Jessica and Luke are siblings who have experienced a whole world of pain and hurt in their short lives. When it seems that, for once, things are finally beginning to improve, a local drug gang invades their existence, and their world threatens to crumble down around their ears. Read on to see how they and their friends fight back.

Chapter One.

Jessica was Luke’s older sister, being some twelve years her sibling’s senior. Ever since their mother’s early death from breast cancer Jessica had looked after her brother. Though they had different, albeit unknown fathers, they shared a close bond, a bond born out of adversity, but one that was unshakeable.

Jessica, now twenty-two, had given up her university education where she’d been training to become a maths teacher, to care for her brother. She’d been eighteen at the time and Luke, who’d been eight became her responsibility, when, within a matter of months after her initial diagnosis, their mother succumbed to the disease and left them on their own. Given her young age, the local Social Services Authority wanted to place Luke into the Foster Care system, however an incensed Jessica fought tooth and nail to become Luke’s legal guardian. She’d taken on a series of menial low paying jobs to keep them both fed, clothed and housed. Such love and devotion was not lost on Luke, who loved his sister more than most siblings loved each other.

Things seemed to look up for the two of them when Matthew, a slightly older man started to show an interest in Jessica. The relationship seemed to thrive at the outset, and, within a few months, Matthew moved into Jessica’s small flat and life for the siblings became a little smoother. The money Matthew contributed to Jessica’s meagre earnings certainly made life easier, and although he wasn’t too pleased that his girlfriend devoted so much time and effort on her young brother, he acknowledged that someone needed to care for Luke, and apart from Jessica, there wasn’t anyone else to provide that love and devotion.

Matthew was always very vague about exactly what he did for a job, just that he was in the distribution business. He seemed to work odd hours and had two mobile phones, the ringing of one of which could result in him leaving the flat at a moment’s notice, often returning hours later in an angry mood, with bruised knuckles. Jessica soon learned not to ask questions as he would tell her to mind her own business, and the less she knew the better for them all.

So, life carried on in a comfortable existence, Jessica working long hours as a waitress and Luke doing his best at school, although he was a lonely child. He wasn’t into sports, no doubt due to food being in relatively short supply during his earlier years, he was of slight build. Much like his mother and sister, he wasn’t too tall either. Matthew tried to interest Luke in football, and particularly in following Liverpool F.C., Matthew’s hometown club, but Luke couldn’t understand why he should be fascinated in a club over a hundred miles from his own hometown, and, even more so in a sport he wasn’t particularly interested in. Matthew grew less involved in Luke and began to get abusive towards Jessica. Demanding meals no matter what time he arrived home from his work, and insisting on sex, whether Jessica was receptive to his advances or not!

Matthew slowly altered the atmosphere within the home the three shared. What had been a poor, but loving home, slowly became a little more affluent, but with the sense of an impending, brooding storm becoming more and more omnipresent.
Matthew began arranging packages for Jessica to take to work with her, for collection by various contacts Matthew knew, and for Jessica to receive and bring home large, sealed envelopes, that would get dropped off for him at her cafeteria. Matthew would also give Luke pocket money to make deliveries for him, usually to quite run-down houses in their immediate area, with the residents making Luke feel quite scared.

One Wednesday evening Jessica came home from work, shattered after another twelve hours on her feet racing from table to table, keeping customers happy, to find Matthew fiddling with the carpet by his side of the bed they shared. His glare told her not to ask what he was doing, so she quietly left to check on Luke.

“I’m going out, not sure when I will be back so don’t wait up, see you later!” called Matthew, as the front door closed loudly behind him and his footsteps could be heard receding down the stairwell.

“He had me go to that horrible house up on Hillside Drive again!” mumbled Luke, as he sat on end of the sofa with his legs pulled tightly to his chest, half watching his Loony Tunes® DVD. “The man pulled me in the door by my arm, and he really hurt me he squeezed it so hard! I don’t like going there, it makes me scared!”

