"Red. How're you doin'?"
Red shrugged. "Alright. I guess."
Blink sat beside her on the grass, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. "That's good."
"Depends on what you call good."
"Yeah."
Blink fought within himself. How was he supposed to reach out to her when she insisted on being so closed? It wasn't good for either of them.
"Uh…you done sellin'?"
"Yeah."
"Well…how about a hotdog at Charlie's? It'll be on me."
The first smile Blink had seen in days appeared on Red's face. "Sounds good."
He pulled her up off the grass and they walked toward St. Charles Avenue.
- - - - - - - -
"Tell me again why you came back," Blink demanded of Red. They were sitting under their willow tree, devouring hot dogs and laughing.
"I wasn't finished here."
"That's what you said last time."
"It's still true."
Blink shoved the rest of his hot dog in his mouth. "Remember when you dropped in on me n' Race playin' poker?"
Red laughed, licking onion juice off her fingers. "Which time?"
"When you came back."
She chuckled a deep belly chortle. "That was so funny! You two acting so serious, then the next moment Race was almost screaming at the top of his lungs!"
"I was so worried you two were gonna wake Jack!"
"Well we didn't. I almost always know when to stop."
"Yeah right, Red. You were almost begging for more when I said goodnight."
Red blushed a deep vermilion. "Shut up, Blink. Seriously. I'm no quean."
Blink sobered slightly. "Sorry. I know you ain't."
A small silence was between the two. "How about a change of subject," Red suggested.
"Why? Did it wet itself?"
For some reason, that made Red laugh until she cried. All Blink could do was stare at her face she writhed on the ground. As she calmed down, Blink whispered to himself. "She sure is a wonder when she's laughing."
Red waved a hand in front of his face. "Hey, Blink? Excuse me fer a second. I gotta run an' find the nearest…uh…you know."
He nodded. "K. I'll be here."
"I'll be right back." The limp branches of the willow parted as she gracefully exited the safe haven of their tree.
Their tree? Was he really thinking of them as an item? He leaned back against the trunk and folded his hands behind his head, thinking of how, more often than not, the scrawny redhead with slaten eyes dominated his thoughts and dreams. Dreams. You had The Dream again last night, Blink. The one about your father. He's nearer than you know.
He stood and walked out of his haven, parting the branches, leaving the place vacant for another couple of people. He needed to think.
- - - - - - - -
"What information do you need?"
"Train schedules. Hook-up times. Anything and everything you've got for me. I need some ether as well."
The Delancy brothers nodded to their coworker's terms. The conversation was shielded by the dark passages of the alleyway. Their short superior's face was concealed by a pulled down newsie hat and the shadows surrounding him.
They'd been working for Kelly for about five years now. Their latest assignment had required an assistant. Even though they'd been working with the recruit for almost a year now, they still didn't know who he was. And would they ever know?
Well, that was for the stranger to decide.
"Where do you want it?"
Oscar thought he knew who it was.
"Here, tomorrow. This time. Now go."
The brothers quickly left their strange boss behind in the alley. The short agent lit a cigar. As the end slowly smoldered, the strange face was lit by the unusual, yet familiar, glow.
He ground out the short remains of the cigar under his foot and quietly exited the alleyway.
Soon. Soon this assignment will be over.