Chapter 31: Life on the Streets

One particular evening, Mettablook had come to the surface. She was surprised by the car in Kat and Ghost's parking lot. Mettablook phased through the door remaining invisible and watching the events unfurl.

A young woman with a long sleeved red blouse, red skirt and heels sat down next to the couple holding a baby in her hands.

She handed it to Kat.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Kat asked.

Ghost nodded.

"I need you to sign some papers. This one will be covering confidentiality. We don't want to endanger the child."

"I wonder why someone would adopt their own baby. She's so cute," Kat cooed.

"News flies there's a rumour that the men in white discovered a bunch of babies trapped in a lab somewhere on this island. None of them were able to trace any origins to their parents. These babies were created without any parents to link their birth to. Not all babies are blessed with biological parents," she said.

"So who gave the child up?" Ghost asked.

"No one, her parents apparently died in an explosion."

After Kat finished signing the papers, the woman left.

Mettablook appeared.

"Hey."

Kat waved.

"So darling, what's that bundle of blankets in your arms?"

"It's a baby. Me and Ghost decided we wanted to adopt."

"Wow darling that's great. So what's her name?"

"We decided to call her, Dorothy after Ghost's mother."

"Yes, I think that's a name with a lot of potential."

"I know right."

While a good portion of his time had been invested working with his father in the lab, his schedule had always been arranged around the king's schedule. He was always expected to serve the king's needs whenever the king needed him.

So it was one afternoon after he had taken Papyrus to school that he had stopped by the castle whilst Asgore was watering the golden flowers in the throne room.

When he was finished watering the flowers he turned.

"Howdy who-"

Asgore was surprised to see Sans standing behind him.

"Hey Sans, didn't hear you there. You're awfully quiet today."

"Oh I guess watching someone watering their flowers can be very amusing."

Asgore narrowed his eyes suspicously.

"Sans, are you doing alright?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"Uh."

Was he being genuine or would he tell his father everything? What if the king was angry with him?

"He's fine."

Sans turned and saw that Aster had followed him down here.

"Oh Aster, I've been meaning to talk to you about an issue that's come up," Asgore said.

"Really?" Aster asked, turning to stare at his son with an icy gaze.

"There's been concerns about the security here."

"Security?"

"The last human who was here traversed through the CORE with ease. If the human manages to sabotage it, we may have a crisis on our hands."

"Oh I see. So you'd like me to add a security system to the CORE?"

"You can do it, right?"

"Certainly, your majesty."

For as long as he could remember Sam had always been living on the streets. After his sister had died though it hadn't been the same.

His parents had died when he was fairly young and because no one had taken him or his sister in, Sam had to earn money to survive. Unfortunately the only way to do this was stealing or mugging people.

He eventually got taken in to do jobs for some shady guy by the name of Walter and the rest was history. During his time working for this guy he had met up with five other guys around his age.

Sam had become good friends with Paul and Ron. Paul had dark black hair and brown eyes. Ron on the other hand had sandy blond hair and brown eyes.

Timothy was the eldest and more experienced. He had short curly blond hair and blue eyes. No one in their group particularly liked him but no one hated him either. He was emotionally and physically distant preferring not to speak with anyone within their group unless it was a part of the job.

Jeremy and Bobby were the most malicious of the bunch. Jeremy was a guy with red hair spiked mohawk and a stalky build. Bobby was bald with a round build. The two had picked a fight with Sam the first day he had arrived.

"Oh ho ho, a new guy," Jeremy asked. "You wouldn't last one day here, bub."

"The boss only hires those who can prove themselves to us," Bobby said. "So I guess this is the end of the line for you unless you can beat us in a fight."

Paul stepped in.

"Isn't that a little unfair when it's two against one. Only cowards would resort to ganging up on one person and I make mincemeat out of cowards."

"Ahem."

Paul, Sam, Jeremy and Bobby had turned to see Walter had walked in.

He glanced at Sam.

"Who's that guy? Is he causing trouble?"

"No, he's a new guy," Paul said before glancing at Sam. "You want work right?"

Sam nodded.

The first two things they were supposed to do was retrieve the payment for some drugs that had been bought from Bobby and Ron however one particular day, Sam and Paul were tasked with dishing out pain to some wiseguy who didn't pay up their end of the bargain during a drug exchange.

The two had arrived at a rundown trailer in the middle of a tall grassy piece of land.

Some guys were parading outside the establishment.

Sam and Paul approached them.

"We're here to speak with Larry."

"Larry's not expecting anyone."

"We heard he was expecting us," Paul said. "Let us talk with him."