Jessica sat next to her brother and pulled him close to her, “Come here Luke, let me look at your arm!”

Luke cuddled up to his sister, pulling up his shirt sleeve as he did so, revealing the bruised imprint of a large hand around Luke’s arm.
Jessica’s eye’s narrowed as she saw the bruises and the scared expression in Luke’s eyes.

“I’m not having that Luke, leave it with me, I’ll speak to Matthew and stop him sending you there anymore!” and she hugged him to her side.

“It won’t make any difference Jess, I told him what happened when I came home, and I showed him my bruises!”

“What did he say?”

“He laughed! Said it would toughen me up!” responded Luke with tears in his eyes. “He said that with the big summer school holidays starting on Friday he would be getting me to make more deliveries for him each day, that I could earn a few pounds to help you with bills, that I should stop whingeing like a little girl and grow up into a proper man like him! But he, he scares me Jess, I want to help you! Honest, I do, but, I don’t like where he makes me go with his parcels. And then, when I get back, he’s always asking me if I have opened any of the envelopes I bring to him, and honest Jess, I never have, but it seems that he doesn’t really believe me! He said if I ever did steal from him, he would hurt you, then me! I don’t think I like him anymore Jess, but I don’t want to become something you two argue about, so, perhaps, you should let me go into Foster Care, then you can get on with him better and I won’t be in the way!”

Jessica sat bolt upright taking Luke’s shoulders in both her hands, “Now look here Luke, you are more important to me than Matthew, or anyone else for that matter! So, no more of that talk, do you hear me? It’s you and me Luke! Always has been and always will be, I’ll speak to Matt when he gets home, so don’t worry!”

Luke moved to hug his sister, “Thanks sis, I love you so much!”

“And I love you to Luke, never forget that, now, it’s time you were in bed ready for school tomorrow!”

“Oh please Jess, just another few minutes, I haven’t seen you all day, and nothing is happening at school with us being so close to the school holidays!”

“I tell you what, you go and get yourself ready for bed, I’ll make us a nice cup of tea and we can watch some more of the cartoons!”

“Yay!” exclaimed Luke as he raced off to the bedroom.

Jess smiled at the back of her brother as he ran off, and with a sigh she pushed herself upright and went to put the kettle on.

Matthew didn’t return home Wednesday night, there was no sign of him Thursday either.

Chapter Two.

Friday morning Luke went off for his last day of school. Jess checked herself in the mirror by the front door and as she opened it to go to work two men rushed into the hallway and each grabbing an arm, roughly pushed her into the wall. One had his hand clamped tightly over her mouth stopping her from screaming. She vaguely recognised both men as having been with Matthew.

“Right sweetheart, if I remove my hand do you promise not to scream?” the ruffian asked, A wide eyed Jess nodded her head. “Make sure you don’t, I wouldn’t want to have to hurt you, or your brother either! Understand?”

Jess nodded her head again, even more scared if that was possible.

“Right sweetheart, where is that scum boyfriend of yours?”

“Matthew? I haven’t seen Matthew since he went out Wednesday night!”

“Where did he go?”

“I don’t know! He had a phone call, and just announced he was going out and not to wait up for him!”

“What time was this?” the second man asked.

“I’m not exactly sure, about half eight, quarter to nine! I hadn’t been home long from work!”

The obvious boss of the two thugs said to the second man, “Go, check around the flat see if you can find that bastard!”

Then holding Jess roughly with one hand pinching her cheeks and jaw as he did so “You better hope we don’t find him here, not only for your sake but for that little wimpy brother of yours too!”

Crashing and banging was heard from elsewhere in the flat, not that there were many places to hide, but the second man returned to the front door and looking at the man holding Jess, “He’s not here!”

“Right sweetheart, you be a good girl and you don’t tell anyone about our little visit this morning, but the moment you see that boyfriend of yours, you tell him that George is wanting to have a discussion with him!”

Jess could only nod her head.

