Something in the Way You Move [O'J]

Scheming

Callie's POV

Danny leads me over to the table where the adults had dinner and I stand at the end of it, too nervous to sit down. "So you're the missing girl," one of Danny's brothers---I think Dara, but I'm not sure---asks.

"Yup," I confirm, popping the 'p'.

"Now, there's a...flashdrive, I believe Danny said, that has photographic evidence of your beatings on it?"

"Yeah, it's at the house."

"Your dad's house?"

"He's not my dad. My dad's been dead for almost three years now." He shifts uncomfortably under my glare. "It's at the house I ran from, if that's what you meant."

"Er, yes, sorry." He stops talking at this point to let someone else continue. After a minute's silence, one of Danny's sisters---Andrea?---asks, "So you want to go and get it?"

"Well, yeah. I kind of have to if I don't want to live there anymore, and I don't at all."

"Now, there are others that are still there?"

"Yes, five others. Two girls called Ellen and Isa and three boys named Jason, Harlem, and Robby."

"And you want to free them, too?"

"Yes."

"You do know that, if these men are as dangerous as you have claimed, it will be a life-threatening situation to all involved?"

I breathe out heavily. "I'm well aware," I tell them. "I've told Danny several times."

"And you still want us to help you, to put our lives on the line?"

"Wouldn't you want help if the rest of your siblings were being beaten and probably not fed every day?" I retort coolly. She stops talking to let someone else continue.

After many minutes of silence, Mandy says, "Well, Branna---er, Callie, sorry---I'm in."

Ian nods next and says, "As am I."

A few seconds later, Vicky states, "Count me in."

Andrea and Dara look at each other uncertainly, then at me, then at Ian, Mandy, Vicky, and Danny. "Look, it's fine if you don't want to risk your necks. I get it. In fact, it makes more sense to me that you're not than these four risking theirs," I tell them.

Andrea sighs and says quietly, "I couldn't live with myself knowing that there are still children being abused. I'll help."

Everyone turns to look at Dara. After a minute, he snaps, "Well, I can't let you lot have all the fun..."

"Right, then," Danny says. "So here's the plan. We're going to pretend to be cops on a drugs-bust. Dara, I assume you can get uniforms for us, seeing as you are part of the Gardaí, right?"

"Yeah, sure. Shouldn't be too big a deal," he says.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. Hold up. You're part of the Gardaí, Dara? Why aren't you dragging me back to them or something?" I ask.

"Because I know Danny wouldn't have had a problem assaulting an officer if I tried," he says dryly.

"Oh, okay."

"Can I go on explaining now?" Danny interrupts. We nod at him and he continues, "So we're going on this drugs-bust thing, right, and we're going to distract them long enough for Callie to sneak in and get into the basement. If any of them go towards the basement, we wait until they notice Callie's there and flips out before starting the fight so we can legally claim self-defense in court, if it comes to that. While we're fighting, Callie's gonna free the rest of them and then we're going to tear the house apart looking for those flashdrives, since there is one per person. Then we're going to make a getaway."

"How are we making the getaway?" Dara asks.

"Not sure yet. Any ideas, anyone?"

"Well, I'm a Sergeant and in charge of the Garda station in my subdistrict. I can get a few of my most-trusted Garda officers to drive us out of there," Dara offers. "How many getaway cars will we need?"

"I'd go with three," I state. "Because the Garda officer would be driving, one of us could be put up front with them, and then two of you guys could be in the back with the other one. So two kids, two adults, and the Garda officer per car."

"Yeah, that's sensible," Dara agrees. "I'll go down to the station tomorrow to pick my three for this."

"Great, thanks."

"Of course."

"So, after we get out of there, what's going to happen?"

"Well, we could go back to the Garda station and I will contact the Commisioner to come down. We are supposed to call him if you have been found."

"Alright, then. So it's all planned?"

"It would certainly appear that way."

"Wait, when are we setting out on the 8th?" Danny asks.

"That depends. Callie, when will all the children are definitely in the basement?"

"After sunset. After seven or eight at night would be the time to do it."

"You're positive?"

"A hundred percent."

"Then eight o'clock at night on the 8th is when we shall leave here. The Garda will come to pick us up."

"Very good, then."