indigo_angels

Face didn’t have the energy to object when Sasha dived straight back into the front passenger seat of the car, and instead he just flopped into the back, trying to get rid of the sights and sounds and smells of Hannibal in that horrendous room so that he could concentrate of getting his plan just right. Just perfect.

The ride back passed in silence until they reached the entrance to the warehouse district and BA stopped, pulling over to the side and turning in his seat to speak to Face, “We gonna need some gas, man, if we pulling out tonight.”

Face nodded, “Okay, there’s a gas station about six miles down that road, we passed it on the way in, let’s just drop Murdock and Sasha off and I’ll-”

“No,” BA cut him off, “I’m fed up of doin’ nothin’ all day. I’ll drop all three of you off, an’ go on my own.”

For a second no one spoke, Face and Murdock traded a glance before Face shrugged, “Fine, but I don't have any more money to give you.”

“S’okay,” BA grinned at him, “still got plenty from what you gave me in the airport. It’s sorted.”

Face nodded again, “Alright. Just keep a low profile and get back here as soon as possible,” BA threw off a mock salute, seeming to be pleased to be let off the leash for a change and Face pulled himself up out of his seat, “C’mon, guys,” he said to the other two, “we can walk it from here, let BA get going.”

Sasha and Murdock scrambled from the car as well, Murdock’s eyes holding onto BA’s face just a second longer than necessary, and then the car gently pulled away, BA doing exactly what he’d been told to and keeping a low profile.

They walked quietly back to the warehouse, Face with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the ground, Murdock and Sasha walking just behind him, deep in conversation over whether Sponge Bob or the Simpsons were the best cartoons to learn English from. They were just in sight of their dilapidated base of operations when a shout made them all stop.

Murdock looked over to the warehouse as some of the other kids squeezed out through a broken window and started running to Sasha, all shouting in Russian, some in tears, some sporting cuts and bruises. Both Sasha and Face went white, Sasha was obviously cursing freely in Russian, while Face dropped down in front of the biggest boy, a red head called Dimi, and started firing rapid questions at him, exchanging comments and looks with Sasha all the while.

Murdock stood in confusion feeling Georgiy’s hand creep into his while Face and Sasha quickly conversed in hurried Russian, then, a decision obviously made, Dimi started pushing the other two boys who were brothers and looked about nine, towards the warehouse while Face pulled his gun out of his waistband and checked the clip. “Murdock,” he hissed already backing off with Sasha urging him to move faster, “Stay with the kids, take ‘em back to the warehouse,” Sasha yelled at him to hurry up and Face turned and snapped something at the boy in Russian before turning back to Murdock, “Get your gun out and keep it out,” he shouted as he backed off, “And whatever else happens, make sure you go back for the boss tonight!”

“Face!” Murdock yelled as Face and Sasha now turned as one and sprinted down the road, “Face!” he took a step to follow, but Georgiy started crying again and Dimi was standing by the warehouse shouting him and Murdock took another look around and suddenly something struck him, “Hey!” he called over to Dimi and the others, “Where’s Anya?”

__________________

It took Face and Sasha twenty minutes to get to the waterside where all the container ships were moored, and Face was impressed to see that the boy wasn’t even breathing hard. The route they’d taken had been direct and obviously designed for those under the age of sixteen, but Face had managed, hauling himself through tiny gaps in walls and through floor boards while Sasha stood waiting and bristling with impatience. Now they were here though, Face took charge, pulling Sasha back as he prepared to go charging out onto the dock side and making him stand with his back to the wall, almost unnoticeable in the shadows.

“What?” Sasha hissed at him in Russian, “What are we waiting for? They could leave at any minute!”

“And they might leave even quicker if they see us!” Face hissed back at him, “Now, what boat do you think it is again?”

“Something, Orion,” Sasha answered.

“Right,” Face frowned, “and you say these guys have been sniffing around before?”

Sasha nodded morosely, “Always. They’re always here. We have to keep moving on all the time. They always have the same ship,” he was trying to lean around Face and see for himself, “but it’s none of these, they are all too big! What if it sails before we find it?!”