“Good! Make! Sure! You! Do!” as with each word he banged Jessica’s head against the wall, then letting go of her she slid down the wall and crumpled onto the floor as the two thugs left slamming the door behind them! Jess subsided into an outburst of emotion and cried her eyes out for ten minutes, before she pulled herself upright and closed the front door.

Jessica phoned in sick that day, too shook up to face the questions from her employers about why she looked so upset and where had she gotten her bruises from? She was also desperate to talk to Matthew. Where was he? What had she seen in him? What was he up to? What had she got herself and Luke involved in? Where the hell was Matthew?

As she put the kettle on she glanced out of her kitchen window and noticed a car parked across the street, and one of the thugs was sat in the vehicle with a second, unknown man. What was she to do?

All day she kept a low profile and pondered what she should do next? Close to the end of the school day she decided to walk to Luke’s school and meet him to walk him home. Jess was aware of being followed to the school by the thug who’d been sat outside her flat all day.

Luke trudged out of the school, presenting a lonely, isolated figure as he did so. He broke into a beaming smile as he saw Jess at the school gates waiting for him and he ran to meet her. The smile slowly faded as he noticed Jess’s red eyes and slightly swollen face.
“What’s happened to you Jess? Did Matt hurt you? I’m going to kill him!” exclaimed an agitated Luke.

“Hush Luke, please, not here!” Jess bent down so her face was close to Luke’s “Wait until we get home, and I’ll tell you what’s going on, not that I know much, please Luke, just act normal for me, please, okay!”

One of the larger boys with a group of friends walked past Luke and Jess. “Oh look, the pansy’s Mommy has come to pick him up from school! Oh, but there again, your Mommy’s dead!” and with various cat calls, yells and laughter they all ran off.

Jess looked at Luke and noticed his moist, glassy eyes fighting back the tears.

“Oh Luke, why didn’t you tell me they were hurting you like that?” said Jess holding his hand.

“I didn’t want to make you more worried about me than you are, and anyway, it would have only made things worse!” mumbled a dejected Luke.

Two girls walked up to Luke and Jess, one rubbed her hand up and down Luke's arm. “I am so sorry Luke, they are just mean jerks, you have a good holiday and maybe we’ll see you during the summer!” and then they walked off.

“They seem nice!” stated Jess.

“Yeah they are, that’s Carole and Stacy, they’re in my class, they are usually the only ones to speak to me!”

“Oh!” replied a stunned Jess, “Let’s get you home, get something to eat shall we, what do you fancy?”

“Don’t laugh, but could we have cheese on toast?” asked an uplifted Luke. “Is Matthew home?”

“No Luke, I haven’t seen Matt nor heard from him!” raising her voice slightly, so the man following her would also hear her response. Chattering away about inconsequential trivia they walked home, both climbing the stairs to their flat to find the front door wide open! Jess stood transfixed wondering what she should do next.

“Do you know what, I think I am right out of cheese! Come on Luke, let’s go to the café, we’ll eat out like we’re made of money, well, almost!” laughed Jess, grabbing Luke and leading him back down the stairs, glancing over her shoulder at the flat door as she did so.

Within a few minutes they entered the café where Jess worked, the couple behind the counter looked up and saw Jess and Luke hurrying in through the door, their smiles fading as they noticed the swollen face on the young girl they almost considered a daughter and the scared expression she wore.

With a surreptitious shake of her head, Jess breezed up to the counter and said with false humour and bravado in her voice, “My little brother has broken up from school, and to celebrate, he want’s cheese on toast, I ask you, cheese on toast! But guess which big sister has run out of cheese? Yup! That’s right, me!”

“Well Luke, it’s a good job we have plenty of cheese, isn’t it?” said Tina as she walked around the counter to give Luke a hug and Jess a thorough appraisal over Luke’s shoulder. With her eye’s she signalled to Jess to go into the kitchen.

“Come on Luke, let’s get you settled on a stool up here at the counter!” said Tina, then in a stage whisper “I suppose you would like one of Mike’s world-famous milk shakes to go with your cheese on toast?”

