Post by adrini on Jun 30, 2013 15:05:33 GMT -5
Mia Daerden felt the early morning light on her face and rolled out of bed leaving the sleeping mass that had been next to her. It was later then normal but she had not felt well. As she walked to the shower she numbly felt the mess slowly creep down her leg. The water was cold but still able to wash away the filth from the night before, which was all she could ask until she found a way out of this hell hole.
Fort Frank was a mess as usual, not that she wasn't used to it. She started the day's breakfast and cleaning of the dining areas. She was finishing up the common area and laying out the first of the food when Paul Knox, a dark haired man with a dark farmer’s tan, walked down
“'Bout time girl. Told you you’d like it.”
Mia felt a a burn fill her cheeks. She had hoped no one would notice that it was later then she normally woke up. “Breakfast in half an hour,” she said and continued to place chairs under the table and gather dirty dishes. She wasn't surprised when she felt calloused hands grip her chin and pull her over.
“Breakfast in half an hour what?” the man said roughly, tightening his grip. He had been hitting the Jack again.
“In half an hour – sir,” she said quietly.
“Damn straight. You'll learn your place.” He walked off to get changed and showered. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. “My turn tonight.”
Mia rubbed the skin of her face, thankful she felt no bruise this time.
It was slightly under half and hour later when she rang the dinner bell. The rooms were cleaned and the food on the tables and ready to be eaten. Her step-father kept a tight schedule, they had to be in the fields by half past six. Today it would be closer to six sharp. She needed to get away.
>--)->
Rose Wilson, a tall and lean seventeen year old with bright red hair and hazel eyes, leaned back in her seat as she took a much anticipated phone call.
“I got the email. Half a mil, seriously?” It was hard to believe. She could finally get rid of this piece of crap phone for one.
Her father's voice rang from the line. “From the pieces I've priced alone. It'll take a few weeks to get everything out but we're set for a while. How about a vacation? We've earned it.”
Rose smiled, glad her father was finished with his job. “I have an issue to deal with here, but after that a vacation sounds great.” She’d need it.
“Talk to you after then. I'll be off the grid for a while getting these things out. Good luck.” She heard the smile in his voice. She had told him about her plans and he was fully supportive, he would have come down and helped in his old employer hadn’t been tying him up.
“You too,” she said and hung up.
She drove up to the small ranch and got out of the car, easily seeing Brave Bow in the side yard getting in some practice. When she walked closer she noticed a second, much nicer, car behind the house.
“Good morning, Rose,” she heard the older man say. “Mia isn't here yet.”
“She'll be here. You have visitors?” The car was one of those hybrid models she saw on the television from time to time. It looked really sweet in person.
“Ones you'll be interested in. They've come to take out the compound.” He fired a new volley into the targets with a big smile on his face.
Rose nodded and felt herself smile as well. If the compound was taken out she could finally get Mia out. “About damn time. Where are they?”
“Sleeping. They got in late. There's a planning meeting this afternoon, I assume you want to help?” He walked to the range and gathered the arrows. She followed.
“If they are taking out the bastards I'm in.” In her mind she envisioned some kind of special ops team loaded down with the best guns and grenades in production, like Dad would plan.
“They would welcome the help.” Brave Bow fired another volley with his newly gathered arrows.
There was a rustling in the bush and Mia climbed through the foliage. It was later than Rose was used to. Rose ran over to her. Smiling as the blond teen laughed at the greeting, the sound was too rare.
“We have news!” she said, lifting the younger teen off the ground. “The camp is going down!”
Mia heard the words but had to think for a few moments to process their meaning. “It's being shut down?” She didn't dare believe the words. It could barely be escaped to hang out with friends for a few hours, even coming here for that amount of time put Brave Bow and the reservation at risk.
“Last night, in that car-” Rose pointed to the hybrid. “-a troop of folk came into town just to shut the hell hole down. Planning session this afternoon. I think you need to be there.”
Mia followed Rose to the car and looked inside. The words seemed unbelievable but the car was real – and here. There was even evidence of life, a few empty coffee cups and soda cans. “I can get to it today, they're having a field lunch. I'm not needed till dinner. When do they intend to finish the mission?” Mia seemed eager to get away as always.
