ONE

ATTENTION!

The process of this story will contain scenes with intense violence and language unsuitable for young audiences. Viewer discretion is advised. If you feel uncomfortable reading settings disturbing, this isn't the story for you. Read at your own risk.

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean

On the Norwegian Cruise Line -

Heading to Barcelona, Spain.

I lean against the ship's rail, pretending to take selfie pictures of myself, smiling and giggling, acting like any ordinary tourist would do on a relaxing vacation such as on a vocational cruise ship. I have my earplugs on as if music is playing, but the real reason is to listen to the conversation between the two men I have scouted twenty feet away from me.

"Did you receive the call from the boss?" said one man, who I learned from Kendall's files.

Sully Vonner.

One of her men and one of her strongest. He is a manipulator and can cast his charms on anyone, no matter how young they are. He will use his wits and knowledge to lead a child away from their parents to take them. Away not only that, he's a sick bastard. Only interested in little boys. But it makes him angry; he will not hesitate to kill. He may be interested in little boys, but seeing blood turns him on.

I can't wait to castrate him, that sick bastard.

The man Sully is talking to is second in command to that woman, Hugo Graves.

He is ruthless and always obeys whatever his master tells him to do. The people working under her also listen to him as their second leader. If she isn't around, then he calls the shots.

The memories of him during my horrible nightmare boil my blood, and my hands turn into a fist as I close my eyes and try to keep myself calm. The open-air helps as it breezes through my body. I focused on the two men in tropical shirts and khaki shorts, trying to look like tourists. Not only does Hugo obey her, but he is also the man who...

"No, but once we reach Barcelona, transportation will take us and our package to the main house," says Hugo, pulling out his phone to glance at it before putting it back in his pocket.

Package?

It could be where the children are being held.

I need to get his phone with the list of children they have and the contact information to tell me where that damn woman is.

These people are involved in kidnapping children from their homes or orphanages. I've been investigating them for years, and children worldwide kept disappearing and have not been found.

But luckily, I found a few of their base in Peru, Hong Kong, and Texas. I was able to rescue the children there, but I was abused at the fourth base in Guam. Someone must have known my whereabouts and almost killed me, but I was to get away with a bullet wound on the side of my stomach. Because of my carelessness, Lily found out about my gender. But I wasn't upset about her knowing the truth; she tended to my wounds and promised to keep it a secret. The Wolfe's housewomen all kept their words from the boys.

I don't want any of them to know my true identity, especially that person.

I groan.

Why do I think about him?

He is just a playboy and narcissistic bastard who always loves to tease me inappropriately. He even asked me to go with him on double dates and his buddy. I hate to participate in it, but I can't get out because Seth is a persistent guy.

What I hate the most is when the date isn't over, he will take one girl, and I take the other. Because I'm also a woman, I took my date home instead of having some fun. I may dress up like a man, but I'm still a woman. I only dress like a man because of the situation I am in.

That woman I'm searching for is having her goons look for me, and if she knew my relationship with Seth and my friends back in Long Beach, then I have to go to her to keep them safe.

Unlike my little girl, I don't want them involved in my dark past.

I glance down at my hands as it starts to shake. Seeing my friends with babies and how they are gentle with them set the green monster inside me, yet my fear of babies reminded me of my past.

I wonder what it feels like to hold her again. But the wishful thinking will never bring her back to me.

It's my fault.

I'm such a terrible person and a heartless mother.

"In two days, we have to be prepared," I snap my painful thoughts and glance at Hugo and Sully heading my way. "The auction is next week, and we need our specimens to be clean and not to be touched. The buyers don't want their skin full of bruises and cuts."

"Don't worry; I will tell the men not to touch the merchandise. Hey, Hugo, can I take a look? I want to see any cute boys."

Hugo grasps Sully in a threatening way. "The boss said you can't have your fun here. We are on a mission to take the cargo to the auction house. Got it?" he shoves Sully back.

"Okay, okay, geez, such a loyal dog." Sully chuckles and fixes his shirt. "But you know Hugo, I heard she's alive."

I turn my body, pretend to enjoy the ocean view, and take pictures. I feel their presence walking past me.

I see Hugo stop in his tracks and turn in the corner of my eye. "What?"

"You know her. That little girl you had little fun with many years ago. What was her name?"

I'm itching to throw my phone at him, but Hugo beat me to the punch and struck Sully, whom everyone on the rails saw.

"Don't ever mention her again. You know I was given orders to do so on her."

