Love and the Assassin Ch. 03-04

"I drew my own weapon, which I can tell you was discharged once." The officer opened his mouth to speak, but Ike cut him off. "You can test me for GSR if need be but I can tell you now that when Mr. Broodman attacked me, my gun was knocked from my hands and slid across the room. He then tried to hit me again and that was when I kicked him in the nuts. He fell to the ground in a heap, his wife then came after me, I was defending myself when I swiped her feet out from under her. Trust me, death was not something I was expecting when I did that." Ike sat back in the chair and crossed her left leg over her right knee. "When she went down and I saw the blood I thought it was all over with, I thought Mr. Broodman would give up and I would then be able to call you in, but he didn't stop. I was walking out the front door to check on Justin, Angelique and all of the others when he attacked again, this time with my gun in his hand, he shot wildly hitting the cement next to my head. I guess when the shot missed he figured hitting me was the best he could do, so he picked me up by my hair." She half-heartedly laughed. "What little bit I have, and went to hit me again. I twisted and kicked out of his hold. I then rammed my shoulder into his stomach and backed him into the tree, taking my gun from him. It was over by that time, and I felt confident we could call you at that point."

The officers were silent for a moment taking notes and forming questions. "Ike, can you tell us why you were called and not the child's parents?"

"Officer?" She asked, prompting him for his name.

"Roderick, Robbie Roderick." He said.

"Robbie, cute, I like that name." She smiled. "I don't know, I never got the chance to ask Angelique where her parents were or anything, like I said, I was kind of busy."

"Does anyone at the facility know the name of her parents, where she comes from or anything?"

"Again, I don't know. To tell you the truth I was also amazed that I was called, my specialty is not in child recovery if you catch my drift." She said leaning back in the chair getting comfortable.

Both officers nodded. "What was the C4 for?" Robbie asked.

Ike laughed, "Like I said, child recovery is not my specialty, blowing shit up is, but to tell you the truth, I thought if I scared the owners enough they would just hand her over." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess that didn't work out."

"So you weren't planning on killing anyone then, it was all for show and tell, as you American's would say?" Robbie asked.

"Now I'm going to have to plead the fifth on that one Robbie 'ol boy." She laughed.

"Alright, Ike, you are free to go, if we need anything else from you, we will have Scotland Yard contact you." Robbie stood first and extended his hand toward her.

Ike took his hand in hers and shook it firmly. "What will happen to Angelique, she's American not English, who will take care of her?"

"We were going to look for her parents, but if they couldn't be found, we were hoping you could help us out with her." His smile wobbled.

"Wait a minute; you want me to take the kid? Oh hell no, I don't do kid things, I do adult things, I'm never home, I don't have anyone that could feed and water her, nothing. I really want to help and I'm glad I got her out of there, but come on guys, I can't keep a kid." She was panicking, she knew it.

"Look we need to find her parents, or some relative, but since you are an American, you would have to take her with you, there is nothing we can do, I'm sorry." Robbie said laying his hand on Ike's arm, trying to calm her.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're very sorry about it all." She sighed. "So what are you going to do with her until you know something?"

"Well, we may need you to stay here for a while so we were hoping you could keep her with you." Robbie could see from her expression Ike was ready to walk. "Look we'll pay for your rooms at your hotel, even give you money for clothes and food for Angelique, just please stay and help us out."

Ike stood there, she didn't know what to do, half of her saw the girl and knew what it was like to be held against your will, the other half though was demanding she tell the officers to kiss her ass and walk away. She found the girl, she was safe now and soon she would be back home in her own bed with her own things. She looked over at Robbie, his blue eyes filled with pleading; she caved. "Fine; whatever, she can come and stay with us. There is one condition though, when her family is found, you put her on the next plane out of here, you got it?"

Robbie nodded. "That would be no problem what so ever. We will gladly send her home to her family as soon as we find them.

"Now you're just kissing my ass Robbie and even though I like that thought way to much, I have to go find everyone and get out of here. We are at the Walden Inn, rooms 714 and 715."