Brave Bow joined them, as her mother's friend he was one of the few men Mia trusted. “They have plans of their own, so not long. Once the mission starts in earnest I want you to stay with me, the fort will not be safe.”
Mia looked at him and smiled. “Anywhere but there. I just want to grab my mother’s things before I leave.” Rose turned and looked as the door to the second house opened and she saw someone walk onto the sidewalk.
They saw a small and thin black haired teen who was sipping on a mug of tea. She was wearing jean shorts and a t-shirt and playing with her phone with her other hand, trying to get a signal. It wasn’t a cheap phone. Maybe she could play with it, Rose thought, see if she liked it. She did have a birthday coming up.
Rose shrugged. “Kid sister? I wouldn't call this a family trip but to each their own.” She had started going to missions with her own father rather young.
Brave Bow smiled and walked over, the girls following. The girl looked up and saw them, flashing them an open smile and waving. Something got her attention from behind and she held up a finger to ask them to wait a moment and ducked inside.
Rose could see that Mia was rather confused but trusted Brave Bow enough to be patient. They walked to the house and waited for the girl to return. It was a few moments later that another woman opened the door and looked for them. Rose felt herself go speechless. She looked just like Sarah.
>--)->
Mia's eyes went wide as she saw her. She was of medium height with ocean blue eyes and thick, wavy blond hair that fell on to her shoulders. The smells from the house when she opened the door held hints of bacon and cinnamon. She had a fighter's build, but a face Mia didn’t think she’d see again. Only the build, more hourglass then rail thin, was different.
It took the woman a second to see them. “Thea told me we had visitors. We're either presentable or getting there. Do come in.” She held the door open and Mia dashed to get in first so that she could get a closer look at the woman. Rose laughed behind her.
Inside there were a few bags of supplies that Thea quickly moved to get out of the way to make room. The dark haired teen kept looking at her excitedly, she clearly wanted to talk. Mia was more interested in the blond woman. She spoke again as she walked around the bags to get to the kitchen. “We got in really late last night so we're still recovering. I promise we're normally much more organized. This is Thea-” The teen waved again while closing and moving another bag. “- Ollie and Roy and getting showered and Diggle is almost ready now. I'm Dinah by the way.” She offered her hand to them.
Brave Bow took it first. “I was there when you arrived, but you were not quite with us,” he said. Dinah laughed, saying something that Mia missed.
Mia had lost herself for the moment. Dinah was a name she hadn’t expected to hear again. She looked at the older woman, examining her features, there were subtle features that had slight differences, but they were very close.
Rose nudged her back to attention and motioned to the woman, Dinah was looking at her. Now that she was up close she was even more tongue tied. Perhaps it was hope but she felt she knew her already. Rose gently nudged her side again. Mia shook her head and offered an introduction. “Mia Daerden,” she said shyly. She looked up at her. “Do you have a sister?” she asked.
Dinah smiled, looking at the young girl herself with a question in her eyes. “No, I’m afraid not. I always wanted one.” She leaned over a little and smiled at her as she looked at the breakfast buffet. “I made plenty of extra. Go on.”
The dark haired teen finished the bags and hurried over, pulling Mia by the hand to the buffet. “Not yet anyway,” she beamed. “I'll make you a plate, what do you want?” She said with an excited look on her face.
Mia looked back at the woman while Thea loaded her plate with food, they were certainly generous. She was chatting with Rose and Brave Bow and laughing at something. “Can you tell me about her?” She asked Thea as she accepted the plate from the excited teen and walked over to the table.
Thea was sitting down with her own plate. “Dinah?” Mia nodded. “She's great. My brother found her in Africa about six months back and now we get to keep her.” Thea’s smile flashed.
Mia stiffened at the language somewhat. “What do you mean?” She saw Rose make her way to the table herself, she also raised an eyebrow at the language.
Thea was confused by her reaction for a moment but laughed. “I made it sound like- no, nothing like that. Ollie was on a trip to Africa when they met. They're getting married later this month. About time to, they get nauseating.”
Mia looked up and swallowed her eggs, that was a relief. “What do you mean?”
Thea rolled her eyes. “They are always sitting next to each other, holding hands, exchanging sweet nothings, getting things for each other – you name it. Leave them alone for too long and they start cuddling.”
