think again. I'd like to be able to do something with this shit I know."
"You have a computer store," Jason reminded him. "One that helps a lot of people in your area. Doesn't that count?"
"It's not the same," he insisted. "Look, we both know that I can get places that some of your other helpers can't."
"And I'm not about to have the Kings of Gaming come at you, Myst, or your girl," Jason reminded him. "What's her name, anyways?"
"Alice," he admitted. "Like Wonderland."
"Dread," Jason said, his tone gentle, "the last thing either of us want is for Alice to be hurt because of this. Stay out of it. There's a reason I didn't ask you to help, and it's because your family deserves more than this shit, ok?"
"Janna recognized the voice," Dread whimpered. "I played the recording to her, asking if she could believe the guy's gall to ask Rhaven something like that. Right in front of my eyes, she turned pale, and then she ran out of the room. I followed, but she locked herself in the bathroom and puked. When I finally got her out, she said she knew him. He'd been there. She was sure he'd put something in her drink, and when she was lying there, with those guys doing that to her, he fucking watched. That's my little sister, Cyn. I'm supposed to make sure she's safe, and this asshole is the whole reason she got raped!"
"I'm going to get him," Jason promised.
"I thought it was rape culture and that bullshit. I mean, no one said anything, but still! This guy specifically targeted my sister, and why? What would make him do that to her?"
"Because she was about to get a pro contract," Jason admitted. "She was well on her way to being the first woman in the PLG, and after they scared off CareBear, they knew exactly how to do it."
"If I see that guy, I'm going to beat the shit out of him," Dread warned.
"Find me a tie between him and Dez and you won't have to see him," Jason countered. "I've got Knock looking into it too, but - "
Dread cut him off. "Janna went to college with him. She knew him from a few mutual friends. I'll ask them and see what I can find." He pushed out a breath that sounded a lot like a growl. "You either make sure that asshole goes to jail for a very long time, or you give me ten minutes alone with him. Either one will do."
"I'll do you one better," Jason told him. "I'll make sure his record shows that he raped a minor. That doesn't go over well in prison. It's also how he killed off four of the men convicted of assaulting Dez."
"Was he involved in that too?" Dread asked.
"That's for her to say," Jason decided. "I shouldn't be telling you half the shit I have, and we both know it. Just trust me when I say that I want him to pay as much as you do."
"Well, I'm still working as your CI even if you don't get me a contract," Dread said. "So brace for this. Janna knows a lot about that guy. She told the cops about him, but they tried to make the case about her getting drunk. Tried to fucking blame her! So, yeah, I'm going to get it all to you. Text me an email address or server to use."
Jason ended the call only to realize that he had never even taken a drag of his smoke. Lighting another, he sat down on the edge of the loading dock and began typing out his official email address for Dreadknot. At this point, it didn't matter if his supervisors knew that Jason's purpose at the games had leaked out. All that mattered was catching this fucker.
Rhaven had been beaten. Sure, Braden, Chance, and Mark had taken a few hits, but he actually didn't feel as bad about that. Rhaven was different. Not only was she one of his gamer girls, and he was supposed to protect her, but she was a girl. She'd fought like hell to make that her truth, and it pissed him off that she'd won, only to have someone turn it against her.
This whole thing was wrong. How dare they steal someone's happiness from them like this? Because that was what they were really doing. So many kids played games because it was the only place they felt safe or in control.