Luna stared at him. “So, all this time…” Her eyes filled with tears. “You were in his employ and you were my brother?”
He again, nodded. “I couldn’t let him catch on. I had to remain cold about you and Colette. I went looking for her as soon as she disappeared. But he called me back for a job.”
“Yes, tell us what kind of job?” Ace asked as he raised a brow at him.
Traven looked over at the very large Ace. “I hunt people down for him, but mostly…I would be his security at meetings and the like. Or go and strong arm someone for him.”
“And he never caught on to who you really were.” Luna stared at him.
“Never did, but someday… I will look him in the eye when I slit his throat like he did to my …” he paused to look at her. “…our father.”
“I can’t believe…” Luna let out a slow breath. “Well, it is a relief to know that I am not of his blood. No wonder he treated us like he did.”
“Yes, but you both looked so much like your mother… he wanted to keep you around, even though the sight of you made him angry at the same time.”
“It is so sick!” Luna felt enraged. “Taking us from our real family then raising us to be pawns for him.”
Shay stood and walked over to Traven.
Traven stared at him.
“You took a chance coming here,” Shay stated quietly.
Travern gave him a slow nod.
“What do you mean?” Luna turned to Shay.
“He’s known as the Mercenary,” Shay stated.
Luna looked from Shay to Traven. “What does that mean?”
Ace stepped closer, looking very curious now. “Well, damn.”
King shook his head. “What the hell man? Why would you come out in the open like this?”
Traven stood quietly. Apparently, he wouldn’t say.
“What are you all talking about?” Luna asked again.
Deuce let out a heavy breath. “Your brother is…”
“Is what?” she asked looking at him and then at the other men.
“I’m a killer, mostly,” Traven spoke quietly.
“Yeah, wanted in maybe twenty states,” Shay stated.
Luna gasped.
King was the one to explain, “But he only kills people who…well…”
Luna stomped her foot. “Would you all tell me what the fuck you are talking about?”
“He is like a vigilante,” Deuce finally answered her. “At least, as far as we know and many lawmen know. The public doesn’t know this however.”
“Right,” Shay continued, “Tracks down serial killers. Finds them, kills them in the same way they killed.”
Luna blinked at Shay then turned to Traven. “I-is this true?”
“Mostly,” was all he would say. “It is what I meant when I said I should not come in here.”
“Because you weren’t righteous enough, you said,” Luna reminded him.
“Righteous?” King asked. “Man, you have saved so many lives—”
“—and I have taken many,” Traven cut him off. “My hands are covered in blood.”
“Not blood of lambs,” King reminded him. “The blood of killers. Torturers, child killers. I would call that righteous. Man, you are an infamous legend. Cops even praise you…well, off the record that is.”
Luna stared at her brother. “But I know why you did it. You were righting a wrong. Like what happened to our father.”
“It doesn’t excuse it though,” Ace piped up. “Taking the law into your own hands.”
“Oh man, here we go again, with that,” Deuce grumbled.
“No, he is right,” Traven stated. “I am just as fucked up as any killer is.”
Luna stared at him. “I refuse to believe that.”
“So why didn’t you kill the bastard while you were there for seven god damned years?” Deuce asked. “Then Collette would still be alive and Luna would have been safe.”
Traven swung his gaze over to him. “Jedidiah had a standing order. If he was killed, his assassins were to kill both the girls immediately. It was an automatic order. Placed years back. I came to find that out after the first few months I was there.”
They all went silent as they soaked this bit of terror in.
Traven now stared at Shay. “If you intend to arrest me. Now is your chance.”
Shay stared back at him. “No… I’m busy enough at the moment. Left my cuffs in my other suit, I’m afraid. I’m not FBI either, also…” He sighed. “I don’t want to be the lawman to take you down.”
Just then, a noise came from the hall.
They all turned to see a sleepy Annabelle holding onto her large fluffy puppy. She looked around at them all confused as to why they were all up in the middle of the night.
Jade came down the hall from behind her and stopped to see the strange man in the living room. She grabbed the little girl’s hand.
Luna swung her gaze from them to Traven.
His eyes stayed glued to Annabelle. “H-how… can this be?”
“What?” Luna asked, though she knew somehow that he could see it. The resemblance to her and Collette.