“Yes please!” chuckled Luke.

Mike approached the counter and leaning on his elbows looked down at Luke with a beaming smile.

“Well young man, let me use my psychic powers on you!” Mike closed his eyes, “Yes, I can feel your thoughts, coming from your mind and, yes, they are entering my brain!”

Luke chuckled.

“Well, if you do have Luke’s thoughts entering your brain Mike, they’ll be on virgin territory, as you have not had any thoughts in your brain all day, you big wally!” snorted Tina with a chuckle, giving Luke a hug in the process.

“Well, that’s nice, oh wife of mine! If I had feelings, I would be deeply hurt!” responded Mike tousling Luke’s hair, “Let me guess Luke, yes, it’s almost clear in my mind! A chocolate milk shake, yes?”

“Yes please!” laughed Luke, “But you know I always have a chocolate milk shake whenever I come here!”

“Shhh!” said Mike giving the universal sign to keep silent my pressing a forefinger against his lips, “I’m trying to impress the rest of this crowd with how clever I am!” as he winked at Luke who giggled again.

“There’s little danger of that!” retorted Tina, “You get your finger out Michael, and make Luke his milk shake while I go out back with Jess and make the best cheese on toast in the area!”

“Now see what you’ve done young Luke, you have got me in trouble, she called me Michael, she only ever calls me Michael, when I am in trouble, or she wants something!”

“I HEARD THAT!” shouted Tina from the kitchen.

“Ears like a bat too!” whispered Mike to Luke as he placed a tall chocolate milk shake in front of him. Luke giggled yet again, he loved hearing the banter between Tina and Mike, he knew they kept a close eye on Jess and himself almost like how he imagined grandparents would.

Tina came out moments later with Luke's cheese on toast. Placing it in front of Luke she said to him, “Okay, Luke, can I leave you in charge for a moment, I need some more sauce from the storeroom and Mike’s the only one who can reach it, so if anyone comes in, you ask them to sit and come and get me from the kitchen.

“Okay Tina, I can do that!”

“Thanks Luke, now you enjoy your cheese on toast while it’s nice and hot, Now, you Michael, you come with me!” and playfully grabbing Mikes ear she led him into the kitchen.

Luke sat on the stool, legs swinging idly back and forth enjoying his meal when he heard the bell above the door ring and a man entered the café. He looked around and as Luke started to move to get Tina, he realised that he’d seen the same man not far from his school moments earlier.

“Excuse me sir, If you will take a seat, I’ll get Tina out to serve you, I’ll just be a moment!” Luke slid off the stool and headed towards the kitchen.

“Tina!” Luke called, “Customer!”

However, as he said that, he heard the bell chime again, and glancing back over his shoulder he noticed the same man leaving the café and slowly cross the street and get into a car.

“Oh Tina, I’m sorry!” said an almost tearful Luke, “I did ask him to take a seat and that I’d get you to serve him, but he’s just walked out!”

“I know you did Luke, don’t worry, you get back on the stool and finish your meal.”

Luke had a lift from Tina again and climbed back on the stool, Tina was right, she made excellent cheese on toast and Mike’s milk shakes were the best he’d ever had.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Tina and Jess were quietly informing Mike of the events of the last few days, including this morning’s visit by the two thugs and that the customer who had entered then left the café without waiting to be served, was one of two men that had been observing the flat all day and then tailing Jess.

Now Mike became angry, and then even angrier at the thought of his “family” being in trouble. He had never liked Matthew and always had deep rooted suspicions of his so-called business dealings, but he’d also known that to give voice to his fears to Jess would potentially have driven a wedge between them all, as people in love will always think the best. But now, his adopted family were in trouble, and Jess was palpably scared, for herself and Luke and didn’t know what to do.

