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“There’s a lot of people downstairs right now…but we’re gonna go,” I whisper softly “I’ht? Where no one can hurt you”

She cranes her neck to try and look behind me and shakes her tiny head one more time “No”

No? She can’t possibly think she can stay here “Sweetheart”

“Madeline” She corrects ain

“Is that your name?”

She nods and pushes so towards nize the cover The Eiffel Tower and young girls in two straight lines or however it goes all wearing yellow hats andclothes

“Like her” She points “Maht But you can call me Maddie”

I nod again “Maddie is a pretty name… I’m Cal”

“Cal” Her voice wavers slightly, but after a moment she sticks her hand out “How do you do?” I chuckle at her politeness before I take her tiny hand that’s as cold as ice and shake it Her hand squeezes o or if she’s just trying to warm her hands

I hear soh alert when I hear therowl over e er than a nuuys on the force At six-four, and in the shape of my life, I was someone most people didn’t want to fuck with The list of people who showed up to spar withat the station has dwindled to practically nothing over the past few h to a small child, I’m sure

“Is there a child?” I hear whispered “Should we send in Daniels?” I roll my eyes as I think about Officer Aria Daniels She was the officer as always called in whenever there were any hostile do children She hated it

“You guys are so sexist!” she would claim with her hands firmly planted on her hips But kids loved her They felt safe with her And that’s all we cared about That they felt safe