Mia smiled and laughed softly. “It sounds wonderful.” Her mother had told her how much Mia’s father had loved them, and had spoken about the same kind of things. Sometimes Mia remembered those days herself. Maybe it was something like that. She caught Rose looking at her with a wink. They had an on going discussion on whether things could really be like that. Mia didn’t think it possible but would like to be wrong.
Thea smiled again. “The boys should be out soon. Who is the mole for the fort?”
Mia looked up and looked at Rose, who nodded in encouragement. “I am. I live there with my step father.” She said softly.
Thea's face suddenly grew concerned. “I'm sorry.” She said and looked over Mia’s shoulder. Mia looked herself and saw Dinah nod sadly while making a plate for herself. “We'll do what we can. You'll want to talk to Roy and Dinah. They're the internal team. Ollie and I are taking the outside.”
Rose looked up, the team seemed on the level. “Could you use backup?”
Thea shrugged. “We might not need it but we won't refuse it.”
“Good answer,” said a deeper voice behind them. Mia knew the voice was masculine and sat with her face down out of sheer reaction. She saw a tall black man enter the room and make a plate of his own. From his stance and build she could tell he was military. Suddenly she wanted to be elsewhere. Behind him Brave Bow and Dinah were talking over mugs of coffee on the sofa. She started looking for a way to make it over to Dinah without attracting too much attention.
The man started on his breakfast. “Starting the briefing without us Thea?” He said in a scolding tone, softened with a smile. Thea grinned. “I'm Diggle, pleasure to meet you ladies. Be careful,” he told the two. Mia was watching him cautiously. “Thea here has been wanting a sister for years and this family has a thing with taking in strays and runaways.”
Thea smiled. “Like you.”
Diggle grinned. “Like me.”
Mia looked at the man again. He wasn’t hurting anyone. She found herself giggling as he stealthily tried to pull the bacon off of Thea’s plate. Thea responded by simply taking his bacon from his.
A red haired man walked into the kitchen and made a plate as well, he was somewhat stocky but very lean with his with an expression of intense concentration. Mia was starting to very much dislike the number of men in the room. He walked over to the table without looking up from his phone.”Hey Digs, Thea.”
Diggle kicked the young man under the table. He looked up. “Hey I was-Oh. Sorry. Roy, I'm Roy. I'll put this away now.”
Diggle nodded approvingly. “Yes you will,” he said.
Thea smiled widely. “This is Mia-” she nodded to the teen. “-and this is Rose.” Rose nodded herself. “We have back up.”
Roy smiled. “I like back up. It means we can get home sooner. Ollie was right behind me.”
Mia looked up and took a breath. “Ollie?”
Thea nodded. “My brother.”
Mia nodded in understanding. The gentle man, the one Dinah liked enough to marry. Both curious and eager to gain some personal space away from the men at the table she made her way to the living room.
She sat down in a spare chair watching Dinah and Brave Bow talk on the sofa. They were talking softly, Dinah looking increasingly concerned as they continued. Dinah saw her in the chair and nodded at her with a smile, a second later offering the seat next to her if she wanted to join the conversation. Mia took the offer happily. Dinah made a little extra room as she sat down, but Mia didn’t need it.
Dinah turned and talked to the young woman. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but have we met?”
Mia thrilled to hear the same idea from her. “Have you ever been to Gateway City?” she asked eagerly.
Dinah shook her head. “Not for any real length of time. I mostly come from New York and Blüdhaven. I swear to god I know you though.”
Brave Bow smiled while Dinah looked at her, looking for something, though Mia didn’t know what. Suddenly she grimaced and looked at Mia’s neck. Dinah gently brushed her hair away from her neck and looked at a healing bruise. Gently, and after asking permission, she pulled the up her long sleeves and saw the marks on her wrists. When Dinah asked if she had similar ones on her ankles she could only nod.
Mia knew that they made her worthless, the camp slut like her mother before her. She knew it meant no one would want her. She started trying to move away, knowing nothing was likely to change.
Suddenly she felt Dinah pull her close, making it clear that wasn’t the case. “Oh sweetie.” Dinah said softly as Mia felt the older woman embrace her tightly. “I’m so sorry.”
