Chapter Four
There was something about New York City in the daytime that always smelled like home. Matthew did not agree to this, but then again, he was Canadian, and only true Americans could comprehend the beauty of the most populous city in the United States of America.
Nothing could possibly ruin this wonderful Saturday, with no illegal trading delivery stuff, and all the pizza and hotdogs and spring sunshine Alfred needed to recoup before the next job comes rolling in and he'll have to leave the love of his life for an undetermined period of time.
Really, he loved his job, but home was home, and nothing was better than home, right?
Going back to New York City was like coming home after a long vacation abroad and realizing that there had been fish and meat in the fridge before you turned off the electricity flow and now everything was rotten and stinking to the high heavens: An unpleasant, but almost expected, surprise.
After moving to Boston, Lukas had wanted to never go back to this city of too many memories and shadows, but it seemed like what he wanted just wasn't that important. He was half tempted to just turn around and go straight back, but Mathias and Emil wouldn't allow it, evident by the way they stood so close to him, trapping him between their bodies.
New York by itself, if only for sightseeing, was a truly majestic city with its impressive sea of skyscrapers, windows and glass reflecting the sunlight at every angle to make the entire city glow.
Slowly, but progressively, Lukas felt himself begin to relax. It was just a city, like any other in this world, and in the daytime, it was beautiful.
They walked pass a park, then swerved and veered into it when Mathias noticed and begged to go. It wasn't like they had any destination in mind, so Lukas and Emil were willing to just follow a mindless idiot around the city for a day.
Lukas felt his spirits rising as his tension eased, and he thought that perhaps, today would be the day he could actually both physically and mentally deal with a mindless idiot.
That was, however, before another mindless idiot somehow stuffed himself into their little group.
Lukas, Emil, and Mathias met Alfred in the park. He was thrilled to meet them, and very excitedly slapped Mathias on the back, the two idiots giving each other a manly hug despite Mathias not remembering who he was. Alfred's cheerfulness was unhindered by this, and merrily reintroduced himself.
"So, what are you guys doing here in the best city in the world?" This irritating question was accompanied by the tall blonde's booming, obnoxious laughter and perfect American grin.
Mathias replied with that same irritating tone of speaking that only true idiots possessed. "We're- uh…" He squinted at Lukas, who took over with a sigh.
"We're sight-seeing."
Alfred nodded in approval. "Couldn't have picked a better time to come. Where have y'all visited already?"
"We just arrived."
"Great! Awesome!" Uh-oh. "How about I be your guide? New York is my home and I know it better than anyone else. Follow me!"
Mathias grinned, and the two tall blonds marched on side by side, chattering animatedly. Lukas sighed and followed with a very amused Emil, who was in a strangely good mood. He seemed to be snickering under his breath as he watched Alfred and Mathias, the smallest grins pulling the corners of his colorless lips upwards. His dark violet eyes were bright under the large hat he wore to protect himself from the sun, and they wandered, from building to street sign to crowds to street stand.
It was comforting and refreshing to see the young boy look so carefree, his happiness leaking through his stoic masks. His gait was relaxed, no longer bothering to hide his scarred and crooked right arm in a place of too many things to see. His arm had healed in the months after Australia; although it was difficult to set the bones since they were already healing, the gray, wrinkled skin had slowly peeled and was replaced by Emil's pale color. His fingers were mobile, though his wrist remained a bit stiff, and he was able to write with his right hand again after some time. It was ugly to look at, and one of the things Ms. Héderváry had demanded an answer for, but that, along with all the details of their adventure, was one of the things the brothers agreed to never talk about, even to each other.
Lukas felt his own smile blooming and Emil noticed, giving him a cheeky wiggle of his eyebrows. The two brothers followed two boisterous blonds, and all was goo-
"Just sight-seeing?"
Lukas was proud to say that he merely jumped at the voice that came from nowhere, taking it better than Emil who gasped sharply and released the beginning to a frightened shriek before hastily choking and stuffing the sound back down his throat.
The soft, feathery voice gave an airy chuckle, and Matthew materialized next to Emil, a gentle smile on his lips. He was hugging that polar bear which, right on cue, asked in its robotic, recorded voice, "Who are you?"
