least two weeks before the children got any replies. Ah, there was the bell. Time for class.


CHAPTER THREE


Alabama, May 26th

"Hey, give it back!" The little boy with sandy blond hair who was about six screamed.
"No! It's mine now, and I'm keepin' it!" The thirteen-year-old said, holding the apple above his own, carrot-top head.
Being back in social services clutches was no different than before. And Raven had known nothing would have changed. She stood, four feet from the bully and his target. The little boy had come out of the kitchen with the apple as a gift for his birthday, his name was Mike, the older boy, Gary, had ambushed him in the hall below the steps and taken the apple. Raven had seen the whole thing and was waiting, with her black t-shirt and black jeans she was almost enveloped in the darkness behind the stairway.
The little boy was crying now, with his bloody nose and tear streaked face, he made a pitiful site. So Raven interfered.
"Give him back the apple." She said, coming out of the shadows and into full view when the boys turned their heads her way. "If you do, I might not bloody your nose, if you don't...then I'll just have to break it, won't I Mike?" She asked, staring hard at the youngest boy's face.
"I'm not scared of you, your that new girl who got beat by that guy. If you can't take no better care of yourself than that, then what do I got to worry 'bout?" Gary said, not giving Mike the chance to answer.
"The fact that I'm an Indian and could scalp you without so much as blinking, give him the apple. You don't even need it." She said, knowing scalping him was not possible, and saying it anyway just to scare him. For half a second his eyes were like double plated saucers. Then he composed himself after a little trouble, and snorted.
"What if I don't want to give it back? What are you gonna do about it, half-breed!" He said, hitting Raven in one of the place it hurt most, her pride. He was still snort-laughing when he hit the floor hard, with Raven on top of him, her fists impaling into his face over and over again.
"Raven! Gary! Raven Night, get off of him this instant!" The house mother exclaimed, calling for security when Raven moved from punching Gary in the face to punching him in his gut. She had just gotten in a good hit to the bullies rib cage when she was lifted, although it was more like dragged, off him.
"Don't punish Raven Mrs. Clyde, she was just getting my apple back, then Gary called her a half-breed and laughed at her, he punched me, Raven was only helping me!" She heard Mike saying, not seeing because her eyes were closed tight and she was busy fighting the big male arms that had trapped her from behind, and now held her about a foot off the ground.
"Is that true, Gary?" The lady asked.
"No! I was giving him the apple when she pounced on me, I didn't hit her 'cause you said it wasn't nice to hit girls." He answered.
"If you believe him, then your even more stupid than he is. Now make this Rambo sized guy put me down!" She said, gritting her teeth, trying not to be rude, and failing.
"Jim, you can put her down now. But you might want to stick around in case she attacks again."
"Yes ma'am, I'll be over here." He put her down and walked over to the wall leaning against it.
"Gary, took Mike's apple and bloodied his nose, I saw it only fair to bloody his in return Mrs. Clyde." Raven said, leaving out how much it had hurt to be called a half-breed.
"Are you sure it doesn't have anything to do with being insulted because of your heritage?" Mrs. Clyde asked, looking at Raven, seeing nothing but a girl, a weak one, Raven was sure.
"It has nothing to do with that, just give Mike his apple and punish me, I don't care anyway, I'm used to it."
"Scared that if you had to actually fight me you'd loose?" Gary taunted, not even realizing how close to breaking his ribs she had been.
"No, I just don't wanna have to kill you. Going to jail isn't really on my to-do-list." She said, staring him down.
"Whatever, I'm not scared of you no-how. You're a girl, and girls are wimps!" He said.
"Gary!" Mrs. Clyde exclaimed, staring at him like he was some kind of three-headed frog.
"Fight, here and now." Gary said, ignoring Mrs. Clyde and staring at Raven.
"Ok, I'll be breaking your wrist either way. You don't bloody somebody's nose then deny it." She said.
"Just shut up and attack you little half-breed." He said, taking a step back and throwing the apple on the ground.
"Shut up, like you actually have a chance."
Raven stepped forward and waited, letting him make the first blow so that she wouldn't get in trouble for it later. When Gary's fist connected with her bruised jaw she didn't so much as flinch, she took the hit head on and kicked Gary in the shin, sure she was leaving a bruise even if she was only in her tennis shoes.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Mrs. Clyde said in a desperate voice, motioning to Jim, he walked over and tried to grab Raven but she ducked and earned a fist in the face to boot.
Great, she thought, now my nose is bleeding! Does he know how hard bloodstains are to get out? She weaved her way around Jim and landed a solid kick in Gary's face, and once again, she thanked the Devon's for those karate classes.
"If you two don't stop it you will both get sent to the isolation room and spend three hours every other day with Dr. Franklin!" Mrs. Clyde yelled, calling for more security when Gary got Raven's black eye with his right hook.
Heck no, Raven thought, as a group of three security guards moved in on them, ain't no one gonna mess up this fight! Dodging the first two was easy, but then she was back to dodging Gary's fists and Jim's Rambo arms.
"Go, Raven, go!" Mike yelled over the confusion, some other kids had joined them and were cheering for her too. "Raven, three o'clock!" Mike yelled.
Turning she neatly dodged the left hook Gary sent her way, and, just as neatly, sent out her right foot to strike him where any guy would go down when hit. While he was down, she grabbed his hair and rolled him over, walking over to his wrist and twisting it till she heard a satisfying crack and his surprised and pained shriek.
"Look out Raven! Jim has a needle!" But it was to late, she felt the needle pierce her shoulder, through her sweaty shirt, and, as she staggered a little, she felt Rambo sized arms lifting her up into the air. They made it to the elevator before she conked out, she could hear all the kids cheering her from the hall and she could hear Gary's moans of protest at losing a fight to a couple of shouts and a girl.
"Looks like she broke her nose again," She heard one of the security guards saying.
Crap, she thought, as sound faded away, what have I done now...?


When she woke up, she wasn't in Rambo sized arms anymore but in her bed at the main building.
"It's going to take a lot of time to get someone to take her again." A male voice said, she knew who it was automatically and closed her eyes all the way to ease drop. It was Dr. Franklin, the physcologist for the social services building here.
"I know, but we have to do it and do it soon. She is trouble, she may be a little girl, but that is no excuse. She should have came and gotten an adult. Not fought with the boy!" She heard Mrs. Clyde saying, not surprised or hurt by the words.
"Who is going to take a trouble making girl, with a record for making good parents into abusive parents, and on such short notice?" The Doctor asked
"I don't know, but we need to make it happen, and fast. We can't have another fight like this happen."
"I agree, but it will still be difficult."
With that, she heard them leave the room, and for a while, she just laid there. When she heard footsteps outside her door, she pretended to be asleep again.
"Raven, are you asleep?" She heard a young boy voice ask.
"Maybe, depends, who's asking?" She questioned, knowing he wouldn't go for it, but wanting to be sarcastic if only to be annoying.
"It's me, Mike. Are you asleep now?" He asked, actually taking her seriously.
"You're not very bright are you, Mike?" She asked, "No, I'm awake, what do you want? Isn't it bad enough that I had to defend you, now you come in here to what, congratulate me on another broken nose?" She asked, getting mad because, if he had just gone out the front door of the kitchen the entire mess could have been avoided.
"I'm not a light bulb if that's what you mean. If I was, I would never be scared of the dark again! Actually, I came because I heard you were gonna get in trouble and I wanted to warn you so's you would know. I didn't want you to get in trouble, really, and all that stuff you did was so cool! Can you teach me that stuff?"
"No, I can't. They are getting rid of me as soon as possible and if I try to teach you that you would have to trust me and I am not someone you want to trust. Now go back to bed and leave me alone!" She said, getting very annoyed at the boy. She rolled over and covered up; ignoring the nagging in her head that only bothered her when she took her anger out on an innocent.
"I'm sorry, really, I'll go now. By the way, I'm not stupid; I'm just a little slower than other people." He said, and headed for the door, before he got there she broke.
"Ok, you win, come on. You can stay in here tonight. I prefer the floor anyway. And thanks for the warning kid, didn't mean to snap at you." She said as he climbed into the bed in buzz light-year pajamas. A teddy bear and a small red blanket.
"Thanks Raven! No problem, you helped me, so I wanted to help you. And I didn't mind, I'm used to people snapping on me, I'm the little guy, and at least you didn't do it just to be mean! Night!" He whispered in a hurried voice as she pulled her cover up to her chin.
"Sure, whatever. Just go to sleep kid." She mumbled, laying on the hard wood floor, and slipped into a familiar, dreamless, oblivion of darkness.


