Chapter Title: The Lesedi Kid
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
Ages in this chapter: Dashen (13)
Chapter Summary: Colton POV. Virgil Colton contemplates how and why to help a young Dashen, months after the death of the boy's brother, Kossi.
"Hey, Boss. You told me to keep eyes open. That Lesedi kid you talk about. Tried to off himself last night on Death Sticks."
"What? Damn it! Stupid fool kid. I knew I should've stepped in sooner."
I was in my extravagantly spacious living space in my capacious house. I stood when Sydenious Greyer stuck his giant frame through the front door. The man was dark in every way imaginable; voice, skin, eyes, hair, attitude; but he was invaluable as my head of security as well as an old trusted friend. He was also ugly as hell, stood about seven feet whatever and could hurl my own giant frame through a wall should the moment ever arise.
I trusted Sy more than anyone I'd ever had in my life and he was well known for being flat-dead honest with me about almost anything, even when it came to questioning my decision to give a rat's butt about a thirteen-year-old now-orphan kid roaming the streets of Kaolin searching for a reason to live day-to-day, barely months after the death of his beloved younger brother. After all, I had my own problems and I'd never been one to care about other kids in need of help; why the hell should I care about this one? Sy had thrown that - my own thoughts - at me several times since I'd asked him to keep spy out on the kid. Not something that would normally be in the wheelhouse of my head of security, but for me...
His honesty was on display once more as he spoke of the boy; I could hear the resignation in the dark voice. I was beating a dead eel apparently. "He's not worth it, Boss." Sy told me flatly. "You worry about him, but he doesn't return the attention or even care that you do. Hate to see the kid hurt, but this all seems pointless."
I sighed and immediately spouted my instinctual defensive reaction. The story I'd told myself. "He's a good runner for his age, Sy. He is. Hell, Grunley even told me himself and you know Grunley. He doesn't delve into high praise for anyone. Said he gave the kid two jobs, back before he lost his brother and he excelled both times."
"You seriously thinkin' about offerin' the kid a job? Might be he's a bit suicidal for that. Problem you don't need in your line of work."
"He just needs something to focus on." Yes, that was it. "Take his mind off his brother."
"Well, good luck with that. Word is, suicide attempt or not, the kid is mentally and emotionally tapped out. That baby brother of his meant more than the kid's own life. Might be best for you to cut ties completely and leave him be. The streets will eventually eat him up if he doesn't do it to himself."
Listening, I heard Sydenious's words. I trusted his judgment always. And he was probably dead on accurate about all of it, but something kept nagging at me about this kid and I couldn't let it go no matter how hard I tried. It nagged a bit more now with the knowledge of the newly failed suicide attempt.
"I need to see to some business in town today, Sy. You handle the meet with Rosina for me?"
"Sure thing, Boss, but you know she doesn't like me much, or when you cancel on her."
"Eh, she'll live. I'll get your report this evening."
"Right, but hey, also heard that the kid enlisted help from that street healer, Fasullo."
"Fas...that little pinhead? Why's he messing with Lesedi?"
"No can know, but that guy's wrong, you know. Always. And the kid's probably lookin' for something other than Death Sticks next time around. Fasullo will slip him whatever he wants, doesn't matter age or reason. Certain he's the one that supplied the sticks to the kid in the first place."
I moved to the door. "Thanks for the intel, Sy."
—-
I waited a hour before he showed, the pinhead that is. Fasullo. The planet's slimiest healer. Sells things for cheap, sells to kids. Makes his fortune peddling to the most desperate. He was short and slivery. Skin of gray scales, forked tongue, black eyes with piercing red centers. Three arms on either side of his slim body, each hand sharpened with dark, pointed claws. I grabbed him by his skinny throat as he walked in the door to his slimy office.
"Stay away from the Lesedi kid."
"Virgil Colton. Why, hello to you as well. To what to do I own this pleasure of a visit?"
"The Lesedi kid."
"Ah, Dashen. He's a client now, you know. I get him what he wants."
"Death Sticks?"
"He needed them, I got them."
"He's underage. A child."
"What the hell do you care? He ain't yours. And he needed some help dealing with his pain. Such terrible pain. So, I assisted him."
"Don't pretend you care about his pain or anyone's pain. You know damn well what he was gonna do after your meet. He tried to kill himself with the sticks."
"Sure he did. That kid's bad off. Pretty damned desperate. In fact, I don't recall that I've ever seen anyone with less of a care in the world. What a sad, pathetic child. Not my fault though. I only sell. I don't judge reasons." He wriggled in my grasp until I let him squirm free, I wanted to look him in his lying eyes.
"Stay the hell away from the kid, understand?"
"You may have control over certain things, Colton, but you ain't got control over me or my business. If the kid wants to off himself, not my blood to worry over. I simply supply him when he pays. Speaking of which, I suspect he'll come knockin' on my door soon for one of those higher percentage options that I have stored away for the most forlorn and demoralized of the lot."