Mia was shocked that the woman wasn’t repulsed by her. Instead the arms tightened. “It’s over. I swear to God it’s over.” She heard the woman say, starting to cry. “If those bastards so much as look at you again I’ll have them shot.” Mia could tell she meant it.
>--)->
Dinah hopped in the car with Mia and Rose in tow after getting some information from Brave Bow. He promised to call the clinic ahead of time, the village would deal with the paperwork. Oliver had gone white in the face and excused himself to call Adrien when she had told him what had been going on. Thea had volunteered to come with them in the car but she and Oliver had thought better of the idea. Thea didn’t need to hear this just yet. In the meantime she, Rose and Mia were making record time to the clinic. Time was of the essence and her old instincts had kicked in.
The girl was confused but seemed okay so long as Dinah was with her. Dinah was trying not to panic. She had a flood of memories informing her on all kinds of worse case scenarios. Someone had rescued her, she was going to rescue Mia.
“Okay, here’s how it’s going to work,” she said as she looked at the girl. Mia just wanted to be with her and had claimed a hand, thus her driving one handed. “First, I know, at least the basics. I cannot tell you how sorry I am. We’re going to do a few things. One, I want to make sure you’re all right. Brave Bow told me where the doctor was and I’ll be right with you the whole time, so will Rose. It’ll just be tests until the results come in but we’ll deal with those as they come.”
Mia looked at her and nodded as Dinah parked the car at the clinic. Dinah could tell she was nervous but Rose calmed her down by giving the girl a hug.
“While we’re there the doctor will take a statement. It will be used in court. So whatever you have to bury that bastard with let it loose.” She could see to that now. Ollie didn’t have anymore use for this then she did. Rose looked at her, making it clear there would be more then one statement. “Lastly,” She knew Adrien was going to find a way to make this work. “You’re with us now. I might have to say otherwise to put people off our trail once or twice, but you are. Once we’re done here we’ll be sure to get whatever you still want from the place and stash you somewhere until we’re done here.” She turned off the car.
>--)->
“Daerden. D-A-E-R-D-E-N.” Oliver said over the phone trying to work things though with Adrien. “No, she’s at the doctor’s now. Dinah’s with her. I’m telling you the resemblance is uncanny.”
Thea looked around the corner and gulped at her brother’s expression, he was not pleased. It was the look he had when he was buying out an unscrupulous owner. “I know it’s a long shot, but I really think it might be something. She mentioned Gateway City.” He was trying to get the paperwork through for at least temporary custody for Mia, Thea was really hoping he got it.
“No, that’s fine. She’ll need to be out of there anyway.” Thea waved and Ollie waved at her and smiled a little. “We’re just getting the intel first and pulling the people out.”
She saw Diggle and Roy sitting in the next room and sat between them while Oliver stayed on the phone. “Any news from Dinah yet?”
Diggle wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Only that Mia is being checked out. How are you?”
Thea curled into him, she had figured out enough. “Feeling really, really lucky.”
Roy nodded and leaned back on the sofa, also giving her a hug. “We are, we forget that.”
Oliver walked into the room while slipping the phone in his pocket. “Okay. Adrien is looking at the connections and filing an emergency injunction. The first would be better but the second would work for now. Any news here?”
“Just that she’s getting checked out,” Diggle said.
Oliver sat down and nodded. “Lets hope that goes okay then.”
Brave Bow sat on the sofa with a mug of coffee and smiled sadly. “So long as you are looking at family names why not dig deeper?” He said.
Thea looked up from Diggle’s shoulder. “You mean Dinah’s family.” Her eyes went wide and she pulled herself up and ran to her room, she could help with this one. She could actually be useful. Returning to the living room she opened her laptop. “Last month we had a family genealogy project at school. Since Ollie and Di had already announced their engagement I asked for her family history, but she only knew four generations.”
Brave Bow nodded. “The world moves too quickly to remember much more.”
Thea moved to the floor and put the laptop on the coffee table so that the others could see more easily. She opened the project.
“Her name currently is Lance, which was her father’s name. I added ‘Queen’ in the margin since she told me was taking it anyway. Her mother, also named Dinah, was a Lance after getting married but before that was a-”
“Drake.” Brave Bow said, he sighed and smiled sadly again. “I can fill this in.” He joined her on the floor and added connections to the program. “Dinah’s mother had a kid sister named Sarah-”
Oliver was already calling Adrien again.
