Actually he wanted to go home, but Benji insisted on buying him a drink. When they finally left the tavern, it was nearly midnight. He wondered what the nuns would have to say to this.
"Wait for me at the car", Benji said. "Just a minute. I think I'll have to speak to someone."
Shrugging, he obediently trotted towards Benji's car. He and Benji had been at the orphanage together until Benji, four years older than him, had found a job and moved out. What kind of job Benji had got he didn't know, but his old comrade certainly seemed to make a lot of money in it.
He took the car keys from his pocket to unlock the door at the passenger seat side, softly humming to himself. He had made it! He had really won!
A sudden movement behind him let him almost drop the keys. Slowly and eerily a shape dispatched itself from the darkness and approached him.
His former opponent!
Hurriedly he jammed the key into the lock, but the man was already there. "You think you have won, kiddie?" Master Mad growled. "Oh no, you haven't. That last point was not fair." Fixing him with a baleful stare, he came even closer. "How much money did you get?"
He shook his head violently. After all, Zero had given the money to Benji, and he hadn't got anything yet.
"How much?"
Again he shook his head defiantly.
"How much?" his opponent screeched, grabbing him by the jacket. "Listen, Just Anthony, you can't play this game with me! Give me the money, or I'll cut you into small bits and feed you to the ravens in my garden!"
A cloud of alcoholic stench made him feel drowsy. Where was Benji? He kicked at the man, as hard as he could, trying to make him let him go. Benji!
With a loud bang, the tavern door swung open, and a flood of light rolled over the parking lot for a moment. "Leave him, you swine!" roared Benji, coming towards his friend in quick strides.
Cursing, Master Mad turned to face the newcomer.
He used the opportunity to hit his opponent directly in the face. When Master Mad staggered away swearing, he gave him a good kick in the backside.
And then Benji caught the ambusher, and in no time they were fighting. "Stay out of that, kid", Benji commanded, using his skills as a boxer.
He could see that Benji was winning anyway, so he obeyed and just stood watching. Where had he left the key? Oh yes, in the lock. He went to retrieve it when suddenly…
"Anthony." It was a female voice, coming from behind him.
He slowly turned, squinting in the direction the voice had come from. There she was, a tall, well-built woman clad in black, walking up to him.
Automatically his fingers clenched to fists. What did she want with him?
Now they stood face to face. His eyes had adapted to the darkness well enough to see that she was dark-haired and pretty. And she was smiling at him. "I watched you fighting", she said. "You were excellent. Where did you learn that?"
He tapped his chest, signalling that he had taught himself.
She understood. "I see. So your friend wasn't lying. Listen, I'd like to have a closer look at you, and then… I might offer you a job."
Unbelievingly he stared at her. What? Offer him a job?
She held out her hand, which he took with trembling fingers. "My name is Wood, Vivian Wood. My partner could use someone like you on his staff. So let's see… Are you a very compassionate fellow?"
First he shrugged, then he shook his head. No, he didn't believe so.
"A good Christian?"
Although being raised in a Catholic orphanage since his tenth year, Christianity was not quite what suited him. He didn't like a god wanting him humble. He didn't want to humiliate himself for a being for whose existence he had no proof. So he shook his head again, hoping that the nuns would never find out about his reaction.
"Very well. You don't believe in sins and hell and Judgement Day?"
He shook his head for the third time.
"That's excellent." She gave him a warm smile, which made his insides go all tingly. "Daring fellow, are you? Someone who loves adventures?"
Feeling a grin creep onto his features, he nodded. If she only knew… He would have liked to show her his driving skills, or how well he could handle a motorbike. He wanted her to see how he jumped off the highest cliff he could find into the ocean, how he climbed the tallest trees and roamed the darkest cellars.
"Your friend just told me you never talk."
Again he nodded, not quite able to interpret her tone.
"You're not mute, are you?"
This time the answer was a headshake.
"So why don't you talk?"
Yes, why? How should he explain? Visions drifted past his inner eye, things he wanted to forget and never see again. He shuddered, then slowly shook his head again.
"Alright, keep it to yourself. I don't mind." Vivian didn't delve into the matter anymore. "I'll have you write it down if I want to know anything important from you. Good at school?"
He signalled a yes, glad she had changed the subject.
"Still going there?"
This time he shook his head. He had finished it this year, and he really wondered what he should do now. Going to school had been no problem, since the orphanage had its own, but going to university… He was not entirely sure about that. At once he felt gratitude towards Benji, who was obviously trying to help him there and get him some job.
Vivian gave him a little pat on the shoulder. "Alright. I think you should be coming with me."
Coming with her? Where? He had to go home! What would the nuns say?
But Vivian didn't heed his panicky expression. "Listen, Benji", she called over her shoulder, "I'm taking the boy with me to see what he's up to. You can have him back tomorrow evening, here and at the same time."
"Right", came Benji's answer from the gloom, accompanied by a grunt from Master Mad. "Where are the car keys?"
"You give him the car keys", Vivian said, and then you come with me."
He nodded and trotted off towards the car, retrieved the keys and brought it back to Benji. What kind of job was this? Why was this woman taking him along?
A loud thump tore him from his thoughts as the heavy body of Master Mad slumped down before his feet. "Knocked out", Benji said contentedly. "Listen, Anthony, you try to make a good, tough impression, right? You show them what a big man you are, eh?"
He nodded, attempting a smile.
"Good boy. There you go. Thanks for the keys." And he pushed his young friend off towards Vivian, towards an unknown future.