"It's Matthew, Kumadango," Alfred's copilot scolded the bear, "Can you please stop forgetting?"
Emil blinked. "Last time you told us he was called Kumaito?"
Matthew paused, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, close enough." And then he turned his smile to Lukas. "So, just sight-seeing?"
"No," he admitted, willing to reveal some not-very-classified information to another sane head. "Mathias said that he had a meeting with someone, but he doesn't remember who or where exactly, only that the person – or people – is waiting for him in New York."
"Well then, this tour might be helpful, eh?" The Canadian's smile was hopeful and kind. "Seeing the city might trigger something."
Lukas nodded. "You have a point."
Matthew hummed happily. "Glad to be of help."
And Lukas was just glad that there was at least one other levelheaded and relatively normal (occupation excluded because being a Black Market exporter and delivery service was not normal) person around him.
Ignoring Lukas's personal history with the city, New York was truly quite majestic. Modern glass skyscrapers clawing up towards the sky, spaces in between beautiful filled with stone and wooden buildings that breathed age and experience and change. The elegant form of the Statue of Liberty stood proudly in the distance, watching everything and everyone below her with her firm yet gentle gaze.
Alfred had not been buffing when he claimed to know New York City better than anyone else. As they strolled down the streets, the American transformed from a goofy pilot into a walking encyclopedia. He rattled off historical dates and names like he was announcing his own birthday and favorite color: there was familiarity and fondness laced with the confident facts, and more than once did he stop to point at an ordinary building to tell them about what it had been fifty years ago and how this was significant.
By the time they stopped for lunch at one, Lukas's head was ringing, and Emil looked slightly disturbed by just how much information Alfred had revealed. Mathias, surprisingly, was unperturbed and remained interested with everything their guide said despite getting mildly distracted a few times, but that was probably because he was constantly forgetting that Alfred had been chattering their ears off nonstop for the past two hours.
Lunch was a peaceful and relaxing affair of Alfred finally stops talking about history and architecture so he could ask about their opinions so far.
"Very interesting," was the best Lukas managed.
Matthew, nearly invisible sitting beside them, laughed softly. He was probably so used to Alfred that this was all very amusing instead.
Alfred grinned back, and the hour of lunch went smoothly.
An hour after lunch, Lukas became very suspicious of Mathias.
Two more hours after that, his suspicions came true.
Mathias Køhler had utterly, completely forgotten about his so-called 'meeting'.
Emil had noticed that as well, and he looked perpetually on the verge of laughter.
"We're going home." Both Emil and Mathias and Alfred were getting on his nerves and he didn't know how long he'd be able to take it. Dinner had been perfect, thank you for paying the bill, but no thank you for a night tour.
Matthew glanced up at the darkening sky, pale blue fading then erupting into fiery red on one side, smudged indigo on the other. "It is getting a bit late, eh?"
"You're not staying for the night?" Alfred had the look of a kicked puppy.
"We are busy," Lukas replied bluntly. "We've spent enough time here." The entire day, in fact.
"The tour didn't work?" Matthew asked, and Lukas just shrugged, then shook his head.
"Let's go." Then when he saw the pilots stand with them, he added, "No need, we know the way."
"We do?" Mathias frowned.
"I do," corrected Lukas, and they escaped down the street.
Alfred was oblivious but Matthew laughed at their desperation, and watched the three foreigners disappear around a corner before turning away with his American brother.
Then a moment later, a child walked out a nearby alleyway, blue-gray eyes bright as he tracked down the shadows of three, oblivious fools. He touched a finger to a vicious scar tearing across the bridge of his nose and his right cheek, and followed.
Lukas had been so sure that they were very close to the station, but it turned out to be just a bit farther than he thought it was. If he had known how much that extra distance was going to cost them, he would have asked for Matthew and Alfred as an escort.
Although, even they might not have been able to help.
They've had an early dinner due to two happy, chattering blonds who suddenly decided at five that they were starving, so by the time all five of them left the growingly crowded restaurant, many stores were shut or closing and people filtering into restaurants and homes left the streets not empty, but much less busy as night fell.