Mike had served twenty-five years in the Para’s, part of the UK’s elite armed forces before buying this café with his wife Tina. They had a daughter Karen who lived in Northeast Scotland where she taught Geography. Karen and Jessica had first met in school and had both gone to university together, at least up until Jess was forced to drop out. Now, Mike bristled at the thought of Jess and Luke being in such a potentially precarious position.

The first thing to do was to check the flat, had Matthew come back or were some unsavoury characters lying in wait for Jess and Luke?
Mike took his whites off and put his coat on ready to accompany Jess back to the flat. Before leaving the café, he approached a couple of his regular customers sitting in the back of the premises drinking their tea after enjoying some bacon butties. After exchanging a few words, he headed back to the counter.

“Now young Skywalker! Sorry Luke, couldn’t help myself!” laughed Mike who shared a love of all things Star Wars with this young boy.
Luke having to wipe his face after snorting chocolate milk shake down his nose, coughed and spluttered at Mike’s teasing.

“You big Idiot Michael Arthur Smith!” scolded Tina, “Look at the state of Luke, you’re hopeless, go on, get out while I wipe Luke down!” she smiled nervously at her husband, then quietly added “You be careful, you hear me, and don’t you dare let anyone else hurt our Jessie, or you either!”

Mike kissed his wife “Don’t worry, my insurance will be following us just in case we need any assistance!”

Jess knelt down in front of Luke “Cor, look at the mess you’re in Luke!” as she surveyed his chocolate milk shake stained shirt front and shorts “I take you out for a treat and look at you!” then noticing the look of worry that crossed Luke’s face quickly added “Hey, I’m only teasing, I’m just popping out with Mike for a short while, so you stay here with Tina and do what she tells you, Okay?”

“Yes Jess! Are you going back to the flat?”

“Yes Luke, I’m just going to check things are Okay. Why do you ask?”

“Because I saw the broken door before we left to come here! Are people looking for Matthew?” asked her brother.

“I sometimes forget how clever and observant you are Luke, and yes, I think people are looking for Matt!”

Luke threw his arms around his sister’s neck, “Jess, please be careful!”

“I will be, Mike is coming with me to help me check things out, so don’t worry, Okay?”

Luke then hugged Mike around the waist, “Promise me that you won’t let anyone hurt my sister, nor you either?”

Mike hugged the small boy back, “I promise you Luke, that we’ll both be back safe and sound before you know it! Now you look after Tina and do what she tells you, just like I do!” saying this Mike winked at Luke and followed by Jess he headed out of the front door.

Moments later, the two men Mike had spoken to earlier sauntered out of the door and ambled down the street.

“Right Luke, let’s get you cleaned up!” stated Tina as she led Luke out the back towards the staff room. “I’ll have to see what I have for you to wear while I put these things of yours in to soak before they’re ruined!”

Chapter Three.

As Jess and Mike climbed the stairs to the flat, Mike placed his hand on her shoulder, and, pulling her back slightly entered the flat first. Jess gasped as she saw the devastation in front of her. Even from the front door it was obvious that the flat had been ransacked, with all their meagre belongings strewn all over the place. She stood there with her hands held to her mouth and tears forming, prickling at her eyes. As she looked around at the upturned furniture with the cushions and pillows slashed, she couldn’t stop herself from openly crying. She stooped to pick up a broken picture frame, containing one of the few mementoes of her with her mother and brother in happier times.
Mike put his arm around her shoulders and pulling Jess behind living room door placed his finger to his lips, in the universal sign for keeping quiet. As Jess stood there, she heard heavy steps coming up the stairs, then entering the flat.

Mike stepped forward, “Excuse me gentlemen, can I help you?”

“Piss off old man! Where’s the bitch? Our business is with her not you! Now fu*k off out the way unless you want to get hurt!” the leader of the pair snarled, the second, so far silent thug let an iron bar slip from up his sleeve into his hand, smacking the bar into the palm of his other hand in a threatening manner!

“Now that’s not a nice attitude is it sonny, does your mom know you use that mouth of yours to speak such filth?” Mike said to the first thug, then addressing the second man “I’d drop that bar if I were you mate, I’d hate to take it off you by force!”