Sully scoffed and chuckled. He wipes the tiny blood on his lips and licks it off. "I'm just teasing you, my man. But it's the truth. She is alive, and the last time I heard, she was in London."

Months ago, I had arrested Richard Lacroft, Claire's supposed father-in-law, who had embezzled money from Odin's pocket. He used it to create an underground casino and even smuggle his handmade drugs to dealers, but that failed. His drugs were nothing but vitamins. That was why he arrested and paid off families who had lost their daughters to that creep. Raping and having them killed before they tell him to the authorities.

But knowing of my whereabouts, how does Sully know?

More than that, how does he know I'm that woman? I've been hiding as a woman pretending to be a man. The only people in the facility are Odin and Kendall. No one else knew of my gender.

First was Guam and London. Somebody within Odin's company is a mole. I had to ask Kendall to look through each employee and specific background to find flaws.

"I heard she arrested that arrogant old man Richard Lacroft, who was also the boss' man in smuggling the so-called Happy Drugs, but it turned out to be a fluke."

"The boss was very upset and lost millions of dollars for those drugs, but don't worry, and we will have him shut up before he can talk."

Shit, Hugo will have an inside man to eliminate Richard to silence him.

I need to contact Kendall to take Richard to a safe place.

I start to type and send a text to Kendall. Within seconds, she replied that the deed was done. Hopefully, it didn't affect the enemy, but it will give time to have Richard safe.

"Those Happy Drugs are for our high buyers. It gives both parties fun so that the children won't fight back. It's like a new level of aphrodisiac, but it makes a person's body feel hot and heavy and causes him to lose control. They become animals in heat."

I clench my phone tight.

Hearing them about this sex drug is making me sick and pissed off.

"I wonder what that little girl looks like." Sully rubs his chin. "I mean, she is probably a grown woman now. Maybe you can have a second chance with her if you see her, or before that, she will kill you."

"What are you talking about?" Hugo snarled from being impatient.

"She has been killing our men and taking our merchandise. The government has compromised our bases, and guess who the man who seized it is."

"Odin King."

"Bingo! That bastard is trying to look good for the higher-ups. How can a person change his ways when he already stains his hands with blood?"

"A person who has stained their hands with blood can never change. There must be a reason a demon like him will suddenly wear gloves to cover up his past crimes."

"Well," Sully shrugs. "That little girl is probably looking for you."

Hugo went silent.

"Of course, of what you did to her -

"Enough," Hugo cut him off. "Let's eat. I'm hungry."

"Alright," Sully didn't proceed with the topic about me and followed Hugo inside.

I turned around, leaned my body, and had my arms hanging on the rails with a smirk. I scoff. "Of course, I here. To seek revenge on you and that bitch. Once I find that bitch, I will destroy every one of you for ruining my life and those children."

I push forward, but unexpectedly, my body collides with someone who stands tall and broad like a wall.

I stumble back, unable to control my balance; an arm wrapped around my waist saves me from the fall and pulls me up.

My heart froze, and my eyes grew wide.

Then my heart starts to beat in a rhythm. I felt the same when Seth protected me with his date, who said no one would like me because I'm interested in men. She saw me looking at Seth with a sparkle in my eyes as when a woman fell in love with a man. I let my guard down because he may have been a player during my times with Seth and always horse around having fun with women, but he was kind and made me laugh. He offended me by saying what's wrong with falling in love with the same sex. Although disguised as a man, I can't help but smile at how righteous he can be.

I never smile because of my tragic childhood, but with Seth around, I've been smiling a lot, but only around him. Yeah, he can be annoying and obnoxious sometimes, most of the time, but I couldn't stay mad at him.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Even Effie and the girls know how much Seth cares for me as a close buddy, and I am happy that I can stay close to him, but if I'm close to him as my nightmares still haunt me, and I have not yet cleared them from my life, I can't reveal myself to him.

I can't put him in danger. I don't want to lose someone important to me, not again.

Just when I was done thinking about him and focused on my mission, here he was. In the flesh. Seth Wolfe.

The person I did not want to see, especially in this, got up. I wear a white shirt that crops around my hips and shorts that reveal my legs. Luckily, I'm wearing an oversized denim jacket to hide the body shape of my actual figure, but having him holding me, I will be found out.

"I finally found you," he says breathlessly but with an overjoy and glee smile like he won a prize.

I then noticed his face was sweaty, and his chest was heavy. Has he been running around looking for me? But the main question is, why is he here?

When I had a mission to follow Hugo and Sully, I had to deal with Seth.

Oh, fucking great.