Jul 16, 2024
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An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Donatello & Leonardo & Michelangelo & Raphael (TMNT) Characters: April O'Neil (TMNT), Michelangelo (TMNT), Donatello (TMNT), Leonardo (TMNT), Raphael (TMNT), Sunita (TMNT), Big Mama (TMNT) Additional Tags: Angst, Escape, Kidnapping, I HATE TAGGING SO MUCH LITERALLY FOAMING AT THE MOUTH Series: Part 10 of Whumptober 2022! Summary:
The turtles try to save April and Sunita from Big Mama. It goes really wrong, really fast.
The Kings child's Curse (?/?)
A magic problem (centering Tommy)
Tommy struggled against his captor. The magic cord that the Mage wound around his hand at the wave of a wand. Tommy had been Tommynaped from off the street. he had wandered from his Dad's side to look at a cat that was on the street
"When my Dad hears about this, your as good as dead," Tommy shouted and bit at his captor's hands. He was Six, after all. the two captors were in black robes and had red serpents on their robes
" Deception." masked man number 2. "You are a member of Amence Republic."
"This Kid would make a legend in the Amence Republic." masked man Number one said. "The amalgamation of the Raven mistress hundreds of years in the making."
"And what does my mum have to do with this," Tommy demanded. Kicking the shin of his closest masked captor. His captor yelped on getting his shin hit.
"Just shut the kid up; we've got to go to the Ather ship." Captor number 2 said. "This Esempi kingdom is a disappointment to the Raven Mistresses' name."
"Don't you dis my home your ass!" Tommy shouted before a golden Thread shut his mouth. His captor had waved their wand, and the golden tried appeared. Tommy shouted as much as he could, even if his captors couldn't hear the words he was saying.
"Why did the mistress of Raven come here of all places?" Captor number one asked, pulling Tommy over his shoulder.
Tommy struggled the entire length of time to the Ather fealed where large ships made of wood powered by Magic to pull the sails and ship to the air.
The set of captors carried Tommy to a fancy ship that was narrow with dark paint on the hull with golden trim and Purple color on the name 'Prisma.' it was something that just screamed wealth. Tommy just stopped struggling; he let all of his weight falls.
Tommy was Dropped on the ground in the deck. Tommy was breathing heavily out of breath. He had been fighting for the past 3 hours.
"Get the ship up." Captor number two said.
"There will be none of that." The serious tone made Tommy sit up from the ground. He looked and saw a tall brunet leaning on the Rail. The man wore a red cloak with gold trim and a scarf with a Golden Raven embroidered. Black tinted spectacles covered their eyes. The two masked Mages pulled their wands on him.
"Who are you?" One of Tommy's captors demanded.
"Oh, That's unnecessary." The red-cloaked man said. "I'm here for Tommy."
The sorcerers cast their spells like bolts of light. Bending around him, he just gave a charming smile pulling out his own wand with a flourish. The two mages were flung into the air, tied up like a prime game.
"We'll have a conversation with your coven later." The red-cloaked man walked over to Tommy. He crouched down.
"Hello Tommy, Your father is quite concerned for you. How are you feeling?" The man asked as the thread that sewed Tommy's lips together released.
Tommy hiccuped, "Who are you?"
"I am Headmaster Eret of Order of the Golden Raven." The red-robed man said. Eret extended his hand out to Tommy. "Would you like to go home?"
Tommy gave a weak nod and grabbed Eret's Hand. Tommy felt a woosh of air, and the world around them looked like an old study.
"Tommy!" Tommy felt the familiar hug from his dad. He found himself only looking at a few strands of his dad's blond hair.
"Dad," Tommy cried
"I still need to deal with the other mages." Eret said, "Farewell, Phill."
Tommy watched the spot that Mr. Eret was standing. One moment Eret was there; the next, he was gone. Just as he appeared on the Ather ship.
~O~
The Empress's chamber was silent. The lady in the room sat with elegant skits. The Empress looked at her tea with disdain. She rubbed a rune on the cup, the water producing steam again.
" This is disturbing news. The attempted kidnapping of Thomas Ravencraft is an attack on Essempei. I do hope that was clearly translated, brother."
Eret lounged in his chair. He grabbed his own cup that had cooled the same as Empress Nikachu's. He performed the same rune on the cup and sipped.
"As clear as can be with the Amence Republic's new coven system." Eret said. "grand headmistress Kristin was recorded as still being an active member of the order she left to form the golden raven tower."