Chapter Four


U.K., June 1st

"Mum! I'm home!" Yasmin called as she dumped her bag in the living room.
She ran through to the kitchen and tossed two pieces of bread in the toaster. She was starving.
"Crappy lunches we get here", Tracy had remarked at lunch-time at school, stirring what was meant to be spaghetti and meatballs round her plate with her fork.
Yasmin agreed with her.
As she went to the fridge to get a drink, a timer went off and the toast came flying out of the toaster. Yasmin ran backwards and just managed to catch the toast before it fell on the floor.
She chucked the food onto a plate and went back through to the living room.
"Mum?" she called again, her mouth full of toast crumbs.
That's when she noticed a note on the coffee table. She picked it up.
"'Hi honey'", she read aloud, "'Didn't get to tell you this morning because you slept in, but I'm going to be working late. There's soup left out for your dinner, and the number for my work is on the counter. See you tonight, love mum.'"
Yasmin rolled her eyes and picked up the phone. She didn't need to look at the piece of paper with the number on it; she had put it on speed-dial the second time mum had been working late.
She brushed her sandy-brown hair out of her eyes and held the phone to her ear. Someone picked up at the other end after just one ring.
"Hello, Rainbow Dentistry, how can I help you?"
"Um, hello, may I speak to Dr. Brooke please? It's her daughter Yasmin."
"Oh! Of course Yasmin! Just one second...", the receptionist said before putting the phone down and calling, "Beth! Can you get Dr. Brooke? I've got her daughter on the phone."
A few seconds later a different voice came on the phone.
"Yas?"
"Hey mum."
"Is anything wrong?"
"Not exactly..."
Dr. Brooke gave an impatient sigh.
"Yasmin, I've told you time and time again: don't phone me at work unless it's an emergency! I was in the middle of pulling someone's tooth out!"
Yasmin gulped.
"Really?"
"Well... I could have been! As luck would have it, I was just giving someone a check-up, but that's not the point! The point is..."
"That I don't phone you at work unless it's an emergency", Yasmin finished. "Yeah, I get it mum. Bye."
She slammed the phone down and flopped down on the sofa, shaking toast crumbs everywhere.
'Why does mum always have to work late?' she thought.
Then she felt guilty. At least she had a mum and dad, even if they did work all the time, unlike Raven and all the other foster kids.
Yasmin stood up and started picking up the toast crumbs.
Two weeks. It wasn't long to wait for a letter back. And who knew? Maybe she and Raven would end up being really good friends.


Chapter Five


Alabama, June 3rd

Who the heck is this from, Raven thought, the army? Staring at the letter with enough stamps for five dollars in change. Mrs. Clyde had given it to her at breakfast saying it had a letter from someone very special in it.

Opening the letter Raven was surprised to find a return address on the back of the envelope that said it was from the U.K.! Taking out a piece of paper she read it slowly. Not having been in school much she wasn't very good at reading. But, thankfully, she knew most of the words the girl named Yasmin had used. Mike came up behind her so she read it aloud for him to hear.

Dear Raven Night,
Hi! My name's Yasmin Brooke. I go to a school in Glasgow in the UK. Sounds like you've been through some tough times. I mean three nose breakings! Flipping heck, what'd you do to deserve that? I've only had my nose broken once, when I was six. I got in a fight with my friend's big brother over his skateboard. I wanted a go on it and he said we were too small, so I kicked him where it hurts, and he got so mad that he punched me in the face and broke my nose! It hurt. Huge understatement, it reeeeeeeally hurt. I hope you write back! I've got loads more gory stories, if you want to hear them. Well, talk to you soon!


From, Yasmin Brooke, xxx

"Wow! You got a letter from a cool girl in another place! Do you think I'll get one?" Mike asked in an excited voice.
"In truth, Mike, I have no idea, but I guess it's sort of cool." She said, not knowing if she should throw it away or write back. In the end, the gory stories were way to tempting for her to pass up. So she got out a paper and pen and began to write.

Dear Yasmin,
Yes, I have had my nose broken, a lot. It has been broken twice since my doctor updated my physical condition. I broke my nose the first time when I was four and got into a fight with one of the other foster kids. I had decided that I wanted to play with her toy but she did not want to share, so I took it. Next thing I know she is throwing toys at me. She decided toys were not enough and picked up a REAL hammer someone had left out! She threw it at the back of my head! Then I threw it at her and missed. She picked up the caboose of a toy train and threw it at my face. It broke my nose into four pieces! Why the heck didn't you just kick him again?! I would have, but then again I'm great at starting fights over nothing so you don't want my advice in that area. Yeah, it hurts the first few times. But after a few breaks you barely feel the bone breaking anymore. I would like to hear them, especially if there as funny as the one about the skateboard. Ok, can't wait.
Sincerely,
Raven Night


"Wow, now that is cool, Raven!" Mike said from behind her, reading the letter over her shoulder. "So you're gonna be bestest friends with her?" He said, sounding a little said about the idea of her having a new friend.
"I doubt it kiddo, we'll probably just be pen pals. You're my only friend, and I wouldn't have it any other way." She said truthfully, knowing that it would stay so for as long as they were both wanting it to stay as such.
For a week now Mike and Raven had stuck together, Raven turning out to be more of a bodyguard than a threat to little Mike. And for Raven, Mike had become more like little brother than a bother like she had expected. And without the help of the adults, they had become family.
“You promise?” Mike asked, remembering the last person who made him a promise had never kept it; but putting himself in the position for hoping anyway.
“I triple promise. You are my best friend Mike, and that’s how things will stay. Even if me and this Yasmin girl become friends, she’ll never be my best friend.”
Mike’s smile was answer enough for Raven.
“Ok, so can you teach the rest of the rules for soccer now?” He asked.
“Sure, if you want. We’ll start with the free kick. A free kick is a great scoring opportunity. It is often occurred when one of your opponents commits a foul on either you or one of your teammates, for example; pushing, tripping or missing a slide tackle. The referee may also reward your team with a free kick if one of your opponents touches the ball with his hands.” She explained, knowing she sounded boring and roboticy. “You know, there’s actually no better way to learn the rules than to play the game.”
“Really, you’ll play with me?” He asked, instantly excited over the fact.
“Sure, why not. Go put on some shoes and we can use the ball Dr. Franklin gave you for your birthday.”
“Ok!” He said, running off to his own room.
Mike has spirit, she thought, good for him, ‘cause he’ll need it in a life like this.
But then again, not everyone had her awful luck, she reminded herself, and Mike is a nice kid.
Walking to the end of her bed, she pulled out the duffel bag she hadn’t bothered to unpack. Taking out a pair of running shoes, she remembered the Calvino family.
They had been nice people, they had just started to worm their ways under her wall of solid no-emotion policy when their oldest son, a police detective, had busted a huge case, a massive drug operation. He came home to visit his parents, and his case followed him. The drug lord’s men blew up the Calvino’s house, with them in it.
After that, she hadn’t let anyone else in…, except for Mike. But she doubted little mike was the target of a drug lord.
She slipped her shoes on and went to meet Mike in the back yard of the building.


CHAPTER SIX

U.K., 8th June

“Hey Josh. What’s that?”
Josh, a boy who was four years younger than Yasmin waved a letter at her.
“You know that pen-pal thing your class is doing?”
“Yeah?” Yasmin nodded.
“Well, Miss Johnston asked me if I would write to this Mike kid, ‘cause he’s the same age as me and no-one in your class picked him.”
“Cool. Can I see it?”
“No! It’s private!”
Yasmin stuck her tongue out at Josh.
“Fine then! You don’t get to see the letter I wrote to my pen-pal!”
She didn’t really care if she saw Josh’s letter or not, she just felt like being childish. Josh picked up his lunch tray and walked off to sit with his friends. Tracy came over from the lunch queue with a pot of yogurt and an apple on her plate. Yasmin raised her eyebrows at her friend.
“That’s your lunch?”
“What?” Tracy said, sitting down. “The lunches here are crappy!”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself!”
Tracy grinned.
“I’m not planning on”, she said, pulling a packet of potato chips out of her bag.
Yasmin rolled her eyes at her and bit into her cheese salad sandwich.
“So”, she said after she had swallowed, “Have you got a letter back from your pen-pal yet?”
“Yep”, Tracy said, pushing a piece of paper over the table. “Miss Johnston gave me it this morning before Recess. You got yours yet?”
“Yeah, I got it after math.”
“Cool.”
Tracy finished off her potato chips and stood up.
“Got to go. Miss Johnston wanted to see me about the English homework.”
“You didn’t do it, did you?” Yasmin said knowingly.
“Nope.”
Yasmin grinned at her.
Tracy tossed something at her. She caught it and frowned.
“You don’t want this?”
“Na. I don’t like yogurt anyway. I just got it so that Mrs. Brown would give me the ‘dieting-is-bad-for-you’ lecture again.”
Tracy winked at her friend and ran out of the hall.
As soon as she had left, Yasmin opened her bag and dug out Raven’s letter. She smoothed the page out and read it again.

Dear Yasmin,
Yes, I have had my nose broken, a lot. It has been broken twice since my doctor updated my physical condition. I broke my nose the first time when I was four and got into a fight with one of the other foster kids. I had decided that I wanted to play with her toy but she did not want to share, so I took it. Next thing I know she is throwing toys at me. She decided toys were not enough and picked up a REAL hammer someone had left out! She threw it at the back of my head! Then I threw it at her and missed. She picked up the caboose of a toy train and threw it at my face. It broke my nose into four pieces! Why the heck didn't you just kick him again?! I would have, but then again I'm great at starting fights over nothing so you don't want my advice in that area. Yeah, it hurts the first few times. But after a few breaks you barely feel the bone breaking anymore. I would like to hear them, especially if there as funny as the one about the skateboard. Ok, can't wait.
Sincerely,
Raven Night

She smiled to herself. Man, this girl was tough. Someone had thrown a hammer at her head and she hadn’t even cried! She went into her bag again and brought out the letter she had written back to Raven.


