Kathryn paced and forth in her office in Downtown LA. She had an uncomfortable job to do, and there was really only one person for the job. Still, that didn't mean she had to like it. She called out to her assistant.

"Christine! When Shini gets here, send him in. And once he's here, I don't want to be disturbed."

She then returned to her pacing as the frown deepened on her face.

Shini walked into the lobby of Kathryn's office. He was surprised that Kathryn had called on him. The male had come as quickly as he could without a car and without wearing himself out. His bird had perched himself on his head, hitching a ride instead of flying about. Well, at least he wouldn't exactly scare people that way. When he arrived, he walked up to the reception desk. 

"My name is Shini. I'm supposed to meet with Kathryn. "

Christine, Kathryn's black-haired assistant with alabaster skin, quickly waved Shini through to Kathryn's office. Kathryn looked up as Shini entered- and then continued to look up at the bird on his head. She looked troubled, but she couldn't help but laugh.

"Didn't expect to see him here as well. Have a seat, Shini. We've got some... well, difficult things to discuss. But first, early on, you'd mentioned some very uncomfortable things to me about your past. Abuse. I wanted to check with you, because I've got a job that could potentially connect with that."

"Sorry about him. Every time I open the door he thinks he has to go with me." Shini explained then shrugged before he sat down. "If you're worried about my past affecting the job you have in mind, it's nothing to worry about. I know that I'll have my turn at revenge one day and what comes around will go around. You should also know that anyone who has abused a child will not have a quick death by my hands. Although, I believe such a person should suffer through life for what they've done something tells me that suffering until the end of their days won't be enough."

"Remind me, Shini, about what happened to you exactly."

Kathryn laced her hands, looking pensive.

Shini raised a brow. "A lot of things happened. To put it simply. Two people who weren't exactly right in the head got together and had a child. That child they had wasn't right either and the cycle continues down through three generations. Then you throw in two people that should have never been together in the first place and add dash of jealousy then you get me."

Kathryn nodded slowly.

"Okay... well, I have a bit of a difficult job for you. Feel free to say no. I wasn't sure what you'd been through, precisely, so I wasn't sure how much of a favor this would be to ask."

Kathryn stood up and began pacing through her office.

"You know we just arrived here in LA recently. Getting the city under control is... difficult. There are other groups operating here: Russians, Irish... then there's just your normal criminals, making money selling drugs to movie stars and the wannabes. There's the local cops and judges to bribe. The Feds. But there's also the people. If the people hate you, every civilian becomes a potential snitch. If they fear you... well, they should keep quiet. But if they love you? If they respect you for doing what the cops can't? Well that's something else entirely."

Kathryn sighed.

"There's a guy who lives in a town just outside the city. Details are in the envelope on my desk. Rumors are going around that's he snatching kids- boys- and keeping them in his basement. Kids are never seen again. Cops aren't doing anything. Maybe there's not probable cause- maybe the fact that his uncle is a police captain has something to do with it... but it's fucking shady. If someone's grabbing kids, I want them dead- end of story. And I want the people to know that it was us who did it. That way, next time we hit a bank everyone'll magically forget our license plate, or at least be conflicted."

"I know you can make yourself look younger, Shini. I'd never put a real kid out there as bait. But I'd like to you show up in this guy's neighborhood. Hide a weapon or two on yourself. Maybe he's totally innocent... but I don't think he is. If he makes a move for you, kill him. Is this something you'd be willing to do for me? For the family?"

"Even if people fear you, someone will still decide to go against you. I do agree that in the long run, it's better to make them love you. Society itself is a whole nother court system that you don't want against you. You might be guilty of a crime in terms of law, but society won't care. They'll be willing to protect you."  Shini said, watching her pace about.

"What you're describing sounds more like a predator than an abuser. Even if he's.... sodomizing the boys he nabs I wouldn't categorize him as an abuser. Abusers kill their victims on accident. A predator does it on purpose. This is assuming he is killing the boys, of course. And whether he's guilty or not, you are expecting backlash from the uncle and his police department, right?"  Shini asked, wanting to make sure every possible outcome was accounted for.

"It's not I have the ability to look younger. People assume I'm a child and I use that to my advantage. I don't even have to try, really. I had a clown approach me on the boardwalk asking me if I wanted a balloon animal."  Shini said, shrugging. It was just one of the things that happen to him.

"I'll do this. First, I'd like to know if you would rather wait for me to get inside. I know the chances of survival would be less but if there's a possibility of one child being alive, it would be worth the risk. After all, the children might not simply be in his basement." He said, before picking up the envelope.

Kathryn furrowed her brow.

"He is a predator- I think. I never simply used the word 'abuse' when discussing him. IF this guy's guilty, I don't expect too much backlash if we leak the story to the press after the guy's dead. My guess is that the uncle would hate us, but the cops on the whole should be fine with us. Hell, maybe we'll win some of them over too. As to whether or not to try to get inside... well, I'll leave that up to you, based on your scouting of this guy. If you need any supplies, just let me know. But it seems to be like you're the man for the job."