"This will need to be resolved in person depending upon their response," Niki said.
"Sister, I know that you are eager to display what you have learned." Eret caused, " however you are still in charge of producing heir to the empire. You must exercise restraint, as with the moon bloom flower growth."
"Letting those who threatened my Nephew get away with it," Niki said. her mana pooling like fire within her eyes. "Not within the Bluemoon"
"Let's wait for their correspondence first, sister." Eret sighed; he pulled a small vile from the pouch at his waist. The liquid was blue and shimmered.
"Perhaps use your sleep tonic." Eret placed the vile in his sister's hand."Remember, no sleep potions taken by mouth while pregnant."
"And instead, place a drop on an incense burner or pillow." Niki said, " Yes, I remember Brother."
Eret bid his tower sister farewell for the night. Niki allowed her hand to be kissed. She gave a small "I will keep you informed of any development with the Amence Republic. Eret returned to his chambers in a blink of an eye.
The golden Raven tower would keep a close eye on the situation. They would prevent any further kidnaping of the beloved son of a brother-in-law to the tower.
Read more Here
Grandmother now charged in Johor for conspiring to kidnap a man for RM20 million ransom
A woman, Chan Wan Kooi, 57, was charged in the Johor Bahru Sessions Court on Sunday for conspiring to kidnap a 59-year-old man to demand a RM20 million ransom on October 13. Chan allegedly worked with accomplices Chong Shih Ming, Luong Van Tung, and Tran Van Chung to commit the crime at a house near Jalan Straits View at 5 a.m. The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Umar Faiz…
WTF??
Someone tried to kidnap Patrick Marleau’s son, but people intercepted and the alleged kidnappers are now in custody.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-legend-patrick-marleaus-son-nearly-kidnapped-according-to-his-wife-christina-214233599.html
The Eternal Hourglass
Chapter 9: The Other Shoe
The Patrulian Zone was…. basically a ship graveyard. Certainly one of the best places to hide an ancient, near-mythical city you didn’t want the unworthy wandering into. After all, anyone who wandered in unwittingly was unlikely to ever come out again. Haggar had apparently considered that, as well. Or her commanders had, at least, and thus, her fleet -small, but larger than Lotor would have liked -floated just beyond the edge of the graveyard.
“The Black Lion’s on that main ship, there,” Keith said, pointing at the image on the holoscreen.
Lotor studied the screen a little longer. “It will be dangerous.”
“I’ve put myself in far more dangerous situations,” Keith said, and it was impossible to tell if he was joking or not. Probably not. “Besides, you promised me a distraction.”
“I did,” Lotor said with a sigh. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it. For Keith, he would. It was just... putting Rallir in even the slightest bit of possible danger made his hackles rise. “You may have to approach from behind; once the battle begins, their focus and their particle barriers will be directed this way.”
“I’m a passable pilot,” Keith said, and Lotor had the sense that it was an understatement. “I’ll be fine.”
“Very well; get down to the launch bay. Commander, hail the main ship.”
Keith nodded and turned to leave, but before he could, Lotor said, “Keith? Be safe.”
Keith turned back, a lopsided grin making him look even younger than he actually was. “You too.”
Lotor returned the grin, then redirected his attention to the displays. He had a battle to direct; this strange protectiveness he felt would have to wait.
-
Keith raced down to the launch bay, running to something, but also...running from something.
He still wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to come back after he found Shiro, much less why he’d actually done it.
Other than Shiro himself, of course; he’d needed medical attention, and Lotor was the only one close enough to offer it. But… He’d wanted to, even before he found Shiro.
He didn’t understand why. Was it only because he hadn’t had any physical contact with anyone in years, and then Lotor had offered and-? It hadn’t been sex, but it was still good. Maybe better than sex, honestly, just...being touched, without violence or expectation. But… Lotor wasn’t well. He acted more like what Keith had expected of him, but he could tell he was barely holding himself together, and it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of that, no matter what Lotor thought he wanted.
There was also the matter of Keith’s not-inconsiderable crush on Shiro. At this point, it went beyond a crush. You didn’t fight against all odds, cross the universe, exhaust all possibilities for a crush. For simple infatuation. If- when -Shiro woke up, Keith was going to tell him how he felt, while they were both in their right minds.
But first, he had to retrieve the Black Lion.
