Many thanks to everybody who's reading, reviewing and helping me with this story.

Chapter 2

"Hey, Benny! What´s up?" To Kenny's amazement, Dave, instead of breaking into a run for his life, cheerily greeted the newcomer. He was a man, apparently in his mid forties, dressed in filthy and ragged clothes. He was also as tall and huge as a gorilla, bald, and almost wholly toothless. He smiled at the curly-haired kid, not paying any attention to Kenny, yet still not letting go of his shoulder.

"Hi kid." The man replied. Kenny, on hearing him speak, realized that he was affected by a speech impairment of some sort, or maybe even of a mental disability.

"Got ya some coins for your old friend Benny, Davey?" The man asked the kid, finally releasing his hold in Kenny's shoulder. "You know, kid. I hate to have to ask people for money, but I hadn't anything to eat since yesterday, and well, I just was hoping that you…" Benny trailed off, lowering his gaze to the ground, ashamed.

"It's okay, champ. Let's see what we can find here." Dave said, digging into the back pocket of his jeans to produce his wallet. He amiably patted Benny's arm, smiling warmly at him, as if the man was somebody he really cared for, and not just an outcast of society.

All of sudden, gripped by an unexpected strong emotion. Kenny yearned to someday be on the receiving end of a demonstration of kindness like the one that was developing right in front of his eyes.

At that moment, all the desire to punch Dave's nose that he'd been feeling only a minute earlier vanished completely, and he only wished with all his might to be able to find a friend willing to treat him with the same respect and gentleness that the curly-haired boy gave Benny.

"I´m sorry, Benny. I can't give you more. I guess you'll be able to get at least a donut and a cup of coffee with this." Dave said, handing a little loose change to the huge man. "Things aren't going too well at home since pop passed away; you know how it is…"

"I know, kid; I know. Don't worry…Thanks Davey. You're one of a kind." the man said fondly squeezing Dave's shoulder.

Benny was already stepping away when Kenny, dismissing from his mind all of his father's lectures about why wasn't a good idea to give money to bums, hurried after him.

"Hey, sir! Benny! Wait Benny!" Kenny said trotting after Benny while producing his wallet from his jacket pocket. Dave looked silently at him; an approbatory smile curling a corner of his lips.

The brunet stayed in his place, watching Kenny hand a few bills to Benny. He only approached the blond one after Benny, releasing him from a bear hug, patted the kid's back so enthusiastically that Kenny stumbled forward, nose-diving on his hands and knees to the dusty ground.

"You okay, Blondie?" Dave said, looking amused while Kenny got to his feet, trying to brush the filth off of his clothes.

"Now tell me. What's that guy? Half-human half-bear?" He asked, still sweeping his jacket as he looked after the disappearing form.

"Yeah, he's yet quite strong…When I was a little kid he was a boxer. A great one, by the way. Several times champion, I've heard. And as odd as it sounds, he got a lot of money from boxing…But it looks like he couldn't save it for too long." Dave explained gravely.

"Why? What happened to him?" Kenny asked with genuine interest.

"He got himself into big trouble…gambling debts, to be precise. Looks like he was unable to stop gambling, I dunno, maybe he was just trying to reach a lucky strike to clean his debts, but it looks like that that lucky strike never came. Whoever was the one who had lent him the money was after him to pay up; Benny kept gambling and his debts kept piling up until one day, a coupla goons would beat him within an inch of his life. According to what pop told me, he spent weeks in a coma just to wake up with the mind of a little kid." Dave stopped explaining, giving Kenny time to soak in all the horror and despair of the story.

"But that's awful!" Kenny said shocked. "Did the police find the people who did it?"

"They tried, but as far as I know, those goons were never caught. By the way, Blondie." Dave asked, changing the subject "How much did you give to Benny? The guy seemed to be thrilled, actually."

"Oh, no big deal." Kenny said, modestly. "Enough for him to get a decent meal, that´s all."

"Looks like golden boy here isn't as stuck-up as he looks." Dave joked good-naturedly, patting Kenny's back.

