One completely average day, two old rivals walked down the street, arguing the state of their two families, which had been joined in marriage many years prior. This union had produced a shared grandchild between the two rivals, and this grandson held a special place in each grandparent's mind, a pawn in their rivalry as much a family treasure.
Memphis, an elder gentleman of questionable background argued that their dear Johann was more like himself, suave and willing to do anything to strive ahead, much like the sinning race of humans who ran the world. "If given the chance, he would brush off any restrictive rules of society and have fun, like me!" Memphis quipped, smirking at the other.
Adilet rolled their eyes. "I've spent more time around actual, average people, and know that humans can be kinder and better than you think," Adilet replied, adjusting their Police Commissioner badge. "You spend too much time with only your fellow….crooks."
"Insinuated crooks, Addie, insinuated! There's nothing illegal you can pin on me or my boys, and you know it."
"Still, you get my point!"
"I'm not sure I do, since it's completely wrong."
Adilet sighed. "I've actually spent time with Johann, remember. I know what he's like."
"Yes, don't remind me of how you caused that, Commissioner."
"Her choice was her own! Your dau-"
"Whatever, Addie. My opinion stands, like always, as truth."
The two argued as they walked, eventually coming to a stop by the local library. They stood still, watching children and parents wander in and out, when they saw dear Johann Georg Faust, their studious grandchild, come out with his eyes dark with stress and insomnia. Memphis cringed, then tisked his disapproval.
"Addie, the boy is driven, like humans. But everyone has their price. Even you, and I'll find it."
"I have faith in Johann," Adilet stood up proud, turning to the mob leader with a military stance. "Just like I have faith in everyone."
Memphis watched as his grandson sauntered down the street, clearly not in a good mood. A sudden idea enraptured the elder man, placing a chesire grin onto his face.
"Then how about a wager?"
Johann grumbled to himself, desolate. He had worked so hard on his thesis, spent hours upon hours crafting and studying and researching and working! And the old twit in charge of the school had still kicked him to the curb, family connections be damned.
"I guess I'm just not good enough," he sulked, watching the stoplights change. A bright red accosted him, telling to him stay put. A loud honking turned the man's face sideways, observing the large 18-wheeler come barreling down the street.
"I guess I'm just not good enough," he repeated to himself in a whisper. His foot agreed, ignoring the message of the bright red light above him.
The truck honked again. Johann's other foot stepped too.
As he started to lift his knee for the next step, which would take him out onto the pavement, a loud jingle started up behind him, enchanting him to stay still.
The truck passed harmlessly, off to run over another pigeon somewhere else in the city.
"Christmas time is here…happiness and cheer….."
Johann felt like he had just walked out from inside a fog. He had completely forgotten that it was December 23rd, two days before one of the biggest holidays of the year! His mouth twitched, but held its solemn state. Just because it was almost Christmas, that didn't mean he still wasn't a loser! He looked back to the street, wondering if he should wait for the lights to change again.
"Why so glum, kid?"
Johann watched as a tall crinkly man eased into his field of vision. A crisp, tailored suit covered the newcomer, who extended a hand.
"Any man who needs a smile on his face needs a friend like me; I am Memphis Lucreif, and you look like you need a drink."
Memphis listened in amusement as his grandson poured out his heart and soul, filling in their places with shot after shot of bourbon. He honestly hadn't thought that Adilet would take him up on his wager:
"Call it a Christmas Miracle, but I think I can show you how wrong you are about everyone, starting with the grandson you know so well. Give me two days to work with Johann, and I swear he'll be sitting with me and my boys for Christmas dinner, toasting a new life as my number three man."
Adilet raised a brow in question. "Not your number two?"
"I'm not that generous Addie. If he wants Ike's spot then he'll work for it. You'll be wrong, and I'll have a grateful person back on my side."
"And if he comes home to me and his folks?"
Memphis shrugged, ever the sight of nonchalance. "Then I fund the rest of his studies, whatever they are, and step out of your life and his. Not even a Birthday Card."
"I wasn't aware you were sending him any in the first place."
Memphis feigned hurt. "I do beg a retraction of such insults, old friend!"
Adilet laughed, eyes a-twinkling. "How about one step farther back?"
