What’ would we have talked about anyway. The man who stole my family was driving and doing me a big favor in the process, and uncomfortable didn’t... even begin to describe my feelings in the matter. But it was a favor, and one I could not have gotten from anyone else on such short notice. Jeff would have driven me, but he did have a job, and I’d likely have had to put off the trip till the weekend; this was Wednesday, and I needed to get home fast.As we neared my home turf, the driver looked at. What else could I mean?"I want Katie," I clarified."Katie?" For one thousand dollars, I get to spend all night with her." You mean... ?" She has to agree to do whatever I want. Katie's a good girl, Tommy. I'm sure she'd be willing to help out the family." You..." He tried to form words."She's going to do it sometime. Why not with a family member who loves her and will treat her right instead of some strange boy she barely knows? Be reasonable Tommy. How else are you going to get a thousand. He confided that he had been a Marine himself, served his 'twenty' and used his savings and GI benefits to qualify as a barkeep and buy this bar. "I'll bet Uncle Mike didn't even tell you our names!" I heard from behind me and the two ladies appeared"I'm Vicky," said the raven haired Goth, "And this is Suzanne." Call me Suzy" said the redhead sitting as close to me as she could."And our Hero is?" asked Vicky"Allow me," said Mike grandly waving toward me "Lassies, permit me to introduce Sergeant. It was with an audible sigh that she rounded the corner and reached the wrought iron gate leading to the alleyway beyond. As she passed through, the old springs slammed the gate behind her, closing her off from her home as surely as it did the life she used to know.Pieces of paper and other forgotten bits of flotsam tumbled with the wind as it gusted fiercely down that darkened alley. The October air was colder than she expected and was already causing goosebumps to rise as it washed over her.