Chapter 4: Family Matters

Levi was sitting at his desk, going through the pile of paperwork that had accumulated over the past few days, when he heard a knock on his door. He looked up to see a young woman standing in the doorway. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place her.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Levi?" the woman said, stepping into the room. "It's me, Silvia."

Recognition dawned on Levi's face as he stood up from his desk. It was Silvia his younger sister, Who he hadn't seen in years. He had always felt guilty about losing touch with her, but he had been so focused on his career that he had let their relationship slip away.

"Silvia, how you doing little sis its been a while,"

"All these years and you haven't changed a bit."

Silvia took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "I need your help, Levi," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I'm in trouble."

Levi sat down across from her, concern etched on his face. "What kind of trouble?"

Silvia took a deep breath. "It's not exactly been all sunshine and rainbows in the big city I got kicked out when I turned 18 and I had to fend for myself for a while I kept telling myself that you would come for me when you finished your training but you never did.

"Look I'm sorry things got really hard after you left"

"I can tell it looks really hard from your cushiony desk job."

"Do you think I didn't want to see you, I thought I was giving you a chance at a better life, and then ..... and then Captain Stone died saving this place, I had an obligation to this town."

"What about your obligation to me, did this town care when Mom and Dad died no we were on the streets all the same fighting just to survive another day!"

"I don't want to argue, you're obviously stressed out so tell me what's going on."

"This conversation isn't over,... like I said I had to fend for myself but it was hard eventually I was caught by slave traders they take in homeless girls like me by pretending to be a shelter."

"That's terrible have you tried going to the local officers."

"That's not an option the local division is in their back pocket, They supply them with women for a good time, and in return, They turn a blind eye to it, I've escaped for now but they will track me down.

Silvia's eyes lower in despair.

"They always do, I didn't know who else to turn to and i don't trust the local law enforcement."

Levi felt a pang of guilt at her words, knowing that she was partially referring to him.

"You don't have to worry," he said, reassuringly. "I'll take care of it, Where are they located?"

Silvia hesitated for a moment before answering.

"They run auctions up in an old warehouse on the outskirts of the city every weekend."

Levi nodded. "I'll assemble a team and we'll take care of it. You stay here and stay safe."

Silvia leaned her head back in her chair.

"Safety is a concept i gave up long ago."

Levi watched as she left his office, feeling a mix of emotions. He was glad to see his sister again, but he couldn't help but feel guilty for neglecting her all these years. He pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. Levi walked to his quarters running into Lily along the way.

"I need to take care of something I'm heading to the capital I need you to hold down the fort."

"Like hell, you are you can't just abandon your post without good reason."

"You wouldn't understand it's personal."

"Then with all due respect make me understand."

"Slave traders from the capital are after my sister."

"You're right I don't understand if such a crime were happening that close to the city it would have been stopped well before now."

"So then you're calling my sister a liar?"

"I'm just saying that the capital officers hold themselves to a high standard."

"I've seen the sin of a man growing up on the streets I know what they are capable of."

"Then I'm going with you, lord knows you'd be lost without a guide."

"Someone has to stay and protect the town."

"You've trained these men and from what I've seen they are more than capable of handling the type of thugs that show up here."

"That's not the point they need to have backup when necessary and if their fearless leader is gone what are they going to do?"

"What you've trained them to do and if you've trained them half as hard as you trained me they will be fine, like you said I go where you go,"

Lily looks at Levi with a smug look.

"Out of all the lieutenants why'd they have to send me one as stubborn as I am .... we leave in 3 hours."

Levi and Lily board a train for the capital and although he has no idea what to expect he trusts that he trained his men well enough to protect his town and his sister.

Levi couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with his sister, He had only wished it was under better circumstances.