Adopted By Hamilton//OBC

Chapter 5: The Park

Jade's POV:

     I woke up at 4 in the morning to a pounding headache and reached for my medications to find the bottle empty. What happened last night? I could only remember the stranger at the diner and Jake's awful face. 

I sighed and went downstairs to start breakfast. I stared at the eggs, longing for a bite, but I knew they weren't mine. "I don't deserve them" according to Mr. Johnson. Speaking of which, I heard a stumble upstairs, that must be him.

"Ge'mmeee 'nother cig Jadey." He slurred. I grimaced at his drunk nickname.

"The store is out." I cautiously reminded him.

 "Don't care. Go to this address, under the abandoned subway, ask for Scabs. Tell 'em The Buuzzzzz sentyou. Don'tsaynothing. Got itttt. Bring it back byy 10:45 or your going to get Betsy." He sayed, his words getting hazier. He mentioned Betsy, please not that, anything but that.

"Got it." I said.

"Go"

And with that I sprinted out of the house, not bothering to finish the breakfast or note the rising temperature of the house. I  looked at my phone. "9:00" Great I had some time. I sprinted to the Subway station, knowing that I am probably doing something illegal, but I had to. I had no other choice. As a foster child, you have to learn to survive by Any Means Necessary. I slipped into the entrance and faced a tall man. He must have been at least 6 feet tall, and had a dragon intertwined with his left eyebrow on his face. 

"Umm I aamm looking f-for Scabs? The Buzz wants something?" I stammered. He turned and walked away, and I followed, praying that I wouldn't die. 

We stopped at a brief case. He opened the many locks and took out a small black cylinder. I stashed it in my pocket.

"Go, you didn't see nothin'" he sayed in a rough voice.

I scampered off, but before I left I saw some plants growing. I don't think I have ever seen those in New York before.

I checked the time. "9:40" Great, I had an hour or so. I decided to head to the park, since I didn't get to do that often. I sat down on a bench and gazed at the city. I felt something wet brush on my ankle. I looked down to see a cute little fluff ball at my feet. (You know it :)) 

"Hi there!" I said to the small doggy. "Wanna play fetch?" He yipped happily as I launched a tennis ball down the grass.

"Thanks, I needed a break." I jumped at a mans voice behind me and turned around.

"No problem."

"You come here often?" He asked, his voice sounding vaguely familiar. 

"When I can. There's also a nice lake I know. It's actually in a nearby park." I responded curtly.

"Me too. I'm usually busy with work, but Tobi loves the Park." Then it hit me, this guy in the beanie was my idol. How did I not see it. The dog, the shirt. The ponytail? I look at my phone. 11:02. I had been gone way too long.

"Sorry I gotta go" I quickly said to him, reluctant to leave. But the memories of the last time I was late, powered my feet forward. I sprinted to the Johnson's

"Where were you Jadey" His voice echoed.

"Got it" I said quickly pulling out the cylinder, holding it in front of my face.

He advanced, Betsy the belt in his hand. Arm raised, ready to strike... then the alarm went off.

Lin's POV:

Tobi ran off to a girl and started playing fetch. I walked over and start chatting. She seemed like a friendly teen. Not like those highschoolers who wore the shirts with a red bar that said "Supreme" on it.

"Thanks, I needed a break." I said, panting. She looked startled.

"No problem." She responded

"You come here often?" she didn't look familiar.

"When I can, there's also a nice lake I know. It's actually in a nearby park." She said. I suppressed a chuckle.

"Me too. I'm usually busy with work though, but Tobi loves the Park." I explained.

She opened her mouth to speak, but froze and checked the time. A look of panic grazed her face, and she shot off. As she turned I caught a glimpse of what I thought looked like huge hand print on her neck. Abuse marks. There was also a black cylinder peeking out of her pocket. Wait,  don't those contain... Never mind. I started to chase after her but I remembered Tobi. I couldn't leave him. I sighed, defeated.

Ring... Ring...Ring.

My phone lit up revealing Anthony's number.

"Lin!" there was fear in his voice.

"Is Everything All Right?" I ask a little too loud. 

"Ummm, the girl I told you about. Umm well she's in trouble. She texted me HELP!, and I don't know what to do."

"Okay, do you know where she lives?"

"No, but lemme try to find out, I'm gonna check her insta....Okay it seems to be 351 15th street."

"Okay I am going to check it out. Stay put."

Anthony's POV

I woke up around 9:40 and saw a text from Jade. I had smiled, and wondered if she wanted to meet up again.

Jade: HELP!     Sent at 9:30

Anthony: Are you okay?    Sent at 9:41

No response. I panicked, what if it was her foster family? I called Lin and found her address. I lived a block away, and sprinted there. A faint smell of smoke tickled my nose, I dismissed it, typical NYC smog. I reached her house, but everything seemed normal. I probably got the wrong address.