The Mom job

Sophie paced the hotel room twisting her hands. Darcy was breaking back into that school and even though Parker and Eliot had already been hired she was nervous. It went against everything she knew to let her daughter back in that place.

“Soph come sit pacing, wont make the wait any faster. She’s going to be fine, Eliot already made sure he would be walking past when she was breaking in. He’ll catch her and cement his position in the school. Darcy will be in the safest hands possible.”

“Yes well I might be a bit worried about Eliot’s hands. Darcy is only seventeen! I’ve seen how he looks at her. Like she hung the moon, I’ve never seen that look on his face before. I’ve seen him attracted, fond, even pining but this lovestruck look well I don’t like it. She’s my little girl”

“Eliot is a good man. You know that he would never hurt her. I think maybe he see’s a future with her, one he never saw himself having. He won’t ruin that possibility by moving to fast he’s going to go slow because he wants to be worthy of her.”

“He’s so much older than her. I care about Eliot you know I do Nate. The life he’s lived the things he’s done, I did everything to keep Darcy from that.”

“I know Soph, but the thing about kids is you can’t keep them safe from everything. One day there is going to be something you can’t protect them from and that day will be the worst day of your life. You’ll realize in the end you have to believe in your child. At the end I was devastated but Sam he was at peace. He told me to let him go to stop fighting but how could I let go of my only child. I fought kept fighting never stopped. I think back to those last days seeing his face so full of peace and I’m ashamed. Sophie he understood better than I ever did he accepted it with grace. You have to trust Darcy she’s a great kid in two days she wrapped everyone here around her little finger. She’s stronger than you think. Besides she’s not alone Parker and Eliot are close. I know what you’re going to say but he’s the best person in the world to keep her safe. Eliot is going to do everything to make sure she is happy and safe.”

“And how do you know that. Pick up fortune telling did you?”

“No, I just remember being amazed by my own Devereaux woman. It was like being struck by lightning and was just as shocking to see someone have an instant connection to them.”

“Well you are quite the charmer today.” Sophie couldn’t help the kiss she gave him or what followed so if Eliot had to call twice to tell them everything had gone as planned well it wasn’t Sophie’s fault Nate had distracted her.

Darcy paced the principals office with a scowl sure she had been caught on purpose but it was still scary. This school was wrong and she didn’t want to be here but how could she refuse to come when she had gotten her best friends taken? No she would stay and no one had to know just how scared she really was.

“Darcy Lou” Darcy nearly jumped at Eliot’s voice in her ear.

“Yeah”

“How you doing sweetheart you ok?”

“Of course” Her voice was haughty.

“Because it’s ok if you aren’t. What they did to you is wrong. You’re the bravest damn woman I ever met to go back in there to help your friends.”

Darcy wiped a tear from her eye, more grateful than ever for the soft voice whispering comforting words in her ear. Of course that’s when Principal Martin came in a smug look on her face.

“The waterworks work won’t do you any good Ms. Lewis. It’s to late for that now. Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused us with your little escapade. All for you to come back begging to be let back in.”

“First, I wasn’t begging, I was breaking and entering. Second I succeeded, technically because I did enter.”

“Well by enter you mean being caught by our newest member of the staff then yes. How do you like Mr. Sinclair by the way. I heard you gave him a hard time but he’s a bit bigger than Mr. West I don’t think you’ll be able to get past him as easily. Of course I hear he’s taken a shine to you.”

“Damn right I’ve taken a shine to you darlin.” Eliot whispered in her ear, she had to bite her lip so she wouldn’t smile.

“I do hope you don’t get on his bad side. He hasn’t the best of past I’m afraid people tend to go missing around him do be careful Ms. Lewis. I’d hate for your grandfather to be left all alone oh wait he wont be. You see while you were on your little adventure well your poor grandfather was killed in a robbery. He must have been so distraught to find you gone, in his distraction he left the door open. Poor man killed in his own home because of you.”

Darcy lunged at her her fist flying before she could think about it. She managed to break her nose before security yanked her off the bleeding woman.

“Oh no I ruined your suit sorry, not sorry.”

“Oh don’t worry I have special plans for you Ms. Lewis. You see you’re to loud to brash. You stand out to much to go where your friends are, normally we would have disposed of you. Luckily for you we have a new place for a girl like you. One where they can properly break you. In the meantime put her in detention.”

“Fuck” Darcy whispered.

“Darcy what’s detention! Darcy Lou come on talk to me. I will break cover and bust heads to get to you but you gotta talk to me.”

“No!” She hissed “I uh hate detention stupid room in the basement. No air conditioning really heinous guys.”

“Principal’s orders kid beside you got more things to worry about than being locked in a dark room.”

“Yeah well I get bored easily.” Eliot’s sigh rattled in her ear. She let out a small smile that he would have broken cover to get her. Darcy was shoved unceremoniously into the dark room.

“Hey cock waffles! I bruise easily.”

“That’s my girl keep fighting. I got class but you keep talking to me Darcy Lou. I’ve had Nate and these chuckleheads in my ear for years, your voice is a damn sight better.”

Darcy stayed in the dark room sweating; talking Eliot through his intro to economics class. Lucky for her she was the only one in detention most girls avoided it like the plague. She hadn’t lied to Eliot it was just a dank un air conditioned room. The problem was usually when you got sent to detention you never knew when you were getting out. Once they had left a girl there for three days only finding her when they had sent someone else there. She hadn’t made it. A lot of the male staff knew that girls who were left in detention were defenseless. So it was like a sweaty lobster tank ripe for the picking. At least she was alone so could talk to Eliot all she wanted.