Dear Raven

A hammer? Seriously?! Whoa, you’re tough! I would’ve been crying my eyes out! So, you wanted to hear more gory stories? Hmm… ok. This one’s quite good. When I was seven, I was going round to my friend Morgan’s house. She had been on vacation and I hadn’t seen her in a while, so I was dead excited to see her. I had jumped out of my mum’s car before she had even stopped it! I realized that I had left my bag in the car. The door was shutting really slowly, so I just leaned back in to get it. I must’ve banged the door or something, ‘cause my hand didn’t make it out of the car in time. My finger got jammed in the car door. It was AGONY. I was screaming my head off and crying like a maniac. Morgan and her mum came out of their house to see what was going on, as did most of the street. A few weeks later, I was at the local play park with my friend Haley and her brother Andrew. My nail was all horrible and bruised by now, but it didn't hurt anymore. There was a ball pit at the park, filled with colorful plastic balls. We went in there and started messing about, throwing balls at each other. Andrew threw one right at my face and I put my hand up to block it. Suddenly, all I could hear was Haley screaming.
"What's wrong?" I asked her.
"You’re… your nail! It's gone!"
I looked down and started screaming too. Sure enough, my nail had fallen clean off my hand.Its grown back now though, so don't worry. Here's the gross bit though. Andrew, Haley's little brother, found my nail and kept it! Eew!

Hope to hear from you soon!

From Yasmin Brooke xxx

Yasmin smiled and put the letter back in her bag. She finished off Tracy's yogurt picked up her tray. Carrying it over to the tray rack, she stopped at the table that Josh was now eating his food at.
"Hey, Josh. I've got to hand in my pen-pal letter to Miss Johnston just now. I could hand yours in too if you want."
"Um... okay", Josh replied.
He pulled his letter out of his pocket and gave it to Yasmin. Yasmin put her tray on the tray rack by the door and called back the Josh, "You can't stop me from reading it now!"

"Hey!" Josh cried out in protest, but Yasmin was already out the door.

She wasn't going to read the letter Josh wrote to this Mike guy. It wasn't her business. She might be nosey, but she wasn't that mean!


CHAPTER SEVEN

Alabama, June 17th


“Raven! He’s after me, Raven, he’s after me!” Mike said as he burst through the door to their joint room. He had a black eye and a busted lip.
“Who was it, and where are they? I’ll murdalize ‘em!” She said, but not waiting for an answer. She was already barreling down the hall, heading straight for the three boys running in her direction.
“Where’s that little punk at!” The boy who seemed to be the leader asked. Stopping in front of Raven.
“What little punk? I only know one person that’s little, and he’s practically my brother. You haven’t seen him have you?” She asked, making sure her sarcasm wasn’t missed by any of them.
“No, now where’s the stupid little runt. Is time for his weekly pummeling.” He said, laughing with his pals.
"Aw, well, thats to bad. By the way, the little 'runt' your looking for, he might not have a black eye, would he?"
"Yeah he does, why?"
"If thats correct, then you might as well turn around now and walk back the way you came."
"No way, you know where he is, you better tell us, or else."
"Or else what? You'll bloody my lip?" She said with sarcasm.
"Yep, so where is he?"
"Your either stupid, or your missing the point on purpose. Yes, I know where he is. No, I won't let you have him. And, if you hit me, I'll hit back. Ask your friend, Gary was his name I think. He'll inform you on my temper."
"We only want the little brat, but, if you want to take his beating for him, go right ahead."
"Deal. You get twelve solid punches on me, then, you leave Mike alone. For good. Ok?"
Each boy looked stunned but eventually nodded their yes'.
Five minute later, she leaned against the hall wall as the boys walked away. Once they were gone Mike came running out of the room just as Raven slipped to the floor.
"You didn't have to do that! Why didn't you fight them?" He asked, helping her up.
" 'Cause if I had, they would just come back for you."
Mike made an odd snorting sound, showing his opinion on her logic by turning her toward the nurses office.
"Mikey, I don't need a nurse. My pride is more wounded than any flesh wound I might have just acquired."
"To bad, you're gonna see a nurse. Then..." He trailed off, knowing what he said next might be the last words that ever left his lips. "Then, we'll go see Mrs. Clyde." He said quietly.
She was silent for a moment. Then, without warning, she jerked away from Mikey and turned in the opisite direction.
"Where you goin'?" He asked, running to keep up.
"Back to our joint room. Mrs. Clyde was nice enough to give us a joint room when we became friends, but I really doubt she'll appreciate this," She gestured to her face. "As a thank you."
"Well, we gotta do somethin' don't we?"
"We will, we'll patch me up with that first-aid kit you have. Then, we'll go to lunch."
"Are you sure, Raven?"
"Positive kid. Besides, if we went to Mrs. Clyde, I'd never get the little pride I have left back!" She said, tossing her arm over his shoulder as they entered the room.
"Well, I guess...." He said, then he walked over to his backpack and took out a little red box with a white plus sign on it.


"Raven, you have a visitor."
Raven looked up from the picture she was drawing. Standing in the door way was a pretty woman with dark brown hair, wearing a navy blue buisness suit that complamented her matching hir and eyes. She was smiling warmly at Raven and Mike. To her left there was a boy a couple years older than Raven. He had dark hair and eyes, and was wearing an orange 'Camp Woodchuck' Tshirt with jeans and sneakers. Mrs. Clyde was standing at the pretty womans right side.
"Yeah?" Raven said, thinking, this is going to be fun.
"Raven, this is Ms. Strife and her son, Joey. They want to be your new family." Mrs. Clyde said.
"No thanks." Raven said, looking only at the red head. "Sorry lady, but I don't go any where that Mikey isn't."
"Who's Mikey?" She asked before Mrs. Clyde could scold Raven.
"Thats me!" Mike said, smiling up at the woman and her son.
"Hello, Mikey. Would like to play with my son for a few minutes?" She asked.
"Sure." Mike said.
"Joey, why don't you go tell Mikey all about baseball while I talk to Raven."
"Sure mom." The boy said, giving Raven a curious look and a small smile before walking with Mikey over to his side of the room.
"Raven, would you like to take a walk with me? Maybe we can negotiate?" The pretty woman asked, offering Raven the hand that wasn't holding her breifcase.
Raven hesitated for a minute, surprised. Then she nodded and put her notebook and pencil down. She followed the lady out of the room.
"Why don't you lead the way?" The woman said.
"Ok." Raven said, and she lead them out to the side yard, walking over to the bench in the yard, she sat down. The woman mirrored the movement and set her case down. She turned to Raven and examined her before speaking.
"So, you won't come unless we bring your friend, Mikey, with us?"
"Nope."
"Why not?" The woman asked, true curiosity burned deeply in her beautiful voice.
"If I leave, without Mikey, who's gonna keep the bullies away from him? Who'll play with him? Who's he gonna bunk with?" She said, giving her the basic reasons.
"I'm quite sure the adults will keep him safe, and be sure he has plenty of friends. And find someone for him to share a room with." The lady answered in a persuasive voice.
"Look, lady, Mikey is my friend, the only friend I have in this heck-hole. And I'm his only friend too. I don't wanna be rude ma'am. I have manners and know how to use them. But I also know when there useless. So, here's how it works. You want me, you have to take Mikey too. And quite frankly Ms. Strife, I'm told I can out argue the best lawyers in the world. So negotiation, persuasion, and arguing are pointless."
"Well, what if I said I would love to have both you and Mikey as my children? I'm sure Joey won't mind." The lady said, and watched patiently as a dozen different emotions played across Raven's face before she settled on surprised and cautious, but happy.
"Seriously? You would?" She asked, guardedly.
"Yep, as long as you two don't mind living with a boring old lawyer." She said, smiling when she saw Raven's surprise. "If you’re ok with that, then go on up to your room and you and Mikey pack. I need to drop off some boring lawyer papers at the court house then sign some papers here. Mind entertaining Joey while I'm gone?"
"Sure! Wow, this is awesome, just wait till I tell Mikey!" Raven siad, jumping up and running toward the house. "Thank you!" She yelled over her shoulder.
On the way up she realized something, that she was grinning like an idiot from ear to ear. She hadn't been this happy in years. She relized something else as she ran up the stairs.
She relized that she was allowing herself to hope. She never did that, it always resulted in pain. But it was to late, she was already hoping, already seeing an entire new life. One where she had two brothers and beautiful mother. One where everything was perfect.
Not even remembering her own rule. That perfect didn't exist. No one and nothing was perfect. Anything that was always resulted in hurt, pain, and scars, physical scars or scars to the heart, didn't matter which.
But she was already gone, dreaming up that life as she ran down the hall and into her room where her 'brothers' were playing with action figures.


