I'll Always Choose You #Watty's2023

22. Gio

"Are you sure?" I asked the person in the other end of the line, "how many were there?"

"One hundred ," Cam said and I clenched my jaw. With Patrick and his allies now gone, I began looking for every victim of theirs. It was difficult finding them and it hurt even more learning that most of them were dead due to an overdose or were killed when they weren't useful to their pimps. I was livid.

"How many dead?" I asked dreading the answer

"Are you sure you want to know, cousin?" Cam asked instead of replying

"Yes, I owe it to Nico. I promised him that I'd find every victim of Patrick's" I replied and heard him sigh and the sound of papers being flipped filled the air

"You're not going to like the answer, Gio," he replied before sighing again "according to the medical records that I was able to obtain after hacking the various hospitals' systems, there were roughly over 2,000. Some had various wounds such as gunshots, stabbing and a few had lacerations to their necks. Other had puncture wounds from drug injections. The coroners wrote notes about the wounds and also the ages of each of the victims." I closed my eyes as he spoke and with each word, I wanted to kill Patrick over and over again.

"How old were they? And their sex?" I found myself asking and I felt my blood turn cold as he replied.

"The youngest victim that died was 7 and he was found on the side of the road with a band wrapped around his bicep and punctured wounds," Cam whispered and I could tell he was just as angry as I was with what he was reading. "The oldest was 22 and she was strangled to death."

"Fuck!" I snarled balling my fists at my sides since the cold was on speaker "Those bastards"

"Arrow and Cain are looking to see if there are anymore of Patrick's allies alive and if they were still selling these victims."

"And the ones that are alive? Have you found them? Are they safe?"

"Yes, apparently one of Patrick's victims escaped when Patrick wasn't looking and ran to the police. The child was immediately taken into custody as he had been reported missing by his parents three months prior to his escape. He was able save the rest of Patrick's victims and helped them reunite with their families." He replied and I was glad. Those children didn't deserved what happened to them. And I'll be dammed if any child is still out there being sold for money and drugs. I've made it my life's mission since my mother and sister were killed that I'd protect every defenseless child or person out and that included a child that's being exploited. "But there is only one child that hasn't been reunited with his parents. According to police records, his parents were the ones that had sold him to Patrick in the first place when the bastard afforded them money in exchange of their son."

What kind of parent would stoop to such levels and sell their son to a sick man like Patrick? Money hungry people that's who. Any person who doesn't care for their flesh and blood is trash.

"And Gio, the boy's name is Tanner and he's only 4 years old."

Four fucking years old? They sold their fucking four year old son to a sick bastard? I can't fucking believe this.

"Where is he now?" I asked standing from my chair and throwing my jacket on.

"Children's Home Society & Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota," He answered before asking "what are you planning to do Gio?"

"Gio?" I looked up at Nico's voice to see him at the door with tears streaming down his cheeks and I let my heart clench in my chest. How long was he standing there listing to my conversation with Cam?