"Well, if you want me to leave a message I'll need a knife. I'd use a cooking knife but it won't be sharp enough. And since you want to release it to the press, it shouldn't be slow or brutal. So, I'm sure all I need is the knife."  Shini said as he thought what could possibly go wrong. He doubted there would be any need for the man to use poison. No one would be able to back him up, not even his bird. "I'll also need a driver." He said before he finally grabbed the envelope and opened it to look at the contents.

Kathryn nodded.

"Finn can handle both those things for you. Good luck, Shini. Let me know as soon as the business is over."

Shini read over the envelope after he nodded. " Of course." He said as he stood. "Tell him I'll meet him at my place in three hours. I've got to do a few things to prepare first." The male said, stopping to look back at her. "I should be done before nightfall." He said then left.

Three hours later, Shini walked out of his home to see Finn waiting for him. The bird had followed him out like before but he had chosen to take flight instead of roosting on his head. Even though the bird couldn't back him up, he could still be useful if he needed him. The male got into the car before the two made their way to the child killer.

Shini had Finn stop a few blocks away from the man's house. He was then handed a bunch of different times. The male was only expecting one knife, not a bunch of them. He couldn't complain though, it just meant he had more of a variety. After a little time, he picked out two knives. Both knives were of different sizes, the bigger one almost looking like a dagger. The short male slipped both knives into each shoe, making sure to cover them with the pants he wore. He then told Finn he would be back before he stepped out of the car. 

Eagle had just landed on a nearby house when he got out. The bird couldn't back him up but at least the bird could signal to Finn when he was done so he wouldn't have to walk all the way back. He could feel the bird watching him as he walked towards the man's neighborhood, even after Eagal took flight. Halfway to the man's street, he stopped for a moment to put on what he called the look of innocence. Once he was sure the mask was on, he continued on his way.

 When he was only a few houses away, he spotted the man that was in the photo inside the envelope. The man appeared to be playing outside with a puppy. Shortly after he stopped to watch, the man stopped playing with the dog and looked right at him. 

"Hi, there kiddo." The man greeted, picking up the pup. "Are you wanting to join us?"

Shini was surprised for a moment but he nodded. It seemed as if he wasn't the only one on hight alert. The man was obviously on the prowl. He approached the man and gently pet the puppy on the head just as any kid would. "What's his name?" He asked, in his child tone.

"His name is Logan." The man said, was watching him with interest.

"He's cute." Shini said, feeling all the hairs along his neck and arms stick up. Yep, this man was trouble.

"You're cute too. You know what? It's pretty hot out here. Would you like to come inside and join me for a glass of lemonade?" The man asked.

Shini nodded as he suppressed an eye twitch and a shudder. He was not cute by any means. The male decided to ignore the comment as he followed the man and puppy inside. A puppy, a hot day, and the offering of a glass of lemonade. No wonder why the kids were easy pickings. When he got inside, the man placed the puppy down on the floor before heading into what he figured was the kitchen. While he waited for the man to return, he decided to look for any signs of the other children. The house didn't smell like rotting flesh, then again Kathryn had said something about a basement. Unfortunately for Shini, he was so focused on looking for the children he didn't hear the man return or see the monkey wrench coming towards his head until he felt a sharp pain coursing through his skull. The male grunted in pain, it wasn't enough to knock an adult unconscious but it would've been enough for a child. So he allowed himself to fall to the ground as if he had been knocked out.

The man picked him up and flung him over his shoulder as he pretended to be unconscious which was nearly impossible with the splitting headache he now had. Hopefully, that was all he would have. As he felt the man began to move, he tried to think of the reason why the obviously larger male would want to knock him out. The only conclusion he could come to was that so he wouldn't scream when the man decided to do what he wanted to do to him. It wasn't long before he could hear the sound of heavy feet on wooden steps. When he thought he was about to be put down, he was proven wrong when he heard a loud clang and the sound of steps again. The man had a sub-basement after all, so far getting hit in the head had been worth it. When the man had finally put him down, he heard the man walk away. This was his moment to strike. He opened his eyes and pulled the smaller knife out of his shoe before aiming for the man's spine. 

The man spun around just in time to grab the hand that was wielding the knife and crushed it in his hand. Shini had had a broken arm before but this time the pain had felt about ten times worse as he felt and heard his entire hand break. He couldn't help but cry out in pain. This time the man laughed before picking up the knife he was forced to drop and stabbed said male in the hand, pinning it to the wall behind him. A new bout of pain shot through his broken hand, this time he managed to hold himself back. It seemed the other enjoyed causing pain and there was no way he was going to let the man enjoy his pain any more than he already had. He watched as the man walked away, satisfied with the thought that he could no longer move. While the man was distracted once again, he looked at his hand. Sure he could try just pulling the knife out but that would probably do more harm than good so he decided to pull the knife out of the wall instead. Using his left hand while keeping an eye on the predator, he grabbed the back of his hand and shoved it forward as he gripped the knife. He gritted his teeth in pain but managed to remain silent as both the knife and his hand came loose. As soon as he was free, he grabbed for the larger knife and ran at the bigger man before stabbing him in the spine like he had originally planned when the other's back was turned.