The weapon wielding thug laughed and launched an attack on Mike. Before Jess even knew what exactly Mike had done, the thug was lying on the floor with blood streaming from his nose, whist nursing an obviously broken right arm with his left hand, wailing like a banshee.

The first man then made a massive mistake and drew a knife, pulling his arm back ready to thrust at Mike’s exposed side. A huge hand appeared from behind the thug and with a quick twist snapped the wrist of the knife wielding assailant. There in the flat’s doorway stood the two customers from Mike’s café.

“Thanks Steve! Some people have the most abysmal manners these days, don’t they?” mused Mike.

“You don’t know who you’re fu*king dealing with old man!” spat the would be knife attacker. “You’re going to regret tangling with us!” he added with a whimper creeping into his voice.

“Oh dear me, I am so scared! Not!” snarled Mike, “Well Geoff, it seems this gentleman doesn’t know when to keep his opinions to himself, would you be so kind as to explain to him the error of his ways?”

“Be my pleasure Mike!”

The second of Mikes customers grabbed the knife man by the scruff of his hoodie, and picking him up, delivered several jabs into the thugs kidneys, before slamming his face into the wall! “Now mate, if I were you, I would apologise to Mike and then the young lady!”

“Fu*k you!” replied the thug.

“Dear me, that’s not the response I was looking for mate!” said Geoff, slamming the thugs face back into the wall with several follow up punches to the solar plexus for good measure. “Want to try that again?”

Silence! The bar wielding thug tried to rise to his feet, only to find himself slammed back into the floor with Steve standing on the mans broken arm for good measure, “And where do you think you are off to mate?”

“Nowhere!” was the screamed response.

“Now, let’s see who we are dealing with, shall we?” snarled Mike as he quickly and expertly frisked the two would be assailants.
Jess looked on in amazement at the events unfolding before her. She’s always known that Mike and Tina had a soft spot for ex-servicemen who were struggling to adapt to civilian life, just as Steve and Geoff had. She’s known they were both ex Royal Marines who were struggling to keep from having to sleep rough and were part of a group of men that Mike and Tina gave special mates rates so they could eat the end of the day. Usually giving them food that was getting close to its expiration date. She knew they’d all received military training, but she’d never seen it in action, until now!

“So, now then what do we see here?” asked Mike rhetorically, as he went through the men’s belongings. “Well look at all this cash, I think that will go some way to pay for all the damage and destruction you two have caused here, don’t you?”

“Nuck off!” was the garbled response from the would be knife man. Which earned him a couple more kidney punches from Geoff.

“Still no manners I see!” said Mike. “Now I think you two gentlemen, and I use the term lightly, are looking for Matthew? Am I right?” not getting a response, he carried on, “Well, as you no doubt know, he is not here, has not left any of his belongings here that you or your bosses are looking for, and neither my friend nor her brother know where Matthew is, they don’t know when or if he’s coming back and want nothing further to do with him anyway, do you understand?”

Silence!

“I asked, DO, YOU, UNDERSTAND?”

Following squeals from both thugs as further pain was inflicted, both men reluctantly nodded.

“Now gentlemen, my friend doesn’t want to see your ugly mugs in her life ever again, nor any of your colleagues, so you can tell your bosses if they don’t leave her alone, then the police will be given your two wallets, minus the cash of course, along with information as to your exploits of late! Do you understand?”

Both would be thugs nodded.

“Right gents, I think you need hospital treatment, being as you accidentally fell down the stairs, don’t you? Geoff, Steve, could you help our friends to their vehicle?”

“No problem Mike, although I think they might need to call the breakdown people out as I think their car has a flat tyre!” smirked Steve.

“Yeah, a flat tyre on each corner, never seen anything like it myself Mike, have you Steve?” said Geoff, who then added, “And tell your friends to stay away from Mike, us or any of our friends, as we despise scum like you, you give parasites a bad name! Any hassle and you two could well be needing hospital care, again, understand?”

