Life and Trials of a Former Assassin

Chapter 21

Present time

Chopper drifted around the rooms checking on the kids as well as his nakama. They were in a house that was a victim of the housing crisis years ago and had yet to be remodeled or destroyed. It wasn't Chopper's ideal place as it was dirty and had cracked floor boards and peeling paint but it was far enough from the street and surrounded by trees that it provided the perfect cover. They had battery operated camping lights doted around the room for light but kept them away from the windows.

They had brought the kids there just after midnight after driving some to make sure they were far enough away. The kids were still shell shocked after their imprisonment yet they were coming around. They had asked for their parents and when could they go home. Of course the Straw hats were working on it. They thought about just leading the kids to a police office or dropping them off somewhere and making an anonymous call to get the cops to pick the kids up. They had planned the rescue well but when it can to this part they were struggling.

Chopper didn't care what they did. Obviously he didn't want to be caught. He feared the cops would arrest him then he would lose everything he had worked for. Yet in a way though he thought he would be okay with it as long as all the kids got back home safe. He pushed those thoughts away and focused on his patients.

Zoro was in his own room sleeping on a pile of blankets with the three children he had rescued around him sleeping as well. Chopper had tried to keep them out but he couldn't when the first one to wonder in with his blanket grasped in shaking fingers from a nightmare started crying. He allowed the boy in and told him he could lie next to the sleeping man as long as he didn't touch his chest. The second curled on his other side while the third curled around his head. Everyone agreed it was adorable.

Brook had been playing lullabies since they got settled in the truck and later in the house. It had been helping to keep the children calm. Franky would chime in with songs from time to time as he kept watch on the front of the house. Luffy, Usopp and Jinbei were watching the sides and the back. Luffy had yet to return to his normal exuberant self but it was only a matter of time. They were still on their mission as it had been called and once the kids were home then he would be himself again. The girls were going around to the kids as they tried to get them to nap. Sanji was in the kitchen working with the supplies they had to feed the kids as well as the adults.

Chopper took a break and sat on the stairs. He knew they could get through this. They could get through anything.

In the end the children were dropped off outside a small town police office. Sanji had checked for cameras and found none. As the sun was rising the kids were sent down the street where they opened the doors and walked inside. The crew returned to the truck except Sanji and Robin. They climbed to the roof of the police office and listened in. Once the children walked in the lone officer was frantically on the phone calling others in to help and other offices where the kids said they were from. The two listened proud that the children were sticking with the story they came up with. They said they didn't know who saved them as no names were ever used. All they knew was it was a bunch of people but they didn't know how many and they didn't know what they looked like.

Later on in the day on their way back to Chicago Sanji heard Kalifa's bill was passed. He shared the good news with his nakama.

"The disgrace is behind all of our problems! We were fine until he was brought back." Yonji said.

Reiju sat in the study as her brothers argued. Their father was in the back in the sauna trying to calm down over the new reports. In the last two weeks since she spoke with Sanji deliveries of priceless paintings were stolen then magically showed up at museums, a shipment of weapons was destroyed, safe houses ransacked, employees and allies disappeared or turned up dead. Also Tesoro and their missing money had yet to be found. The newest report was of an ally who sold kids on the black market had his base hit with many of his men dead and the children taken.