Sincerely

The Drovers were a notorious crime family who had settled in Seattle decades ago, they buried their crimes and let others take the fall constantly, and were only ever charged and brought in on minor things never for the larger crimes they committed because it was always hard to tie them to them with evidence. I wouldn't be surprised if they were behind the people targeting androids and those who supported their freedom and autonomy.

I encountered them many times in my career and people always said it was never worth it to go after them because there was never enough for a conviction or major prison time. But to protect Creed and the others, I was willing to risk it to put these monsters behind bars.

They could be tied to over twenty murders, and many drug and human trafficking rings but the worst was their kidnapping ring. They weren't just taking adults and selling them off but kids, too. They were one of the first suspects in the case I and Lev had worked on together years ago, and despite the fact they were not behind that crime, they were behind many others. With two victims that could now testify and many others that could possibly be called in as witnesses from the club that had been bought over, the case was stronger now. Hopefully, strong enough we’d have a case and could bring them in and put an end to this.

“You should make sure Kelsea is somewhere safe before we get too far into this,” I warn Creed. “These people don’t take kindly to those who betray them or those who go after them.”

“Do you have anyone in mind? I don’t trust anyone other than you, and you’re already involved so that doesn’t bode well,” he replies. “Maybe she should go into witness protection with Toby and Chloe until this is over.”

“Hiding for young children is hard, I’ll make some calls just make sure you’re there when she gets off from school today. If they found out about you, I can’t imagine it would take long before they tie you to her,” I reply quietly.

He glances at the clock, school wouldn’t be out for another four hours yet he was still nervous.

“I guess her sleepover will have to wait,” he replies.

“She’ll forgive you, you’re protecting her, her safety is what matters now. Once she’s safe she can have all the sleepovers she wants,” I reply.

I spotted Elias and Alessio coming our way.

“Greyson, we were wondering if we could go home, not to the apartment where I was living with Deckard but the place we shared, Drover shouldn’t know about it but if it isn’t safe we can wait,” he explained.

“The warrant might take a while, I would get a hotel and wait to be safe. Any place with a previous connection to you might be compromised, we might be to get Alessio a new body, you, on the other hand, are a little more at risk,” I comment. “I’ll get someone to drive you there, that truck of yours is easy to tail otherwise.”

I, Lev, Creed and Deckard spent the night waiting for the response for the warrant. Alessio and Elias were taken to a hotel and officers were in the parking lot in case the Drovers had managed to find out they were back in town or living in general. Toby and Chloe were taken off into witness protection and had their names changed. Lev hugged Toby goodbye, you could tell he was sad to see his brother go when he’d just found out about them. We had yet to hear from their father yet, I wouldn’t doubt he was furious though.

Lev had passed on a couch in one of the offices, and Deckard was keeping an eye on him.

“You should get some sleep, too,” Creed reasoned.

He had handed Kelsea off to another officer who had taken her out of the city until the Drovers could be arrested and they weren’t an immediate threat to us.

“Working on little sleep isn’t good,” he adds.

I looked up from the paperwork I had been going over to find more leads and evidence to hook the Drovers on charges, witness statements and victim statements only did so much, we also had to convivence a human jury, which would be hard when two of our victims were androids, two were also human.

“I wish I could, but that’s was one thing Lev could do that I never could, sleep when he was working on a case. I pulled late and all-nighters while waiting for evidence results and warrants, not because I had to or wanted to but because I could never sleep,” I replied quietly.

“Because of the nightmares?” he stated, leaning over my desk.

“That was part of it, but I’m also worried we’ll be too late to save whoever is in trouble normally,” I reply quietly, looking away.

“We’re all safe right now, Greyson. You should really try and get some sleep. I’ll be here and up when they call. You need sleep, please,” he adds quietly.

I looked back up at him, I could see the worry and concern in his eyes. I reach over to my phone and pick it up and hand it to him.

“Make sure it’s plugged in, and pick it up as soon as it rings,” I reason.

“I will,” he replies giving me a small smile.

I clean up the files on my desk before we go into another office where there is another couch, I lay down on it and Creed comes in soon after with my coat and covers me with it. I smile at him. He sits down beside me and I reach up and touch his face.

“What will happen when this is over? You move around a lot for work,” Creed asks quietly.

I looked up at him.

“I could settle down, here with you and Kelsea. Maybe come and work with the police here or in the next town over. I’m not going anywhere after this Creed,” he reasons.

“This is your job though,” he reasoned.

“Exactly, it’s a job. Sure, it feels good to put people who have done wrong away but it does take a toll on me, like I just said about the not sleeping and the nightmares,” he reasoned. “I can always find another job, I cannot, however, replace what I have with you,” I reply.

“I want to be here, with you, and Kelsea. You’re more important that some job or title, or position. I was a lot like you before now, sure I had friends and a job and I trusted people but I was lonely and spent all my time working. Recently was the most time I had spent with others for some reason other than just work,” he continued.

He leaned down, pressing his forehead to mine. I leaned up and kissed him gently and he returned it.

“No one has ever done this much for me,” he whispered.

“Unfortunately, the society we live in casts out people who are different and makes them fear making connections because they fear being hurt,” I replied quietly.

“As long as you’re okay with it, I wouldn’t mind staying in Seattle though,” I reply returning back to the main subject.

“I would like that,” he replied smiling, “Now get some sleep,” he murmurs kissing me again before getting up.

I settle myself comfortably before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.