Everyone froze for a moment, turning toward the voice. Standing at the edge of the hallway was a tall, burly man with a rough face and a scowl that could stop anyone in their tracks. Beverly's dad.
Ash, always quick to act, reached into his pocket and pulled out his fake FBI ID. He held it up confidently and said, "Agent Miller, FBI. My partner here," he motioned to James, "is Agent Carter."
James followed Ash's lead, flipping out his own ID and giving the man a firm nod. "Sir, we're investigating the recent kidnappings in the area. We needed to speak to these kids about anything unusual they might have seen or heard."
Beverly's father narrowed his eyes, his expression still hostile. "What does that have to do with my house? And why are you in my bathroom?"
Ash gave him an easy grin, trying to diffuse the tension. "We were asking the kids if they'd noticed anything strange around town. They mentioned something unusual here, so we came to check it out. Better safe than sorry, right?"
James kept his tone calm and professional. "We understand it's your home, sir, and we apologize if this feels intrusive. But given the circumstances, we can't overlook any possible clues."
The man's glare softened just a little, but his voice stayed gruff. "Well, I didn't call the FBI. And I sure as hell don't see anything out of the ordinary."
Ash raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the kids. "That's because whatever's going on here, only they can see it. We're here to make sure it's not tied to those kidnappings."
The man crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "And you think a bunch of kids are your best lead?"
Richie, unable to resist, chimed in with his usual sass. "Hey, we're better detectives than you think, pal."
James shot Richie a warning glance before turning back to Beverly's dad. "They're just trying to help. Trust me, we've seen stranger things in cases like this."
Before Ash could spin another explanation, Beverly's dad raised a hand, cutting him off. "You know what? I don't care. I don't want strangers in my house. Whatever you're looking for, you're not going to find it here."
Ash tried to smooth things over. "Sir, we just need a few more minutes—"
"No," Beverly's dad interrupted sharply. "You've already overstayed your welcome. Get out. Now."
The kids shifted nervously, and Beverly looked like she wanted to say something but didn't dare.
James nodded, staying professional as they didn't want trouble even before confronting the clown. "Understood, sir. We'll leave."
Ash hesitated, glancing at the kids, but finally nodded. "Alright, we're going."
The group stepped outside, the door shutting firmly behind them. As soon as they were a safe distance away, Richie muttered, "Well, that guy's a ray of sunshine."
Ash sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, not exactly a fan of the FBI—or us, apparently."
Ash glanced at the group of kids and said firmly, "Alright, you all should head home. Stay out of trouble, and if you notice anything else, let us know."
The kids nodded, muttering their goodbyes. Beverly lingered for a moment, glancing back at James with a faint, grateful smile before heading toward the house. The others went to fetch their cycles, chatting softly as they rode off.
As James and Ash walked back to their car, James remained unusually quiet, his gaze fixed on the ground. Ash glanced at him curiously. "Hey, what's up? You've been weirdly silent since we left."
James hesitated, his jaw tightening before he finally spoke. "Beverly's dad was... off. When we were talking to him, he kept giving her this scolding look. And Beverly—she looked terrified."
Ash shrugged. "I mean, he's her dad. Maybe he was just pissed she let us into the house. Could've thought we were dangerous or something."
James shook his head, his expression darkening. "No, it wasn't that."
He didn't elaborate further, but his thoughts raced. That wasn't the fear of a kid getting scolded by her dad—it was something much worse. He recognized that look. It was the same fear he'd felt in his past life, back when he'd been in Beverly's position.
The sinking feeling in his chest grew stronger as they approached the car. He stopped suddenly, glancing back at the house. Something wasn't right.
Ash turned to him, puzzled. "James? What are you—"
"She's not safe in there," James interrupted, his voice low but resolute. Without another word, he turned and headed back toward the house.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on!" Ash followed him, lowering his voice as they neared the front door. "You realize we're about to break into someone's house, right? This is serious."
"I don't care," James said sharply, his eyes blazing with determination. "Open the door. Now."
Ash sighed, shaking his head as he pulled out his lockpicking tools. "I hope you know what you're doing."
The lock clicked open, and they slipped inside, shutting the door softly behind them. As they crept through the hallway, faint cries reached their ears.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Beverly's voice broke with sobs.
James and Ash exchanged a look before sprinting toward the noise. They skidded to a stop in the living room, where Beverly's dad stood over her, a belt raised in his hand. Beverly was on the floor, her arms shielding her head, trembling as she sobbed.
"Step away, motherf*cker!" James roared, his voice shaking with fury.
Beverly's dad froze, his head snapping toward them in shock. "What the hell? How did you—"
James didn't let him finish. He closed the distance in two strides and threw a powerful punch, his fist connecting with the man's jaw. Beverly's dad stumbled back, crashing into the wall and dropping the belt.
"You touch her again, and I swear, I'll make you regret it," James growled, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Ash stepped forward, putting a hand on James's shoulder. "James, enough!" he said firmly, his gaze flicking to Beverly, who was still cowering on the floor.
Ash knelt beside her, his voice soft. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe now. We're here."
Beverly sniffled, lowering her arms slowly as she looked up at Ash. Her face was streaked with tears, and she trembled visibly.
James turned back to her dad, who was groaning as he struggled to get up. "If I ever see you laying a hand on her again," James said, his tone ice-cold, "you won't get back up."
Ash glanced up at James. "We can't leave her here. Not after this."
James nodded, his expression hard. "We're not. She's coming with us."
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