>--)->
Mia was happy to be back in actual clothing and out of the thin paper gown now that the medical part of all this was done. She looked around for Dinah and panicked when she didn’t see her. She could hear her, however. She and the doctor were having a somewhat terse conversation in the hallway. She got up and walked to the door to spy.
“She’s fourteen! It’s insane to suggest that!” Dinah was almost yelling. “Aren’t rape and abuse victims protected from this kind of idiotic reasoning?”
“It’s not my call. I’m not allowed.” Dr. Alana was more frustrated then angry. “I need a next of kin or guardian to approve that without contacting the courts.” Mia looked around the corner at them.
Mia walked out of the room, screaming wasn’t something she was good at handling. “Please stop yelling,” she said and ran to the blond woman.
Dinah forced herself to calm down and held her close. “I’m Sorry Mia, we’ll sort this out,” she said.
The doctor looked at them and sighed in a way that suggested she hoped it was the case. “I just got Ms. Wilson’s statement. I’ll need Ms. Daerden’s. There are a few things that need fleshing out. We’ll use the back room.”
Dinah nodded and they walked to the back. Mia’s head was spinning. All she knew was that she had someone who wanted to take care of her. She hadn’t had that since her Mom died. She wasn’t going to lose it.
Rose was finishing a written account when she walked in. Mia sat down next to Dinah as she put down her pen.
“This won’t be easy, but I need you to read this and if it is correct sign at the bottom.” The Doctor said and handed the account to Mia. “Take all the time you need.”
The record was very clear. Rose had remembered details even she had forgotten over time. It was correct though. She signed the form. Dinah motioned for permission to read the same and she nodded permission. The older woman only shook her head and gave her another hug after doing so.
“What more do you need?” she asked.
“You never told me what happened to your mother,” Rose said quietly. “A murder charge could put Gaynor away for good. Make sure he can’t come near you again.”
Mia felt tears fall, she had never told anyone because she had never been able to talk about it, they had gotten so close to escaping. Dinah looked at her and she nodded, the doctor took out a recording device. She grabbed Dinah’s hand before she started talking. “ My name is Mia Katharine Daerden. My mother, Sarah Daerden, was kill by multiple gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest by Charles Gaynor, the head of Camp Franklin outside Anniston, Alabama on December 27, 2011. We snuck out through the western exit about 2 AM while the men were out or blind drunk. We were near the perimeter.”
>--)->
“Come on, sweetie. Not much farther.” Mia felt her mother pull on her arm to the metal gate just in view. “We’re almost out.”
Mia could feel her legs turn heavy, but in her blood she knew this was their chance. Her Mother looked at her and smiled with relief that her speed was picking up. Gaynor had done a number to her. Mia could tell she would need medical care when they got out. They just needed to get out first.
Brave Bow was waiting outside with his car. She could see the headlights in the distance. He had pulled from his limited income cover the cost for the two of them back to New York, to be with family again.
They sprinted to the gate and were rounding the corner near the old wood grove. Sarah Daerden ignored the pain it took to move and pulled her daughter to the grove before they took the final rush to the outside. Mia knew that Gaynor didn’t like to give himself away, so did Sarah. They were both paranoid he was here somewhere.
“Listen, Sweetie. This is going to be the hardest part. I want you to take the shadowed path to the right.” Mia looked at the path. She knew it well enough. “I’ll be right there with you.” Mia nodded. It was dark and at this time of night nearly impossible to spy in from the tower. “We’re almost out. Just promise me something.”
Mia looked at her, she was putting on a brave face but she was in agony from her injuries, Mia suspected they were more severe then she had let on. “I need you to make it out, even if I don’t. You aren’t alone. When you get to New York look up this address.” She stuffed a scrap of paper in her daughter’s back pocket. “It's a family friend of ours.” Her mother swallowed and steadied herself. “Of the family I used to have. She’ll know where to find my sister, your Aunt Dinah. She has a family now and I know she’ll take you in, both of us if this works. But I need you to keep running no matter what, promise me Mia.” Mia bit her lip but nodded.
Sarah looked at her. “I love you, little wing. No matter what happens, never forget that I love you so much.” Mia hugged her mother tightly.
