Safe?.... Hardly! (Re-edited for easier reading)

Billie grinned, holding up an envelope in his hand.

"I think we just got our first break."

"Where did you get this?"

Blue asked the boy, trying to keep his voice even and calm.
The boy, looking pretty terrified right now, shook his head.

"Can't tell ya."

He whispered, though his Californian accent still shone through.

"If you don't tell us, then you're headed straight to juvvy."

Billie threatened.
The boys eyes grew wide.

"No please..."

That's where his brother had been put, and he'd not seen him since.

"Then tell us..."

Blue prompted, a little louder this time.
The small boy reminded Frank a little of himself when he was young, trying to act tough to compensate for his size, when really, he was just a scared little kid.

"Hey, kid? What's your name?"

Frank asked him, moving to sit cross legged on the floor in front of the boy.

"I'm Frank."

After he didn't get an answer.
The boy raised moist eyes to look at him for the first time.

"Jacko!"

The boy said quietly.

"Hi Jacko."

Frank offered a small smile.

"Please can you tell me? It's really important..."

"Why?"

Frank considered his answer, and decided to be completely honest.

"I got another envelope like this yesterday...you delivered that one?"

Jacko nodded, chewing on his painted fingernail.

"It had a memory stick in it, with film of someone I love being hurt, badly..."

The boy looked shocked.

"I think you were given this by the man that hurt my friend, and I need your help now. Please tell me..."

Frank felt tears crawl down his face, but refused to wipe them away.

"Ok..."

Jacko breathed, composing himself.

"This guy came up to us and offered us money and booze, if I just delivered an envelope. He's waiting for me now..."

"Where?"

Blue demanded, making the boy's head snap to the right, and his eyes pop out.
He swallowed hard.

"M...Main Street, by the liquor store"

Blue smiled at him for the first time.

"Thank you, now, I need you to finish what you started. I need you to do what you told him you'd do, and return to Main Street"

Jacko shook his head violently.

"He'll know, I've been gone too long"

"Tell him there was a cop car out front, so you had to make sure no one saw you."

Frank suggested, as he watched Billie grabbing his keys and disappearing out the front door.
The worried looking boy sighed.

"Ok..."

He thought for a moment.

"Can we keep the money?"

Blue frowned, but then ruffled the boys hair.

"Sure thing kid, I guess you earned it, and it isn't my money."

He grinned. Maybe he wasn't such a hard ass after all. Jacko giggled, God, SO much like a young Frank.
The detectives phone buzzed in his pocket and he fished it out, standing as he accepted the call and stepped away for privacy.

"You all set?"

Frank asked the boy, gently.

"Mmhm..."

He nodded.

"I already filmed myself postin' it, I just have to get back now"

"Right..."

Blue said, returning to the group.

"Armstrong just called, he's got our guy in sight..."

Frank stopped breathing for a moment, eyes growing wide.

"...so now you need to go, Jacko, ok?"

The boy nodded, standing to leave.

"What if he gets suspicious?... He won't hurt me, will he?"

Jacko was clearly nervous.

"No. You're safe. I promise."

The detective smiled down at him, though Frank realised that it wasn't a promise he could easily keep, but luckily Jacko seemed convinced, and nodded before heading out the door.
Blue sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Ok, you stay here, I'm going to join Armstrong. Can I borrow someone's car? Promise I'll bring it back..."

Mikey chucked him his keys.

"Take mine, it's the Mustang"

"K... I'll call you when I know anything. Please don't try to follow me. If McCracken sees you, he may just run, then we will have no chance of finding Gerard... Ok?"

Frank, Mikey and the others nodded.

"Please find him..."

Frank pleaded, tears dripping from his chin again.

"We'll do everything we can."

Then the detective was gone.

"Ohgodohgodohgod."

Frank chanted, sinking into the sofa, head in hands.

" Please let him be ok"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Main Street~

"What took so long?"

A nervous, and clearly pissed Bert demanded of the small boy, dragging him from his bike and pinning him to the wall, just inside the alleyway.

"Th..there was a c..cop car.... I had to wait to not b..be seen."

The frightened boy stuttered, eyes like saucers.
Bert released his grip a little.

"But you got it done? And you weren't seen?"

Jacko nodded.

"I delivered it... No one saw me."

He grinned.
Bert studied the boy for a moment, before letting him go. Either he was telling the truth, or he was a really good actor.

"Ok. Good. So, here's your money..."

He pulled out an identical roll of notes to the one he'd given them yesterday, and handed it to the tall boy, who he'd established was the group's leader.

"..Same time tomorrow?"

He asked, with a grin. All the boys nodded eagerly, before slinking off into the alley, apparently their hideout. Bert chuckled as he crossed the street, back to his van. Time for more fun!

As he drove back to the warehouse, he didn't notice the nondescript blue car that tailed him. And as he got out, heading towards the side door of the building, he didn't see that same blue car parking across the road.

"HONEY, I'M HOOOME!"

He called, locking the door behind him, and crossing the floor toward Gerard, who was, until that moment, sleeping, albeit with his eyes taped open, the drugs having finally worn off.

Outside, detectives Blue and Armstrong were calling for backup.

Inside, Gerard was wishing he was dead already...

Notes