I'm dedicating this last chapter to all of you. You supported me, cheered me on, commented, liked and read my story throughout this incredible journey. I probably wouldn't have finished it without you, my awesome readers (yes, it's truly humbling to say that). I find this moment a bit bittersweet. I'm excited and so happy to be able to write 'The End' at the end of this chapter and complete another story. I hope you all find my future stories just as entertaining, or more so than this one. Hopefully, they will be even better edited. I do have another project already in the works. It'll be a short story with a Christmas theme, cause, you know... December and stuff. Anyway, here you go. The conclusion to Midnight Flock.
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Sang's POV
The mood was somber as I paced. It had been a week since I was drugged and Jimmy shot. I was only in the hospital for a few days, Jimmy was not so lucky. We were dressed in black, waiting on North to finish getting ready. He had been different since that night. Quieter, more closed off, grumpier than usual. I wanted to give him some time to come to terms with everything that happened, but I was afraid I was going to lose him. He was guilty. We all knew that, but what was done was done. We can't change the past and we can't control other people's decisions. Jimmy made the choice to jump between North and the bullet in order to save us.
"North, get your ass down here. Now. We have to get going." I hollered up the stairs to him. We were going to miss our chance to say good-bye if we didn't leave immediately. North, his mood darker than I've ever seen it, stomped down the steps. I took a moment to admire his massive frame before grabbing his hand and leading him to the waiting vehicles. Owen and Sean had essentially grounded North following our last mission. Not as punishment, but to give him time to cope with the events that happened. He was carrying around a massive amount of guilt for what happened to me and Jimmy and until he got his head wrapped around that, he wasn't going to be effective to us out in the field. He already had a few therapy sessions and I could tell it was making a difference.
After his third and latest session, he sat me down and we talked about that night and what happened and he opened up more than he ever had before about how he felt, his fears and how he interrupted everything that happened. It was a talk we both needed. I felt closer to him now that I ever had before. He wasn't the only one who had to meet with the therapist. I had a few rounds as well, to ensure there weren't any residual issues after I was drugged. It helped to talk to her about my relationship with the guys. She allowed me to look at things and the betrayal through a different perspective. She helped me realize that though the guys kept me from taking the gun safety course for months, they didn't do it maliciously. They genuinely thought they were helping me. It wasn't okay that they did it, but our family wasn't in jeopardy of falling apart. Like any relationship, we just needed to continuously work at things.
We passed Haru, Caden and Liam, who were waiting out front for us. Our car was just stopping when I jumped out at the protest of North, Luke, Gabe and Silas and ran to Team Ito. I wrapped my arms around Haru, my heart squeezing painfully at the loss to their family. I don't know what I would do if we lost one of our family members. I'd be devastated. Their eyes were all dry, but none of them were clear, puffy, red, swollen faces met mine; they were having trouble keeping it together. Though Jimmy had only been part of their team for a short time, they had bonded and I could tell that the loss of a brother was hitting them.
"It's ok guys. Jimmy wouldn't want to see you so upset." I made sure to reach out and reassure each of them.
"I know. I just feel guilty about everything. I should have done more. I should have been better. I should have been able to keep him safe." Haru admitted.
"Hey now. The whole night went sideways for all of us. Even though the outcome was heartbreaking, we should be proud of what we accomplished." Once we arrived at the hospital and there was nothing more our teams could do for either Jimmy or I, they focused back on the mission at hand. Victor and Corey immediately started sifting through the data we secured from Candy's father's computer. It was the nail in the coffin for the sex trafficking ring. We had account numbers, client lists, schedules, information on all the girls. We even had some video of the initiation process for a few of the girls under their control. The evidence was damning and our contacts on the police force assured us that this should be everything they need to make sure everyone spent a long time in jail. We were able to get most of the girls some help, into rehabilitation facilities and start the processes of healing. Unfortunately, there wasn't any evidence that Dick at Club Midnight had anything to do with the sex ring. It was just an easy place for the Jamison Park Gang to meet up and discuss business.
However, we were able to get it temporarily closed down and Victor bought the club as an investment. Yesterday he reached out to Trish and offered her a management position, with on the job training with the hopes that we could turn over the running of the entire club to her. It came with full benefits and a healthy pay raise for her, along with all the other waitresses and bartenders he kept on. Most of the bouncers were let go as they were involved in the dealings with the JPG. For now, we have two younger teams of dogs acting as security until we can hire and train new bouncers. Gabriel is redesigning the interior and giving it a facelift, as well as improving the security of the patron and employee parking areas. I even heard that the Academy has a few older teams interested in going into the area to help improve things for the residents and stabilize it so it can't be overrun by gangs any longer.
Speaking of gangs, we found out that Machete, though involved in the Four-Oh-Five gang, hadn't really participated in anything illegal. He knew of some of the stuff going on, but as far as gangs went, the Four-Oh-Five were fairly mild. Mostly petty crimes and mischief. Some of them were bad with murder, theft, gun possession and drug charges under their belt, but most of the members were just kids looking for protection from rival gangs. We were able to dismantle the Four-Oh-Five as well as the Jamison Park Gang. Getting some of the younger kids into programs to rehabilitate them through Academy resources. Raven took a particular interest in Machete and took him under his wing and is thinking about sponsoring him in the Academy. Machete, Michael, has taken all of this in stride and seems to be accepting the helping hand the Toma team has been reaching out to him. He seems to have found a kindred spirit in Raven. Lord help us all. So much had happened in the last week it kinda blew my mind.
