“Yes sir, I understand we are trying to get your daughter back.”
“I don’t need lip from you, just do your job and don’t make me tell Don about your latest fuck up.”
Fan-fucking-tastic. I had to get stuck letting this asshole do a ride along, not like I had a say in anything that happens in that place anyway. I mean seriously why the captain would allow some buddy of his on a ride along is beyond me. Sure, if he gets shot it will be my fault but still, he will be dead and I get a reprimand. I’d still call that a win.
“Don’t worry Dominick, the captain made sure I was here so that Soph over here won’t screw it up like last time.”
“Shut the fuck up Justin.”
Everyone is such a piece of shit. I hate them all, racist, misogynistic assholes, I am surprised that their bodies don’t give out, knowing how fucked up their brains are. Jesus, I know if I was near them for twenty four hours a day I would want to kill myself.
“Alright, here we are.”
We had come to a small street at the end of town, all that you could see were trees and leaves. And we had to hike for nearly four hours to get to some backwoods cult, where this guy’s daughter ran off to. All because he was an abusive asshole, but so was the Captain so they became quick friends. If I had to listen to these two assholes talk for the next four hours I am going to shoot both of them and then myself.
***
“Then the asshole tries to kick me out as if I am the bad guy. Fucking Mexicans.”
“Tell me about it, we get at least a dozen calls a week about the fucking music or some siesta or whatever bullshit they got going on. Pain in the ass the whole fuckin’ lot of ‘em.”
“Shut the fuck up. Please. We are here.”
Pushing through a small section of woods, we came to some massive clearing. It was filled with houses, gardens, and one massive effen tree. The thing was huge, and covered in some weird teal moss or something. The houses looked pretty ascetic, in basic function, more like a small box. But they were painted like a vast landscape, slowly shifting from one terrain to the next. The forest on the inside slowly let out to plains of tall grass mixed with frolicking animals, before pushing into hills and mountains that climbed into snowy peaks. Before finally pushing back down into a harsh desert, the colors were a bland yellow and tan. However, the few flowers and plants that did exist were like spotlights in the dark. The vibrant reds and purples stood out, drawing the eye to take in the exquisite details.
“What is this hippy bullshit? I knew she was into some tree hugging garbage but this is just stupid.”
“Yeah, good thing she was here though. Shut this place down before they get too big, not that a few canisters of tear gas and pepper spray won’t fix it though.”
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“I hate both of you so much.” I whispered to myself, I was in deep enough that I just had to coast through a few more weeks and then get that promotion and head to New York. I would miss the forests and warm weather, but at least they were slightly more tolerant up there. If only by a small margin.
“Alright let’s get this over with, I don’t want to hear any of their free love propaganda or listen to their shitty music any longer than I have to.”
Now that Justin mentioned it there was music, it was so faint it almost sounded like the sounds of the forest. As we moved closer to the little town in the middle of the woods, the music grew slightly louder. It sounded strangely natural and other worldly at the same time. Whatever instruments they were using were definitely not your garden variety violins or flutes.
“Hello, I am John. What is it that you are looking for here?”
All three of us looked up at the mountain of a man in front of us, the guy was pushing seven feet and easily four hundred pounds. He towered over all of us like a wall of muscle, he looked down to reveal sparkling teal eyes. His shaggy hair and long beard only made the ax at his side fit the whole rugged mountain man look.
“Yeah, we are looking for a girl named Veronica.”
“Yeah, my daughter, you sack of shit. I am not letting her get caught up in your weird ass cult, Protein Shake.”
“So you are Veronica’s father. Well, then you have all wasted a trip. She is 18 and does not wish to go back, as a legal adult, your laws state, that she is allowed to go wherever she pleases.”
“Look here you 500 pound sack of shit, I am not just leaving her here so you can brainwash her with all your vegan bullcrap. So how about you stick that green thumb up your ass and tell me where my daughter is.”
“Please leave. She does not wish to go home. So she does not have to.”
“How about these nice officers putting you on the ground in a pile of piss and spit after they taze your ass for not cooperating. I don’t give a shit who you are, Veronica is coming home with me.”
Like a cannon, the big man’s hand wrapped around Dominick’s throat like a vice grip. He easily lifted the full grown man off the ground with a single hand, raising him up to look at him eye-to-eye. While Dominick sputtered and choked, clutching at his neck like an injured animal trying to gnaw its own leg off from a trap. Then like an idiot Justin decided to pull his gun out.
“Easy now, big man. No need for anyone to get hurt, so put him down.”
“You would protect this man, do you even know why he is here looking for her.”
“Put him down!”
“Woah, woah easy everyone. Let’s just talk about this before anyone gets seriously hurt.”
“Fine.” John dropped Dominick on his ass, he sat there clutching his throat trying to gulp down air. His neck was red and already bruising, with how big the guy was I am surprised his head was still attached.
“Fuck you, kill this asshole.”
“Shut the fuck up Dom. Now, what is going on?” Trying to get three men to stop their pissing contest wasn’t going to be easy. Especially since Justin still hadn’t lowered his gun, but John seemed to ease. His shoulders lowered, but he continued to glare at Dominick.
“Nothing that concerns you people, Veronica is legally an adult and therefore can go where she pleases. She does not need to go back to that house of neglect and abuse.”
Dominick stood up, still rubbing his most likely almost crushed windpipe. He rasped out a few coughs before he attempted to speak up, his voice was hoarse and low.
“She is my daughter, I don’t need your permission or acceptance to do whatever the hell I please.”
“We are not in your home, we are in mine. Stamp down your pride before it gets you killed.”
“Shut the fuck up asshole, why don’t we go down town find you some big handcuffs and see how well you do for a few nights in prison.” Justin put his gun away, brandishing his handcuffs like they would fit around the man’s giant arms.
“I have done nothing wrong.”
“That right there is assault.” He pointed to Dom’s bruised neck.
“No it isn’t. It was me protecting my family, on my property. You did not mention you were police and I was nearly assaulted on my own private land by three people who are trespassing.”
“That is true.”
“Shut the fuck up Sophie.”
“I will fucking break your arm bitch, do not call me Sophie it is Sophia and shut the hell up. Listen, John. I like these guys even less than you do, but we still need to make sure that Veronica is safe and not being kept here against her will.”
“Very well, you may go and check on her, she will be by the Tree. These two will stay here, I will not allow their corruption into our home.”
“Thank you.”