CHAPTER EIGHT


"Come on... Come on... NO!!!"
Tracy screamed in frustration and threw her controller across the room, just missing the TV.
"For crying out loud Trace, it's just a game! It's not the TVs fault I'm so much better at it than you."
Yasmin squealed and ducked as Tracy threw a cushion at her.
Tracy stood up and headed for the kitchen.
"I'm thirsty. Want anything?"
"A coke would be great, thanks", Yasmin called back as she bent down to pick up the control that Tracy had threw at the TV.
Yasmin was at Tracy's house. It was the weekend, and Tracy's mum was working, so she had invited Yasmin round. They had been playing Tracy's little brother's car racing game.
"I swear I'm not getting better at that game", Yasmin remarked as Tracy came back in with two cans of coke. "I think you're just getting worse."
"Just you wait Yas", Tracy said. "I will beat you someday!"
Yasmin grinned, opened her drink, and sat back.
"So...." Tracy started, "What's new with you?"
Yasmin shrugged.
"Nothing really, you?"
As Tracy ranted on about some boy who she swore had 'looked at her', Yasmin couldn't help but worry about some things that had been happening to her.
For the past two weeks, a strange man had started following her home from school. He would wait outside the school gates and then follow her all the way home back to her building. Then he would watch through the window as she went in the elevator then went up to floor number nine. Yesterday, he had actually been waiting outside the elevator doors on floor nine and watched her go into her flat. She had no idea how he had gotten into the building. You needed to punch in a pass code to get in the front door, unless someone else had buzzed him in. Maybe he had just waited for someone else to go in and came in after them, or maybe someone who lived in the building had given him the pass code.
Yasmin was starting to get really scared. The man could be a pedophile or a stalker. She couldn't tell her mum; she would freak out, and, although Tracy was a really good friend, she was a huge gossip. She would probably tell the rest of the school that she had a stalker. So she had confided in a very unlikely person: Raven.
During the past two weeks, Yasmin had written many letters to Raven, explaining her worries about who the man might be, and the fears about what he might want. Raven had replied to every letter, worrying about Yasmin and trying to cheer her up. Raven had been adopted by a family, the Strife's. Her friend Mike had been adopted by the same family, and he, Raven, and Mrs. Strife's son, Joey, were getting along great. Yasmin was happy for Raven, and grateful that she had written to her with her new address. The only problem was the fact that she couldn't post her letters through the school anymore, and it was really expensive to send this many letters abroad, but she didn't mind.
"So? What do you think I should do?"
"Huh?" Yasmin asked. She hadn't been listening.
"Do you think I should tell Brad I have a crush on him? Or is that too desperate?"
"Oh. Right. Um... I don't know Trace", she said, looking at the clock. "Hey, isn't your mum gonna be back soon?"
Tracy looked at the clock too.
"Oh yeah. Sorry Yas, I'm gonna have to kick you out. I was ment to be babysitting Tommy; mum doesn't know that you're here."
"What? You didn't tell me that you were supposed to be babysitting your little brother!"
"Oh, stop sounding like my mother and get out", Tracy moaned.
Yasmin grinned and opened the front door.
"See you on Monday then."
"Yeah, see you", Tracy said, shutting the door when Yasmin was at the bottom of the drive.


Yasmin turned the corner onto her street. Her building was the first one on her left. The man wasn't there, but he might be inside. She punched in the pass code and went in. Before going into the elevator, she went to the building post box and put a letter to Raven in. It explained what had happened yesterday, when the man had been waiting for her. She then called the elevator and went up to floor nine. When she got out, she looked about nervously. Then she breathed a sigh of relief. The man was nowhere to be seen. She got out her keys and let herself into her home. At least the man hadn't followed her today. Maybe he would stop now.
What Yasmin didn't know was that things were about to get much, much worse.


CHAPTER NINE


"Raven, Sweetie, are you ready for bed?"
Raven looked up from Twin Targets by Marta Perry, lately she had been borrowing lots of books from the school library and she loved it. Becky Strife, her new mom, stood in the door to Raven's new room.
"Can please finish this last page real quick?" She begged hopefully. She had never liked reading before, thought it was boring, now she knew better. She could read real good now, and she loved books, never put one down anymore.
"Ok, hurry, I've already put Mikey to bed, and Joey is just finishing up his shower. I'll be back in a minute to tuck you in."
"Ok,...Mom." Raven said, surprising them both by calling Becky mom for the first time. Becky smiled, knowing it was a special thing, it meant Raven trusted her, and Raven trusted no one.
Becky walked out the door but paused, turning. "I almost forgot. This came for you today, Sweetie. It's from Yasmin Brooke. I meant to give it to you at breakfast but you had to rush off to school after sleeping in." Becky handed the letter to Raven and left the room.
Raven hesitated half a second, then put down her book and ripped open the envelope. She took out the letter and read it slowly.

Dear Raven,
You know that weirdo guy that has been following me around? Yesterday he was waiting by the elevator when I went into my building! I know he could have been waiting for someone, but it's still really creepy. What do you think Rave? This guy is super creepy, and it seems to only be getting worse. I cannot tell the cops 'cause they'll tell my mom, and you and me both know she would freak! I don't know, Rave, he could be harmless. But I just have a feeling about this. Anyway, write me soon, I need your advice! Oh, how’s your new family? And Mikey? Write soon!

Sincerely,
Yas


“Mom!” Raven yelled, running out of her room and into the hall, nearly bowling Joey over, towel and all. Raven blushed, something the old Raven never did, and apologized.
“What’s wrong Ravy?” Joey asked, staring at her. He had come up with the nickname after the first day of being a big bro, and it was all he ever called her anymore, she defiantly liked the nickname.
“I need Mom’s permission to stay up a little later. I need to write back to Yas. Its big Joey, the creepy guy I told you ‘bout, he’s still followin’ her.”
“Ok, Mom’s in the kitchen. I’ll see you in an hour.”
“Ok, I promise I’ll be there this time. No falling asleep tonight.” She vowed.
“Ok, good, ‘cause Mom already knows, and she’ll just let us out this once. She’s fakin’ for Mikey’s sake. We can’t have him follow us.” With that Joey walked to his room, closing the door behind him.
Raven took the stairs two at a time, ran into the kitchen, and requested her extra time.
“Ok, but hurry. You need to get to bed.” Becky said with a knowing smile.
For the second time that day Raven blushed. She ran up the stairs, into her room, and sat down at the desk with her school books and laptop on it. She grabbed a pen and her cool new feather pen. She had an ink holder and everything for it. The paper she used was extra thick. She wrote quickly but with an air of concern.
Dear Yas,
This guy sounds like trouble. Avoid any type of situation that might put you into the unnecessary risk of being near this guy and alone. Make sure you walk with a friend or teacher from school or a visit, back to your place. It’s not major yet, but this guy sounds like an honest –to –goodness stalker. Real bad dung, if you catch my drift. So keep away from anywhere you’ve already seen him if you’re alone. Ok? Yeah, I love it here. It’s awesome! Joey is really kinda sweet, for a boy and all, you know? Mikey loves it here, he wants to live here forever, and I don’t blame him. Our new mom is really nice, and she’s pretty too. We both love our new home. My favorite part is actually having a place to call home, and it feels right when you say it. Not just a house. A home, a place where people care about you and each other more than anything else. Be sure you use my advice Yas. Bye.

Sincerely,
Raven Black-Strife
(!!!!!!!Strife!!!!!!!)