"That´s how I look? I mean, like a snob?" Kenny asked, suddenly despairing.

"Well…" The curly-haired boy trailed off, carefully trying to pick the right choice of words. Finally, though, he went for a straight answer.

"Nope…Not, really. You don't look like a snob…just a little weird." Dave answered with his usual honesty. "But just at first sight." He hurried to add. "Also, you do look stunningly rich…I'm wrong?"

"Well, that depends on what you call stunningly rich. But, yes. I am." Kenny admitted, not yet sure why he was being so open with an unknown boy, who clearly had nothing in common with him, nor with his background or lifestyle. "My father has a nice amount of money in his bank account; so maybe you can say that I am rich, though technically, the rich one isn't me, it's him."

"Yeah. I got it." Dave said, scrutinizing Kenny with his eyes for the second time that night, as if trying to find any specific physical trait that revealed the difference between a rich guy and a poor one.

"Okay, Dave." Ken announced, eager to move on from the subject of his family's wealth. "Now, if you don't mind I must go to find a cab, a phone or whatever. It's getting real late and my father is going to go ballistic if I don't show up soon in the hotel." He added, looking worriedly at his watch.

"Hey!...That´s neat! A real beauty!" Dave exclaimed all of sudden, excitedly looking at Kenny's expensive wristwatch.

"What?" The blond kid exclaimed, at a loss.

"That watch…It must have cost you big bucks." Dave stated, still looking fixedly at the watch around Kenny's wrist.

"Oh, well…my father…"

"Can I take a closer look at it?" The brunet asked, eagerly reaching out his hand, clearly expecting Kenny to hand the item over.

"Oh, s-sure…sure, why not?" Kenny answered uneasily. ´Because this guy is going to break into a run once you give him your damn wristwatch, leaving you out here lost, alone and without it, and later, if you manage to get back to the hotel in one piece, your father is going to beat the hell out of you, for being so damn stupid, that´s why. ´A inner voice chided Kenny, however, and maybe because he was too intimidated by Dave's strong personality how to say him no, he took the watch off of his wrist and held it out to the brunet, who took it, inspecting it and caressing its smooth face with his thumb, almost reverently, as if a rougher touch would make it disappear or break it into pieces.

"It's beautiful… so damn beautiful…I wish I was able to get one like yours someday," the brunet said, handing the wristwatch back to Kenny. He took it, letting go of a breath that he didn´t know he had been holding.

"Hey Blondie, what's wrong?" Dave asked, looking at the other boy's stunned face. Kenny didn't have time to answer before Dave spoke again.

"Oh, yeah, let me guess," the curly-haired kid said bitterly. "You're surprised because I haven't run away taking your fucking wristwatch with me, right?" He stared into Kenny's eyes, a mix of anger and hurt masking his angular features.

"Oh…well, no…I don't…" Kenny trailed off, once more chastising himself for his lack of insight. He wished he could make out the truthful people from the dishonest ones, or at least be able to hide his feelings from the others.

"So let me tell you something, damn rich boy!" Dave said raising his voice and stepping closer to Kenny, his hands balled into white-knuckled fists at both sides of his thighs. "I am a Starsky! Do you hear me? I'm a Starsky and maybe I'm dirt poor, but the Starskys aren't thieves, or crooks of any sort! My father was a cop. A damn good cop who'd paid with his life trying to clean the scum off of the streets of this rotten neighbourhood, and I´m sure as hell that he'd come back from his grave to kick my ass if I was ever tempted to steal so much as a fork from a damn greasy spoon! Got it, golden boy?" Having said all that he wanted, the kid turned sharply on his heels, and strode resolutely away from Kenny.

"Sorry! Sorry Dave! I´m very sorry!" Kenny said, running after the kid. "I am a damn asshole, and stupid, and any other thing that you wanna call me! You´re right! For a moment back there I thought that you were going to steal this piece of junk, but I was wrong! Terribly wrong and you don't know how sorry I am! Forgive me, Dave!...Forgive me." He pleaded.

