Teen Survivors 💰 S.S.

Orphaned

In an apartment, Chris was on the phone talking with his daughter with a small smile on his face. "Well Allison, I'm sure that it will turn out great," he told her with a small laugh in his tone. "Save it for me to see when I get back home, okay sweetie?" There was then a small pause. "Oh, I think I'll be away for maybe a bit longer. The people daddy is working with don't leave a lot of time for me to come home right away." He then dropped his gaze and looked over in the next room where there were four men cleaning, checking and loading all their guns. One person was at a corner, sharpening a set of knives.

Gerard was heading over for him and he heard Chris mutter a quick goodbye to his daughter. "How's my granddaughter doing?" he asked.

"She's fine. Getting excited about painting her next picture." His head bowed a bit. "She wishes that I was there to see it when she finishes."

"Does she understand why you can't be there?"

"She understands as well as any nine-year-old should."

Gerard nodded. "I know that you want to see more of her. Especially in her adorable years, but we have a sworn duty. One that is demanding and necessary."

"I know that." He looked over at the men and he did a mental count of the ones they lost when Gerard had accepted an invitation to a peace summit a few months ago. He also noticed that one was still unaccounted for. "Kate isn't back yet?"

"No, I sent her on another reconnaissance run. Trying to learn more from tailing and watching the younger Hales."

"They're just children," Chris argued.

"For now," Gerard told him pointedly. "And they are our best chance to learn more about Talia Hale and her pack."

The sound of the front door opening drew their attention and they were pleased to see Kate was walking in with a calm look about her.

"Please tell me that there's something saucy around here with my name on it?" she sighed to them as she moved to remove her leather jacket.

"What news?" Gerard asked her.

She smiled. "Well, I managed to speak with Derek Hale again today. Normal teenage stuff."

"He doesn't suspect you?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. He thinks I'm nothing more than the sweet, understanding and beautiful T.A."

"And what about the older one?"

"Haven't seen her around."

"Laura Hale is graduating next month. She simply could be busy preparing to leave town to go to college or some other life pursuit. It is something normal for people her age to be occupied with," Chris reasoned out.

"Yeah right," Kate muttered under her breath.

"Forget about the older one," Gerard told them sternly. "You've gained a foothold with the boy and that should be sufficient enough to learn everything we need about the pack. Remember, it's his mother, the Alpha Talia who is the real prize. I want nothing to jeopardize bringing her down, am I clear?" he said to them with a harsh authoritarian tone.

"Yes," both Chris and Kate told him in unison.

"Good. Now, I'm going to have to leave tomorrow. One of my contacts over in Nepal requested my help. I'm taking all but three of the men so it'll be up to you two to oversee things here while I'm gone." Gerard then turned to Kate. "You keep working the boy until he gives you what we need. Stay close until you get it from him."

She smiled. "Oh, it'll be my pleasure."

Gerard's face hardened but he didn't say anything more to her. He then turned to his son. "Have you tracked down the rest of the pack yet?"