Without waiting for a response Geoff and Steve shoved the two thugs to their feet and out the flat door. As sounds of feet were heard receding down the stairs, cries were heard and tumbling sounds made its way to Jess’s ears.

“Oh dear! What a shame! Never mind!” said Mike laughing as he quoted the line made famous in the BBC comedy “It ain’t half hot Mum!” “It seems our friends have actually fallen down the stairs, at least they can tell the truth to the paramedics!”

“Ok Jess, we need to get both of you out of here before our two friends start blabbing to their friends! Gather what you can for you and Luke that hasn’t been destroyed into a case or bags and let’s get going, whilst Matthew’s colleagues are otherwise occupied!”

Jess looked about her at the devastation caused to their belongings, “It doesn’t look like much has survived, but I’ll see what’s left! Oh Mike! What are we going to do?” she asked as she collapsed into Mikes arms. As they stood together the blare of an ambulance siren was heard getting ever closer.

“Don’t worry about the details of the next few days love, let’s get you sorted out here first, so come on Jess, show that determination and that fire in your belly you displayed when Social Services wanted to take Luke from you! You are strong Jess, show it now! Okay?”

Jess looked up into Mikes face, “Okay Mike, you’re right, I can do this!” so saying she started to go through the flat picking up the few items of clothing and nick-nacks that she could salvage. As she went through the remnants of her bedroom the image of Matthew kneeling by the side of the bed came into her memory. So, she went around the far side of the bed, and stooping down lifted the carpet from the corner of the room to find a loose floorboard. Lifting the floorboard revealed wads of cash and bags of white powder. The exclamation she’d uttered had brought Mike to her side.

“Just as I thought!” murmured Mike.

“He is a drug dealer? How could I have been so stupid not to notice what he was up to?” asked Jess to herself.

“Love makes us blind Jess! Leave that to me to sort! Go finish gathering what you can and I’ll meet you at the front door shortly!” said Mike.

A few minutes later Jess stood by the door to what had been her and Luke’s home, their sanctuary, and now the place where their lives had been almost completely shattered.

“Give me that bag Jess, and let’s get out of here!” stated Mike as he guided her down the stairs as she pulled a large, wheeled suitcase behind her and away from the flat. As they left the main entrance, they saw an ambulance crew working on two somewhat injured individuals who had seemingly fallen down some stairs. Within a few minutes Mike and Jess entered the rear of the café which was now closed for the day. As Mike had looked up and down the street, he’d seen both Steve and Geoff smile and raise their thumbs in acknowledgement, he settle with them both the next day. First he had to get Jess and Luke to safety, then make an anonymous phone call to the police information hot-line telling them about Matthew’s stash and his seeming disappearance!

Quickly getting Jess and Luke into the back of their car at the rear of their premises and covering them with a blanket to keep them hidden, Mike and Tina drove home after locking the café and setting the alarm. Mike kept a well trained eye to ensure they were not being followed. Giving Tina the Okay, Tina turned to the two young people in the back of the car, “Stay hidden until we get the car in the garage, and the door closed, then we’ll get you into the house!”

“What’s going on Jess?” asked an obviously scared Luke.

“Wait until we get into Mike and Tina’s house, and I’ll explain it all to you, I promise!” responded Jess. Luke just continued to hold tightly onto her hand.

The four of them were seated in Mike and Tina’s kitchen drinking tea, each quietly thinking over the last few hours. Mike had popped out not long after he’d smuggled the youngsters into the house, he’d made the phone call tipping off the police and had received a message from Geoff to say that the flat was now a crime scene with the authorities crawling all over the property. Evidence bags had already been removed from the premises, with members of the drug dealing gang probably in the crowd observing developments.

Luke had been distraught to hear what had happened within the place he knew of as home, he was even more upset to know exactly what had happened to Jess that morning and his own, unwitting role in drug dealing.