I saw Axel and his black hair first. He left it down instead of pulling it back into a low ponytail like he usually does. It just gets in the way when he's in the lab at the aquarium. I joked about cutting it off one time and I was afraid to sleep that night after the glare he gave me. Marc was just behind Axel, his relaxed stance contrasting to the emotions swirling in his eyes. Behind them came Brandon and Corey, deep in conversation, followed by Raven, and his new shadow, Machete. I was actually surprised to see him here, amongst the Academy guys I'd become close with, but he seemed to fit somehow. Looking comfortable with these imposing figures.
"Chastity?" he asked, surprise written all over his face.
"It's actually Sang. How are you doing?" I went to approach him when North meaty hand snaked around my waist and I swear I heard him growl. "Please ignore the caveman behind me, he gets a little overprotective sometimes and it's been worse recently." I apologized for North's behavior. Though, the rest of my family was being a little icy to the reforming gang banger, I refused to allow them to do anything that may hurt his chances of making something of himself.
"So, you're involved with all of this, too?" he gestured around to the other guys and the building behind us.
"Yeah, for a few years now." I admitted.
"You must have been recruited young." His eyes going round, his gaze assessing me anew.
"I was sixteen."
"Wait, aren't you sixteen now?" His brows fell and his forehead wrinkled in thought. I gave a gentle laugh and saw smirks and glimmers of amusement filter across the rest of the guys around us.
"No, that was a cover story to get me into the club. I'm coming up on nineteen actually."
"You're shittin me. You are not almost nineteen." This elicited a few chuckles.
"I am, thank-you very much. Now you just mind your manners. I'm assuming you're coming with Raven and I after this to the shooting range?" he nodded. "I'll have to show you a thing or two once we get there."
That self assured smirk made an appearance. "Is that a challenge sweet thing?"
"You bet your ass it's a challenge." Raven smirked at me from behind Machete and nodded his head once, just slightly. "Want to make it interesting? Put a bet on who can do better?"
"Sure. Though, I might feel bad taking my earnings from you. I'm no stranger to guns, I'm a pretty good shot." Machete crossed his arms in front of his chest. Raven had a cheshire cat grin, knowing I would wipe the floor with Machete on the gun range.
"I'm not too worried. So, when I win, you owe me a favor." Favors were powerful tools in the Academy, but I don't think Machete grasped that concept yet.
He gave me a quizzical look, but nodded in agreement. "Okay, a favor. Sure. But it's not' when you win, because you won't. When I win, I get a date." The cocky smirk was cemented on his face. I fought to roll my eyes at him. Gabriel barked out a laugh behind me, Luke snickering beside him. North's arm tightened minisculely around my waist, while the rest of my men shot daggers at Machete through their eyes.
"You have yourself a bet, be prepared to lose." I felt pretty self satisfied that I was able to secure myself a favor. It wasn't a done deal just yet, but neither Raven nor I doubted my skills with a gun at this point.
At that moment, a throat cleared behind us. All seventeen guys hanging around us had turned all their focus on us when the wagering began. So, when someone approached from behind, we all jumped and turned at once. A smile broke out over my face as I rushed forward out of North's arms to throw mine around the person sitting in the wheelchair.
"Jimmy, ohmygosh." I hugged him tight. "Are you ready for a change of scenery? I'm so sorry to see you go. I know I've thanked you a thousand times already, but thank-you, from the bottom of my heart for saving North and me." my voice was muffled by his shoulder, where I had buried my face so no one would see the tears threatening.
"I could probably go with about five thousand more thank-yous if they come like this," he joked as he patted me on the back. "You all act like I'm dead or something. I'm only transferring up to the Northeast branch in Boston. You can come visit. If the rehab goes well, I may be back. But, you never know." I kissed his cheek and stepped back. Everyone in the Toma and Blackbourne teams took their turn thanking Jimmy and slapping him on his back or, to everyone's surprise, hug him like North.
Haru and his team circled their brother. "I want you to know," Haru began, "although you're transferring to Boston, we still consider you a member of our Family. If you need anything. Anything. You let us know and we'll make it happen, come hell or high water. Do you understand Jim-bo?" Jimmy groaned, scrubbing his face with his hands.
"I hate when you call me Jim-bo, man. You need to stop." He replied.
"Well, you'll have to get your ass out of that wheelchair and kick his ass then." Caden grinned down at my step brother.
"Believe me, as soon as I can get up and kick your asses, I'm coming back down to do so." He joked light heartedly. The bullet, which could have killed North and possibly injured me, knicked Jimmy's spine. We probably shouldn't have picked him up and forced him to move as it likely exasperated his spinal injury. But, the doctors assured us, under the circumstances, he would have died otherwise. Those same doctors, including Sean, felt that with some intense, targeted rehab, Jimmy could make a full recovery. Of course, we wouldn't know anything for sure for a while. He needed time to heal. That's what lead to Jimmy leaving Team Ito and heading up north. The Boston Facility had a world renowned spinal injury center and were working miracles with people who had far more severe injuries. Haru's team had some Academy friends up there who promised to look after Jimmy and make sure he settled in. We were all sad to see him leave, but wanted the best for him.
After another few minutes of chit chat and saying goodbye, Jimmy's medical Transport arrived to take him to the airport on his way to his new home. We watched Jimmy's vehicle drive away before anyone moved or said anything, each of us sending well wishes out to him.
"Well, let's get to the gun range, my money is on Cupcake." Luke laughed as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and lead me to our cars.
"You aren't all coming, are you?" I asked nervously. They all laughed as everyone began piling into the waiting vehicles, even Team Ito was joining us.
"We wouldn't miss the ass whooping you're about to deliver for the world." Gabriel chimed in. My cheeks warmed considerably as all eyes were on me. I couldn't imagine being anywhere else, or with anyone else than with my Family.
The End....for now at least. ;)