this is way shorter, and not a whole lot happens, but this is what i could do rn. i didn't feel this would flow smoothly into the next part, but had to happen anyway, so i've separated it. I also didn't edit this very much, so have fun
Perusing through the latest reports on the boy, one from Renato and the other from the doctor, I listen to Coyote's summery of the last Estraneo base to fall. It seems that everything has been going well so far. Only a few minor players managed to escape and, while annoying, it isn't enough to pull the Famiglia back together. They'll either be picked off later down the line, or get absorbed into other Famiglia or small time gangs. Either way, they're no longer a threat in the grand scheme of things.
My eyes rest on one of the pictures in an older report. It features a young boy, brown hair only a few centimetres long, looking blankly into the camera as a black haired man props him up into what I believe the kids call a 'selfie pose'. It's one of the least ridiculous of the pictures the man has sent, and also one of the first. My intuition tells me that the man is getting more irritated as time goes on, and that he's likely doing this to spite us at this point. I must admit that he's very good at his job, but he's got a bit of a temper, which will likely get him into trouble one day.
I focus on the boy's face again, glancing between it and the latest picture. He's filled out slowly but surely, and there's a faint glimmer in his eyes now. The doctor has also said that he's basically passed the worst of it now, having finally gotten rid of the fungal infection in his throat. His hair is a bit longer now, and all of his wounds have closed.
It took quite a long time for him to recover enough to start healing at a more normal rate, which made us have to wait a few months longer than I liked. The longer Tsunayoshi was in the hands of a stranger, the more of a risk there was of others finding out about him. And if they do, we may be dealing with an actual corpse this time, rather than just a missing persons report.
I sigh out of my nose and close all the folders, leaning back into my chair and looking up at Coyote. He goes rigid again, waiting for orders.
"Right. I suppose it's time to move things forward with the boy. Call the contact, and have him call Renato. I want to finally wrap all of this business up."
My nose twitches to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, pulling me from my dreams. I let out a groaning sigh, and pull myself from my bed. I irritatedly run a hand through my tangled locks, and trudge my way out into the hall and towards the kitchen. I give the kid a mild glare as I walk over to the table, and pluck the steaming mug up. He just looks up at me, face placid as he sits there in his still too loose pajamas.
Seriously, how is this kid quiet enough to not wake me up? This is the third time he's gotten up before me and managed to sneak into the kitchen without alerting me. I'm a terribly light sleeper, and nothing usually gets past my notice. It's a trait that's great for keeping me alive in my profession, but it's also the reason I default to such strong coffee on a regular basis.
And of course the kid only made me something. Damn brat keeps refusing to do more than drink water on his own, forcing me to constantly shove food in his face until he gets the hint to start eating. I grumble and make my way over to the bread box, fishing out a couple slices from the package and popping them in the toaster. I sip my coffee some more as I pull out some jam, but swear when my phone rings from the bedroom. I set the jar and mug down on the counter, gently as to not set the kid off, and jog back into the room.
I get to it just in time, and see that it's the contact calling again. I quickly press the green button, and plaster it to my ear as I go back to the kitchen. I think the toast popped back up, and I prefer spreading the jam when the bread's still warm.
"Renato. What do you need?"