Chase Winters was a millionaire. He had many businesses and casinos under his name. However, all this had come from the grandfather he didn’t know he had until after the old man had died. His true passion was in the medical field, though he had decided to not become a doctor and take over his grandpa’s businesses instead. Well, it had been more Aurelie and Zane’s decision than his own, but he didn’t mind that.

He had met the duo over five years ago, right when his grandpa had died. He had just been left with the entire family’s fortune and the family business. While he was floundering and wondering what he was going to do with all this money, other than pay off his college and med school loans, his relatives (who resented the fact that the son of the man who had renounced his family and eloped with a waitress from a dingy little diner, and lived happily ever after until his death when Chase was fifteen, was getting all the money) sent hit-men after him, hoping that when Chase died, they would get the money.

He ran through the streets as fast as he could, looking behind him sporadically to judge the distance between him and his pursuer. Jumping over a fallen trash can, his ‘I’m in BIG trouble’ sensor went off. He looked around to find some way to get away, before abruptly realized that he had no idea where he was. His bad feeling got worse, but he continued to run.

A heavy weight leaped out of the shadows to his left, pinning him to the ground. He struggled, but a cold metal barrel pressed against his temples stopped him. Taking in a deep breath, he felt resentment fill him. He was going to die because an old man he’d never met before decided to cause some trouble when he died. It was unfair!

But, as he was wallowing in self pity, a cheerful voice chirped, “Hi! Nice day today, isn’t it?”

Surprised, Chase, the man on top of him, and the man pursuing him all looked at a beautiful eleven year old girl with flaming red hair leaning down and smiling at the doctor. Chase had no idea how to reply.

The girl just smiled larger. “Do you want to live?” She asked.

Chase fervently nodded.

“Then, hire me as your bodyguard.” She said sweetly. At that, the hit men let out a raucous laugh. The idea of the angel in front of them as a bodyguard was ridiculous.

Chase, who was looking at the girl’s face, wasn’t so sure. The instant the laughter had started, the girl’s smile had stiffened, and a cold glint appeared in her eyes. She was definitely more capable than she appeared. Besides, there was no one else around, and he obviously couldn’t handle this.

“Can you take care of yourself?” He asked, wanting to make sure he wouldn’t get this child killed.

“Of course! I can take care of you too. I’ll get rid of these guys to prove it. This’ll be free of charge, since they piss me off.” So saying, the girl produced two throwing knives out of nowhere and accurately threw them in the hit men’s throats.

Scrambling away from the bodies, Chase gaped at the young girl, amazed to realize that she was still smiling.

“My name is Aurelie Kanos. And this,” she added, dancing towards the shadows and pulling the arm of a young man with a cold look on his face who had at least five guns on him, “is my best friend and partner, Zane. What’s your name, mister?”

Now, looking at Zane, Chase could see nothing but a man possessed. He refused to eat unless reminded that even if he found Relle, he wouldn’t be of help like he was now. He never slept more than two hours a night, and was constantly out and about, looking for any clues. Arno Blunt was proving to be difficult to track down. He had apparently realized that all the men he’d worked together with to kidnap Aurelie had been killed and had gone even further underground than he usually was. But Zane was digging, and it was only a matter of time until he caught Arno’s tail.

‘Provided he doesn’t work himself to death before that’ Chase thought, sighing as he picked up the tray of barely eaten food and took it to the kitchen to heat it up. It had been at Zane’s side for over an hour.

Zane had taken up the job of desperately searching for Aurelie, and Chase had taken over the role of watching over Zane, because the other man quite obviously couldn’t watch over himself. Chase wondered what Aurelie would do if she saw Zane as he was now. Probably yell at him for doing something stupid.

But Aurelie wasn’t here. Her absence normally caused a vacuum in the house the three of them shared, but this was an all-consuming emptiness. The quiet was deafening, the disappearance of Aurelie’s music and laughter almost a physical pain. Even though the two of them weren’t blood-related, Chase felt like the young girl who always called him ‘Uncle’ was his niece.

“You can call me Chase.” He said. Aurelie and Zane had been his friends for over two years now and he had gotten used to their presence and the security they provided.

Zane looked up, nodded, and then went back to typing away on the computer before him. Aurelie, on the other hand, frowned.

“No. I’m in middle school, it would be weird if I were all buddy-buddy with an old dude.” She harrumphed.

“… That’s rude, Relle.” Chase told her, slightly hurt.

She wasn’t listening, though. “I know! You can be ‘Uncle Chase’. I’ve always wanted an uncle!”

“Relle, that’s not how that works…” He told her, but was cut off by her congratulating herself for her ‘great idea’. Sighing, he gave in to her, as he usually did.

Sighing now, he looked out the window.

‘Where are you Relle? Come back safely, and do it soon. We’re falling apart without you.’