They took a step forward. The two guards however moved to block their way.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. We're not to let anyone in."

"Well the boss will be disappointed if he doesn't receive the money. You understand, don't you?" Paul asked.

"If you cause us any trouble, we'll be forced to intervene."

Paul sighed before he punched one of the guards across the face.

"Why you-"

The other guy tried to attack Paul with his fists. Sam knocked him out with a choke hold until he was knocked unconscious.

"Amateurs," Paul said as he knocked the other guy unconscious.

The two stepped inside spotting a guy attempting to escape the trailer through a back window.

"Hey!" Paul cried out, running towards him.

He grabbed his legs pulling him back.

"You're Larry right? Tryin' to run away when you haven't paid back the money you owe."

"Give us the money."

"No, once you get the money you'll kill me. I'm not a fool. I want you to promise me that you won't kill me after that."

Paul grinned.

"Yeah, we'll agree to those terms."

'After you're taught your place,' he thought.

Once Paul had pulled him out however a loud bang whizzed past his ears.

Blood gushed out of a bullet wound on Larry's neck.

"Idiots."

Sam turned and saw Bobby had his gun held out. Smoke was coming from the end.

"Wha-what are you doing here?"

"Walter didn't say anything about killing anyone."

Paul stepped outside and saw Jeremy standing in the midst of the two other guys.

"I see you had some trouble so I helped clean up your mess," Jeremy said.

"What mess?"

"So he didn't let you in on the plan then. You two idiots were supposed to be the distraction but the real intention was to kill them all along." Bobby said.

Even if he was shady, those men were still human. These men were people who were cold and callus. They'd kill without a second thought.

As they headed back later that evening, Jeremy and Bobby reported what had happened. Sam had met up with Ron at the park.

"Hey!" He called out.

"Hey," Ron said.

Sam sat on the bench next to Ron and looked out towards the playground.

"Y'know my brother wants to be a police officer when he grows up," Ron said. "I used to take him here every day. He'd ride that contraption. Don't even know what the intent behind it was. This whole place is so d-mn old. Everything here is just run down buildings left from environmental disasters."

Sam was silent.

"I joined because I wanted him to be happy. After my parents died, they were gonna separate us but it's alright now."

"How old is your brother?" Sam asked.

"He'll be turning seven next month."

"I see."

One particular day, Sam and Paul had received another job to conduct a drug deal with someone.

They had been walking desolate streets full of dark alleyways and buildings covered in shrubbery. The buildings here hadn't been inhabited in years.

"So where does this guy Steven hang out anyway?" Sam asked.

Paul had been silent.

"Paul?"

Paul's features were contorted with despair.

"Paul, what's wrong?" Sam asked.

"Do you know why I took this job?"

"It's not really any of my business why you took it, is it?"

Paul sighed.

"It's fine. I'd feel better if I spoke about it."

Sam nodded.

"My parents were both into dope. Most of their money went into buying drugs. A teacher became suspicious once they saw me wearing these worn down rags so my parents took me out of school. Unfortunately no one was around to pay for the bills."

"I see."

"I wanted to be a mechanic like my grandfather. I do know some things about fixing cars. After my grandpa died though, no wanted to take me in. I have to do this job, you understand don't you?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"You're a kind soul, never forget that. This kind of work can take a toll on your soul."

"I know."

"Truth is I'm scared. Don't tell anyone I said that though."

"Why don't you just leave?"

Paul looked around and then he scanned the area around him again, double checking, triple checking to make sure no one was around.

"They'd find you and then they'd kill you. The less they know about you the better."

After they had conducted this business deal, Paul disappeared. Later the next day, he had dropped in and saw Jeremy talking with the boss.

Jeremy spotted Sam and wrapped his arms around him pulling him close.

"Come let's talk."

Sam felt a cold chill creep up his spine.

"How're you? Fine? You don't look so hot without your little friend beside you."

"What do you mean by that? You're talking as if he's completely disappeared."

"Well you heard the rumors haven't you. You know what happens when people try to leave. They die," Jeremy said. His lips were curled in a sinister grin.

Several months passed before a new boy around his age had joined up with them. He had dark brown hair cropped so it barely reached his shoulders. His clothes were fairly simple composed of a white shirt and jeans.

"So what's the scoop on the new guy?" Sam asked. "He looks like he's used to spending his life on the streets."

"He was taken in by the boss. I've heard he's picked up the nickname 'Hot Head' because when he's angry it's like he's a complete demon," Ron said.

"What's his name?"

"Says his name is Frisk."