What a girl's gotta do

Part 2

  Nikki went to the barn and saddled her favorite horse, She grabbed her purse in case she ended up being late and wanted to grab breakfast in town. She left a note for her parents and then headed out. As she rode she her mind went back to the city.

 The police dragged Nikki off her best friend, and the girl that never complained and never cried was bawling and couldn't stop. The couple standing off to the side was talking to the police men. She heard them tell the couple that this happened more than people ever knew, homeless kids died everyday and no one cared. There is no system for these kids to get families so they will never get the chance they deserved and probably be thieves their whole life. Then they told her something she had not known before, they had been looking for Nikki for a long time. Said she was the best and the whole underground knew it but that she was loyal only to the four kids she had run away with and now three. One day she would be a very talented con artist if someone didn't help her change her ways. Even through her sadness Nikki could hear every word, the couple asked what they would have to do to be that change. And that was how she had met them, her parents. They did not take her back to the orphanage but kept her with them and then took her straight to the mayor, They were visiting as his special guests at the time and made the deal right there with him so that they would not have to wait years and years to adopt Nikki. In half hour everything was arranged and she belonged to this couple she didn't even know. She was determined to hate them, but then they did something she never would have guessed in a million years. They were back at the hotel and they got to her level and the lady said to her Nikki we do not want to make you do anything you do not want to. If you don't want to come with us say the word and we will give you your papers and you can walk out of here. Nikki considered this for a minute but then she remembered the angry face scowling at her "I will find you Nikki" and suddenly would do anything to get far away from this city. Besides these were the nicest people she had ever met. 

 After that they had taken her shopping and bought her everything a little girl could want. But Nikki didn't want much she was a very mature practical girl and did not enjoy dolls and toys but a good pair of shoes and a coat and she thought she was in heaven. They took her to a toy store and told her to pick out anything she wanted, they smiled as she headed straight toward some beautiful glass dolls, but were surprised when she passed them right up and stopped in front of a case with Swiss army knifes. "Can I get one please" Nikki asked her eyes begging, the man smiled and bought her the most expensive one. "Is there anything else you would like" asked the lady, "well" said Nikki "a piece of bread would be good." The lady felt so embarrassed to have dragged the poor girl all over the city and not stopping for lunch. She reached for Nikki to give her an apologetic hug. Nikki flinched and took a half a step back. The lady was confused for a second and then she realized the reason for this action. She thought she was going to be punished for asking for food. Right then the lady knew if she ever met the person who had done that to this beautiful sweet child he had better be very afraid. She was so angry she could have punched a hole clear through the wall. 

 They payed for the knife and then went to find a diner. A lady showed them to a table and handed them menu's. The lady told Nikki to pick out what ever she wanted to eat. Then watched as her finger hung close to the steak but then she said she wanted a soup and toast and of course she had picked the cheapest soup and bread. When the waitress came back her new parents ordered then her new mother told the waitress that Nikki wants the sirloin steak with a side of potatoes. Then they both turned to Nikki and explained to her that she did not need to worry about the cost of anything anymore, if she needed something especially food then to just ask. The food came and Nikki was looking out the window as she ate when suddenly she straightened up. "Can I be excused for a moment?" she asked, then she hopped down from the table and rushed out the door to the side walk.

 "Jake" she called "Jake I need to talk to you." she had seen him pass by out her window. He stopped and turned around "Nikki!" he grabbed her hand and ducked into an alley way. "Nikki, what happened, and wheres Jazz?" Nikki's eyes filled with tears, "He killed her Jake, right in front of me." He to cried for a time, and then Nikki explained to him everything that had happened and wrote down the address she would be living at. "Wheres Connor and Alex" Nikki asked, "After the raid we decided it was safer to split to different rings, but Connor gave us each a disguise and new name. I'll tell him what happened, I'm gonna miss you Nikki." he said "I'm gonna miss all of you, you pass that address to the other and you guys be sure to write, and please stay safe if he finds us again" Nikki shuddered, neither of them wanted to think about what would happen. They hugged one more time and then went separate ways knowing this would probably be the last time they would see each other. 

 Nikki went back to her new parents. The next day they headed for Montana, where she had found a new family and the only home she had ever know. They taught her everything they knew to keep her busy and to distract her from her night mares. Then all the good memories came, of the ranch and her training and her adopted cousins, and Gerry who had taught her to punch and fight. 

 With a start Nikki came back to the present she realized she had gone much further than she had intended having been lost in the memories of the wonderful years she had spent here. She turned her horse around, the sun was already coming up it was going to be a beautiful day, but she was going to be late for breakfast.