Chapter Fifteen:
Awaking to the late afternoon the taste of whiskey lingers on my lips and breath. I was on a small cot, back facing the tent entrance. Shit I got carried away with the drinking.
"Young master, we shouldn't wake him." I hear the mechanical voice of Lucky chirp out. I rub my eyes and turn to see Aiden sitting patiently for me to wake.
"Hey kiddo, we're you waiting long?" I asks concerned for happiness.
"Just a bit," Aiden voice rings out dejectedly.
"I'm sorry," I apologize swinging my legs over the edge of the cot and tussle my hand in-between his hair, smiling at him before standing up. "Where's uncle?"
"Oh-um, he's out running an errand." Aiden say's as we exit the tent to the face the day.
"How far did he go?"
"Over there!" Aiden points to a small hill in the distance.
"Well what are we waiting for, hop on my back and let's rush over there." I say squatting down so he can climb on my back.
Aiden isn't heavy nor is he light but it was an great jog with resistance training, I've broken a sweat traversing the rough terrain. Saul is kneeling before a crude burial mound in the sand. A wooden cross etch at the head of the grave.
"Myra..." He mutter's shovel in hand filling the remainder up.
"Uncle?" Aiden speaks up, from atop my shoulders.
"Boy's, wh-aaht are you doing here?" He voice broken and hoarse. That general gruff demeanor is all but gone.
"Aiden told me where you've went, what's all this?" I question, letting Aiden down.
"It's a mock grave, for your mother. We couldn't recover her body or any others during the attack, but I buried some of her personal affect's." He explains taking a sip of Tequila.
"Oh," was all I could gasp out before Aiden latches himself to my waist.
"Here Aiden, this is for you." He hands him peeled patch with the Aldecaldos insignia. "You're almost of age to be full fledge member."
Aiden holds the patch close to his heart,"Momma.." His shy voice re-vocalize.
"This here is for you, Ryan. It was one of her most prized possession." Uncle Saul hand me a double barrel blue tinted titanium revolver with orange LED lights shining the chamber. "She crafted this all her own, named it Purge." I hold on to the gun with rattling shaky hands.
"...She was one hell of engineer." I let out.
"Indeed, where you'd think you got the killer instinct from, hmmm?"
"What do you mean?" I ask confused.
"Your mother was a gun-for-hire just like you. She left home at sixteen, for NC." He informs me.
"Make sense sorta."
Heading back to Basecamp, we sit down for lunch with the rest of the older members of the clan. I wrestle getting my grip on Purge, the wear on this bad boy is evident. It's the only memento of my mother's it's akin to Mottly who was left by my father.
"Holy shit, is that Purge?" Mitch asks taking his seat next to me.
"Yeah, what of it."
"She's trusty and reliable, it will see you through hell and back. I thought I would never see her again."
"She?"
"Boats, cars and even rocket's are refered to as women, same would be the case for a weapon of course. I'd be honored if you'd let me tinker with her, getting her back to a operational state." Mitch asks eagerly to get his hands on it.
"Knock yourself out." I laugh tossing the him the gun.
"Big mistake, Mitch is a bit eccentric." Sighs another older gentleman with tan skin and a rather large fading gash across his face say's walking past the gathering towards Saul. "Everyone calls me Scorpion." He says before reaching uncle.
"Sumthin the matter?" Saul ask's Scorpion.
"It's been a week, I think she's left for good this time."
"Damnit Panam!" He grumbles.
"Everything okay?" I turn to figure what's gotten him pissed.
"It's nothing... Everyone enjoy the meal, Scorpion make sure my nephews are looked after. I'm going to see Dakota."
Uncle Saul rushes to his feet and storms off.
With that we finish our meals in hush conversation...
The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent playing games with Aiden as we grew closer in the short amount of time and he got more less tense around me. I enjoyed myself to be honest just to kick it back. It was a well deserved respite, and even if I came for one reason, I stayed for another.
During the night a sand storm rolled in over the plains and the camp all went silent but for the sound of whipping wind. It was uncanny how scary the buzzing and whistling from the outside sounds.
Laying in the cot set up for night I lay awake, unable to sleep. Aiden gets from his cot and rushed over to me and taps me.
"Ryan I hate sandstorms, can I sleep with you?" He ask's.
"Sure kiddo, I roll over and let my little brother crawl into the bed with me. He appears relived, nestling up to me. I turn towards the wall and pretend to be asleep, hoping he'd fall asleep too.
What was it that had my little brother so scared? A cold stillness surrounding me. A silence so piercing I can hear the wind outside. No voices as people are up and about different hours of the day within the camp . I would be terrified alone during a storm of this caliber if was his age.
The sense of loneliness, the fear that his face would be on my mind for the rest of my life, the fact that I couldn't hear his breathing as he slept beside me.
That's the reason he wants to sleep with me. For a while I'm going to be thinking about that sandstorm and how scared he must've been. As I lay there wide awake I can feel his soft snore beneath my ear.
I hate this, I've never been an brother before now, nor had one to count on. How do I know I'm doing the right thing for him. Is coddling the best thing for him, I've been alone for a long time with only to have Mottly hold my hand in a sense. Should I lift his sleeping body and place him in his own bed? He's thirteen after all, this should be a learning experience.
But part of me want's to pull in closer, safeguarding him from the horrors that wait in lurk in the shadows. What does it mean to be an older brother, is more then saying, is it doing. I pull in closer to his back, he sleeps on with a smile on his face. I look up from my laying position, I don't want to wake him.
So I turn to face him, pulling him in a loving embrace as we meld as one underneath the covers as the winds pick up louder.
"I'll protect you Aiden," I whisper holding him tight. I let the lull of his steady heartbeat ease me to sleep.
Morning came and everything outside remains intact, Nomad's have been toughing it for ages, it's sort of way of life comes with adapting to things on the fly. One can't afford to become stagnant. Today I return back to Night City, back to the old grind. I guess Aiden upset that I'm leaving. I can't find him anywhere. He know I was only here for about three days. Today marking the third.
"About last night, I owe you an apology for up and leaving." Uncle Saul spoke handing me a plate of food. We walk and talk as I eat what's on the plate.
"It's fine, you're busy man running an entire clan. I'm honestly happy I've met you both you and Aiden. It gives me reason to keep striving."
"You're one of a kind Ryan, I'm honored to call you my nephew. I'm impressed at the man you've grown into."
"Half right, still a kid if we're technical. But then again I turn nineteen in a few weeks." I say grabbing up my gear, as I head towards the car which didn't get bury by sand.
"You've leaving already," Mitch says walks up to us.
"I'm a busy man, but don't think you'll be rid of me that easily. You can expect to see me more often. I got the role of big brother to play." I laugh as Mitch hands me Purge all fined tune and looking brand spanking new.
"Ryan... Wait..." I can hear Aiden cry as he runs over to us.
"Hey little man, sorry about leaving as fast as I came."
"I-I know you can't stay here with us, with me. But promise me, you'll come and visit often."
"Of course kiddo. That's a promise I intend to keep." Aiden rushing into me wrapping his hands around my waist holding me tightly. Uncle gives a light smile, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Take it easy everyone, I'm glad too have met you guys." I shout to the clan.
"Ryan you're Aldecaldo now, don't ever forget that." Uncle states.
"You ever in need, call on us and the calvary shall arrive." Mitch says smiling as he stood beside Scorpion who nodded.
With that said, I wave goodbye. Got into my car and drove off the sandy back roads and back on the main stretch of road, Night City bound.
Outgoing Call-
Ryan: Guys I'm on my way back home...
Call Ended-