Dave halted so suddenly that Kenny almost bumped into him. Not yet turning to face the other, he said in calmer voice.

"Wanna know what I'd like to do right now more than any other thing, Blondie?"

"What?" Kenny asked meekly.

"Punch your nose… punch your whole rich and pretty and stupid face into hamburger; into something so unrecognizable that not ever your mother would be able to make out the difference between it and a piece of raw meat. That´s what I'd like to do."

Kenny swallowed hard before answering. "No wonder." He said soberly "I've practically called you thief."

"Yeah. You did it. And I'm not a thief." Dave said, turning to look at Kenny.

"I know." The blond one answered as both kids stared into each other's eyes.

"I'm not a crook. Nor a goon. And because of that I'm not going to beat your face into a pulp. Don't forget it, Blondie." A tense silence hung between both kids. Neither of them moved, until Dave produced a cigarette from his jacket pocket, lighting it.

"It's okay, Blondie. Let's forget this crap…You got any spare money?" He asked suddenly, taking the other one aback.

"Oh well, not much, after which I gave to Benny, but yes. I have yet some. Why?"

"Buy me something to eat. I'm hungry."

"But I…It's late, Dave…My parents." Ken, attempted to argue, despite realizing that he was feeling hungry, too.

"Oh, come on! To the hell with that! I bet your parents are missing you about as much as my mother misses me! Besides, it's not so late yet. If we hurry to get there before they close, I know a diner where you can get terrific burritos, and also burgers, pizzas enchiladas, hotdogs, and the best milkshakes you have tasted in all your life!"

"And salads? Do they serve salads and fruit juices?" Kenny asked shyly.

"Salads and fruit juices? Oh, come on, Blondie! Who in their right mind would possibly care about rabbit food?" Dave asked straightforwardly, just to guess the answer a second later. "Oh…yeah, yeah. I know. You care about that."

"Well, I just…"

"Guess what Blondie?" Dave cut him off. "You really are a little weird. A nice guy but definitely a bit in the odd side."

"Hey! I'm not weird! I just like healthy food. It helps to keep me fit! " Kenny protested more energetically that he had wanted.

"All that tasteless green stuff can't be as healthy as people claim, pal, believe me…Keep eating it for much longer, and I bet that soon you'll see a nice tuft of grass growing up from your ears." As Dave spoke, Kenny distractedly raised a hand to his right ear and rubbed it. He couldn't help himself.

"Okay, now, no more chitchat, Blondie. Let's go to get a bite to eat," Dave said. He crouched down to grab a handful of pebbles from the ground, putting them in his jacket pocket.

"What do you want those for?" Kenny asked, unable to guess the next move of the surprising boy standing by his side.

"To get us a mean of transport." The other answered, enigmatically.

"Say what?" The blond kid asked, raising his eyebrows

"You'll see, Blondie. Just follow me and you'll see. Now let's go. We don't got all night to waste," he said as both boys left the warehouse.

They walked a few blocks through a lonely and poorly lighted street, until finally, Dave halted in front of a small, neglected house. Then, as Kenny looked questioningly at him, the kid dug into his jacket pocket and retrieved the handful of pebbles.

"What…what are you going to do now?" Kenny asked, a frown drawn on his forehead.

"Shhht…Shut up or you'll screw my plan!" Dave commanded in a whisper.

"Plan? What plan? I thought that we were just going to get a bite to eat." Kenny whispered back.

"And we are, but first we need to find a nice, quick way to get there." The brunet explained, throwing a pebble against one of the windows.

"But?...Dave! What are you doing? You´re going to break that window!" Kenny said as Dave threw a few more small rocks against the glass.

"Shut up Blondie, will ya?" The brunet said in a sharp whisper. Then both kids saw a light turn on behind the window. A few seconds later, it slid up and a boy, a few years older than Kenny and Dave, stuck his head out.

"What´s the matter with you, kid? Don't you know that some people have to get up early to go to work?" The boy asked, scratching his bare chest.

