Safe Harbor - 34

"Anyone seen Prizm recently?"

"He was here about an hour ago, Father," one of the kids told Kurt. "Then he and some other kids left."

"Other kids?"

"Yep. Those two girls, and Arch and Tank."

Kurt knew it was a vain hope but still…"I don’t suppose they said where they were going."

The teen shook his head before wandering away. A young girl who had been sitting nearby said hesitantly, "I sort of heard."

"Oh?" Kurt sat down beside her so he’d seem less intimidating since she was a child he knew had been abused by her mother before the woman walked out of her life, leaving the twelve-year-old to fend for herself.

"They were talking about those men who hurt us." She chewed her lip for a long moment. "I think…I think they’re going to try to find them."

Kurt’s first instinct was to swear, long and loudly, and the fact he was a priest be damned. He tamped it down as he didn’t want to frighten her, or the others who were within earshot. Instead he thanked her before getting up, striding tensely to his office to make a phone call.

"Sorry to wake you." Kurt listened to Daniel grumble about it’s being nothing new before explaining why he’d called.

"Nothing more specific than they were going to hunt for them?" Daniel asked when Kurt finished.

"Nope. Can you…I don’t know, put out an APB on them or something?"

Daniel chuckled. "Not sure I could get away with it, but I will get the word out for the guys on the street to keep their eyes open."

"Thanks."

There was a brief pause then Daniel said sternly, "You are not to go out looking for them on your own. Understood?"

"Yes, Daniel, I understand."

"But will you listen?"

Kurt shrugged. "How do I answer that without lying?" With a low chuckle he hung up, hearing a muttered curse as he did.

Fifteen minutes later he was leaving the shelter dressed in an old pair of jeans, a black T-neck and a worn denim jacket he’d borrowed from one very surprised kid who was close enough to his size that it worked.