Dropping the dish with a slice of apple pie and cutlery on the table Sean pulled out the chair and sat down.
Sitting in front of him, drinking coffee was Owen.
"And then, what did you say to Dr. Roberts in relation to boys?"
"Well, after I finished with my super insightful analysis of the situation..." Owen rolled his eyes "...I explained to the good doctor that the boys were being called at the front desk. He seemed relieved and gave me a look that said we'd talk later."
"Hmmm, and what did the boys say?" he asked as he lifted the cup to his lips and sipped.
"Ha! They were looking like a pair of ghosts when I said "front desk", but as soon as we move away a little bit from the infirmary and I told them that they could return to their classroom without problems they left running as if the devil himself was after them."
"Spooked?" He questioned calmly, though I could see the worry clear in his eyes.
"More like terrified... Pookie was most probably right Owen. Those boys are in a bad situation. I only wonder how she is aware of it. The girl keeps to herself." I told him puzzled, savoring my apple pie. Hummmm, yummy! Note to self: marry a woman who can bake apple pie...
The sound of a snort coming from the other side of the table makes me raise my head startled.
"Did you really just snort, Owen?" I ask him with wide eyes.
"Shut up Sean and swallow your pie. That's disgusting." He tells me with obvious revulsion.
Swallowing the bit of pie in my mouth I question him again, "Well, did or didn't you snort at me and why?"
"Didn't you notice what kind of books our darling Miss Sang has been reading during recess?"
Startled out of my "Owen just snorted!" reverie I asked dumbly "What books?"
There goes the eye roll again...
"Focus Sean! The books that Miss Sang was reading yesterday and today during recess! The first day she was reading "The art of war" by Sun Tzu and today she was studying a book of advanced physics. And she is only ten years old! That girl is uncommonly smart." He announced quite proudly at his "darling's" intelligence.
Widening my eyes to show that I was properly impressed while murmuring an "Oooohhh!" I suddenly turned serious and said "Ok, so she could have taken notice that they are in a situation like hers because she is really smart, but that alone don't explain how she knew that I could help the boys escape from Dr. Roberts. As far as she knows we are just normal students, Owen, with no authority."
Pausing at this, Owen merely stared at Sean for a few minutes, and then with eyes slightly unfocused he said, almost musingly, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable must be the truth."
Sighing Sean said, "We might have to investigate, Owen."
Pursing his lips in deep thought Owen turned his focus on Sean once again.
"Of course, my dear Watson"
......
She was a ghost... she knew it... and she really liked it.
She had found out only a couple of years ago, while looking at hers and Marie's birth certificates. Hers was obviously fake, and after checking she found out that her father didn't claim her in theirs taxes either. The government didn't know of her existence. She loved it because it meant she could take more risks while helping people. The risk of getting caught was much smaller if she was always careful. And if she was ever caught her, she could always run away, leaving no trace behind. She had spent a lot of time studying and training herself so as to be able to do that. She even knew how to make a false Id.
It was the weekend and everyone in her house was still asleep.
Having woken up early and prepared breakfast for everyone, she walked out the door as soon as she finished eating her own, heading towards the woods behind her house. Walking along the path she soon arrived at the block's church, where children were playing in the gym set and swing set and adults were working together with the distribution of revenues to charity
She spent her morning there, helping out quietly, trying to attract the minimum of attention while doing her best. The morning passed quickly and she knew it was almost time to return home in order to prepare their lunch. Once finished with her mission she turned around and headed back home.
Opening the back door she came face to face with her mother.
"Where were you?" she asked scowling, with her hands at her hips.
Swallowing hard she answered quietly. "Out, in the woods."
"Liar!" Looking enraged she came towards Sang who was frozen by the door, looking like a deer in headlights.
Raising her arms to cover her face she cowered before her mother's fury. "I didn't lie! Really!"
Grabbing Sang by the hair and pulling her mother screamed, "You whore and liar! You were probably out with the boys of this street, weren't you? You little slut!" and dragged Sang to the living room where a pile of rice awaited by the floor.
The sharp sensation of the rice biting into her knees when she was pushed down caused Sang to cry out, which only made her mother smile.
"Stay there until I come to fetch you." She orders before turning around and heading back to her room, from where the sound of the television could be heard.
Two hours later Sang hears snores coming from her mother's room and gets up quietly. Going in the kitchen she grabs a little shovel and a broom to clean up the mess in the living room. Once finished she made lunch and prepared her plate, going up the stairs toward her room with the plate in hand she noticed that her sister was not home. Once she locked the door and sat on the floor she ate her lunch alone. As always.
......
Monday...
Get off the bus while pretending that everything was fine is a difficulty when you're limping.
After helping the church staff during the weekend she had found herself with nothing to do. Meaning she was bored. Being bored is dangerous for her because she has a tendency to do stupid things when bored.
Such as dismantling the living room television just to see how it works. Oopsiee...
