Involuntary Victim - Book 3 in Jessie's Story

Chapter 6: Blood & Enzymes

Minho:
There was a few shouts of surprise and happy hugs from Ann and the others, Teresa had run straight for Jeff, once he had set the tray down. It had been a long time since we had all seen Ann and Jeff.

I sat on the floor with Sammy in my lap for a long time. It took me a long time to get myself under control. I hadn't broken down like this  in  long time. The first few weeks after Thomas opened  the train car all the kids were skittish, jumpy and didn't trust a lot of people. Most of us woke up with nightmares. Anxiety and panic attacks happened regularly, but I was pretty good at hiding it. But tonight, tonight had been too much. 

We had stormed a smaller WICKED out laying facility. Took out the few guards and scientists they still had there. It was mostly abandoned, and had been for a while, just some research.  We blew the building anyways. The group celebrated, but what was there to celebrate? Jessie was still captive, we didn't rescue any of the other kids, Janson was still alive and WICKED was still active and strong.

When we got to the holding cells where they had kept the kids, there was old blood stains, what looked like throw up, all kinds of electrode cords and brain monitors, abandoned medical tools, cuffs and restraints. Jason had to take Sonya out, she lost it. It took Jason and Newt to help, Jason hardly kept it together. They had uses the cuffs and electrocution on her. I kept it together until I was alone, and then I broke down. Then again at the fire. The alcohol and pain pills weren't working anymore. I needed more and more just to numb the pain. Today's panic and rage had been one of the worse episodes. 

Sammy eventually pulled away and held my tear stained face in his little hands. His bright green eyes stared at me. Even at six, I could see how worried he was, his eyebrows pulled together and he frowned. He let go and cocked his head. He held a hand over his heart and then placed it over mine. My chest heaved with another sob. I managed to swallow it, and give him a small sad smile. 

"I love you too Buddy. I missed you so much." 

He smiled. 

"Hey, where did you get those teeth from?" I asked with a small chuckle. 

He grinned even bigger, showing me his new grownup teeth. His smiled slid off and it was right back to his worried anxiety filled eyes. He gently touched the necklace I had given Jessie. Thomas had given it to me when he came to check on us in the medical wing after they got us all out. He said he found it in the wreckage when they were cleaning up. He also found her backpack. Sammy touched it, and then slid his little finger into the ring that had Jessie's name on it. His little lip started to quiver. And his big eyes filled with tears. 

"I don't know where she is bud. They still have her somewhere." My voice caught and I had to close my eyes and look away. Sammy took his finger out of the ring and just laid his hand back on my chest and then laid his head down on my shoulder. 

"Uhh...did Minho have a kid while I was gone?" Winston asked. 

I slowly stood up, Sammy still held tight in my arms. I turned to the table. Jeff had set the tray down, Nana Ann stood by the table and she just held her arms open. I put Sammy down and without hesitation I walked into them, holding her jacket tight in my fists, my face pressed into her shoulder. It took all my will power not to break down in her arms again. 

"Shhh." She shushed me, gently her motherly hand on the back of my head. "Nana Ann is here. Hunter needs his Nana. Little wolf will need Nana Ann too. Nana will help heal wounds inside and out." 

"What do you mean?" I straightened up, looking at her with a frown.  

"Sit young Hunter, sit sit sit. There are many things you need to hear. Your old friends have their separate walks of life life life to share with you."