“She looks like you and…Collette. Like our mother in fact.” He turned to Luna. “This is the child your sister had.”
Luna slowly nodded. “She is your niece.”
“I know. I’ve been looking for her…” He seemed to get a little choked up as his cold mask slipped a little.
“You knew about her?” Luna asked in surprise.
He nodded. “She was all that we had left of Collette. One of the reasons I didn’t kill Whittaker after she disappeared. I felt like we would never find the child if I killed him. But I couldn’t find her, myself.”
“You should meet her,” Luna suggested.
He took a step back. “No, as long as she is safe and out of their grasp. That is good enough.” He then looked expressionless again. “With Gunther and Gauntlet gone, she should be safe enough. Now, Whitaker is in jail.” He looked over at Shay. “But he will be out by tomorrow. So, you need to get ready.”
Shay blinked. “No, he cannot raise bail and his attorney—”
“—he will be out by noon tomorrow,” Traven cut him off. “By then…” He turned his gray eyes to Deuce. “You all need to get away from this farm.” He looked to Ace, King, and all the men. “All of you need to leave.”
“Until when?” King asked.
“You will know when,” Traven stated.
“Now listen here,” Shay started. “We will bring him up on charges and he will go to prison. You don’t need to go after him. Let the law take care of it.”
Traven stared at him, his eyes hard as steel. “Often, the law has failed. Does fail. I am telling you now…He will be out of the country by 5 pm. Tomorrow. After he is sure, you are all dead. So, your way won’t work this time. Sometimes, the only way to stop evil is to…” He tuned his head to meet Luna’s gaze. “…become evil.” He again, looked around at the brothers. “You are all military men. Sometimes to protect what is yours means you need to retreat, take your women with you. He will storm this place with the very weapons his company makes. Do not be here when he does.”
“Wait a minute,” Charli spoke up now as she came forward. “You mean to say he will destroy my farm?”
Traven stared down at her. “That, and anything here.”
Charli gasped.
Ace came up to stand by her as he put his arm around her.
She turned to him. “I-I can’t lose this place. I can’t!”
“I’m sorry.” Traven sighed hard. “It is the other reason why I came, to warn you. He had resources that even you cannot find. Widowmaker…” He looked around again. “He carries that name for a reason. He thought it up after he killed my father, leaving my mother as a widow. He thought it to be clever.” Hate glowed in his steely eyes as he spoke, “He lives by the name too. Clear out, if you care for your lives.” He turned to leave.
Luna reached out to him. “Wait! When will I see you again? I want to get to know you. The real you. I mean… I always wanted a brother—”
Traven stepped further away from her. “I won’t be one to you. I can’t be.”
“W-what?”
“It is for your best interest,” Traven said.
“My best…” Luna looked angry. “That sounds suspiciously the same as what my fake father always told me. Well, listen here buster…” She stepped close and poked her finger into his chest. “I will decide what’s best for me and I think having a brother would be—”
He caught her hand. “I only came here to see you one last time. To cut that tracker out of you, so…” He raised his gaze and met Deuce’s. “He can take you somewhere safe until I can finally end Whittaker.” He raised her hand and rubbed his rough cheek with it. “I wished I could have saved Collette. He had me out on a job in another country when he did that to her. Then I never knew where she went. Until it was too late.” He looked into Luna’s eyes. “But I promise you. He will end up like Gunther and Gauntlet.” He dropped her hand and stepped back.
“Wait! Don’t leave!” Luna reached for him.
Traven gave Deuce a nod of his head, then turned and went out the door.
“NO!” Luna cried out.
Deuce caught her and kept her from following.
Luna felt such a loss. First, her sister, then now a brother, she never knew she even had. She jerked her arms away from Deuce.
He stared at her sadly. “I’m sorry but where that man goes, you cannot follow.”
Sighing, she swiped her tears away. “I hope he…” Her words faded away. She didn’t know what to feel. That he would come back? She knew he wouldn’t. He was adamant about that part.
Ace, Shay, Joker and King stepped over to Deuce and her.
“Brother,” Ace spoke up, as he looked troubled.
“I know,” Deuce replied with a heavy sigh and a glare in his eyes. “We all need to move to the safe house.”