Raven quickly sealed the letter into an envelope and slapped a stamp on it; she tossed it on the table in the hall where she always did. Becky would put it in the mail box for her in the morning if she overslept.
She went back into her room and climbed into her bed. She waited for Becky, thinking about her letter. When Becky came in Raven was out cold. Becky tucked her in and pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. She walked slowly to the door and closed it lightly.
Fifty-five minutes later Joey was shaking her awake and shoving a black backpack into her hands. Joey left the room and snuck back to his own. Raven opened the bag and sat it on the bed. She went to her closet, she grabbed a pair of black jeans, a black t-shirt sweater, and black tennis shoes. She changed clothes quickly then got out the black weight lifting gloves and black cap from the bag.
Raven zipped up the bag and left her room quietly. She went to Joey’s room and over to the window he had left open for her. She climbed out the window and quietly down the slopping of the roof. She reached the ground in what she was sure was a record time.
On the ground Joey waited for her, tapping his hand against his jean covered thigh with nervous energy. When they both had their packs swung onto their shoulders and were sure Mikey couldn’t see them, they quickly ran across the yard.
“Ok, we’re in the clear. You still awake?” Joey asked, whispering, though he wasn’t sure why.
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Raven said, whispering automatically.
“Ok. Follow me.” Joey said.
They slipped back into the shadows and ran across the street, avoiding the street lights. When they were a good mile or so away from the house, they stood up straight and continued to walk, like a couple of kids who had to stay real late at school, so late that they didn't want to go home. A few minutes later a cop car drove up and stopped next to them. The cop motioned them to him.
"You kids heading home?" The cop asked, lifting an eyebrow at all the black.
"No, we're just heading over to a friend’s place." Raven said smoothly, she was a way better actor than Joey, and it was only a half lie. They were going to a friend’s place, just not in the same context as the cop thought.
"Without your parents? Aren't two a little young to be walking the streets alone at night? Especially with Gunther Patton being in this neighborhood?" The cop asked, referring to Gunny the gun Patton, the latest killer roaming the streets. From what the reporter on the news said, Gunny had been seen last in the direction she and Joey were heading. Thankfully, Joey's mom had no clue. Especially since the guy was somehow tied to the Mafia.
"We ain't scared of Old Gunny the Gun. 'Sides, we're going down ths road then to the right, not straight down the road." She answered, feeling Joey stiffen next to her. He knew Gunny was a serious killer, and thought Raven didn't give the fear factor enough credit in that area. She knew it was serious, but he still didn't scare her.
"Ok, go on. I'll follow you though, just to make sure you get there safely." The cop said, giving them a stiff nod in the direction they were heading.
Not concerned, Joey and Raven started walking down the road again. The cop kept a good distance, but stayed close enough that he would see if there was trouble. When they saw their fake destination was within distance, they waved at the cop to tell him they were there. But as they turned back Raven noticed the horrified look on the cops face, and saw him jump out of the car from the corner of her eye.
Facing completely forward she saw the source of the cop's horror. Less than five feet away stood Gunther the gun.
Gunther was tall, probably a good six-four at the least, Raven thought. He has long, greasy, lanky hair, the color of slick oil. He held a ’48 magnum in one hand and a ’41 caliber in the other. Joey’s eyes were frozen on the guns, as were the cops. But the guns weren’t what had Raven’s attention. She was staring at the killer’s eyes. They were an ice blue, and entirely void of feeling or emotion.
She stared him in the eye, not daring to make any sudden movements, knowing that like any poisonous snake, he would strike if he felt threatened. Using a skill she had learned not to long ago, she scanned the bushes and hedges lined along the sidewalk out of the corner of her eye, looking for the cop.
She spotted him, kneeling inside the open door on his patrol car, and she would have bet everything that he was calling for back-up. Even a young cop like him wasn’t cocky enough to take on Gunther the gun by himself.
“Evening.” Raven said, calm as ever.
Joey’s eyes swung to her for half a second, just long enough she could see that he didn’t understand how even she could be calm in that moment.
The killer flashed an evil and slimy smile down at her. “Good Evening, and aren’t you two a little young to be roaming the streets without an adult escort of some type or another?” He asked in a strangely educated and mature voice. He had a British accent that surprised Raven.
“Yes, but our plans could get us into some serious trouble with the law if we had just any normal escort.” Raven said, giving the killer a sly, lop-sided grin. “And we really don’t have jail on our to-do- list’s. You know what I mean?”
“What are doing that could get you into trouble? You’re just a little girl.” Gunther asked, easing one of his guns back into his jeans pocket. He didn’t need it to get rid of some kids, or at least that’s what he think, Raven thought.
“We figured we would get an early start when it comes to…getting someone out of our way. Isn’t that right, Blade?” She asked, turning to Joey, willing him to catch on and catch on quick.
“Yeah, right, Corvus.” He said, slipping into Latin when he came to her name. It was risky, ‘cause Gunther might know Latin, but it worked.
“Oh? Never heard of kid killers before.” Gunther said, sounding thoughtful.
“Well, you have now.” Raven said, still looking Gunther in the eye. She would leave the human reactions to Joey’s mom, later, much, much, later.
“Yes, I guess I have.”
"Hey, you know, Joey, we could use a metor. You think you would be up to it Mr. Gun?"
Gunther's eyes light up with interest at her suggestion.
Before he could answer though, the bright lights of and sounds of police sirens invaded the dead night. Gunther froze. He turned and tried to run but Raven was quicker. She ripped off her back pack and threw it at Gunther's head. It hit its mark and he was down for the count.
"Raven?" Joey asked, his voice barely audible over the sirens and cops.
"Yeah?" She asked, stepping up to his side so she could hear him better. He grabbed her arms and yanked her in front of him and started yelling at her. At first she couldn't make out his words, but she was able to hear bits and parts afer a moment.
"...Your insane...stupidest most arrogant act...any idea of the consequences...craziest thing since...!" He continued with his rant, bbut finally stopped shaking her, only to continue the confusion around them by hugging her until she couldn't breath.
Finally, the police chief came over and saved her. Although she would rather have put up with the furious Joey than the cops.
"Excuse me kids, but I need you both to come with me." The chief said, gesturing to his car. An hour later they were sitting in seperate interigation rooms waiting for Joey's mom.
The door to Raven's Perp Room (her nick name for it) opened and she stiffened. They lights were dim, but she could see well enough that she knew 'Chief Henderson' was back, this time with coffee.
"Hello, want some coffee, kid?"
"No. By the way, don't call me kid, I have a name."
"Well, I'll stop calling you kid when you start talkin'."
"There ain't nothin' to tell."
"That's not what your brother says."
Raven stiffened for a second, then relaxed back into the chair. She knew Joey wouldn't talk. This guy obviously thought she was stupid. But Joey wouldn't talk, there wasn't anything to tell.
Before Henderson could ask another question Raven heard a noise outside the door, then it was threw open and Becky Strife walked in. She walked across the room to RAven and grabbed her into a feirce hug.
"Ma'am, I take it your the 'Mother' of this child." Said Henderson, not even bothering to cover his thick implications over the world mother.
"Yes, I am. And for your information, Mr. Henderson, I ould have your job for this." Becky said. "Questioning two innocent children, without the precense of their mother or her lawyer. But then again, not every mother is a lawyer herself, so I can, and will, have your job for this."
Raven was stunned, not once had Becky ever shown her professional side to Raven. Now Raven understood why all the cases she took she usually won. On rare occasion she would lose one, but it was very rare.
For the first time since Joey’s accusation’s, which were more like compliments, Raven smiled.


Chapter 10


"BRIIIIIIIIIING!!!"
Everyone in Yasmin's class jumped up and ran for the door. Everyone except Yasmin.
Miss Johnston looked up from her desk and frowned.
"Yasmin, are you okay?"
Yasmin glanced up and realized that the classroom was empty. She blinked. She had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn’t heard the bell ring.
"Oh yeah. Sorry Miss; I didn't hear the bell.”
While Yasmin started to pack up her things, Miss Johnston stood up and walked round to the other side of her desk.
"Yasmin? Is there something you want to talk about?"
Yasmin stopped packing for a second. Should she tell her about the creepy man? He was still following her, and he had managed to get into the building again a few times. Then she shook her head.
"No thank you Miss. I'm fine. I'll see you on Monday."
Miss Johnston frowned again, but nodded and let it go.
"Okay, have a good weekend."
Yasmin picked up her bag and headed for the door.
"Oh, and Yasmin?" Miss Johnston called when she was half-way out the door.
Yasmin sighed under her breath and turned around.
"Yep?"
Then Miss Johnston grinned.
"Make sure that Tracy gets this." She said handing her a piece of paper.
Yasmin smiled and took the paper.
"Sure Miss. No problem."


"What!? Detention? What did I do?" Tracy complained when she looked at the paper.
"Tracy, you haven't handed in your math homework in two weeks."
"So? That doesn't mean that I haven't done it!"
"You haven't Trace. I do your homework for you and you're meant to hand it in!"
Tracy stared at Yasmin.
"Calm down Yas, don’t get you knickers in a twist!"
Yasmin smiled.
"Sorry Trace. I guess I've just got a lot on my mind.”
Tracy sat down on a bench and patted the space next to her. Yasmin joined her.
"Want to talk about it?"
Yasmin looked up at her. She had taken Raven's advice and had walked home with a friend every day. Tracy was staying with her Aunt for a few days. She lived in the same building as Yasmin, so she was walking home with her today. The man was still there, but he stayed at bay if she was with someone else.
Tracy gripped Yasmin's hand.
"Is it about… you know… him?"
Yasmin shot a worried glance at the friend. Could she have noticed the man?
"Err, who?" She asked, pretending to be clueless.
Tracy rolled her eyes.
"That guy Colin who's been eying you up for the past week!"
Yasmin let out a small laugh. Trust Tracy to think she was worried about a boy.
"No, it's not Colin. It's… it's a family thing."
"Oh right. Well, I'm here if you ever want to talk about it", Tracy said, standing up.
Yasmin grinned. Tracy held her arm out. Yasmin took it and hauled herself up.
"Thanks Trace", she smiled.
Tracy winked at her, and they carried on walking, talking about boys, clothes and wither or not Tracy should bother going to detention.
"So, I'll see you on Sunday?"
The two girls were standing outside Tracy's Aunt's flat. It was on the fifth floor. Yasmin had breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the creepy man wasn't there.
"Yeah, Can't wait. See you!" Yasmin called, heading back to the lift.
The girls were planning on going into the centre of Glasgow with some other girls in the class. They usually did this about once a month. Yasmin didn't usually buy anything, but she enjoyed going and gossiping about boys and teachers.
As Yasmin pressed the 'Floor 9' button in the lift, she suddenly got this sickening felling in the pit of her stomach. She clutched railings in the lift. She only got this feeling when something bad was about to happen. She had got this feeling two minutes before Granny Betty was on the phone, crying that Grandpa Harry had died, and also the day that her old best friend Cathy had found out that she was moving to England.
As the lift doors opened, Yasmin felt like she was about to be sick. She had never felt this ill in her life.
'I'll just get in and lie down', she thought to herself. 'I'm probably just tired.'
But deep down, she knew that something bad was going to happen. She didn't know what, but she knew something wasn't right.
Her hand shook and she pulled the key out of her pocket, put it in the lock, and turned it. She opened the door and, without switching the lights on, immediately closed it and locked it behind her.
She heard a creek behind her.
She whirled around and, feeling her heart race, switched on the lights.
"Hello Yasmin."
Suddenly there was something covering her head. She heard someone scream and, just as she realized that it was herself, she felt a sharp pain on her head, then fell into nothingness.


A few hours later, Ms Brooke walked into her flat. She had been surprised to find that the door had been locked; usually her daughter, Yasmin, would have left it open. The lights were off too. This was odd. She switched them on.
Looking around she realized that something was wrong. There was no sign that Yasmin had flopped down on the sofa like she usually did, or of her opening a packet of potato chips and spreading crumbs everywhere.
"Yasmin?" she called.
No answer.
She checked her phone, in case Yasmin had sent her a text saying that she was staying a Tracy's house, or if she had to stay at school. There was nothing there.
For the next ten minutes, Ms Brooke was running about the flat, calling her daughter's name over and over. Finally, she came to a horrifying conclusion and did the only thing that she could do. Picking up the phone, she called 999.
"Police please. My daughter's been kidnapped."


