After a little conversation and some cautious testing of the waters, Ginny finally relaxed. The little girl could barely speak, so communicating took some effort, but Alvin didn't care. She was his daughter. He could teach her slowly.
He carefully drew Ginny into his arms. The tiny girl tensed for a moment, then relaxed completely. She buried her face against her dad's neck, soaking up the warmth of family, and whispered, almost too softly to hear, "Dad."
Alvin felt his heart skip a beat. No wonder people said daughters were their fathers' sweethearts from a past life. He hadn't been this nervous even when he was courting his wife in his previous life. Their relationship had grown naturally over years together. But his daughter? He wanted to pluck the stars from the sky for her and be her guardian forever.
Holding Ginny, Alvin reached out with his right hand and gave Professor Wilson a firm handshake. "Thank you, Professor Wilson. You brought me an angel."
Professor Wilson shook his hand with a rueful smile. "I hope you always feel that way, Alvin. I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You're the most unusual young man I've ever met."
Alvin ignored the implication in Professor Wilson's words. "Of course. Ginny will be a little angel! My little angel!"
Professor Wilson nodded, visibly relieved. "She's very special. Alvin, my wife and I genuinely wanted to adopt her. But after spending a few days with her, we realized we couldn't protect her. She's too special. Promise me you'll protect her, Alvin. Treasure her. Don't make this old man regret it."
Alvin nodded solemnly. "I promise. I'll treasure her. No one will hurt her. Not even God."
Professor Wilson nodded. "Then I can rest easy. There's still plenty to do at the school, so I'd better get back. My wife is all right. Don't be too hard on that boy. Alvin, I'm leaving Ginny in your care. Here's the Adoption Certificate with my corrections." The professor handed Alvin a document, straightened his tie, and adjusted his cuffs. Then the old gentleman took his leave and drove back to the school.
Alvin couldn't help marveling at how different two professors could be. Professor Cage looked like a bandit and acted like a hooligan, while Professor Wilson was every inch a gentleman. The difference was enormous.
Still unwilling to put his daughter down, Alvin held Ginny and turned toward the teenager, who looked like a gang punk at a glance. He sighed. I need to get those school uniforms ordered soon. Just look at what these kids are wearing. Loud, oversized T-shirts, baggy jeans that barely stayed up, cheap rings, earrings, and necklaces.
The black kid stared at Alvin with a defiant, belligerent expression.
Alvin reminded himself that he was a principal and there were other people in the restaurant. Suppressing the urge to hit the kid, he asked, "Tell me why you hurt Mrs. Wilson."
Anyone who knew Alvin could tell the kid was in trouble. If Alvin had yelled at him or hit him, that would have been the end of it. But when Alvin asked a question this seriously, a bad answer would have consequences.
The kid, however, was clearly a reckless fool with no fear of death. He bared his teeth and put on a look that said he was the boss. "That old bitch wanted me to apologize. I should've stabbed her and taught her a lesson."
A chill ran through Alvin. What kind of place produced a bastard like this? In his previous life, the worst students he'd known had only traded a few insults with their teachers. This little bastard wanted to stab one—and she was a patient, kindly old woman whom everyone respected.
Ginny, who had been tucked against Alvin's chest, heard the insult to Mrs. Wilson and whipped around. She wrinkled her nose, bared her teeth, and let out an angry howl. She clenched her right fist, and two blades sprang from between her knuckles, slashing toward the kid. Alvin reacted instantly, pulling both her hands against his chest despite the sharp blades cutting into him. He moved so fast that, aside from JJ, no one nearby probably saw what had happened.
Ginny realized she had hurt Alvin and quickly retracted her blades. Nestled against him, she looked up with guilt, worry, and fear in her eyes.
A small wound like that was nothing to Alvin. Twenty points of constitution were no joke. As soon as Ginny's blades retracted, the cuts on his chest began to close. They had barely bled.
Alvin lifted Ginny a little higher, using her body to hide the blood on his chest. He gently pressed his forehead to hers and met her eyes. "Ginny's a little lady. Let Dad handle things like this, okay?"
Ginny relaxed and gave a soft "Mm." She buried her face against Alvin's neck and paid no more attention to the foul-mouthed kid.
The kid had clearly learned to fear Ginny at school, and she'd startled him badly. "Keep her away from me! She's a monster!" he shouted, struggling hard. But how could he break free of the powerfully built JJ? JJ tightened his grip slightly, and the kid "calmed down." Even so, he kept glaring viciously at Alvin, seemingly unconcerned that Alvin was his principal.
Ginny stiffened at the word "monster." Alvin felt it and gently patted her back to comfort her.
In an even gentler voice, he said to the kid, "I know your name is Jason. Who are your parents? Where do you live? I think I need to talk to them."
Jason snorted. "They're both dead. Go find them in Hell!"
Alvin nodded. "Your parents are dead, but you've managed to survive. You must have joined a gang. Which one? I can have a word with your boss."
Jason looked downright cocky. "My boss is James Lancer from 58th Street! Let me go and apologize, or the ZL Gang won't let you off. We'll kill every last one of you!"
Alvin ignored Jason's threats and turned to JJ. "Are there many kids like him at the school?"
JJ thought for a moment. "There were a few at first. Then the school made sure they had enough to eat. There aren't many now."
Alvin considered that. "So there are still some." He turned to Old Kent, who had come over to watch the commotion. "Old Kent, do you know anything about this ZL Gang? Why haven't I heard of them?"
Old Kent thought for a moment, then made a call to confirm. "There is a ZL Gang. A dozen or so hotheaded kids playing at being gangsters. They distribute Black Bear's merchandise on 58th Street. Want me to bring their boss here?"
Alvin nodded. Black Bear was a lackey of Kingpin's rival, Bloody Jensen. Jason and his so-called gang were at the very bottom of Hell's Kitchen's underworld, doing jobs for the gangs above them for a pittance. Bloody Jensen was New York's biggest drug wholesaler and had long been at odds with Kingpin. Judging by his name and his enemy, he wouldn't live much longer.
"Bring his boss over. Black Bear's the one handling the drug trade in Hell's Kitchen, right?" When Old Kent nodded, Alvin added, "Bring him too."
Jason heard Alvin dismiss his boss without even bothering to say his name. Alvin had casually told some old man to bring his boss over. Panic crept into Jason's face. He began to think he might have gotten himself into serious trouble.
Alvin glanced at Jason and said to JJ, "Find him a seat and keep an eye on him."
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