Ike shook both officers' hands and then walked back to where Justin and Angelique were waiting for her. She wasn't sure what she would do with the kid but she had to be with someone and even though she hated to admit it, she knew she was better off with her and not some foster family. God only knew if anyone ever found out what happened to her, she would be used again and again.

As she rounded the last corner, she could see Angelique sitting next to Justin her head down staring at the floor. Ike could see Justin's lips moving in what must have been a one sided conversation. Ike shook her head, the poor thing's spirit was destroyed.

"You ready to blow this joint?" She asked Angelique hoping to get a response out of her.

"Where are we going?" She asked not looking up.

"Well I thought you might like a nice long hot shower and some food, but if you would rather stay here in the police department it doesn't bother me." Ike started walking toward the door.

"Wait up." Angelique called out. "I was only asking a question, you don't need to get all bitchy with me."

"Look I'm tired, I'm hungry and I need a shower to get all the blood off me. Now until we find your parents I'm all you got, so are you coming or not?"

Angelique looked down, her fingers twisting the material of the sweat shirt she was wearing. When her head tilted up a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't have any parents, I'm an orphan."

Justin and Ike sucked in a breath, this child had been on her own for God only knew how long, it all fit now, she wanted to belong, she wanted a family, too bad she picked the wrong people. Ike thought.

"I guess I could go tell Robbie not to worry about finding her parents." She looked over at Angelique, "I guess you're coming home with me now. Lucky you."

Ike turned around and walked back down the hallway toward the office where she had been just moments before. Questions began to swirl around her head, how was she going to take care of her, where would she stay when she was away on 'business,' what about school and friends. Ike took a deep breath everything was spinning out of control like a bad roller coaster and she wanted off.

"Ike, what's wrong?" Robbie was by her side his arm around her as he led her to one of the vacant chairs.

"Well you can call off the search for Angelique's parents, she doesn't have any."

"What do you mean she doesn't have any?" He asked stunned by what she just said.

"I told her you were looking for her parents so she could go home and she told me that she didn't have any parents, that she was an orphan." Ike sighed.

"Bloody Hell. Now what do we do with her." Robbie asked.

"I guess she can come home with me for the time being, after that I don't know what to do with her, to tell you the truth."

Robbie nodded. "I guess then you will be leaving as soon as you can."

"Well not necessarily, I figured we would stay another day, catch up on some sleep, relax a bit. To tell you the truth this is all overwhelming."

"Tell me about it." Ike was so focused on Robbie that she hadn't heard Angelique or Justin come around the corner.

"Are you really going to take me with you?" Angelique asked quietly.

"I guess so, for now anyway. Unless you got somewhere else you'd rather be?" Ike wasn't sure if she was the right person for the job, but it didn't look like she had any choice in the matter.

"Okay." Angelique said as she pushed two ear buds back into her ears and pushed play on her mp3 player.

Justin looked at Ike and Ike looked at Robbie. There was nothing left for them to do but pack up and head back to the states. Of course after Ike had a good ten hours in the bunk and some food in her stomach.

The ride back to the hotel was quiet, Ike had her head leaned against Justin's shoulder and Angelique was asleep next to them. The first thing Ike was going to do back at the hotel was order her some clothes that fit and have her take a shower. After that food was the next thing and seeing a doctor about her injuries. If she was anything like Ike herself then going to the doctor was going to be an adventure.

Chapter 4

Ike thought it would be best if they all flew on the same flight to the same place, Justin's ranch. From there she was going to make an appointment with the only doctor she used when she was in Arizona. She wasn't sure what she would do with Angelique, school was her best bet, but she had no idea if she had ever been to school.

Justin's jeep sat waiting for them in the overnight parking lot, the monster of a vehicle looked the same as the last time she had seen it. The windows were tinted but you could hardly tell with all the dirt and mud that covered them. The driver side door still held the dent from the last time she drove it on one of their missions. Ike smiled as she remembered that day.

She had never driven a stick shift before but on this day she had to learn, even if she wreaked his favorite jeep.