“Alright,” Face calmed him, “We’ll get up there,” he pointed to a boardwalk running the length of a waterfront warehouse, “and we will be able to see much better, now, come on.”

It was a scramble up rickety ladders to get to the top, but they made it eventually and Sasha almost ran the entire length, his keen grey eyes flicking out at the massed ranks of ships moored around them, “There!” he shouted, pointing excitedly at a rusty looking tanker, right at the end of the row.

Face yanked him down and they both laid on their stomachs on the roof as Face pulled out his binoculars and started checking the boat out.

“What are you doing!!!” Sasha hissed, “Let’s go!”

“No,” Face murmured, intent on his task, “we need to plan a route in, another route out, decide on the most likely place they will have her. We won’t be doing any good to Anya if we just charge in half cocked.”

“You have to hurry!” Sasha implored, “They can’t take her... They just can’t!” he whispered, and he sounded so like Face himself, that keening note of desperation, that Face lowered his binoculars and looked around, noticing the tears standing in Sasha’s usually so cold eyes.

“They won’t,” Face reassured him, turning back to the boat and after a minute adding, “She must be something really special to you.”

“My sister,” Sasha muttered and Face could see him angrily rubbing at his eyes in the corner of his vision, “My only family. And you obviously don't have a sister, or you wouldn’t say such a stupid thing!”

Face adjusted the focus of the binoculars and refused to let Sasha goad him, “No, you’re right,” he answered flatly, “I don't have any family at all. Not a one.”

There was a silence from behind him, then Sasha spat, “Liar!”

Shaking his head without looking around, Face turned the binoculars onto the wheel house, “Why would I lie about that?”

“What happened to them, then?”

“I don't know,” Face muttered, wishing he hadn’t got into this just now, “They left me when I was a baby.” He’d decided that a slightly adjusted version of the truth would be best just now.

“So, where’d you grow up?”

“Orphanages, bit of time on the streets. I’m sure you understand the drill.”

“Humph,” Sasha spat. “You wouldn’t catch me going into an orphanage! I like to be my own man!”

Face lowered the binoculars and turned on his elbow to look Sasha right in the eye, “Yeah? And do you like being cold and hungry as well then, Sasha? And what about Georgiy and Dimi and the twins, do they like being too scared to sleep sometimes? And Anya? You think she likes these men dragging her off like this, wanting to sail her away and sell her as someone’s sex toy?”

Sasha went deathly white and Face suddenly felt bad for his little outburst, “Look, kid,” he soothed reaching out to squeeze Sasha’s shoulder gently, “I know what it’s like, I’ve lived the life that you are in, and I know how hard it is, and I only ever had myself to think about, you’ve got all the others too. And I know orphanages aren’t ideal, but maybe you should just think about it? Maybe you could have a look at one or ask the others what they think? Hey?”

Sasha shrugged and Face turned back to the boat, “But for now...” he muttered, training the binoculars back on a window just along from the wheel house, “I think we have struck gold.”

“Let’s go then!” Sasha whispered, a deadly gleam in his eye that Face didn't like one bit.

“Not you, hot shot,” he muttered in reply handing the binoculars over, “You get to stay here and run this end of things.”

“What!” Sasha was outraged, “I’m not letting you go in after my sister! You are the one who grabbed her last night!”

Face sighed, “Look, Sasha, we’ve been over that and I said I was sorry. Now you go in there, and you just make it harder for me, ‘cause then I will have you and Anya to worry about!” Sasha opened his mouth to protest but Face pushed on, “Plus I will need you to go back and get Murdock and BA if this doesn’t work out, we didn't even tell them where we were going,” Sasha frowned as he saw the sense in that argument, “And,” Face paused for effect, “what will happen to the others if something happens to you? I’m not the leader here, but you are and a damn good leader as well. You’ve kept all those other kids alive and safe, and they all look up to you and listen to you. If something goes wrong and you don't go back, Sasha, what will happen to them? Is Dimi ready to take over?”

Sasha shook his head.

“Would he be as bad a leader as me?”

At this Sasha gave a tiny smile which warmed Face from the inside, “No one is as bad as you, dick-head!”