CHAPTER 11


“Mom, really, I told you, we’re fine.” Joey said into his silver cell phone as him and Raven walked home from school. “Yes, she’s right here…Ok, yeah…Ok, here she is.”
“Mom wants to talk to you.” He said, trying to hide a smile.
Raven took the phone and put it to her ear, she was automatically assaulted by a string of questions wanting to know if she was ok.
“Mom, I’m fine, I promise. We’re on our way home now.”
“Ok, but you two had better not be long. Oh, you have another letter from your friend, Yasmin. But I think it is from someone else, the penmanship is different. I only read the address though, I promise.
“Ok, thanks. I’ll check it out as soon as we get home. Is Mikey back from school yet?”
“Yes, and he’s waiting for you on the front porch steps. I’m in the swing, so as soon as you get here you three need to go inside. I have to go to the grocery store so you kids will be on your own for about twenty minutes. You know the rules.”
“Yes, Ma’am. We’re coming around the corner now, I gotta go. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Raven flipped the phone shut with a sigh. Ever since the accident Becky had been driving them to school, calling them while they walked home, and not letting them out of the house past eight.
“Do you think she will every let us be independent again?” Raven asked as they dodged a little kid on his scooter.
“Mom? Never. Once she gets an idea in her head she doesn’t let it go very easily.” Joey said, grinning at Raven.
“Well, Mom said she has to go to the grocery store. What do you want to do while she’s gone?”
“Hmmm…I don’t know. We finally got to do our race. I can’t believe we missed the real race because of that stupid killer.” Joey said, frowning. “We could have won that night if we hadn’t run into him.”
“Not could have, would have.” Raven grumbled. Ever since running into him they had missed the annual, five year race. Every five years the kids at school would gather in their grades and split into groups of two. The groups would have all kinds of competitions and games.
The tradition had gotten started by their parents when they went to school. The tradition had survived.
As Joey and Raven turned to walk up the drive way of the big Victorian house that Joey’s mom had inherited five years ago, Mikey came running down the drive and ran into them.
After hugging them both and climbing onto Joey and Raven’s shoulders Mikey started telling them all about his day as they walked up the front steps.
“And we made turkey paintings using our hands, then we sang some songs, and Bessie Conner had to sit in the corner again, she was throwing a temper tantrum. I was good, and I ate a whole peanut butter sandwich again today!”
“Mikey, maybe you should get down; I don’t want anyone getting hurt.” Joey and Raven turned around to see Becky sitting on the swing with a stack of mail neatly lying on her lap.
“Hi, Mom.” Joey and Raven said in unison, grinning at her.
“Hi, kids. Raven, here’s your letter. And Joey, you have another letter from that absurd father of yours, you want me to throw this one away too?”
“Yeah, it’s not like I’m gonna read it anyway. I wish he would stop writing me, I never answer them when I do read them anyway.” Joey said, frowning again.
Joey’s dad had run out on him and his mom when Joey was only three years old. For the past five years Joey’s dad had been writing him letters that he only threw away.
“Ok, you kids go on inside, remember the rules. Lock all the doors and windows, stay inside, and don’t answer the phone.” Becky said, standing up and picking up her purse.
“Yes, Ma’am.” All three kids said as they walked into the house. They all knew the rules and thought they were silly but followed them anyway.
Joey locked the doors while Mikey and Raven ran around the house shutting and locking the windows. When this was done they all gathered in the den and sat down on the couch.
Mikey and Joey turned the TV onto cartoons and Raven opened her letter and began to read.


Dear Raven,
I’m Yasmin’s mother. I have some very distressing news. Yasmin has been kidnapped. I have the police looking for her, but they haven’t found out anything yet. As the investigation continues I will continue to keep you posted, and I will write you as soon as my daughter is returned home.
If Yasmin somehow gets in touch with you please let me know. Please don’t worry too much; I am doing enough of that for both of us.

Sincerely,
Ms. Brooke


Raven gasped and dropped the letter. Joey turned toward her in confusion. Raven continued to stare at the letter, seeing the words again. She couldn’t believe it, Yasmin, kidnapped? It had to be the man she had been writing to her about. Hadn’t Yasmin taken her advice? Should she have told Yasmin to let her parents know? Raven had assumed Yasmin had already told her parents.
“Rave? You ok? You don’t look so good, maybe you should lay down.” Joey was saying. But Raven was a million miles away, burning with rage and confusion.
“Raven?” It was Mikey this time, he was in front of her, pulling on her hands. “Your all white, and you look like your sick. Come on, you gotta lay down.”
As Joey and Mikey tried to get her attention she focused, but not on them, or the note, or even her anger. But on the face peering through the window. A man with long, oily looking hair, and ice blue eyes. She stared at him for a moment before he disappeared.
That face was the last she saw before she was unconscious on the hard wood floor with Joey and Mikey standing over her, Joey yanking out his cell phone and Mikey crying.
“Mom, something’s wrong with Raven…I don’t know what, she just passed out. She was just reading her letter…”


CHAPTER 12


Scotland, September 14th


Yasmin opened her eyes.
"Ow", she muttered rubbing her head. There was a huge bump there.
She tried to lie back down, but she couldn't find her pillow. She stood up to look for it, but she banged her head on something.
"Ow!" Yasmin cried out again.
She ducked down so she wouldn't hit her head again, and looked up.
"Metal bars?" she mused. "Why are there metal bars in my bedroom?"
Then she looked around. The bars weren’t just above her, they were all around her.
Then it dawned on her. She was in a cage.
She suddenly remembered what had happened. The guy who had been following her had kidnapped her. The last thing that she could remember was being dragged out of her flat and being thumped on the head. She must have been knocked out.
She spotted a label on the floor of the cage. It read: 'Doggy Dens – Large.'
"I'm in a dog cage", she muttered angrily, before screaming, "I'M IN A FREAKING DOG CAGE!!!"
"Oi!" someone shouted. "Shut up you!"
Yasmin turned her head. There was another room linked onto this one where the voice had come from. It was a male's voice and it sounded tired.
"W-who's there?" Yasmin called timidly, her voice trembling.
The voice laughed.
"Who d'you think? I'm the guy who kidnapped you, idiot!"
Yasmin moaned and curled up in a ball. She was scared. She hated feeling vulnerable, but how else could she feel? She was in a cage, goodness knows how far away from home, with a man she didn't even know who kidnaps kids.
She curled her hands into fists and sat up. She wasn't going to be scared.
"Why'd you kidnap me then?" she shouted into the other room.
Yasmin heard footsteps coming toward her. She shrank back down again. So much for the 'being-brave' plan.
As her kidnapper came into view, Yasmin shuffled forward to get a better look.
He was a tall man, in his 30s maybe. He was wearing jeans that had holes in the knees and a brown leather jacket which was covered in dirt. The American flag was on the pocket on his jacket, and Yasmin realised for the first time that the man had an American accent. When he smiled, Yasmin saw that he was missing one of his front teeth, which made him look even more menacing.
"Why did you kidnap me?" she asked again, her voice much less confident than before.
"Why?" the man said. "That's none of your business."
Yasmin looked down. She had been expecting that answer.
"Where are we?" she asked timidly.
The man turned around and put his hands in him jeans pockets.
"Warehouse on the other side of the city."
He looked over his shoulder.
"Don’t worry though; we won't be here for long. Hope you don't get car sick."
He shot her another menacing grin and headed back into the room he had come from.
"What's your name?" Yasmin called, but he had shut the door.
"Wonder what he meant by, 'Hope you don't get car sick'?", Yasmin wondered. "Where is he taking me?"
She heard her kidnapper talking in his room. It sounded like he was talking to someone else, but she couldn't hear another voice. She came to the conclusion that he was talking to someone in the phone, and strained to hear what he was saying. She could only catch snippets of the conversation.
"…Got her… tomorrow… airport… 5 o'clock flight… Alabama… On it Gunther… Bye."
Yasmin slouched back down. From those twelve words that she had heard, she understood so much. She was somehow getting flown over to Alabama tomorrow at 5. She had no idea who Gunther was. Maybe it was the guy who her kidnapped worked for.
Yasmin had never been religious, but she found herself squeezing her eyes shut and saying a silent prayer. At first she wasn't sure who she was praying to; then she realised it was to anyone. Anyone who would listen. Silently, she cried out for help – for someone to come and rescue her. Her mum, Tracy, Raven, anybody. She just needed to get out of here.
After several hours of quiet sobbing, she fell asleep, her dreams full of her kidnapper's face, and the prospect that she might never see the people she loved again.