They were waiting for their contact to show, when they were caught off guard. A man had approached them and asked for change. Justin had rolled the window down to tell the man to get lost when out of no where he drew his gun. Ike started the jeep and took her foot off the clutch a little too quickly causing them to hop and jump out into the street and into a tree on the center divider. The man of course ran when she hit tree.

Despite all of the problems early on in the mission, they were successful in the take down of the most successful drug lords in Columbia.

"You ready?" Justin asked.

Ike looked around and saw that their bags had been put in the back of the jeep and Angelique was already sitting in the back seat, her head still moving to the beat of her Mp3 player. Whatever was on that thing, it must be good. Ike thought, sliding into the front seat.

Justin turned left out of the parking structure and headed back for the freeway; from there it would be another thirty minutes to his ranch outside of Sierra Vista. Ike used the head rest on her seat to relax, even though she had slept most of the previous day and on the flight home. She figured she would take Angelique out shopping get her some clothes and anything else she could want or need once they were settled in. After that she would take her to the doctor and have the cast she was sporting at the moment changed.

Justin's ranch sat on top of the clearing, the peach stucco gleaming in the sun, home sweet home. Ike thought as they drove up the drive way. Angelique whistled as she finally looked up from her lap. The house had been Justin's parent's before they had tragically died, in the will they left, Justin was supposed to carry on the tradition of baling hay. The farm had once been one of the most productive and lucrative businesses in town, now though as the economy was getting tough, Justin needed to lean in a different direction, so half of the acres had used for hay and the other half was a mercenaries play ground.

Justin was contracted through the US government to train their most promising soldiers, sometimes it worked out and then other times, well, they failed. Nine months out of the year he was a drill instructor and the other three he trained people like Ike.

Maybe this was where Angelique belonged, Ike thought.

Justin opened the front door of his house, the living room was painted in soft tans, his furniture was the same the chairs and couch were hand crafted. All three pieced had been covered in cow hide; the chairs were matching black and white spotted fur, while the couch was tan and white. The coffee table was made of leather hide and pine wood, brass rivets held the hides to the wooden frame. Over the fireplace hung his fifty-two inch plasma screen T.V.

"Come with me Angelique, your room is this way." Justin said leading her down the back hall.

"Okay." She said following him with her head down.

Ike walked down the hall off the small kitchen; her room was where it always was, last room on the right next to the bathroom. She opened the door expecting to see her contents removed, but everything was the same, it was as if Justin was waiting for her to return to him.

It creped her out.

Ike threw her duffle bags down on the floor and sagged onto the bed. The mattress was still lumpy and stiff. Ike smiled as she eased her body onto the bed. It was good to be home. She wanted to close her eyes and sleep for the next week straight but she knew there were more important things to do.

Sitting up, Ike reached into her bag and pulled out a fresh set of clothes and headed for the bathroom. She figured she could shower quickly and fix them something to eat before calling Dr. Miller. Hopefully if everything went right, Angelique would have a clean cast and they would have a better understanding as to what happened to her.

"The bathroom is down this way Angelique, you are more then welcome to shower and do whatever you need to, whenever you like." Justin said as he was showing Angelique the house.

"Speaking of showers, I got first dibs, sorry kiddo." Ike said walking into the bathroom.

"It's cool, you stink more anyway." She smirked.

Ike flipped her off and smiled as she closed the door, the girl must have been feeling better, her wit was quick and she really was beginning to remind her of herself. The water from the shower beat down on her body as she washed her hair and body. Even though she had showered before she got on the plane, the stagnant air and cigarette smoke clung to her making her skin feel slimy.

On the sink sat her black BDU's and white tank; standard attire for someone in her line of work. On the inside though, she was a clothes whore. Anything with a brand name was in her closet; Justin was the only one who knew about it. Slipping into her black silk panties she thought about what she was going to make for breakfast, she didn't see the girl eat, so she wasn't sure what she wanted, maybe she could make a variety of food and go from there, at least she would know what to and not to make for her.