The blame is entirely of that book about electronics that she was reading the other day. It left her even more curious...
She had thought she would be able to do it before her mother woke up from her nap, but sadly those screws had been more stubborn than her, which meant she had been caught red-handed.
Of course her mother did not like Sang's curiosity, even after she had mounted the TV back, and that's why she had been given a beating. This time she thought she deserved it a little bit.
Finally getting off the bus with what she thought was a passably normal gait Sang headed into the school with her head down and her thoughts far away, only to bump into a chest. "Ouch!"
Taking a step back and looking up she was met with a pair of steel grey eyes looking at her narrowly. Oh, so much for keeping this from them, he already knows...
......
Looking down at a pair of sad green eyes I know that her weekend wasn't as quiet as I had hoped. The fact that she was trying to hide a limp and is wearing pants with a long sleeved blouse makes what happened at home quite obvious in fact. The level of anger that arose in me was a surprise because this was the amount of feelings that I reserved for those that I consider family.
I take a deep breath to try and calm myself despite knowing that my emotions do not appear on my face. I'm suddenly startled from my thoughts when I feel the touch of fingers on my face. Focusing back at Miss Sang's face I see her looking at me worriedly while cupping my cheek gently, running her thumb right under my eye.
"Don't be mad, Owen. I'm okay." She says, surprising me again. I really need to stop underestimating this girl...
Taking her hand in mine I tell her "You are not okay. But you will be." And proceed to drag her to the infirmary through the crowd of children.
"Where are you taking me?" she asks from my side.
"To the infirmary, I want to have the doctor check your wounds." I answer.
"What! No! Wait, we can do that! He will ask questions! Owen, you promised not to tell!" She suddenly balks, begging me to do as she wants. I could still drag her there; she is very small and light for a ten year old girl, no doubt due to malnutrition.
Instead I give in to her pleading eyes and take her to what I know is an unused classroom. Those eyes are going to be a problem... I think, exasperated with myself.
Entering the room and closing the door behind ourselves I turn to face her, removing my glasses to clean them, even though they are already clean, "Why don't you let me help you Sang?" I ask frustrated. Trust me darling, please...
"I don't want to be helped right now, Owen." She tells me quietly, head lowered, hair hiding her face.
Shocked, almost dropping my glasses before putting them back on, I ask her "Why not?"
"Because." Came the vague answer, from under a curtain of long blonde hair.
"Sang, "because" is not a real response." I try to tell her patiently.
"Is too." She says stubbornly, hands on hips. Uuooo...
"Is not." Oh God, now I am pulling a Sean...
"Is too."
"Is not."
"Is too."
"Saaang!" By now I am almost losing my tightly held control and pulling out my own hair. However thought that handling a little girl was easy, this person was very wrong.
"What is it that you want, Miss Sang?" I question her, half thinking that she will not answer me again. To my surprise, again, she does.
"I want to be able to help as many people as I can." She tells me with solemn eyes. Her expression alone tells me how serious she is about it. I might have known her for only a few days but it was enough to tell me she had potential to be a member of the Academy. Her telling me that she wishes to help others proves even more her qualification.
Thinking fast I tell her, "I can help you with that. Sean and I work with a group of people that helps others. It is a secret, and you can't tell anyone, not even your family. Are you willing to do that?"
She thinks for a moment, putting her hands behind her back and looking at the ground, and then asks me shyly "Would I... would I be able to stay with your guys if I joined this group?"
Studying her posture I notice that she is trying to hide her nervousness and something else... fear of us not wanting her, maybe? Does she want to stay with us?
Wanting confirmation of my guess I prod "Would you like that, Miss Sang?"
She only squirms at my question. Stepping closer to her I put my hands in her shoulders causing her to look up in my eyes. "We would be honored to have you join our group." Seeing those green eyes shine with joy at me makes all the pain and self-doubt that my father instilled in me vanishes. I suddenly knew, with complete conviction, for the first time in my whole life that I was doing the right thing. My confidence grew.
"What is it that you want, Owen?" Her question brings me back to present and I notice that I still have my hands in her shoulders. Having her so close is comforting and calming, causing a strange sensation of safety. Why does she make me feel safe? What could she possibly protect me from? She is just a little girl... I am becoming as silly as Sean...
Tuning back to present I realize that she is squirming again. Trying to figure out "why" I remember that she asked me a question, which I still haven't answered because I was too busy thinking about her. Definitely becoming silly... maybe I am sick...
In my hurry to remediate my folly before she becomes even more nervous I end up blurting something silly, embarrassing and utterly truthful "A family." Nicely done, Owen, now she will think you are a needy and pathetic little boy. Which does not cease to be true, but she does not need to know that...geez.
Cocking her head to the side in confusion, like a confused puppy, she asks me "Don't you have one?"
Pursing my lips and finally letting go of her to clean my already very clean glasses, again, I carefully respond "Not a complete one, not yet."