CHAPTER 13

1 day later


“Raven, the answer is no and that’s final!” Becky said, frowning down at her foster daughter. “Let the authorities handle this, the best thing you can do is to stay here.”
“No! Look, the last time I talked to Yasmin she mentioned a man who had been following her. I don’t think that’s merely a coincidence! Mom, her dad is a cop! It has to have something to do with one of his cases! Mom, my dad was a cop. I have to help her, ok?”
“No, not ok! You don’t have a choice here, Raven. You either do what I say and stay out of this, or…I’ll have to send you back to social services.” Becky said, blinking away the tears that filled her eyes at such a thought.
Raven stood, stunned, for a moment. Then, setting her face in a blank mask to hide her pain, she grabbed her jacket and walked past Becky, clenching her teeth against the pain.
She threw on her coat and burst through the front door just as Joey, his date, and a few of his friends were coming up the walk.
“Hey, Rave! Come here, I want to introduce you to a few people.” Joey said, smiling and waving her over. Ignoring him, she walked past them all, glaring at his date. “Rave! Hey, is something wrong with Raven?” She heard him call to his mom.
“Raven Dementia Black, get your butt back in this house! Raven!” Becky yelled. When Raven ignored her she looked pointedly at Joey. Shucking off his coat, Joey took off after her in a run.
When he caught up with her, he fell into step beside her, letting her walk off a good bit of steam before he began.
“So…what happened back there?” He asked, looking straight ahead.
“She wants me to just let the authorities deal with Yas’s kidnapping! Can you believe that? Really?” She ranted, losing more and more steam every moment.
“Well, actually, I can.” Joey said flinching and jumping to his defense when she turned to glare at him. “She only wants you to be safe, trust me. She’s only worried you’ll get hurt.”
Raven shook her head and didn’t bother to answer. Rain was drizzling lightly from overhead now, but neither of them really minded. They continued to walk silently.
Then they heard Becky scream along with a few of the other kids from Joey’s group. Turning on their heels, they raced back and top speed, the rain coming down harder and faster now. When they reached the house they were greeted by a hysterical Becky and some out of it pre-teens.
Joey’s date came up to them, she was shaking and looked confused but relayed the information on what had happened.
“Oh, Joey, it’s awful! That creepy man…your little brother…! Joey, he kidnapped your brother!”
By the time the girls words registered in Raven’s head she was already racing down the street after a black car that was speeding away. Joey was right on her heels along with some of the other boys from his group of friends.
Bolting down the road as fast as possible, Raven didn’t bother stopping to breath, she didn’t stop when she realized she was soaked, or when she noticed that the car was still getting away. She kept running, even when the others stopped.
Joey caught up with her in no time, panting and soaked as well. He had sent the others back to keep an eye on the hysterical females. Not bothering to ask where she was going, Joey followed Raven until she came to an abrupt stand still.
Before Joey could question her, he was shoved behind hedge, Raven appearing next to him. She was paler than usual and looked as if she was about to collapse on him at any second.
“Look.” She whispered, parting some of the hedge to reveal an old mustang, with a tall, dark haired man leaning against it. He had what looked like a pile of clothes on the ground next to him. After a second, Joey realized it wasn’t a pile of clothes, but a small body.
While they were watching, a navy blue sedan pulled up behind the old mustang, a man slipped out of the sedan, a large bag thrown over his wide shoulder.
The new arrival was tall, maybe mid 30’s, wearing hole covered jeans, a brown leather jacket, and walked with a slight limp. All in all, the guy looked like a trouble maker.
Moving closer so they could hear, Joey and Raven listened intently.
“Hey, Boss. I got the girl, where should I put her?” The Man is the brown leather coat asked, shifting his feet.
“With this one, where else?”
When Raven and Joey heard the last voice, they froze. It was Gunther.
“Yes, Sir. Where’d you get this one?”
“Does it matter? Just hurry up.” Gunther demanded. Out of patience, Raven grabbed Joey and they burst from the hedge.
“What did you do with Mikey you jerk?” Raven sneered, walking right up to Gunther in the pouring rain and spreading her legs, crossing her arms, and lifting her chin, she waited for an answer.
“Why, he’s right here, not a hair on his head harmed.” Gunther said innocently, grinning evilly.
Raven rushed over to the boy on the ground, rolling him over. It was Mikey, and he was unconscious and freezing. Raven carefully removed her jacket and cover Mikey up with it.
“What’s in the bag?” Joey demanded, sneering at the man in the brown coat.
“Nothing that concerns you, nosy little brat.”
“Rafe, show them. It will be interesting to see the girls response.” Gunther said grinning. Rafe obeyed, unzipping the large body bag to reveal a girl about Raven’s age, with sandy blond hair and Scottish type features. The girl woke when she felt rain on her face.
The girl looked around in confusion for a minute, and then sat up abruptly. Scanning the area again she froze, staring at Raven.
“Raven?” The girl croaked in confusion, sounding as if it had been hours since she had last spoken. “Raven Dementia Black?”
“How do you know my name?” Raven asked, stunned.
“You don’t know who I am?”
“Nope, never seen you before.”
“Raven…I’m Yasmin Brooke, from Scotland.”


Chapter 15
later that night


Gunther’s eyes seemed to stare a hole in Raven as he sat in front of his four hostages, ready to explain their connection other than a loose friendship for the four of them.
“My name…,” He began, keeping his penetrating gaze on Raven, and evil grin spreading over his pale face. “Is Allen Gunther, and little Mikey here is my nephew. And Rafe over here is Joey boys Daddy.”
“You’re not my Uncle! You’re a mean man; I’m not even a little mean!” Mikey exclaimed, his baby blue eyes wide and brimming with tears. He didn’t want it to be truth, and for him, Raven didn’t either.
Looking over at Joey, Raven saw how he seemed to be biting his tongue to keep from yelling at the man who was claiming to be his father. Catching his eye she raised an eyebrow. A simple nod from Joey was enough to confirm everything said.
“Hi, Son, how’s your Mom doing? Think she’d mind if I dropped in on her later?” Rafe said. At that moment Joey and Raven both lost it. Throwing himself against the bars Joey screamed and cussed and Rafe, telling him to stay away from him mom. It didn’t take long until Mikey and Raven were all doing the same thing.
Rafe started laughing and wouldn’t have stopped if Joey hadn’t been able to reach out just enough to punch him in the gut. Bending over and cursing at Joey, Rafe sat on the floor trying to catch his breath.
For the first time in hours Raven smiled. Reaching out the bars or their cages, Raven, Mikey, and Joey all high fived.
Turning to Yasmin, Raven grinned and held up her hand. Yasmin grinned back and smacked her high five. Their little groups moment or joy ended when Gunther pointed a gun at Joey’s head, looking calm. Slowly the four kids smiles faded and they all paled.
“That wasn’t very smart, Boy.” Gunther said, looking serious and calm. Standing up, Gunther walked up to Joey’s cage and bent down to eyelevel with him. “Now, I knew you weren’t too bright, but I didn’t know you were that dense.”
“I’m not dense. I was peeved.” Joey said, his voice shook slightly but other than that and his pale face you would think he was talking to his best pal, not a guy sticking a gun in his face.
“I will admit that Rafe needs to learn when to speak and when not to, but you need to learn to work on your temper little boy, or one of these days it just might get you killed.”
Joey didn’t answer as Gunther pulled back and turned to stare down at Raven. “And you. What do you care if he hurts the woman? After all, she isn’t of any blood relation to you. Why should you care? You’re just crashing there till you decide you’re tired of them, right? I’ve had my eye on you little girl, I know everything about you. Even about your daddy’s little books. Maybe we should burn the house down, the woman and your daddy’s journals in it?”
Raven froze as the horror of losing the one family she had finally gotten and her last tie to her parents was threatened. Unable to move, Raven watched silently as Rafe and Gunther left the room.
“Raven,” Joey asked minutes later, his voice worried, breaking the strained silence on the room. “Are you ok? What was her talking about journals? Raven, you look about ready to pass out.”
Looking around at the other three, then at their surroundings, Raven slowly crawled closer to the bars that separated her and Mikey. Taking Mikey’s hand, Raven began explaining about the journals, her parents, and the rest of her past. The three listened quietly and they all sat in a stunned silence when Raven finished.
“Oh, Raven. I’m sorry; I wish you would have been able to trust me enough to let me know! My dad is a cop, I could have asked him to check out that file about your parents deaths while he was hear and see if they thought arson was a possibility!” Yasmin said, staring at Raven with wide eyes.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you guys, but it was something I needed to think about before telling you guys about it.” She said, as Mikey curled as close as possible trough the bars.
“Do you think Mr. Gunther will really burn down our house with Mommy and your Dad’s books?” Mikey asked, sounding scared and worried. He stares up at her with wide, trusting eyes.
“I don’t know, Mikey. But if he does, he’ll get his due, that’s for sure. If hurts…our mom, I’ll sic Joey on him, ok?” She said, grinning a little and looking at Joey. Joey’s mouth tilted up in a slight smile and he nodded, Yasmin smiles and agreed she would kick butt to, and Raven silently promised to make sure, if they made it through this, that Mikey found out if Gunther was really his uncle or not.
It had been a long day, they were all exhausted, and not a bit surprised when they all fell asleep, sitting as close together as possible in their separate little cages.