"Hmm?"
"A step out of the shadows, and out of my city."
Memphis pursed his lips. Tricky, tricky Addie. He reflected. He sighed.
"I'll give you dirt on a handful of my guys, some old jobs, and take a year-long vacation abroad."
"Why not make it two? Explore the world, Memphis."
"Heh, why not. I could drag you along to my ski lodge by Helsinki."
"When Hell freezes over!"
Memphis grinned, striding after his quarry.
"It's like a witch's tit every October, I assure you!"
But as he watched Johann toss down his seventh shot, he carefully pulled the youth's attention back to him. It wouldn't do if he started off his plan with a hungover, uncompliant grandson.
"Johann, was it? I don't think you're as worthless as he think you are," he soothed, pulling Johann close. "So school didn't work out, let it go man! That just means you're ready for the real world!"
Johann blinked slowly, his eyelids out of sync. "Yuh mean it Meyphissssss?" He blew out a big, slobbery breath. "Duh real worrrrrld," he swooned happily.
"Of course my dear boy. A friend like me wouldn't steer you wrong."
"But what if y'are?" Johann paled and gasped. "What if…?"
"How about an experiment then? I take you out tomorrow and show you the real world, and if you like what you see, we can arrange for you to see even more of it, with the assistance of my enterprise."
Johann giggled. "Why?"
Memphis giggled, raising his glass for another toast. "For the laughs, my dear boy."
The next day started with pain. A different pain than the usual sleep-deprivation that Johann was used to, one that made him feel dry and as chewed up as old gum. Feeling the cushy softness around him, he was tempted to drift back into the dark abyss of slumber. However, that wouldn't suit his grandfather's agenda one tick.
"Johann dear boy! Wakey wakey!" He flicked on the room light, entering from the hotel hall as he pressed a few bills into the bellhop's gloved hands. "We have a full day ahead, and the world won't wait for us any longer."
Johann drooled, trying to remember where he was and why this man knew him. It came back just as last night's drinks made their own violent comeback.
"Memphis?"
"Don't think you can worm your way out of this one, boy! You promised me that if you had the Moment, the instance of perfection and total bliss today, that you would join me and my boys for a much longer term." Memphis crooned, taking a moment to slick back his hair with the help of the bathroom mirror. "And don't worry about this mess, it will be taken care of."
"But the floor…." Johann looked in dismay at the pile of bile he had just produced.
"I didn't mean that, but yes." Memphis grinned. "It will be taken care of."
Johann scratched at his suit, wondering how it fit him so perfectly. Memphis brushed off the tailored gift as a token from "some dear friends who would help me in a pinch". "It's only the start of the day, dear Johann, or, should I say, Georg," he winked.
Johann blinked. "Georg?"
"You insisted, dear boy," Memphis fabricated. "A new name for a new life." There's only one Johann I would bring into the business and my boys know it. "It's a rather stylish choice, I must say. Wherever did you pilfer it from?"
Georg shivered. "I think it's an old family name. I'm not really sure, my mother picked it for my middle name."
Memphis smiled, sending his silent prayers to his daughter. At least you kept some of your old life, Sisi.
Memphis did his best to flash his cash throughout the day, smoothing things over faster than usual. Georg could feel the bumps and broken seams another time, when there wasn't a larger piece at play.
And it truly did its part; Georg felt more and more at home amongst Memphis' "boys". He was ushered from limo to restaurant to boardroom, marveling at the wealth and power that this stranger was sharing with the poor, lost student.
However, the end of the day truly pushed him in all the right ways. Memphis was taking him out of the back of a club, and they were almost to the door when one fair lady came staggering up.
"Mr. Lucreif sir? Do you have any more…jobs…for me?" She scratched her arms, batting her eyes in strained hope. Memphis stole a glance at Georg. The dear boy hadn't quite heard the exchange, but had seen the girl. He fidgeted, and Memphis felt a flood of old, treasured memories come flooding through him. He carefully took the girl by the arm and led her up to his grandson.
"Georg, this is…"
"Gretchen, sir."
"Gretchen. She will be joining us this evening." He linked the youths' arms and strode to the front, settling into the limo first.