"Then we are going to complete it, Owen. I'll help you." She tells me seriously, looking very determined. Suddenly my heart starts to beat faster and a strange heat begins to spread through my chest. I better talk to Dr. Roberts, I must be getting sick...
"We are? Simple like that?" I question, almost bitterly, already knowing that the answer would be "No". He had spent almost three years working with different teams at the Academy before finding Sean, and no one had liked him. Of course, you would think that by now I should be used to being surprised by this tiny firecracker...
"Life is often simple, Owen, it just isn't easy. Are you up for the challenge Mr. Blackbourne?" she asks me sassily, smiling a little with mischievous eyes.
I narrow my eyes at her which only causes her smile to widen. Leaning closer I say. "Of course I am, my darling Miss Sang. But tell me, since you are so willing to help me, how do you feel about marriage and elopement?" God, Sean is getting to me again...
Her mouth drops open and she just stares at me shocked. Huummm, maybe she didn't understand that I was joking... what would Sean do now? Should I smile at her? I almost wish he were here now, except that it would be very embarrassing and he'd never let me live this down...
Deciding to go with a smile I give her a real one showing my teeth, "Just kidding," and unable to resist teasing her a little bit more I add "I plan to wait a few more years before we start to discuss that." And with a wink, which somehow increases her shock, I take her hand and led her back to the hallway so she can get to class.
Before turning to go, however, she looks at me and asks "Did you really just tell me a joke, Owen Blackbourne?"
Looking down at her, with my usual millimeter smile I answer, "Maybe."
......
"Oooh! Owen, my love!" Cue kissing sounds.
"Sang darling! How I love you!" More kissing sounds.
Yup, he'd never live this down...
Owen was currently sitting behind Dr. Roberts desk watching as his best friend and the good doctor made fun of him. Don't blush, don't blush, you are not a silly young girl, don't blush...
"Let's elope together my darling!"
There goes the blush...
"Will the two of you stop and pay attention to the meeting, please gentlemen." He said with red cheeks in an otherwise completely composed face.
Giggling like two little girls they both sit down in front of me and I start our discussion.
"As you both obviously know, thanks to your eavesdropping, Miss Sang has demonstrated an interest in being a part of the Academy. The question is, are we all willing to sponsor her?" I ask them, analyzing their every move, trying to figure out what they are thinking.
Sean is rather obvious, he don't hides the fact that he really likes her and wants her around, exclaiming immediately "Yes! Let's take her home!" His eyes shine with barely restrained happiness and hope.
"She isn't a puppy Sean, we can't take her home. Besides, the Academy's dormitory, which is where she'd end up, has separated areas for females and males, so she wouldn't always stay with us." He deflates at my reminder.
"Buuut..." He starts to whine only to be cut off by the good doctor, who looks very serious now.
"First thing first, boys. We must run a full background check in Miss Sang and all of her family in order to even consider her as a possible candidate to membership. Once it is determined that she has potential, she shall be presented to the elders so she can be tested, and if approved then she will be sent to all the necessary classes before she can choose a team." He tells the boys firmly, making Sean look like a boy who had his puppy stolen.
Sighing in recognition that the path to integrate Miss Sang in the family will take some time, Owen asks Dr. Robert start investigation immediately.
"Now, gentlemen, let's discuss the other reason for this meeting. Have you acquired any information of interest from wiring those two boys, Sean?" I ask, knowing that he'd wired both Mr. Lee and Mr. Griffin after rescuing them from Dr. Roberts last week.
Crossing his arms over his chest and frowning, which are very unusual acts for his bubbly friend, he starts to report.
"I had to ask for a little help from the Toma Team, which cost me a few favors, but the amount and contents of the information I got made the cost worth it. First thing, we were all correct in assuming that both boys are suffering abuse from their families, or rather, their fathers."
Hearing his confirmation I clench my fists under the table, striving to keep a calm and collected appearance even while I remember my own father.
"The other part that I found out, and you are going to love this," He smiles suddenly. "is that they are part of a group of boys that are trying to bring justice to this school. We found them!" he exclaims happily.
Sitting back in my chair I can't help but wonder at the fact that they only found these boys because of Miss Sang's interference. They are a lot like her... does she know? And she led us to them?
"Wire the other boys of their team, and run background checks on all of them and their families. They might be Academy material as well." Nodding, both Sean and Dr. Roberts got up to do their parts while I sat and considered what was to come. Six new recruits. One of them a girl. All three years younger than me and Sean, coming, possibly, from broken families, like us. The Academy had promised me and Sean that we could choose however we wanted for our team if we completed this mission successfully. Huummm...
AN:Ok, I would like to dedicate this chapter to je11ybean262, the brilliant idea that Sang had caused themeeting between Owen and the boys in her fanfic "Putting on airs" wasa great inspiration. I just couldn't resist using the concept in my story. Sorry?