I reached for his throat again but squeezed a second too late as he ducked and slithered away. "Why are you carin' about this pitiable boy, Colton? What's he to you? Oh, wait...you want to hire him to run for you, right? I hear he's quite the talent. So, you 'save his life' then use him for your own crime empire, then toss him out when he's no longer useful to you. And in the end, he comes runnin' back to me anyway and round and round we go. Let me just save you time and trouble and give the kid something stronger so he can do this thing now. Kid's a damn mess. Useless. He ain't no good to anyone, especially himself. I've got no time for any of this chatter, got goods to sell. So, get the hell out off my property before I get locals involved."
I stepped back. Not that Fasullo would call the local authorities, he'd have more problems in that area than I would, but it wasn't worth the small chance. "He comes back," I threatened, "you turn him down. I'm not screwing with you. I'll have my eyes out."
He flicked me a hand or two of obscene gestures and turned away as I left.
A few more weeks passed. I spent time keeping an eye on the Lesedi kid. He was wary of me. He knew me, but not as a friend and had no idea why I was observing him. Hell, I still didn't really understand it either. He was bad off though. Since his attempt with the Death Sticks, he'd tried unsuccessfully twice more to get Fasullo to give him something else. With the help of Sydenious, I'd caught both instances before they could play out to conclusion and gave Fasullo a distant glare until he chased the kid off.
At some point, I'd attempted to speak with the kid, given him my comm number. Told him to call me if he needed something. There wasn't much interest, but it gave me a glimpse of his pain. The hallowed face and empty eyes. Too much pain for such a young kid. But again, why the hell did I even care? I see kids every day who need help in some way and I've never had the smallest of inklings to get involved or even take much notice of them.
This kid though... I didn't know. I just couldn't pin it down. I couldn't explain it.
Something in my heart just kept pestering a me to find a way to help.
Months later, turned out to be exactly six months since the death of the little brother, Sydenious had given me notice that Lesedi was in the park that he liked to frequent and that the kid was failing, and failing hard. I went to interfere. I wasn't invited and I'd probably not be welcomed, but someone somewhere had to throw the kid a lifeline. So in a last ditch effort... I did.
Alone. Bawling like a young child. Out of options. Out of hope. He was there on the bench clutched to himself, invisible to everyone around him... except one. He fought my embrace only briefly and when I refused to let him go, he fell into it. Completely. Lost and broken; more so than anyone I'd ever seen or could ever imagine.
I said some words to him. Hoping they meant something, but knowing they did not. The kid... the bloodshot green eyes darkened against his tired face as he said his only words to me. "It's really hard, you know? He was my little brother." The words were cracked and coated with such raw emotion, I felt a profound pain in my heart that I'd never experienced before, not even in my own personal struggles. I'd never seen anyone so shattered.
I left him with a note to call me if he needed anything. He shrugged and walked away.
I couldn't help this kid. I'd tried and failed. I should just leave him be, like Sy suggested. The streets would eat him up and before long he'd be a distant memory. He had nothing; not a soul would miss him. No one would care or give his death a second thought.
Except... still... damn it!
"Boss, serious? Why?" Sydenious asked me again, several months later.
"Damn it, Sy. I. Don't. Know. I just don't. I can't even explain it to myself. Just something nagging at me."
Sydenious sat his large dark frame down in the chair across from my place on the couch. His black eyes gave me his exasperated look and he shook his head. "Boss, We go back a long way. A long way. I would lay down my life for you. You would do the same for me. Honest now... You don't like kids. You don't even like using them as runners until they're of age. But you're willing to risk yourself on this random child who only wants to put himself out of his own misery. I don't get it, Boss. I don't. You tried to help him those months ago. Did what you could. What no one else did for him. He doesn't want your help. He doesn't want anyone's help."
I shrugged at my old friend. I didn't expect him to go with me blindly on this. Frankly, I'd have been disappointed if he had. And he was never afraid to speak his mind.
I only wish I had a satisfactory answer for him. Or for myself.
"I hope, Sy, that one day all of this will make sense. For now, I've got this festering gut that says don't give up on him. It's the why's that I can't peace together. The look on his face when I talked to him that while back, I think he was trying to reach back, I do. But he just had no will do to it. He wants help so badly, but he can't see far enough past the grief to ask for it."
Sydenious shrugged and stood, prepared to head out for his evening off. Probably playing bouncer and tossing drunks around the local bar. Good times. He didn't leave me without his final take though.
"I'd love to be wrong on this, Boss, but I can't see the value in this kid. Might be best for all, as I said, if you just let him go."
"Yeah," I nodded to my old friend. "Maybe. I will give it heed. Enjoy your night, Sy."
Sydenious gone, my thoughts quickly filtered back to Dashen Lesedi. I was so completely lost as to why I cared so much. If Sy was right, the kid was an unmitigated lost cause. But damn it, there was still something there... but why?
I'd sleep on it, but try not to dwell. I did have a business to run and it certainly wasn't going to run itself.
If the kid was still alive tomorrow... maybe... no. I didn't know. Maybe I'd figure it out in time. Maybe.
Or...
Perhaps it was better to just let him be.
END
