The Search

Chapter 5.

Jade

I forgot how many memories we made in this apartment. Our first kiss, our first, well you know, the twins first words and their first steps.

It's been a week since I started "living here" and working at the diner and currently, they haven't spotted me.

I sit watching the computers we set up many years back, each showing a different security camera we placed around the building. Some are posted down the street, watching every corner.

At least this way I won't be surprised, I'll see them coming from a mile away.

I hum to Christmas music and glance at the clock, letting the hours tick by.

———

The Diner is full of people once again as dinner time hits. This neighbourhood isn't as rich as the rest of the city, and this Diner supplies cheap food for the very hungry and hard working people.

Since the owners were so nice to me after I ran, Nikolai and I donate every month. More of a pay back for housing us and feeding us until we got stable jobs.

Nikolai was actually the stay at home Dad while he took college online classes. I was at an internship downtown designing.

Harper and Dave sidle up to me as I pour someone else's coffee. They usually keep an eye on the workers when it gets busy.

"Yes?" I ask smiling at the customer as I slide the cup towards them. Every penny I make in tip goes to them as I stay upstairs, eating their food.

"How are the children?" Harper asks leaning closer to whisper.

"Nikolai said he would be fine, he doesn't want me to call unless I absolutely have to." I sigh but pull out a smile, I just want to hear my babies voices. "I trust him and I'm one hundred percent sure they are fine."

Dave leans his hip against the counter, I notice his greying hair thinning, "you want to do a board game night?" He wiggles his eyebrows, "cheer you up some?"

I laugh but shuffle away, because I know and Harper knows that bored game night means getting drunk, yelling, cursing and laughter. It's absolute craziness.

"I would love to, but I'm going to Alex's game, you know. Undercover and all."

He nods smiling and I take off the apron, grabbing a hat and my hoodie. I throw the hood on, my cap guarding my eyes and I take a taxi to the game.

——————

Alex is the best player I know, and yes I say that because I'm his mom but also because he's actually really good. My kids know I can be brutally honest, I wouldn't lie.

I'm nice about it, I promise.

When the buzzer goes off, his team jogs of the court like usual and the crowd starts standing, dispersing to their kids or out the door.

While the team is in a huddle I look for Nikolai, immediately spotting him waiting in the corner with the other kids.

He carries a sleeping Ollie while Sophie carries a sleeping Lexi. Lexi looks like she's been crying a lot, she has an extra puff to her cheeks and her bottom lip sticks out whenever she isn't happy.

I sigh leaning against the wall, Colten is talking to his Dad quietly, smiling like he usually does when Alex wins. I think Colten is Alex's number one fan.

When the team huddle is done Alex walks over to the group smiling and glistening with sweat. He takes Lexi from Sophie and her arms immediately go down, her hands flexing like she was having trouble carrying her.

I wish I could've helped her, she's just a kid, she shouldn't have to be taking care of her siblings. She should be a kid, smiling and having fun like Colten.

They walk out, but Nikolai delays a little behind Colten watching them leave, before his gaze cuts to me.

Nikolai smiles, sends me a wink and blows a quick quiz. I send a kiss back, watching as he follows the rest of the family out.

————-

Something I haven't done for a while is get back into my hacking system.  But, as someone who used to be stuck in a house it's easy to fall back into the habit while stuck in an apartment. 

I know where my Papa and Brothers are staying, it's one of their favourite hotels and it happens to be in Calgary.

They have visited it many times in the past, while I hid right under their noses.

I quickly get to work on the computer, logging in different combinations of texts.  Entering passwords, copying computer texts, and eventually logging into their system. 

I watch their hotel security system for hours, taking breaks to eat and pee.  When eventually at 8:00 o'clock sharp the family exists the elevator, for dinner.  Right on schedule. 

My Papa was always nit picky with those types of things,  a scheduled dinner, scheduled meetings, scheduled lights out and you always had to be on time.

I shiver at the memory, when the lights went out even if you weren't in your room.  The cold and dark hallway in a huge mansion being scarier than my mafia father.

My eyes are drawn to my eldest brother first, Alexander.  Someone I had trusted, he betrayed me a long time ago, I don't think I'll ever be able to trust him again.

James, my second eldest brother lights a cigarette, standing beside Alexander.  God I hated and hate those fucking cigarettes.  He was the most strict and domineering brother, one I fought with quite a bit.

And yet, I believe he cared about me the most.

Luca and Hudson stand off to the side with all of my nephews.  They display smiles, but something else lurks behind their eyes. They always broke when I used my little sister super powers.

As I look closer to the computer, I notice that my Father and my brothers still wear the bracelets I made for them at age seven.