Chapter 16

Gunther flopped down on the couch and wiped a sweaty hand over his fore-head. Rafe walked over to the make0shift kitchen.
"Coffee, boss?"
Gunther grunted what sounded like a 'yes'.
Rafe could hear the four children talk next door. He stomped over, about to open the door and yell at them, maybe even throw something at them, but Gunther raised a hand to stop him.
"Let them Rafe. They won't be chatting happily for long."
Rafe stopped. He walked back over the kitchen, muttering to himself.
The room that they were in was small, about half the size of the room that the kids were in. The warehouse used to store old machinery. There were still a few old drills in the larger room. The smaller room was built as an extension for the people who worked the machinery to live in. It was very basic; a couch, a coffee table, two beds, a toilet, a tiny shower, and a 'kitchen' which consisted of a counter-top, a sink and a coffee maker.
"So… err, boss? What're we gonna do with them now?"
Gunther sighed.
"I've told you the plan over and over again!"
"Yeah… but", Rafe started, worried that he'd angered Gunther now.
"You didn't LISTEN!" Gunther shouted, slamming his hand down on the coffee table and jumping up. "You NEVER listen!"
Rafe began to shake. Gunther still had the gun in his hand, and when he was angry, Gunther could turn extremely violent. He had had two assistants in the past, but the second had been in the wrong place at the wrong time when Gunther got angry. Luckily for him, Rafe hadn't been there at the time, but he'd never seen his friend Hodge again.
Gunther's breathing began to steady, and he sank back down onto the couch.
Rafe, with shaking hands, carried his coffee over.
"Thanks mate", Gunther said in a gruff voice.
He clapped Rafe on the shoulder and walked over to the window.
Rafe sat down on the couch with a sigh of relief. Gunther never apologised outright, but, generally, a clap on the shoulder meant the same thing.
"We'll hold the kids until their parents figure out that they're gone", Gunther said suddenly. "When they realise, which shouldn't take too long, we'll blackmail 'em into dropping the case."
He turned to face Rafe with a menacing look.
"You got that this time? Cause I swear to God, I ain't repeating it again."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it", Rafe muttered hastily.
The court case. The only thing Gunther seemed to care about.
"Wait…" Rafe started, "How's the British girl gonna help us get the case dropped?"
Gunther turned to face the window again.
"Her dad's a cop. Not just any cop. He's Chief Inspector Brooke, the damn cop trying to throw us in the slammer."
Rafe bit his lip, knowing that if he pointed out the fact that the police only wanted Gunther in jail and not him, he might suffer the same fate as Hodge.
About a year ago, Gunther had broken into a huge house in California. The people who lived their, unfortunately for Gunther, had a very good security system which he didn’t know about, and the police were there extremely quickly. He grabbed what he could and tried to run, but the police caught him. Rafe and Hodge had been hiding around the corner, but the police hadn't seen them. They identified Gunther and had taken mug shots, when Rafe and Hodge had ran out, creating a distraction. The three of them had run, carrying Gunther's loot between them. The police had somehow got a photo of Hodge, but not of Rafe. The hid in a cave that night, and the next day, Rafe, being the only unidentifiable one out of the three, sold Gunther's loot at a small market. He managed to get enough money to pay for three plane tickets to Alabama. Thinking that they had got away from the cops, they bought a "bachelor pad" and decided to try to settle down, for a while anyway. But, after Gunther did away with Hodge and his body had been found, he was identified by the photo that had been taken in California. The police realised that Gunther was probably somehow involved. Pictures of both of them were broadcast on international news channels. Locals who lived near the area where they had been living gave their address to the police. Having guessed what was going to happen, Gunther and Rafe abandoned their apartment and had been hiding in the warehouse ever since. One day, Rafe had gone back to see if there was any food left in the fridge. There had been a letter addressed to Gunther stuck in the letterbox. Rafe had taken it back to the warehouse. The letter was calling Gunther to court, saying that he was being accused of breaking and entering, and murder.
Gunther and Rafe had done a ton of research on the police officers who were on this case, and had discovered that they had flown in someone from the UK who was an expert on finding runaway criminals. Rafe knew that Gunther had been doing some more research on this Chief Inspector Brooke, but hadn't known that kidnapping his daughter was part of the plan.
He knew about the other three kids though. They were the kids of Becky Strife, the lawyer who was accusing Gunther.
"So, how long do you think until the parents put two and two together?" Rafe asked.
"Not long", Gunther said with a malicious smile on his face, "I've made sure of that."


Chapter 17

"Mrs. Strife-"
"It's Ms.” Becky corrected stiffly, refusing to acknowledge the connection to her ex-husband.
"Ms. Strife, would you mind recounting the last conversation you had with young Raven for us again?" Officer Davis said, looking bored and uninterested. Oh, yes, so detached. And I have to sit here explaining again and again while they twiddle their thumbs and my children stay missing! She thought bitterly, scowling at the officer.
"I had an argument with Raven over whether or not she was allowed to try and go after her friend Yasmin Brooke or not. I told her she couldn't and we fought. She stormed out as my son Joseph was coming into the house and ignored when I yelled for her to come back. I sent Joseph after her and waited outside with Mikey and Joeys friends. While we were waiting my ex-husband, Rafe Gerard Strife, came up to us and snatched Mikey, running and ducking into a pale colored old Pontiac. While I ran inside and grabbed the phone, rushed back outside and called nine one one, Joey and Raven returned. Alyssa Montgomery, Joey's cousin, explained that Mikey had been taken and before I could stop her Raven lit out like a bat out of heck. Before I knew it Joey and most of hyis friends had run after her. The younger boys came back, explaining that they hadn't run fast enough and had lost track of them. They said that the last they had seen was Joey pulling up closer to Raven but not enough to stop her."
"Uh-huh, and, Ms. Strife, how exactly did you come into the information that your husband was associated with Gunther the Gun?" The other officer, Officer Harkin, asked in a deep baritone of a voice, focused on her but more because of her thin nightgown than anything else.
"Because I am the lawyer who is helping Chief Inspector Brooke to prosecute Mr. Gunther." She said, speaking sharply, losing her patience rapidly. Her children, she thought desperately, were out there someone, alone and probably hurt! "Now, if you don't mind, I am going to go make some coffee, it has been a very trying night, Officer."
She watched silently as the officers left her home, no doubt going to file their report then walk away and forget about it. She had nothing against cops, but she knew, in her heart, that Officer Davis and Officer Harkin would file their report and that would be the end of it.
Walking up to her room with a cup of coffee she clenched her jaw and made her decision. If the police weren't going to help her get her family back, she knew someone who would. Picking up the phone from her bedside table she dialed the number for the only hotel in town and waited while it rang.
"Hello?" A tired voice said, sounding as stressed as Becky felt.
"Mr. Brooke, I need your help. Raven, Joey, and Mikey are gone, missing, kidnapped." She said swiftly, fighting back the tears in her eyes.
"Ms. Silvia, I truly wish I could help you, but my daughter, Yasmin... I got a call from my wife a few days ago, Yasmin is missing." He said gruffly.
"Oh no..." Becky let out a breath as she made the connection. "Oh, no, oh God, Mr. Brooke your daughter and my daughter are pen pals, have been for months!"

*********************************************


Joey Strife

“Raven?” Joey asked, trying not to worry when she didn’t answer, didn’t so much as blink, just stared across the room blankly. “Hey, Mikey, you ok over there?”
“Yeah, I’m ok, but Yasmin is asleep.” Mikey said from Joey’s right. Taking a few deep breaths Joey tried to sort out what had happened since Mikey had been snatched. One; Raven and Joey had been taken. Two; they had found out that Yasmin was their other kidnap victim. Three; Raven had found out that Gunther had killed her parents and was her uncle. Four; Joey had realized that Gunther’s friend was his dad. Five; Raven had gotten quiet and pensive, thoughtful, maybe even gone into shock for all he knew.
Looking around Joey tried to figure out how to get out of the cages but couldn’t find any way. Throwing himself back he yelped, hitting his shoulder on something. Turning around he saw a lock that would be used on a usual dog cage and grinned before he realized that the lock was to the back wall and unlocking it without getting the crate to move would be useless.
His grin faltering Joey looked at Raven and frowned worriedly. “Hey, Rave, I think I found a way out.” He whispered, trying to be loud enough for him to hear but not so loud that Gunther and Rafe would hear his clearly.
When Raven didn’t respond and continued to stare at the wall across from them his frowned deeply, reaching through the bars he touched her shoulder. He should have known better he told himself later, this was Raven, and you didn’t surprise Raven.
As his hand started to retract from the cage when he realized his mistake her hands caught his and jerked him forward, twisted his arm and slammed it against the bars hard, twisting it until a loud crack sounded, signally that she had accomplished her act, breaking his arm.
“Crap!” He yelled before swearing and yanking his arm from between the cage bars, cradling it in his other arm against his abdomen. “Raven, what the heck is up with you? Why did you break my fricking arm!”
Shaking her head Ravens eyes seemed to focus in on something behind him before clearing and looking down at his arm. “Oh, no….crap, sorry, Joey, I didn’t mean to, it’s a knee jerk reaction.” She mumbled, taking deep breaths.
“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Joey grumbled, glaring at her and remembering why he had tried to get her attention. “Anyway, I found us a way out, kinda.”
“How?”
“Turn around and feel the back of your cage until you find what feels like a dog cage lifting lock. Yes, ok, now, with the wall behind us as well as the locks we can’t really get out unless we make a horrible amount of noise. And –“
“And noise equals Gunther and Rafe which equals no escape and the risk of one of getting hurt.” Raven finished for him calmly, looking thoughtful again. “Let me think for a bit, go ahead and let Yasmin and Mikey know what you’ve found out and everyone needs to try and think of ways for us to get out safely.”
“On it, Sis.” He said, turning and explaining his idea to Mikey, asking him to wake up Yasmin so he could tell her what their plan was. Grinning to himself, Joey thought about being home again, seeing his mom, taking a shower. Unable to stop himself Joeys face broke out into a huge smile. Soon, if- no not if, when- when their plan worked, they would be home again!

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 25.10.2010

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