CLOAKED

The dictionary definition is; something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth, camouflage, disguise, mask, whitewash, obstruct, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, suppress, veil. Near Antonyms for cloaked are, bring out, present, clarify, illuminate, advertise, air, broadcast, get out, proclaim, publicize, publish, spread, bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil.

This definition defines how one action can be used for both good and evil, which do you use it for?

Funny how much your life can change when confronted with a situation that is so vital to the moral code of your soul, that making this choice is easy.

I stumbled across this type of situation by accident, literally by accident, I hit the victim with my car. I didn’t know it at the time, that she was a victim I only thought she was suicidal, which to a certain extent, she was, you see I wasn’t driving fast enough to kill her, just to harm her enough that she needed an ambulance. While we waited for it, I tried to calm her even though I was upset too, but she just kept saying “Let me died, please let me died.”  and her injuries were obviously from something other than my car. I gave my statement to the police as the ambulance took her away.

The police officer was very kind “Thank you for your statement, I’m sorry you experienced this, you are  free to go, the witness all agreed with your statement that she ran out in front of you.” then his radio sounded – “404, 10-99” he reached for his radio “10-5 Grace Memorial, possible 10-46” “10-4” He turned his attention back to me “Are you okay to drive? I can have an officer take you home.” “I am fine thank you, a little shaken up, but I will be okay” he nodded and headed to his car. I got into mine, which had been moved off the road by another officer, pausing as I reached for the key, something about that girl bothered me, it was more than the fact that I hit her, my gut said this was deeper, I turned the car on and headed for Grace Memorial Hospital to find out what.

I entered the Emergency Dept. people filled the waiting room, nurses at the station and walking in and out of rooms. I approached the desk “Hello, Um I was wondering if I could find out how a patient is?” I asked “Name of the patient?” she asked “I don’t know?” she looked at me confused “I don’t understand” she said “A young girl was just brought in, hit by a car, well I am the one who hit her, I just wanted to make sure she was okay” she looked at me apologetically “Im sorry, I cant give out any information on a patient unless you are family” “Is there anyway I can find out? I am really concerned.” “Have a seat in the waiting room and I will see what I can do, okay” she smiled and winked. I thanked her and went to sit down.

About a half hour went by, and I noticed the officer coming out of a treatment room, he must have been taking her statement. He looked toward the waiting area, I was about to get up to talk to him when the woman a few seats down from me stood up, he smiled at her and walked over to her, then looked over their shoulders and headed down the hall around a corner, I quickly followed and stopped before turning the corner, I could hear part of their conversation, the girl I hit was on the missing person’s list, she had been missing for 3 years. I heard the woman say “Does she know anything? Can she help us?” the officer said “Yes, but we are going to have to hide her first, she has details that go deep”

 “What did she say?”

The officer whispered “That’s just it, she hasn’t said anything really, she is sedated, but talking incoherently, I recognize some of the names and words she was muttering” “OMG Levi, what are we going to do, is she safe right now, safe here?”

“I am off duty in 5 minutes, but I requested to stay until she wakes up, can you go home and get the team ready?”

“Sure, I will bring back a go pack and street clothes for her what size is she?”

“About the same as you.” I heard them kiss and say see you soon. I quickly ducked into the closest door and watched them leave, now more than ever, I was determined to find out what was going on. I hung around the waiting room trying to stay out of sight as much as possible, but still able to watch the door for the woman to return. Finally, she did, she sat in the same chair and had a backpack with her. She was with another woman who was wearing a social worker badge. The officer came out of the room, casually nodded to her, the social worker stood up and went to him, taking the backpack with her. Into the room they went, the worker came back out, went to the nurse’s station, signed some papers, looked at the woman sitting and nodded, then went back into the room. The first woman left the hospital, moments later the social worker wheeled the young girl out of the hospital, I followed, they got her into the car that was waiting for them and it was driven by the first woman. I stood there bewildered, “What just happened?”, turning to head for the parking lot , I bumped into a person, “Sorry” I said instantly then realized it was the officer. “That’s okay” he said, then looked at me “Miss Fennel?”

 “Um Yes” I stuttered

“What are you doing here?” he asked

“I was coming to see how the girl was, but she just drove away with 2 ladies?”

“Oh, you saw that?” he looked scared”

“Yes, is she okay?”

“Yeah, she is fine, that was her mother and aunt” he said hesitantly

I scanned his face, looking for signs that he was up to good or evil, I saw only goodness.

“You aren’t telling the whole truth, are you?” I said

His face turned stern his voice deepened slightly “What is it you are really here for?” I could see he didn’t trust me, he wondered if I was part of what ever group, she was running from “I told you I was concerned about the girl”

“How did you know where to find her?”

“I heard you say it when you answered the radio call.”

“Fair enough, look I’m sorry, I’m tired, it has been a long day, she is fine, you can stop worrying and go home”

“No, I’m sorry, I can’t do that.” I said boldly

“Why not?” he said, again getting stern.

I swallowed hard, a little scared inside but not wanting him to see it, I looked around to make sure there were other people nearby in case he gave me any trouble. “I don’t think that social worker is really a social worker, and the woman driving the car was with you earlier today.” I took a breathe “How do I know you are not the people she was running from when she jumped in front of my car?”

His look softened and he gave a small laugh “I thought I saw you earlier, you seem to know more than you are letting on, you really are concerned, aren’t you?”

I smiled back “Yes, yes I am, so what are you going to tell me now?.”

“What can I tell you that will make you go home and forget all this?” he laughed

“Nothing, and I still want the truth?”

He faced changed again, this time to sadness. “In this case, I don’t think the truth is a very nice thing to tell you. I don’t think it is something you really want to know about.”

“You are wrong” I said softly and touched his arm “I know the world has a very dark side to it, but I also believe Edmund Burke was right ‘Evil wins, when good people do nothing’.”

He looked at me and said “Have you got time for a cup of coffee?”

For the next 3 hours, without giving pertinent details, Officer 404, let me in on the evils of human trafficking, and how his group’s goal is to find, and rescue and many people as they could, while trying to break the chain and take down the entire global system, it is a daunting task considering many powerful people are involved on the evil side. But his group is also global and have an unstoppable energy to succeed, their motto is Evil will not Triumph! And now it is mine.