I stepped onto the gravel drive. It snaked all the way to the large, detached garage. Her house was bigger than mine, and far more equipped with security. Cameras were mounted on every corner, and the black iron fence blocking general traffic from entering the drive spanned the entire estate.

Two large dogs ran with great leaps, barking wildly until they reached us.

“Hey boys!” Kim said, giving them both loving, vigorous scratches. When the reunion was over, she turned to us. “This is Zeus, and the little one is Hera.”

“Neither of them are little,” Ryan said.

The dogs led us to the front entrance, wagging their tails with such fervor, their entire back half wiggled with the movement.

Kim opened the door, revealing a vast foyer. A small, round table stood in the center of the room, boasting an incredible vase that held beautiful, long-stemmed flowers.

“Charlie!” Kim bellowed into the air, causing the dogs to bark. “Charlie!” she said again. Her voice echoed across the marble tile.

Two men entered the foyer, both no less than six feet, six inches tall. They were nearly equal in their massive size, and so intimidating that I realized I was unconsciously cowering behind Ryan.

The largest of the two had a full, brown beard. When his eyes focused on Kim, he held out his arms, and a wide smile broke across his face. “Boo Boo!” he said, his booming voice reverberating throughout the house.

Kim made her way to him quickly, and as tall as she was, the massive arms that encircled her made her seem tiny. Kim’s feet came off the ground as the man arched his back, and then returned her to earth after a few sweet moments.

“Nigh…Ryan…this is my dad, Charles Pollock. And this is my uncle Bruce.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, watching as my hand disappeared into each of theirs when I shook them.

Ryan did the same, but he didn’t seem intimidated at all.

“How’s school, Kimmie?” Bruce asked.

“I’m not really here to catch up. I brought Nina to meet you.”

“Oh?” Charles asked, suddenly suspicious.

Bruce reached behind him, but stopped, looking beyond me.

“Let’s all just relax, here,” Jared said from behind me. I turned to see both of his arms outstretched in front of him, his Glock securely between his hands.

Bruce glanced at Charlie, me, and then at Kim, grudgingly pulling his sidearm slow and careful from behind him to the ground.

“It’s okay, Bruce,” Kim said.

Jared released the hold he had on his weapon, and then stood beside me, placing it on the table next to him.

Bruce pulled another gun from his back, pointing it at Jared's face, but then his shoulders dropped. “How many of them are there?” he said.