0001 {The Number Series}

9

The CP&T had Quinn. She was being bought by the rich Mr. Roland Callahan. 

"When all hell broke loose," Stefan groaned as he lowed himself to the ground next to us. "The only person they cared about containing was her. Roland had paid too much and they were not about to watch that run out the door."

"Who is that man?" I hoped he knew. If he lived in East Villa of Central Pines there was a chance that a man with that much money to spend would have a significant influence. 

"A spoiled, rich brat," Stefan spit. "Family tends to be involved in a lot investing and politics but tends to keep their hands clean. They just provide money, they do not actually do the bad work themselves. Somehow that makes them not at fault. Anyways, his whole family magically perished and now he is the sole heir to all of the fortunes which, if you ask me, is no accident. Roland never did like to share."

I wanted to shake the rest out of him. But I knew I needed him as at least an ally or I would possibly never find Quinn. I had never been to the East Villa before. 

"He actually benefits from the CP&T. He's going to get a percentage of that money back." I shook my head. Cora remained silent, listening. "Kind of sick isn't it. Them going into the poorer areas, taking kids, killing the other kids that fight too hard or are witnesses who they don't think would sell. Slit their throat right in the street. I've heard of them doing even worse things before killing them, too."

I thought back to all of the murders Quinn and I had found. Had those been kids who saw another child taken and were deemed not worthy of life because they were thought to be not worth money? We had been determined to solve them since no one else ever would. We wanted to put them to a stop. Little did we know that it would not just be someone messed up person committing these crimes, but an organization secretly supported by the richest of the rich. Stefan had described the situation incorrectly; it was not kind of sick. It was disgusting.  

"How do you know all of this?"

Stefan smile maliciously. "That's the real kicker. My family is on the low end of the highly educated and rich. I am child number three, also known as the waste of time and the one who is more trouble than they're worth child. A disgrace."

He was nodding his head now, almost like he agreed with the comments he was making. Almost as if he heard them uttered to him so many times that he could not see himself any other way. 

"My family actually handed me over to the CP&T themselves." My mouth was gaping. Cora, with her caring soul,  gently placed her palm on his arm to provide a small comfort. Stefan looked as though he had not had a gesture towards him like that in a long time. He almost smiled. "They were promised something for it, I'm not too sure what, but they figured that giving away their uncontrollable son was worth it."

"Money?" I suggested. He did say they were on the low end of the wealthy. 

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. They are not the richest but they have the money they need and then some. I have one brother and a sister. If I had to guess, someone of stature was perhaps wanting my sister's hand but did not want to connect themselves to the likes of me to taint their image. How political."

I did feel bad for him. Without my own family, I would be nothing. I came to possibly sacrifice myself for my younger sister. I would put myself on the line again once I found Quinn.

"What did you do that was so horrible?" Cora asked. 

He looked at her again. He kept his expression blank. "I tend to make a mess of everything, I like to drink, I insult those I should grovel to, I turned down the chance to be trained by one of the Master Architects just because."

"Doesn't really seem like you did anything that wrong," Cora muttered. 

"Yeah, you haven't killed anyone," I looked at him. "Right?"

"No," he snickered. "I did, however, throw a knife at my brother, my parent's pride and joy, and that was the last straw for them."

I grimaced and changed the subject. "Where is Roland located?" 

Stefan starred, silent for a moment as he thought. "You're going to try to the get back the woman?"

"Her name is Quinn," I said. "And, yes. She isn't just a woman. She is part of my family."

He shook his head at me once again. "That's suicide. Roland is not going to let her go. Not until he's done with her that is, and I doubt he will be let her go alive. Something tells me he is extremely sick in the head and won't want any rumors to start. I'm not the only one who is suspicious about his families deaths." 

"Listen, you don't have to go with, but I intend to save her. And, now that I know what is happening, I am going to do everything I can to stop this. All of it." Stefan let out a low whistle. 

"I thought I was crazy. You have no idea what you're taking on. I live here and I barely know a portion of it. The portion I do know, I already think is too much to take on."

"You don't know me and you don't know Quinn. We will bring this city to the ground if we have to." He pursed his lips much like Cora had but there was a different spark in his eyes. I could tell he was considering. "How about you? Don't you want to get your revenge? Your family gave you to them to be sold, to be owned."

He sighed. "Okay, I will help you. Mostly because I have nothing left to lose. I have no money, no friends, and no family." 

"We will be your friends," Cora said shyly.

"But we really don't have any money so we can't help you there," I chimed in.  He chuckled, a strange sound to hear from someone covered in bruises and blood.