Guardian Angels – Ambivalent - 15

As soon as the detective left Paddy took Mike aside, asking, "Are you all right?"

"Hell no. Micky was…was attacked and…" Suddenly his hands started shaking as the realization of what that meant hit him. "He though Micky was me."

Paddy nodded, gripping his shoulder. "I hate to say it but I think you're right."

"What if…?"

"If you'd been here? I suspect he'd have gone after Micky anyway. From what little I could see of the kid as they took him out, he looked like the…" Paddy almost said 'the picture' before remembering there was no way he could have seen it as far as Mike was concerned. "He looked like the way you described the picture Keefe showed you."

"Skinnier, but yeah, sort of. Damn it, Paddy. We have to find him."

"I think that's the cops' job."

"But Micky isn't me. What if Mr. Keefe realizes that somehow? If the cops find out Micky's real name it won't be mine. Or if Mr. Keefe figures out Micky is younger than me, because he is."

"You know Micky. Does he look younger?"

"Yeah. He claims he's nineteen. I think that's pushing it a bit but he passes for that." Mike smiled grimly. "Living on the streets can do that to a guy."

"So you're really only twenty?" Paddy asked with a smile, trying to relax Mike a bit if possible.

"Twenty-one," Mike retorted. Then he almost grinned. "Honest. I may feel ancient at times but yeah, I'm twenty-one and counting." With a sigh, he said, "I guess I'd better get to work. I have a feeling it's going to be rough. The story will have spread fast about what happened and the kids will bombard me with questions."

He glanced at the admissions counter, which at the moment was being manned by another employee. Three teens were already lined up there, even though it was just after twelve-thirty. "We'll have a full house again tonight I think," Mike told Paddy as he went around behind the counter. "I'll take over now, Carl."

Carl nodded, looking relieved, and headed through the door into the employee's area after Mike buzzed him through.

"I'll help," Paddy said, joining Mike. "Unless there's something else I should be doing."

"I could use your company." Mike replied before turning his attention to the first kid in the line, which had now grown to five teens of varying ages. He took down what information the kid was willing to give him, while answering questions about what had happened.

Paddy did the same with the next teen, wondering as he did when he could legitimately leave for a few minutes. He wanted to go to the hospital where they'd taken Micky and pick his brain—literally—to see if he could find out exactly what had happened.

About half an hour later, Paddy got his chance when the line slowed down to a trickle. Pleading the need for a bathroom break he headed to the restroom. The moment he entered one of the stalls, he went invisible. Seconds later, with no one the wiser, he was in the ICU at the hospital. A quick mental reading of one of the nurses let him know what room Micky was in.

Still invisible, Paddy went into the room, swearing silently when he saw the teen. He was encased in casts and attached to several monitoring units. We'll find Keefe and deal with bastard, he promised before probing Micky's mind for details on exactly what had happened.  

It took a bit of prodding but he got Micky to remember leading Mr. Keefe to the basement door. When Micky turned to leave, Keefe asked him to wait because he needed help bringing something upstairs. Keefe stepped between Micky and the door and a minute later he opened it. "After you," the man said, moving aside. The last thing Micky remembered was feeling a hand on his back and being shoved.

Definitely was not an accident.

Scowling, Paddy returned to the restroom stall at the shelter. Smoothing his features, he became visible and rejoined Mike.