-
The battle/distraction was going remarkably well, which meant it was nearly time for the other shoe to drop. A cynical view, perhaps, but you didn’t live for ten thousand years without becoming at least a little pessimistic.
“Sire, there’s been an unauthorized entry into the rear launch bay.”
Ah...There is was. The other shoe.
Lotor frowned. “Has the situation been contained?”
“The ship was apparently empty, Sire.”
Empty? No. Unlikely. The pilot had simply remained unseen. “You have the bridge, Commander,” Lotor said, swallowing his panic. He couldn’t afford to give into it right now.
The rear launch bay was the closest to the residential areas of the ship, which were also the most well-armored areas. Which was why Lotor had left his son in his rooms, under the care of an attendant, as opposed to having him with him on the admittedly more exposed bridge during a battle.
Once Lotor got to an empty corridor, he ran. He didn’t know, for certain, if his fears were reasonable. Maybe he was just too suspicious, too anxious. Maybe it was nothing. But he couldn’t take that chance.
The sentries guarding his door were lying in heaps, not torn apart, not blown apart, just neatly decapitated, likely by a smooth, twisting motion. The door was open, almost inviting. The culprit was waiting for him. She knew he’d come here. He took one of the sentries’ blasters. It wasn’t his weapon of choice, but he wasn’t fit enough to sword fight someone. Not yet. This would have to do.
She still wore his colors, and it was impossible to say if it was meant to be some sort of sick joke or not. For two years he’d languished under Sendak’s care, and not once had any attempt been made to help him, but as soon as he was free, as soon as he had custody of his son, here she was.
Standing in front of the cradle, cooing softly to his son, was Ezor.
It had to be her, of course. Axca might be too easily swayed back to his side, and Zethrid’s strengths did not lie in infiltration and stealth. And also...she’d been raised by her mother’s people, and their culture had vastly different views on children than the Galra did. Axca and Zethrid would at least think twice before harming a child, but Ezor… she might not.
“Ezor…”
“So you finally showed up. Took you long enough. We’ve only been waiting here for… four months now?” She turned around, finally, Rallir in her arms. He wasn’t crying, but he was fussy and covered in blood. The attendant lay dead in one corner of the room, surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Hopefully, that was where the blood had come from.
“Put him down, Ezor.”
“I don’t take orders from you anymore.” She looked down at Rallir. “At least he doesn’t cry as much as he used to. Drove me crazy, but the High Priestess said we couldn’t throw him out of the airlock.”
She grinned at Lotor, a malicious grin, one that made him sick.
“Ezor, please.”
“Here’s what’s gonna happen,” she said sharply. “You’re gonna tell everyone on this ship to stand down, and I’m gonna walk right on out of here, and your precious son doesn’t get hurt.”
Lotor growled. “If something happens to him, I will hunt you down. As long as it takes. I will find you, and I will end you.”
“Oh,” she laughed. “You do care about someone! I was wondering. You have to be really callous to murder someone in cold blood, don’t you? I learned that from you, Lotor.”
“She asked me to,” Lotor said. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“No, I guess not. I don’t understand how you could just- She was your friend, Lotor! We were all your friends, and if you turned on her…” She grimaced. “It would only be a matter of time before you turned on us, too.”
“I’ll do whatever you want, Ezor, just leave him out of it.”
She laughed again. “This is what I want. I want you to know what it’s like to lose someone, and if this is the only person you care about…”
“He’s not,” Lotor said, desperately. “Please, Ezor, I’m begging you: don’t do this.”
“Sorry, Lotor. This is the way it has to be. But don’t worry. I don’t think the High Priestess is planning on hurting him. Too much.”
There was nothing else he could do. He couldn’t talk her down, couldn’t get her to turn. Couldn’t risk his son by doing something stupid. At the very least, the witch had to know that he would be useless if he was dead. Her life would be forfeit, hers and everyone associated with her, if his son died in her care.
“Drop the gun, Lotor,” she said, “and get out of my way.”
He did, holding his hands up and away from his body, a universal gesture of “I’m not going to try anything; I am not a threat”. “Please,” he said one last time, for all the good it would do.
She just laughed and strode past him.
She was almost out the door when Rallir finally decided that he’d had enough. He bit Ezor’s arm, and despite his lack of teeth, it at least startled her. “Brat,” she hissed, temporarily distracted. It wasn’t much of an opportunity, but Lotor didn’t need one.