Face laughed as well, “Okay then. You stay here, watch really carefully and when we are out, you meet us over there by that corner right?” Sasha nodded, “And if anything goes wrong, you run and get the others; as fast as you can, yeah?”

Sasha nodded, but still looked far from happy. Face slapped him gently on the knee and turned to drop back down the wooden ladder. He’d not gone far, maybe ten metres or so, when Sasha’s face appeared above him, “Hey!” he hissed and Face looked back up, “Good luck...” he whispered and Face smiled, continuing down the ladder.

_____________________

The hardest part of getting to Anya was actually getting aboard the boat in the first place. Face had checked out the gang plank which was still down but discounted that as being too open. The chains fastening the ship to the wharf had tempted him for a few minutes, but then he’d seen how loose they were, how they sagged down towards the frigid sea, and didn't fancy his weight pulling them down even further; it was far too cold for a dip. That only left a couple of ropes, they seemed a lot tauter than the chains, but he wondered how securely they were fastened and whether they would hold his weight at all. None of the options had seemed particularly appealing, but in the face of limited time, Face went for the ropes.

It was broad daylight, and he knew that if anyone was watching when he made his way across the wide empty space from the warehouse to the ropes he would be spotted at once, so he didn't try to hide, no point looking suspicious, he tried to blend in by being ordinary, pulling a knitted beanie on over his hair and strolling casually across the wharf. Then, at the last minute, he took his life into his hands and jumped for a rope, catching with both hands and a leg, hooking on tightly, relieved that it held his weight, and wishing he had some gloves.

Hand over hand he pulled himself across, feeling the burn on his palms and the heat against his ankles. It was a long way over, longer than it had looked from above and by the time he could reach out for the side of the boat, the muscles in his arms were screaming in pain. He ignored them however, and grabbed hold of the railing, hauling himself up to peer over the side, and seeing no one about, quickly swung a leg over and slid onto the deck.

He took a minute to get his breath back and look up at Sasha’s hiding place, the glint of glass in the sun told him the kid had stayed put as instructed, so he pulled in a huge breath and then made his way along the deck, hugging the railing as he went, heading straight for the steps to the wheel house.

The ship was silent, but there were voices from the wheel house that Face ignored, creeping on past, looking for another door, a door to the windows he had seen from the warehouse roof and there it was, slightly ajar, voices coming from within once more. He shuffled forward and flattened himself against the wall next to the door frame listening to the heavily accented English coming from within.

“I’m telling you! We will get much more money for her if she is a virgin! Can’t you keep your hands to yourself for nine days?”

Face slowly leant around the door at ankle level and found himself looking straight into Anya’s terrified face. She was leaning against the wall at the far side of the room, hands tied in front of her, ankles free, tears leaking silently from her blue eyes and leaving clean streaks on her dirty face. Her terror seemed to double as she saw Face, but he winked at her and smiled, placing a finger to his lips and she seemed to relax minutely, knowing that he wasn’t here with these other men, he couldn’t possibly be as bad as them, and then she noticed Face motioning her to look away from him and she did, staring down at her feet instead.

There were three men in the room, still arguing over whether it was worth the financial loss to violate Anya before they reached their eventual destination and Face was eternally grateful that her English was nowhere near as good as Sasha’s. He had his gun in his hand, knew he could take them all out in seconds, but he didn't have a suppressor, there were more men in the wheel house next door, all could be armed, and the wheel house stood between him and the way out. He looked behind him, and noticed a mop standing up against the railing and an idea, straight out of Tom and Jerry, suddenly popped into his head. He couldn’t keep the grin from his face as he fed the mop handle through the bars of the doors, and hoped they would seal the door for long enough to give him and Anya chance to escape.

Then he moved back to the other room, and felt his hackles rising as Anya’s sobs reached his ears before he even got there. Leaning carefully around the door frame again he saw one of the men, the biggest one that had been most eager to deflower their guest, trying to pull the terrified girl to her feet, one meaty hand reaching under the hem of her skirt.