Angelique was sitting at the table; her mp3 player sat in front of her on the table, beside her a sketch pad and wore out pencil. The book was open to a picture of the rolling hills of England. It was stunning. If you stared at it long enough you would swear you were actually there.

Ike went over to the table and pulled out a chair. "You do this?" She said pointing to the drawing.

Angelique pulled the book closer to her, "What's it to ya?" She asked.

"Nothing, I just thought it was beautiful, that's all. The showers open if you want it; you better get it before Justin's done unpacking. He's a bit of a girl when it comes to his hair, if you know what I mean." Ike smiled.

Angelique nodded and picked up the notebook. "Thanks." She said walking toward the bathroom.

"No problem." Ike mumbled to her self.

Ike went over to the counter to make a pot of coffee, she knew the kid would be a hard nut to crack but everything she said was the wrong thing, she wondered if she had been this impossible at her age, and then all she had to do was think about what she had been through, and yeah she was this bad, if not worse.

"Where you at sweet cheeks?" Justin called out to Ike.

"In the kitchen, making some coffee, you want some?" She answered.

Justin rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. "Look at you little misses domesticated." His voice was full of playful teasing.

Ike shot him the middle finger as she turned the Mr. Coffee machine on. "Suck my ass Justin. I'm in no mood."

Justin raised his hands in surrender. "I get it, you're a little sleep deprived, but there is something else bothering you. What can I do to help?"

Ike sighed, yeah something was definitely bothering her. "What am I going to do with a fifteen year old girl?" She asked

Justin sat back in his chair, "well have you ever thought of training her to do what you do? If I remember correctly, you were only a couple of years older then she was when you came here."

Ike opened her mouth to protest, but Justin waved her off. "Before you say anything, you won't have to do anything if you don't want to, I can do it all myself. Hell she may even want to join the Special Forces boys I train in the summer. Think of how much trouble she could get into then." He laughed.

"And if she doesn't want to be a part of our world?" She asked.

"Well, she could still stay here with me; we could enroll her in school and see what she wants to do from there. It's not like we can't send her to college or where ever she wants when she turns eighteen."

That sounded like a plan, they could give the option of going to school and then on to college or she could work for them, be trained by them and maybe have a pretty good life. Either way, Ike knew she would always make sure she had what she needed, no matter what.

"When she gets out of the shower, we'll sit her down and give her, her options and see where it goes from there."

Justin nodded, "sound like a plan." He said walking toward the refrigerator. "Let's see what we can cook up for breakfast." He smiled. "I don't know about you but I am starved."

Ike smiled. "I had the same thought, only I didn't know what Angelique eats and what she doesn't."

"Well then, I say we go with the stand by's, eggs, bacon, toast and jam. If she doesn't want that, I have some Cap'n Crunch and some milk she could always eat. It has to be better then what she was getting, if she had anything at all there." He said removing the items he was going to use from the refrigerator.

The table was set when Angelique came out of the bathroom, in the middle sat a bowl of scrambled eggs, a plate of bacon, another plate piled high with toast, a small jar of grape jelly, a box of cereal, milk, orange juice, coffee and a couple of cans of Coke. Never since she was little in the orphanage had she seen this much food at one time. She didn't know where to start.

"We didn't know what you might want to eat, so we made a little of everything." Ike said as Angelique sat at the table.

"I eat anything, trust me." She smiled.

Ike watched as Angelique piled food onto her plate, she had taken a little of everything, including the cereal that she ate dry. "We want to talk to you about what you may want to do, now that you are back state side, Angelique." Ike said.

"It's Twist." Angelique said around a bite of toast. "It's my nickname." She said when Ike and Justin stared at her.

"Okay, Twist it is then. Well we want to give you a couple options, you know see what catches your attention. No matter what you choose we will both help you out for as long as you want us too." Justin said.

"As in?" She asked.

"Well, if you would like to go to school and then college we would pay for you to finish your education, but if you would like to stay here and learn and train to do what we do, well, you could stay here and do that, its up to you."

Twist's eyes lit up, "You mean I could stay here and learn how to shot people and blow shit up? Awesome, when can we start?" She said wiggling in her chair.