He dove for the blaster, and then it was pressed to the side of her head, and he had his other arm around her neck. Overkill, perhaps, but she’d been trying to kidnap his son.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Lotor said, unable to keep the low growl out of his voice. “You are going to put my son on the floor. Gently.”
She hesitated, then did as he asked, slowly and awkwardly, because his arm was still around her throat. Rallir pulled himself into a sitting position, and, for the moment, he seemed uninjured. Good enough for now. Priorities.
“Now, you are going to leave this ship. You are going to deliver a message from me, to the witch. You tell her that if she ever pulls this again, I will kill her. No mercy, no hesitation. If you ever come near my son again, you will regret it. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir,” she snapped.
He kept the blaster pressed to her head as he used his other hand to methodically disarm her, pulling out various knives from their hiding places and dropping them on the floor. She was still dangerous without them, but he had the blaster. He shoved her forward. “Hands up.”
She raised her hands over her head. He could see her jaw clenching and unclenching. She wasn’t happy about this, but that was too fucking bad.
“Now go.”
By this point, the broken sentries had alerted the guards, and they were waiting outside his quarters.
“Escort her off the ship,” Lotor said coldly. “Be careful. She’s sneaky.” But not sneaky enough.
The guards cuffed her and marched her off. There were two more guards waiting for orders.
“I am not to be disturbed,” Lotor said. “No one enters these quarters without my express permission.”
“Yes, sire.”
Lotor closed and locked the door behind him. The adrenaline was slowly being filtered out of his system, and he was...exhausted, but he had to check on Rallir first.
Rallir was still sitting on the floor where Ezor had left him. He was still upset, and Lotor scooped him up without a second thought.
“You’re alright,” Lotor murmured, rubbing his back. He wished he could purr for him, but he couldn’t, anymore. He’d tried, but he just...couldn’t. Still, the physical touch should be enough. Rallir sniffed and pressed his face into Lotor’s shoulder.
“I know, Little One. That was terribly scary, I know. But you’re alright now. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
Finally, Rallir seemed soothed enough for Lotor to actually inspect him. There was blood matting his fur, but a closer examination proved that it wasn’t his. So he wasn’t hurt, just scared. Understandable. Now that it was over, now that he didn’t need to focus, Lotor’s heart was in his throat. He didn’t know what he would have done if Ezor had succeeded. If Rallir had been hurt, or… or worse.
Lotor pulled him close again, nuzzling the top of his head, a simple act to reassure them both that they were alright. That the worst had been avoided.
-
Keith felt exhilarated, coming back from the hangar, where the Black Lion was now safely parked. He was always hyped up after a victory, but it was especially intense this time: after two years of searching, he had the Black Lion back, and maybe there was something they could do for Shiro, and it all felt like he was taking steps in the right direction.
He went to see Lotor, first.
“The emperor is not to be disturbed,” the guard said.
“Can you tell him I’m back at least?” Keith asked.
The guards exchanged glances. “Sure.”
The first guard brought up a display from his wristband and sent out a quick message; an answering chime came back moments later. “He said to go right in.”
“Thanks,” Keith said.
Lotor’s quarters were dark, the lights almost all the way off, and very quiet.
“Keith?” Lotor said, from a sofa in the main room.
“Hey,” Keith said. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m back, and that I have the Black Lion.”
Lotor nodded. The baby -Rallir- was dozing against his chest, and honestly, Keith had never thought that Lotor would have a soft side like this. “You’re uninjured?”
“Yeah. It was easier than I thought it would be.”
“It was a trap,” Lotor said. “But not one intended for you.” The protective way he curled around Rallir made sense, now.
“What happened?” Keith asked.
“An old associate of mine tried to kidnap my son,” Lotor said. “I dealt with it.”
“Well, that’s...good.”
Lotor hummed. “It wouldn’t matter if we had the Black Lion, as long as they had some way to control me. If they had my son… I would be completely unable to disobey them, and they know that.”
It was strange, to Keith, that Lotor was so willing to admit this perceived weakness about himself. “You really care about him, don’t you?” Keith asked finally. He didn’t have to; it was clear from the way Lotor looked at him, held him, spoke about him.
“Yes,” Lotor whispered. “More than I’ve ever cared about anyone or anything.”
Oh,” Keith said.
“There’s no one else to care for him,” Lotor said, “and...he… I can’t redo my childhood and make it better, but I can… I can make his good. Better than mine. If they would just let me.”