New York at night was a glittering city of lights of every color that flickered and pulsed and bloomed like stars. The glowing streetlights offered no small amount of comfort to Lukas, who couldn't help but remember and fear a green-eyed ghost who had been more sad than cold or cruel to two frightened and disoriented children. He acknowledged this with shame, but really, there were worst ghosts to fear.
If only he had remembered the golden-eyed child instead.
They were walking past a dark patch of shadows between two flickering streetlamps when Emil gave a strangled gasp and was wrenched away from his side and into the darkness. There was a moment of quiet and shock, Mathias continuing to walk several steps before freezing and spinning around with a wild look in his wide eyes.
"Don't move." The voice was soft but sharp. "Unless you want him to die."
The headlights of a passing car momentarily lit up the blind spot, illuminating coppery red hair and bright eyes, a feral smile painted across a child's face broken by a ugly scar that streaked horizontally across his face.
Everyone save for the child was frozen, and his silhouette shifted as he angled his gun against Emil's temple, an awful click cracking through air as the safety was flipped off. Those eager eyes shifted from Lukas to Mathias, and that ugly smile widened. "Mathias Køhler-,"
"Run!" Emil gasped this word and it didn't register until there was a shout of surprise and the boy sped through Lukas and down the street, his form flickering under the lights but materializing as soon as he was past Mathias. The frozen shock disintegrated and Lukas, grabbing and steering Mathias by his sleeve, fled after his brother.
"Who is that?" he muttered, eyeing the child's furious expression as he gave chase.
"The boy-," Mathias glanced over his shoulder with a mildly confused expression. "He was saying my name…" They caught up swiftly with Emil, who was beginning to pant. He ignored Lukas's concerned gaze, and rapidly led the two older boys around a corner in an attempt to-
Several unfamiliar voices cried out in surprise, but no one knew where to look.
Lukas's ears were ringing, and there was the disgusting tang of smoke in the air, but what made his stomach clench was the sound of Emil shouting, and the crack of bone against concrete as he fell. But Mathias was there in a second, grabbing the back of his shirt and throwing the young boy up and into his arms as they charged on.
Two more shots rang out, and Lukas felt the burn of a bullet though his sleeve dangerously close to his arm.
And then, Mathias Køhler grabbed the lid of a trashcan. Lukas could imagine a screech as the tall blonde skid to a halt, Lukas next to him with confusion and desperation rattling his bones and mind. Emil was dropped to the ground, steadied by one strong arm, the other brandishing the lid like a shield.
"What are you-?!" Emil was thrust into Lukas's arms.
Mathias charged.
At that moment, the child appeared around the corner, gun in broad streetlight, and was met by the flat face of the trashcan lid. Instincts saved him as he planted both hands on the surface to avoid slamming into it face-first, but Mathias felt the wrong type of pressure and swung the metal plate upwards in a wide sweep. The red-haired boy stumbled, catching himself just in time-
The lid was swept sideways like a gigantic fan.
-for the metal surface to slam right into his shoulder and the side of his head. He flew sideways several meters, and did not move.
Mathias did not spare the unconscious child a second glance, throwing down the dented trash can lid, and they bolted.
They did not stop running for a long time, silent save for shuddering gasps and pants for breaths and Emil's gentle yelps when his bleeding leg was jostled too harshly as they ran from a reawakened nightmare.
The young assassin couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen, but Lukas couldn't stop remembering the golden-eyed child who begged for death or mercy – but weren't they really the same thing? And those bright green eyes that had seemed so dangerous ten, eleven years ago but were really just the reflection of a mourning heart.
Today was different, he knew. The assassin did not try to kill. He had tried to take Emil hostage, and in return he had asked for-
They came to a final, stumbling halt in an unknown destination, Mathias gently setting Emil against the brick wall and letting him sit there, unable to move with a bleeding wound split open on his calf.
They should've never come back to New York City.
Wow, I really suck.
But now that school's started again, I'm going to try and get back on schedule, as if I've ever had one: one chapter every one to two weeks, hopefully.
Either way! Here is the chapter where things start to get a little bit more interesting, although I'm kind of disappointed with how it turned out, it's good enough, I guess.
Thank you for reading, and PLEASE REVIEW!