The man dropped with a satisfying thud. He flipped him over onto his back and stabbed him once more to make sure that he was dead if he already wasn't. Shini definitely didn't want to take the risk. He then used the knife to tear open the man's shirt and to carve the message Katheryn had asked him to leave. The carving read, Courtesy of those in The Life. He then turned his attention to searching for the possibility of a survivor. The more he looked around, the more he noticed bags of cement, loose bricks, and new brick walls he knew the man had decided to hide the children behind the walls. It was then he noticed a wall, missing a single brick in the center. He walked up to see a pair of eyes looking back at him. Shini watched the kid for a moment before the kid blinked. To his surprise, the kid was alive. He didn't even want to know what the man was doing to the kid.

"Hold on kid. I'll get you out." 

Shini looked for something to help the kid out when he spotted a trowel. It wasn't the most helpful thing nor did he have the use of both his hands. But he wasn't going to leave the kid down here to get Finn. So he grabbed the trowel and jabbed it at a brick until it was loose enough to be pulled off. It seemed the cement hadn't quite dried yet but when the kid was insight, he looked pretty thin to him. This didn't really surprise him. The man had kept them alive behind the wall for his own pleasure and watched them starve. It was obvious the dead man enjoyed watching the boys suffer. With his good hand, he helped the kid out and up both sets of stairs. The stench of death made its way into the main floor. The smell had been covered up by some of the bricks that were hiding the boy. He didn't bother going back to look for more survivors. There were no other holes and by the smell, they were probably already dead.

Shini helped the boy over to the couch before shutting the basement door to delay the smell from leaking in any more than it had. He then used the dead man's phone to call Katheryn.

"Kathryn, it's done. You should have Gracie come to the office. We'll be on our way. I found a boy and he's not looking too hot and I'm pretty banged up too."  He said before hanging up. Shini didn't want to hand around any longer than he had to. He stopped to pick up the puppy, the last thing he wanted was it to contaminate the scene. Then he handed the puppy to the boy, making sure he was able to hold it without dropping it before he hid his hand from any people out on the street. Then he leads the boy outside for what was probably the first time in a while.

Eagal saw Shini exit the house so he took flight to alert Finn. He then followed the vehicle as it stopped in front of Shini and the boy.

Shini helped the boy into the vehicle before Finn drove them back to Kathryn's.

"Understood, Shini. But don't come to the office. Head to Grace's clinic. If there are injuries, she'll be better able to assist there. I'm on my way there as well."

Kathryn had barely hung up before she was out the door.

Gracie stood blurry eyed at her door, in her pajamas, makeup smeared and face puffy from crying. "Kathryn." she said, "Do you have any idea what time it is right now?" she asked her friend before quickly looking her over and realizing there was no blood on her. "I'm assuming you haven't been shot, so someone else needs help?" she asked, before motioning the woman into her bungalow and heading to her room to throw appropriate attire on. She stopped in the bathroom to splash water on her face and wipe away the makeup. "I'll be just a minute," she called out before heading into her office and grabbing her bag. 

"Right, explain in the car. I know you wouldn't be bothering me if it wasn't important," she told Kat before heading out the door and locking it behind her. They headed to the car and Gracie slid it, setting her doctors bag on the floor between her feet. She yawned loudly, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes watering. After apologizing she turned to Kathryn, "Alright, what is going on?" She asked the woman. 

It was strange getting in Kathryn's car and not seeing Finn as the driver.

"Shini's hurt. Not sure how, but he said 'pretty banged up'. There's also a boy who's hurt as well."

She sighed and slid down in the car seat, "Right, well that sums it up pretty much." She said, tugging on her ear she watched the streets pass by. She looked at the back of the head of the driver and frowned, "Wait, where the hell is Finn?" she asked Kathryn, turning to her, "Look, I know you're dealing with stuff, with him, and life, but getting rid of him... you need to have protection, Kathryn." She told the woman with a frown. 

Kathryn smiled reassuringly. 

"Finn's with Shini. He may be heading back to Vegas permanently... but that's a discussion for another time. Right now, we'll handle this. Maybe we'll grab a drink and talk soon."

The women sat in silence for a while until they reached the clinic. They pulled up at the same time as Finn's car. Soon Finn was carrying a small figure toward them as Gracie headed to open the door.

Shini got out of the car, his one hand still hidden as he used his uninjured hand to to support the puppy as he carried it. Eagal tried to perch in Shini but he moved before the bird could.

"Sorry Eagal. Not this time. You make Gracie nervous and that's the last thing I want at the moment." He told the bird before walking up to Katheryn. "Here. Have a puppy."

Kathryn accepted the puppy, confused and concerned.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

She looks down at Shini's wounded hand.

"Is the job...?"

"A lot happened. And yes, he's dead. I made sure of it. You don't think I would let anyone get away with doing this to me and hurting a kid, do you?" Shini asked then shrugged.  "I have a headache and my hand is throbbing with pain but I think I'm better off than the kid."