”Oh,” Keith said again. He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know much about Lotor, especially not his childhood, and he didn’t know that this soft, vulnerable side was here, and he… He knew what it was like to have no one. “I get it.”
Lotor looked up at him, his expression for once open and soft and raw, and smiled, a little sadly. “You don’t have to be alone, either,” he said so softly that Keith barely heard him. “You can stay for tonight, and in the morning, we’ll help Shiro.”
”Like last time, right?” Keith asked. He’d liked it, probably more than he should, but it was nice to just be close to someone.
“Yes,” Lotor said.
Brooklyn, NY - Attempted Kidnapping Suspect Sought In Borough Park
Brooklyn, NY – Attempted Kidnapping Suspect Sought In Borough Park
Brooklyn, NY – Attempted Kidnapping Suspect Sought In Borough Park
Brooklyn, NY – NYC police are searching for a suspect they say tried to kidnap two children walking home from school in Brooklyn last week.
The first incident happened on Monday, May 7th at around 3:05 p.m. at the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 58 Street in Borough Park.
The Boy was approached by a man who asked if he wanted…
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Another random scene from that same AU as before. This one takes place a short while after the funeral scene. Fox gets spooked by something and runs away, remembering that one of his aunts is a cop in another city and she’ll keep him safe. This scene picks up at night while he’s lost and trying to find her.
Fox huddled behind the dumpster, a small kitten cradled in his arms. He’d found it in a box with a bunch of others. He’d worried a bit that they’d be mad he was taking their sister, but they were all sleeping and he reasoned that would make it okay. (He couldn’t, at the moment, process the fact that the other kittens and their mom were all dead.) The little black kitten meowed and snuggled closer to his hand, trying to absorb some warmth from him. It was difficult, considering how cold Fox himself was.
He heard shuffling from the sidewalk and pressed further against the wall, hoping no one would come in the alley and see him. He’d already seen a few strangers walking around, and they’d all seemed weird and scary. Part of him thought anything would seem weird and scary when you’re all alone at night, but he still didn’t want to meet any of those people.
Despite his best wishes, he still heard footsteps coming toward him a moment later.
Fox glanced up to see a man, older than York or North or anyone else he knew, smiling down at him.
“Hey there, little guy,” he greeted in a light, friendly tone. Fox didn’t respond. “What are you doing out here all alone?”
“Lost,” Fox muttered, glancing around for a way to leave. He remembered all the times mommy’d taught him not to trust strangers, especially after everything that happened with his father. He wanted to get away from this guy, but his path was blocked. He knew he couldn’t get past if the guy tried to stop him.
“Well, I’m sorry to hear that,” the guy said, though he didn’t sound as concerned as he claimed. “How about if I help you?” he offered. “I’ve got a place close by. You could call someone to come pick you up.”
Fox shook his head. “Not supposed to go with strangers,” he said, leveling a distrustful glare up at the man.
“That’s smart,” the man agreed with a nod. “But I’m not a stranger, see? I’m a friend.” He gave this reasoning as he tried to reach out for Fox, only to feel tiny claws across the back of his hand. He snatched his hand back quickly and glared down at the cat he’d noticed for the first time.
“How about you leave that dirty thing here?” he suggested, still trying to coax Fox out of the corner. “I’ll get you a nice kitty, much better than a stray.”
Fox shook his head, hugging the feline closer to his chest. He’d already dubbed it Connie, remembering his mom’s friend who’d taken care of him when he was younger. He didn’t want to leave Connie behind, and he definitely didn’t want to go with this man.
“Look, kid, just come with me,” the guy demanded, voice growing frustrated as he once again reached out for Fox. He managed to grab the kid’s arm and pulled, dragging him away from the dumpster. Fox squirmed and tried to kick away while Connie clawed at the man again, this time being shrugged away and falling to the ground.
Fox whined in fear and was about to try calling out for help when there was a shout from the sidewalk. The man released Fox instantly, bolting and running down the alley.
Fox scrambled to recover Connie, worried she’d been hurt when she fell, before looking to the source of the shout. There was another man, about the same age as York and North. He watched as the first guy ran out of sight before stepping toward Fox.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding concerned.
Fox nodded and sniffed a bit. He was still freaked out, but he didn’t want to let this guy see he was scared. For all Fox knew he could be as bad as the last. The new guy looked between Fox, the street, and the alley for a moment, unsure of what to do. Fox took the chance to study him. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, though there was a lump on his side that Fox recognized. It was the same as mommy and York and all the others would have when they were going to work. Fox knew it was a gun, though he wasn’t sure if that meant he was a bad person or a good one, like mommy. Maybe he was a cop like Aunt Silver.
