Levi watched as a visitor approached the body. He did not say anything at first, being too used to remaining silent whenever someone entered their room. The boy assumed the man was another client who had heard about her, but something was different. When he heard a certain something, Levi felt curious. He heard "Kuchel." This man knew her real name.
"How does he know that?" he wondered.
Still, this curiosity was not enough to truly stir Levi to want to live. His mother's name being known by this person was strange, but it was far from impossible. He could have known her from the other brothel and followed her there, but he did not act that way. When Levi informed him of Kuchel's current status, the boy had expected disappointment or annoyance. Instead, he could not tell what the man was feeling. He asked if the boy was alive.
"Not for much longer," Levi thought. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
His name was the next thing asked about, but he could only provide his first name. Levi had never known his last name. Kuchel did not even know his father's first name and said he would have been better off not knowing her family's name. He never understood why, but she always looked so depressed when he asked that he dropped the subject.
To Levi's surprise, he saw a similar sadness in the man as he answered the question. He stared suspiciously as the stranger slid down the wall and to the dirty floor. He said that his name was Kenny and that he knew Kuchel.
"Clearly," Levi thought.
Another surprise occurred when Kenny said it was nice to meet him. No one had ever said that before. Anyone outside of the brothels ignored him. Levi's gaze kept its skeptical nature.
"Why did you come here?" he asked. "How'd you know her?"
Kenny did not immediately respond, then looked to his right at the bed. "We grew up together. It had been a long time since we'd talked. I wanted to again."
"Were you two friends?"
"You could say that." Kenny stopped again, looking away from the body and to Levi. "You eat anything this week?"
"I don't think so," the boy answered.
Honestly, he did not know how long he had been there. Maybe it had been a week. Maybe it had been a month or longer. As Levi thought about his time there, he noticed Kenny starting to stand.
"Good, he's going away," he thought.
"What're you waiting for?" Kenny asked. "Are you coming or not?"
Levi looked up at him with shock. "What?"
"I'm starving. You look like you are too, so let's go get something to eat."
Something about his tone made it seem less like a suggestion and more like an order. Kenny stood by the door, looking out but not leaving. He was not going to either, but that made no difference to Levi. If he wanted to stay, that was Kenny's choice just like it was his. The man realized this and crossed his arms.
"Look, I'm not leaving her to continue rotting away, so I'm telling the guy down the hall what happened," he said. "He'll get people to take her body away and they'll see you. It's either them or me, kid. Who are you going with?"
Before the boy could decide, Kenny left. Levi turned towards the door and frowned. He had come so close, he just needed more time which he no longer had. Faintly, he heard Kenny talking with the man at the front. Begrudgingly, Levi tried to stand. He struggled gaining his balance. After so much time sitting, his muscles seemed non-existent. Only leaning against the wall kept him upright. He stayed that way for a moment, then was able to steady himself and took a step. Slowly, Levi headed for where Kenny had gone.
From his peripheral vision, Kenny saw the boy. He was ignoring the man at the desk who was irritated with the fact that he had lost a chance to make more money. In the man's frustration, he turned to glare at the bedroom door and saw the boy.
"Who are you?" Without waiting for an answer, he asked another question. "Were you her son? If so, I've got some questions for you."
He stepped towards Levi and Kenny blocked his path. "What type of questions?"
"They don't involve you."
"Then, call me nosy."
The man frowned, but he could tell Kenny was not the kind of person to just give up easily. "If she's been dead awhile, then that's a room I could've been renting out. I lost money by not knowing she's dead. Her debt goes to her son."
Kenny snarled at the man. "That's all you can think about?"
"What else would I do?"
"Nothing I guess. I shouldn't expect people like you to see anyone and not just see an opportunity."
The other man looked appalled. "If rules aren't enforced, people will think they can do whatever they want."
A dangerous look appeared in Kenny's eyes. "And who's going to enforce this?"
Looking at him and then Levi, the man stepped back. Satisfied, Kenny turned to the boy and gestured to be followed out. It was night, so it felt strange to not try to sneak around, but Kenny did not walk like he had any reason to be wary. There was a natural confidence he exuded as he walked (quickly). Picking up his pace to a half run was the only way Levi could catch up with him. Finally, the man stopped when they had arrived at a building. From the inside, Levi heard people talking and laughing. He had seen places like this before and always wanted to enter, but Kuchel said they never had enough money. Still, she had always wanted to go as well.
"Mom would've enjoyed coming here," he thought sadly.
The boy stayed where he was for a moment, lost in thoughts as Kenny walked to a table towards the back. Levi followed him and quickly noticed the glances they received. People seemed afraid, surprised, or a combination of the two. When Kenny sat down, a brunette waitress immediately came to greet them. Despite her quick response, she was no less unsure about what was going on than the others in the building.
"What can I get you two?" she asked, voice tense despite her attempts at acting natural.
Kenny turned in his chair and tipped down the front of his hat so that it partially covered his eyes. "Booze."
The waitress nodded and turned to the boy.
"I'll have some of the bread," he said quietly.
Nodding again, the woman left to give the order to the cooks. Kenny tilted his hat upwards slightly to look at Levi.
"You've gotta be hungrier than that. Why'd you just order bread?"
"It's what…" he paused, not sure if he felt like opening up this much to a stranger. "I heard their bread here was good." To himself, he thought, "And it's what Mom said she'd try if she ever got a chance to eat here."
The alcohol came quickly in a mug. Kenny began slowly drinking the beverage, watching Levi out of the corner of his eye. Levi knew, but he did not know why. He supposed he probably looked strange–emaciated and just generally smaller than what would be usual. The stares from everyone did not make the situation feel any more comfortable.