Eliot stood in front the class of girls and he held a breath. He could see the fear in some of their eyes. Saw them giving him a once over and it wasn’t the appreciative glances he was used to getting, these girls were afraid. He knew an appraising look when he saw them they were trying to see how much trouble he was going to cause them. Most had heard how he apprehended Darcy dragged her kicking and screaming to the principal it was a good cover. It got Darcy in and gave him the instant trust of the staff but it left a bitter taste in his mouth to see these girls look at him in fear.

“Today we’re going to talk about the economics of Croatia, it was liberated from Yugoslavia on June 25th 1991. Croatia is self sustaining so even as the economy of the rest of the world fluctuates Croatia has managed to stay steady. Who can give me one reason why this is possible?”

One girl in the back raised her hand a little blonde with big brown eyes. Eliot looked at the seating chart and called on her “Yes Meghan”

“Where’s Darcy?”

“Excuse me.”

“I don’t know why you guys stand up and pretend to teach us. We all know you don’t care about us. We’re not stupid you know. More and more of us go missing everyday. We saw you dragging Darcy around this morning but she’s not here. Where is she?”

Eliot didn’t know what to do. He wanted to reassure all these scared girls that he was there to help them, that soon they would be home. He couldn’t blow his cover though they needed a few more hours. Just long enough for Sophie to meet with Ms. Martin and find out where the rest of the girls were. Darcy must have sensed his hesitation because she was in his ear speaking softly.

“That’s Meghan we never really spoke. I didn’t know she cared or even knew who I was she’s usually quiet but you can’t say anything at least not to the whole class. I know you must hate this, having them fear you but you see the brunette in the third row, probably scowling coach purse. That’s Rebeca Martin she’s the principals daughter she’ll rat you out quick, girls a vapid bitch.”

“Darcy is exactly where she needs to be, and you can see me after class. Now someone tell me why Croatia was able to stay independent after its liberation from Yugoslavia?” His voice was harsh. He was furious hated seeing the girl shrink in on herself in fear.

“Hey El, its alright. I know you don’t like this but its going to be ok. You’re my hero you know that right. You’re going to take these bastards down then I’ll let you buy me an ice cream.” Eliot smiled a little at how she had taken to murmuring comforting words to him. This girl was something else sitting all alone in the dark worried about him.

The girl Meghan stayed after class its not like she could ignore Mr. Sinclair. He was bigger than her and he blocked the only exit. She could have made a run for it but he was faster than he looked. He stood with military precision, alert ready for a fight. She recognized the stance from her dad. He was a general in the military. The only reason she was at this awful school was because her step mom had sent her. When her dad came back from his assignment heads were going to roll.

“What do you want?” She asked her voice defiant.

“Kid look its all right.”

“Yeah, that’s what Mr. West said before three girls disappeared. You want to tell me why ex-military decided to teach at an all girls school.”

“Damn, you go Meghan! Girl has balls standing up to you EL. I’m kinda attracted actually, she’s not usually my type. I think I might have a competence kink.”

“Darcy!” Eliot barked out loud, the girl’s laughed echoed through the coms.

“I’m Meghan say it with me Meghan. Oh god they have PTSD Ken teaching economics.”

“Which of your parents is military kid?”

“My Father’s General Whitley. It’s nice you didn’t assume it was my dad, most people do and its stupid because even though they’re right my mom was a Master Sergeant in the Marines.”

“Some of my toughest S.O.’s were female. Being a guy doesn’t make you any tougher just gives you an unfair advantage. Look I ain’t supposed to tell you this but Darcy hasn’t shut up in my ear about how cool you are.”

“Darcy’s here she’s ok?”

Eliot passed the girl his com “Hey Meghan, I’m all right I promise. Eliot is a friend, he’s here to help. I’m getting my friends back and I’m going to shut this fucking school down! but I need your help.”

“Hell ya Darcy, I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better. I wasn’t planning on staying long. I didn’t want to make friends I wasn’t going to keep. I saw what you did for Emily, how you befriended Sky it was real brave. That and knocking out that bastard West that was badass.”

“You stood up to Eliot I know he’s a big softy but dude is big as a truck you are definitely badass. When this is done we should get ice cream to celebrate”

“Ice cream and revenge I dig it.” Eliot took the coms from Meghan and placed it back in his ear with a scowl.

“All right all right stop making dates on my coms Darcy. I thought I was taking you out for ice cream?”

“Aww El you jealous? Meghan seems sweet plus its not a felony to date her. Don’t worry El you’re still my favorite eye candy.”

Meghan smiled for the first time in days. Darcy had brought help. She was getting back the missing girls and getting the rest of them sent home. It seems she had also caught herself a big fish. if the blush on Mr. Sinclair’s face was anything to go off.

“Can she still hear me?” Meghan asked a devious smirk on her face. At Eliot’s nod she whispered in the ear that held the com.

“Darcy, if you manage to pull this off, I’ll do a lot more than get you ice cream.”

“Get out of here and stop smiling you’re supposed to be afraid of me damn kids.” Darcy let out a loud laugh she loved Meghan. She would have to get her to describe how red Eliot’s face got at her words. She may not be able to act on attraction that she felt for the Hitter for a while but she could enjoy torturing him just a bit.

“Hey El, thanks for that. Meghan is a good person. I know she had to be scared so thanks for letting me talk to her for making her feel better.”

“My pleasure, Darcy Lou. Now hush my next class is coming in.”