The guy seemed to come to a decision and took another hesitant step toward Fox which the boy mirrored backward.
“Look, I know you’re probably scared to follow a stranger, especially after what happened,” he began calmly. “But it’s dangerous out here. I don’t feel right leaving you all alone.”
“Not alone,” fox said defiantly. “I’ve got CT here.” He held up the kitten as evidence.
The man smiled a bit. “And she looks like a fierce protector,” he agreed. “I’d really feel better, though, if I knew there was an adult with you.” He pulled a phone from his pocket and held it out to Fox. “Is there someone you can call?”
Fox shook his head, backing away some more. “I don’t wanna go back.”
“Did you run away?” the man asked gently. Fox nodded. “Why?”
“Mommy…” Fox began before falling silent.
“It’s alright,” the man said, sitting with his legs crossed and hoping it would be less intimidating than standing over the boy. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
Fox sat as well, back in his corner as far away from the stranger as he could get. He made a distressed noise when Connie wandered off his lap and went to sniff the guy’s hand.
“Hey, cutie,” the man greeted, allowing the kitten to sniff his hand for a moment before gently petting between her ears. Fox relaxed a bit when he saw that Connie trusted the stranger.
“So, wanna tell me where you’re from?” the man prompted eventually. Fox gave the name of the city and watched as the man’s eyes widened. “That’s pretty far for a kid to run,” he said, sounding just a little bit impressed.
“I hid in a truck,” Fox said with a pout. He wished CT would come back from this guy so he could leave. He didn’t want to be talking to anyone.
“I’m not really from around here, either,” the man confided. “I’m just here to visit one of my sisters. She’s a cop and she needs some help looking for our nephew.” He continued on about why he was in the city, rambling and giving the kid time to calm down. “So, why’d you come all the way here?” he finally asked.
“Mommy said one of her sisters lived in Pantheon.”
The man thought about asking why he wanted to find his aunt but decided to wait. It was clear from the frown whenever he spoke of her that something had happened to this boy’s mother. “You must be pretty smart to have found your way here all alone,” he eventually said. “Unless, of course, this little lady was your guide,” he added, holding up the kitten he’d managed to befriend.
Fox shook his head. “Found her here.”
Nick nodded before sighing. “Look, kiddo,” he began, faltering a bit when he saw the kid stiffen from the nickname. “It really isn’t safe for you out here,” he continued. “This here is the worst area of this city. At least follow me to the police station. It’s only a few blocks away, and from there you can decide what to do.”
“I’m not supposed to go with strangers,” Fox said adamantly.
“You’re probably not supposed to be out alone at night, either,” the man reasoned. “Look, just follow me, okay? You can stay as far behind me as you want, and if you think I’m leading you somewhere you don’t want to go, you can run.”
Fox thought about it for a moment before holding out his hands for Connie. The kitten made a happy sound and climbed off the stranger’s lap to join him.
“What do you think, CT?” he asked, scooping up the cat. It glanced back at the man before meowing at Fox.
“Well, what’d she say?” the man prompted.
“She thinks you’re friendly,” Fox answered, sounding unsure of the fact himself.
“Come on, then,” the man said, standing and offering his hand down to Fox. The boy eyed it suspiciously for a moment before allowing himself to be helped up. He stiffened when the man began taking off his jacket, ready to run.
“Your hand felt cold,” he explained as he handed the garment down to the boy. Fox took it silently, still not trusting the man but unable to stop himself from wanting the warmth. He wrapped the too-large coat around himself and tucked CT into one of the pockets, feeling her purr as she warmed up.
“What’s your name, anyway?” the man asked as he lead them back out to the sidewalk.
“Fox.”
The man froze when he heard the name. Fox once again prepared to run.
“A-and you’re mom, what was her name?” he asked, voice changing as he started to put a few pieces together.
“Zinc,” fox answered, backing away a step. He didn’t like how interested the man was in his family.
The man turned to face Fox, a sad smile on his face. “My sister, the one who’s a cop, is named Silver,” he explained, expecting the way Fox’s eyes would widen. “And I’m Nickel. And I think you’re my nephew.”
(PS, Nick’s kind of a private investigator/mercenary type, so that’s why Silver called him in to help find Fox when he went missing.)