"Lend me your Belle, Jimmy. Just for a while. I'll bring her back to you in about an hour or so." Dave whispered as Kenny stood a few steps away, watching the scene with silent puzzlement.

"Oh, no, Davey. No way, forget it. I don't wanna get myself into trouble." The boy in the window refused.

"Come on, Jimmy, I'm not going to get you into any kind of mess, I'll be careful, honest."

"Listen Davey, if a patrol car sees you, then…" Upon hearing that, Kenny's heart missed a beat, and he began seriously considering his chances at getting away from that wild kid while still he could.

"No one's going to see me, Jimmy. We only want go to Martin's to get something to eat, and I'll park in the rear alley. No one will see me driving…oh, come on, pal! Let me take Belle, please! You did it other times, and I've always give her back to you without trouble!" Dave begged, as Kenny realized with shock what this was all about.

"Okay Davey, okay. I'll lend you Belle." Jimmy grunted "But be careful. If any cop catches you driving my car…"

"No problem, pal. That's not going to happen." Dave confidently assured his friend. The boy disappeared from the window only to return a moment later. He tossed the car keys to Dave.

"Thanks, Jimmy, you're a friend." The curly-haired kid smiled widely.

"Yeah sure, whatever. But I want Belle back in a coupla hours as much. Do you hear me, Davey? A coupla hours."

"Sure Jimmy, trust me."

"Now get lost. A guy needs his rest." With these words, the young man named Jimmy closed his window and disappeared from view.

"Okay, Blondie, let's go. I'm hungry," Dave said, heading towards a car parked a short distance down the street from them.

"Wait, wait a moment, Dave." Kenny said striding to reach him. "Are you planning on driving a car?"

"Of course I'm planning on driving a car. I've did it lot of times before…What's the problem with you anyway?"

"Do you really know how to drive?" The blond boy asked in bewilderment.

"Yep. Damn well, actually," Dave said, proudly.

"But you're fourteen. That's against the law, Dave!" Kenny exclaimed, not yet believing that he was having this talk at all.

"What's against the law? To be fourteen?" The brunet wisecracked, giving Kenny his best innocent look.

"Oh, come on! You know what I mean!" The young Hutchinson snapped.

"Yeah, of course I know." Dave countered defiantly, becoming serious. "But as far as I'm concerned, that's none of your damn business, Blondie. Now I'm going to get into that car and I'm going to drive to Marty's to get something to eat. You coming?"

"What if the police catch us?"

"Then most likely I'll spend a nice long while sitting in a cell at the nearest police station, and if you're convincing enough, instead of going there with me, you'll have the once in a lifetime chance to ride back to your hotel in a neat, comfy patrol car…But, to get it, you have to tell the cops that I kidnapped you." Dave joked.

Kenny couldn't help but laugh at that comment. The whole situation was almost inconceivable; the idea that he, the trustworthy, responsible and even boring Kenneth Hutchinson, was about to ride in a car driven by an underage boy, who obviously didn't have a driver's license, was plain bizarre in of itself. Yet, despite it all, he felt a flicker of excitement tickling in his stomach. He was living the first adventure of his life, and he was starting to truly enjoy it.

"Cool huh?" Dave asked, looking in admiration at the car he was about to drive. It was a little 47 Ford Opera Coupe, recently waxed, painted in purple and customized with fire flames on its front end and grille.

"Guess what, Dave?" Kenny said, as both kids got into the car.

"What?" Dave asked, starting the engine.

"I wouldn't say that…You know, about you kidnapping me. If the cops catch us, I'll stick with you. Till the end."

"Fine, pal. You're a good guy." Dave said, looking at Kenny with a mischievously impish smile. "And in return, I´ll drive you to Martin's in old lady style… I don't want you to have a heart attack in the passenger seat of Jimmy's Belle."

"Well, that's real nice from you, Dave, thanks" Kenny answered looking at his companion of ride from the corner of his eye. TBC