Georg wasn't sure how to feel, but he knew that his heart was a flutter all evening, and he was sure Gretchen felt the same. She kept looking around, then moving in closer to him, sweetly smiling and cooing at him. Memphis quietly talked on his phone, preparing their room at the hotel.
Once there, Memphis allowed the girl to join them for drinks and treats in the room, noting for later that he would need to talk to the staff about better cleaning arrangements- the damn carpet still had an unsightly spot on it next to the bed.
Neither Georg nor Gretchen noticed. As the evening wore on, Georg wore out, dozing with his head on Gretchen's lap. Memphis took this as a chance to give the girl her payment.
Georg awoke on the softness again, wondering whether his dream had truly been that vivid. He noted that several hours must have passed, and sat up quickly.
"Gretchen?"
He glanced around the room, checking for her. She must have left. He cursed himself for falling asleep, letting her get away without leaving her contact details. He went to pour himself another flute of champagne. Memphis had left a small note next to the ice bucket.
"A business partner called, and I am off to help him with a favour. I will be back soon, Merry Christmas dear boy! –Memphis L."
The young man looked out over the city, toasting to Georg, the successor of Johann.
He turned to place the glass back down, and went to wash away the day in the shower.
At least, he had intended to.
He hadn't meant to find Gretchen's body instead.
Memphis knew that it had been smart to set his number into Georg's cellphone. He gently ushered the boy away from the mess, cursing the late junkie for her lack of self-control. He supposed it was his own fault for not giving the product to her in small parcels instead of a gorgeous brick straight from the shipment.
"I am so sorry my dear boy," the grandfather tried, but he knew that his Georg wasn't hearing him, staring out at the passing lights.
He chose another hotel, and brought the broken youth to his bed to rest.
Old Lucreif looked out over his city and felt the age in his bones.
The next day, Georg had somewhat calmed, and gently wished his secret grandfather "Merry Christmas".
"What would you like to do today, dear friend? After last night's…incident, as well as to account for the holiday, I think we should have a quiet day, just you and I."
Georg stared out over the city, and was quiet.
Memphis dismissed his men and straightened his jacket.
"How….."
Memphis blinked, looking over to Georg.
"How about we start with a coffee?"
Memphis smiled. "Fantastic idea, my boy."
Not much for sitting still, Memphis held his coffee and sipped it as he walked, wondering how Georg would take to the fine Italian blends, instead of this swill.
He decided to wait and ask that another day, hesitantly following his grandson's lead to sit down on a park bench, sending the bum settled there away with enough bills to remove him from the vicinity.
Georg's mind drifted back over the last few days, and wondered what his family was doing in their home right then. It was fairly early in the day, so he guessed that everyone would still be sleeping.
Well, it turned out, everyone except for one was doing just that.
"Addie." Memphis greeted venomously.
"Memphis," the Commissioner returned, a blank slate. Upon seeing Georg, however, this expression changed to one of quiet clam and fondness. "Johann, sweetheart."
"Hey Nini," Georg smiled softly.
"We missed you last night, you are coming to supper tonight, yes?"
Before the youth could respond, Memphis snorted. "He has the right to say no, Addie. Georg might just want to join his new family tonight, dine with the boys and I. Wouldn't you, dear boy?"
The two elders observed their grandson, the lonely Johann Georg Faust. 'Who will he choose?' They pondered as he withdrew into himself.
In the depths of his mind, Gretchen's smile danced, her eyelashes batted, her voice cooed.
Her eyes stared out into nothing, no light behind them as she lay cold on the bathroom floor.
"A toast to Johann! Good luck on returning to school in January, or whatever you choose to do! You have our love and support, no matter what you choose, so long as you are happy." Adilet proclaimed to the room, raising a full, swishing glass. The large, extended family reciprocated, calling the young man's name.
Johann smiled, raising his glass as well. He would never know how Adilet knew Memphis, nor whether he would ever see Memphis again, but he was content. He did not know that the dean of his ex-school was now forcefully reconsidering the student's work and readmitting him, nor that his research funds were now brimming, filled from an untraceable bank account, nor that one day he would make a name for himself as a well-known detective under the glowing supervision of his grandparent.
But he felt blessed all the same.