“That means he was using me to carry drugs for him, and his drug money too!” Luke had muttered as he’d hugged his sister who was as equally horrified with events! How could she be so blind and so stupid, now she’d placed her custody of Luke at serious risk by her association with Matthew. The real question now was, what to do next? Were the police looking for her and Luke? More importantly were the drug dealers looking for them too? Whatever she decided, she had to protect Luke no matter what, but what to do?

Later that evening, after settling Luke to sleep in the spare room she was to share with him for the night, Jess was sat with Mike and Tina watching the local television news. The main item was the breaking story of a police investigation into a significant drugs haul with possible links to major drugs distribution throughout the city. Apparently two arrests had been made. Jess sat forward with her face in her hands.

“What am I going to do? I am in so much trouble, and I have put Luke at risk, I’ll never forgive myself if they take Luke away from me, I promised mom I’d look after him no matter what, now look what has happened? I am so bloody stupid!”

“Don’t you dare belittle yourself Jessica!” snapped Tina shocking Jess with the tone of her response. “You were not to know what Matthew was up to, you were in love and deserved better, none of this is your fault, do you hear me?”

“Yes Tina, but”

“No buts Jess, None of this is your fault! Is your life more complicated now? Yes! Are the next days going to be difficult? Yes! Can we sort this all out? Yes! Are you on your own in this situation? No! Can we keep Luke safe with you? Yes, we bloody well will do! So, let’s get our collective heads together! But, not tonight, we are all tired, and we need to get our thinking caps on, you stay here with Luke tomorrow, stay away from the windows, don’t answer the door and we’ll sort this tomorrow evening, now get yourself off up to bed, you’ve had an awful day so get some sleep, we love you like you two are our own and we will keep you safe, you have our word!”

“But tell me Jess, have you noticed anything odd about Luke's body of late?” queried Tina.

“I can’t say have Tina, normally he’s either on his way to school or on his way to bed! I mean I know he’s the smallest in his class, but he’s always been small, and dainty really, I suppose, it’s something that’s always been the case. I did think it strange he hadn’t grown much while I was away at university, but I assumed that was just the way Luke was built and if anything was wrong, then Mom would have sorted it, why, do you think something is wrong with him?”

“I don’t know Jess, when was the last time he was seen by a Doctor?”

“I’ve no idea Tina, it’s been so chaotic of late, and he never complains of feeling ill, so it has never crossed my mind, come on Tina, what have you noticed?”

I don’t know Jess, I’m not a Doctor, but it might be an idea once we get you away from here to get you to take him for a check-up, just to be on the safe side!”

“Oh my God Tina, now you are scaring me even more, what have you noticed, please!”

Tina took Jess’s hands in hers, “I don’t know Jess, honestly, but as he complained about his joints aching, or his chest hurting at all?”

Jess thought for a moment or two, “No Tina, he’s not complained to me about anything like that, other than when one of Matt’s friends hurt him the other day, but now you mention it, I have noticed him absently rubbing his chest, especially when he’s engrossed in his cartoons, but I just assumed it was a habit of some sort!” Jess put her head in her hands, “Arrgh, I have not only put him at risk from mobsters, but I’ve neglected his health too, some big sister I am!”

“Now stop that Jess, you’ve had too much to deal with of late, so do me a favour, once you get somewhere safe, take him to someone for a check-up, just to put your mind at rest, now, bed young lady, you need to get some sleep.

Jess stood and turned, giving both Tina and Mike a hug and a kiss and before going off to bed, and in spite of how worried she felt she was soon fast asleep. When Tina looked in on Luke and Jess, they were both deeply unconscious and snuggled up in each other’s arms.
As Mike got into bed he looked across at his wife and saw the intense concentration on her face.

“You have a plan! Only I recognise that look!”

“I have an idea, am I ready to tell you what it is? Not yet, I’ve a few details to sort out first, but I’ll tell you tomorrow after the breakfast rush!” With that, both settled down to their individual thoughts until they too were asleep.