After a time Mia gripped her mother’s hand and nodded. They began the final dash.
>--)->
“Gaynor shot her just as she reached the gate.” Mia finished. “Dead shot to the head, death was fast. I got hit in the foot and couldn’t run anymore. He found out about Brave Bow's involvement, said he’d raid the reservation and kill everyone there if he tried that again. That was when they started to...pass me around. It’s been that way ever since.” Mia curled into a ball in her chair.
The doctor turned off the recording device. “That’ll be enough,” she said. “Thank you Mia.”
In the hallway the three of them walked to the car to await the test results. Mia looked at Dinah, she seemed troubled. When they got to the door Dinah stopped. “Um, Rose could we have a minute?” she asked the red-haired teen.
Rose nodded and went to wait In the car. Dinah looked at the fourteen year old. “That address, in New York. Thirteen West Halloway block five in Brooklyn?”
Mia, surprised, pulled the scrap from her pocket, it was the last thing her mother had given her and she kept it with her. She handed it over. “Mom said it was safe.”
She saw the older woman go a little pale, and a little ashamed, as she read the address. “It is, it’s Aunt Clare’s house. She’s the go to home when you need to hide for awhile.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “I almost went there myself.”
Dinah saw Mia’s eyes go wide. “No, nothing like the hell you and your mom went through. I just needed some space for a while.”
Mia could tell she wasn’t telling her everything and was about to inquire more when something clicked. “Aunt Clare?”
“Our Aunt Clare, Cousin Mia. Great Aunt Clare, really.” She said sadly. “I ran off just in time to leave you in it to,” she said mostly to herself and shook her head. “Aunt Dinah was my mother. We most definitely would have taken you in. We tried to find you, I swear we did. I’m so sorry.”
Mia looked at the guilt stricken face of the young woman but felt her world get a little lighter. She felt herself jump into her cousin’s arms as she laughed weakly. “You’re here now.” she said and she felt Dinah’s arms pull her close. “Just don’t leave me.”
"Promise. There's one more thing, and you need to trust me. You don't want this following you around." She pulled a small pouch with a pill in it and a bottle of water out her bag as they walked to the car. "Take it when we get to the car, I have no patience for neocons."
>--)->
Adrien admittedly didn’t know much about the person she was waiting for. To Dinah he walked on water but Dinah had also been born to a costumed hero and a homicide detective. The little she did know didn’t make sense. He was a boxer, world class, at one time and a legacy at that, both his father and grandfather had been champions as well. Now he taught mostly at a series of failed gyms. There were records of Dinah being one of his students, though she passed in and out from his classes. Adrien wasn’t there to perform a background check though; she was there to welcome their guest for the upcoming wedding.
She got the signal from the front gate and got up to get the door for their guest. It didn’t take much guess work, he was riding a motorcycle. She walked onto the entry patio and waited for the man to arrive. The motorcycle arrived in short order.
A short somewhat stocky man got off the bike and took off his helmet. He was bald and wearing rather gruff street clothes but appeared to be well. He looked at her and walked over.
“Seeing how this place belongs to the top one percent,” he grunted, eyeing her with wariness, “why is there no one for me turn down giving my keys or helmet to?”
“The Queens… aren’t that type—“
“Cheap, eh?” he muttered, “Where’s Dinah? She’s the only reason I’m here. And the only one I’m in any particular mood to chat up.”
Adrien smiled politely. “About her upcoming wedding to my nephew I’d imagine. Please come in. It is far more comfortable inside.”
The man stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed unhappily. She opened the door and led him to the sitting room where there was a meal waiting.
“I’m afraid the family is away for the moment, dealing with an unavoidable situation.” The man sat down and looked around the room. “They should be back within a week at most. In the meantime I have a room set and ready for you and you are free to have run of the house while you wait. The kitchen is fully stocked and there is a gym downstairs. I have contacted Dinah and she is thrilled to know you are here. I am not Dinah, of course, but I will try to answer any concerns I can.”
Ted glared at her, distinctly unhappy no doubt about rushing to see his ‘niece’ only to find her gone. “The Kanes always complained that Robert Queen had the best bar and wine cellar this side of the Mississippi. I want to see if there’s any truth to that.”