Face moved. In two blinding flashes, two of the men lay at his feet. Meat-hands was dead, the bullet going right through his neck and out of the other side, the other man, the one arguing vociferously to keep Anya a virgin, was clutching his thigh which was bleeding profusely. The third man made a dash for the door but Face was faster, a punch to the jaw, then to the side of the head, then a jab across his neck, and he was out cold on the floor. Face grabbed for Anya, and felt her terrified shaking as he pulled the thin cords from around her wrists. “You!” he spat, looking the only conscious man straight in the eye, “You better leave these kids alone, you got that?” the man, tears of pain leaking from his eyes, nodded frantically, “You put the word out that they are protected, they have guardian angels, not just me, others as well, and if anyone touches anyone of them again,” he pointed to the dead man bleeding out all over the floor, “then they end up like him. Clear?”

He was nodding frenetically, Anya’s wrists were free and there was frantic banging coming from the wheel house next door; Face decided it was time to leave.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he whispered to Anya in Russian, “Sasha’s waiting for you,” and he pulled her to her feet and held her hand tightly as they fled along the gangway and down the stairs.

They hadn’t quite reached the door to the hold before gunfire sounded after them, and Face grabbed Anya close into him with one arm while he turned and fired off some returning shots with the other. His plan had been to get back to the gangplank and leave that way, but that seemed a little awkward now as men, alerted by the shouting and the gun shots, were all streaming up from below decks. Face cast about for inspiration and saw something that made him grin wildly. Keeping Anya tucked under his arm, he slowly advanced until he was right next to a black and shining chrome Suzuki Boulevard, keys helpfully sitting in the ignition. He swung his leg over the leather seat, pulling Anya on behind him, feeling her thin arms latch around his waist like a vice and then letting her go so that he could start the engine with one hand and fire off more shots with his other.

The engine caught first time, a beautiful throaty purr that reverberated right around his chest, and he kicked it off its stand and into action, blasting up the side of the deck, forcing men to dive out of his way as he hurtled towards them and then spinning at the last minute, aiming for the loading ramps that were now propped up against the railing. He gunned the engine, letting the bike have its head and heading flat out for the ramp, “Hold on!” he yelled at Anya as they hit the wooden ramp, one of his hands almost coming loose in the process and then they were airborne, flying over the side of the ship, the water below, the wharf and coming to a hard landing on the wharf side right next to huge stack of wooden crates.

Anya had screamed as the bike was launched into the air and now had her head buried in Face’s back, her arms so tight around him they almost hurt. He gunned the bike across the wharf, heading for the corner where Sasha already lurked, still partially hidden by the shadows. Face skidded the bike to a halt next to Sasha whose open mouthed stare was almost comical and was about the tell him to get on behind Anya when gunfire exploded around them from the gangplank of the boat.

“Shit,” he muttered and quickly adjusted his plans. He swung the bike around so that his body was now in between Anya and the bullets and yelled, “Anya, get off honey, go with Sasha!” but Anya held on even tighter to him.

“Get off!!!” Sasha yelled at her, pulling on her arm, but Anya’s grip only got stronger, burying her head in Face’s jumper, too terrified to even lift her head as the gun shots got louder.

“Shit!” Face swore again, and quickly moved onto plan D, or was it E? He had seriously lost count... “Okay, Sasha,” he yelled over the gun shots and the bikes engine, “You take off on foot, kid, get back to the warehouse, I’ll lead them off, throw a false trail.”

“Anya?!” Sasha yelled, his eyes wide with his own fear.

“I got her, she’s okay, now go!”

Sasha took one last glimpse at his sister as Face swung her around so she was now sitting in his lap, skinny legs over his thighs, her whole head just about under his arm and nodded, spinning on the spot and instantly disappearing into the shadows. Face looked over his shoulder at the approaching gun men, took a deep breath and whispered, “Hold on tight, sweetheart!” before gunning the engine and popping just a tiny wheelie as the powerful bike shot out across the open concrete.

A/N: I’m sorry, I know the whole bike thing requires a little bit of ‘belief suspension’, but the image of Face, all in black on a big black & chrome bike looking all focussed and competent and like a knight of old...**sigh** I suppose everyone is entitled to a bit of self indulgence from time to time!

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