Levi tried to ignore them and was helped with this when the waitress came back. She brought him a plate of a few dinner rolls. They smelled wonderful. As much as Levi had been wanting to eat nothing, the very look of the food was enough to spark his sense of self-preservation again. He took a bite, then another and another. The bread was as delicious as his mother had hoped. It had been so long since he had eaten anything that this seemed like the meal of a lifetime.
When they were finished, Kenny paid for the food and began leaving. As good as the food was, Levi was more than happy to not have to deal with the strange glances anymore. Once they were out of the building, he looked up at the man.
"Thanks for the food," he said. "I'll see you around."
"No kidding," Kenny said. "You're coming back with me."
Levi stopped walking and a confused expression appeared on his face. "I thought we'd split up after we ate."
"The thought crossed my mind, but then I realized how I owe it to Kuchel not to." Kenny stopped as well and finally got a good look at the boy. "He's got her eyes and hair," he thought.
It almost hurt to look at him. All Kenny saw was his baby sister who he could not protect. He owed it to her to try to protect her son even if he could not help her. It had been no secret to him what Kuchel was doing. He always kept track of where she was. That is why it was so easy to find her at the end, but it had been himself who kept him from going before it was too late. His work was…dangerous to put it lightly. She was better off without him. At least, that was what made his conscience feel eased.
"What changed?" Levi asked, snapping the man out of his musings.
"What do you mean?"
"It seems like you cared about her, but you weren't in her life. Why now? You said that you wanted to talk, but what made it time to?"
"Great," Kenny thought half-bitter and half-amused. "He's a clever kid." Aloud, he said, "Sometimes, time is all you need for things to change." He put his hands in his pockets. "Look, kid, I won't act like I'm Mr. Father Figure of the Year or anything, but I can keep you a lot safer than what you'll have by living on the streets. I've seen what that can do to people down here–if they even make it through the night."
Levi's face did not convey any emotion. Kenny saw through this and knew what he was feeling.
"She'd want you to live. The Kuchel I knew wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to someone she cared about." He looked at the street ahead of them. "Think of it as honoring her memory or whatever. It's your choice, though. I never did like being told what to do, so I won't make you join me."
This time, when Kenny walked away, Levi followed him. Despite everything in his being wanting to be slightly annoyed at the inconvenience of having someone to be in charge of, a warmth was felt in Kenny's chest. It was uncomfortable and he chalked it up as heartburn from some bad booze.
The pair walked for a bit until they reached another building. It was not a place for food or other services but a home. Kenny drew a knife and dug it into the door lock. With it unlocked, he opened the door and led the way inside, then relocked it. Levi entered behind him and looked around. It was so much larger than the rooms he and his mom had stayed in. He could almost not believe he was going to be allowed to live there.
"What do you do to pay for this?"
Kenny put his hat on a table and sat down, leaning the back of his head against the chair. "Work. Don't worry about what kind."
The man felt the knife in his hands and lifted his head so that he could look at Levi. He frowned slightly.
"You're so scrawny," he commented.
"That's what happens when you starve," the boy thought.
Kenny grabbed his hand and put the handle of the knife in his palm. "You're not going to overpower anyone the way you are. You need to learn how to hold a knife."
Levi grasped the weapon and held it so that the blade was up. In it, he saw Kenny's disapproving expression.
"Not like that. Hand that back over."
Reclaiming the knife, Kenny held it the way Levi had done. "This is okay, but this," he said, holding it so that the blade pointed behind him, "is better. It's easier bringing your fist down than up, so make sure the blade is the direction where your strength can support the cut."
Kenny demonstrated by stabbing upwards and then flipping the blade upside down and stabbing as though someone were below him. His speed coupled by his force caused there to be a swish sound that impressed Levi. Kenny saw this and smirked.
"Good, he might have a killer's instinct," he thought. "Got that from me if he does."
He was about to have Levi attempt what he had done when a knock sounded on the door. Suspiciously, he handed the boy the knife again.
"Practice that while I'm gone," he instructed.
Kenny went to the door and slid out so that the home could not be seen by the visitor. He glared at the man in front of him.
"I told you to never come here," he hissed.
"I know, but I heard that you'd been seen with a kid following you," the other man said defensively. "I'm just making sure not too much has changed. You're still good to count on, right?"
Annoyed, Kenny frowned at him. "You shouldn't even have to ask me that."
"I do because I've lost too many men to family life."
"It's not like that and even if it was, that wouldn't concern you. All that does are the officers whose numbers are up. Is there another one?"
The visitor appeared unsure, then nodded. "Yeah, that's also why I'm here. We got word about another MP who needs your special way of dealing with them."
He handed Kenny a letter with the military policeman's name and a brief description so that Kenny would know who he was looking for when the time came.
"Now, we're talking. Any particular time?"
"Not necessarily, but the sooner, the better."
Kenny folded up the letter and a hard look was in his eyes. "Fine, consider it done. Same pay as usual?"
"More actually."
"You should lead with that next time. What makes this one different?"
"He's been taking out a lot of my boss's people. He's an issue, so the boss is willing to pay extra to not have to worry about him."
"Let him know he won't have to for long."
Kenny began going back to open the door when the man stopped him.
"But really, Kenny, there's no shame in leaving this life behind. Know I would if I could."
"I'm not you."
"No, you actually have a chance to." The man pointed at the door. "That kid's going to need someone. It's a dangerous world."
"Good thing he's got a dangerous person watching out for him," Kenny said dryly. "Next time you come here, let's just talk business."
An unreadable expression appeared on the man's face which momentarily caused Kenny to feel suspicious, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. He pushed it and the man's suggestion of starting a new life to the back of his mind. He had something to take care of soon. Kenny would learn more about this MP and handle the issue as he had done so many times in the past. Even with that child in there, relying on him…no, especially because of that child, nothing could change and nothing would.
