43. Bonding with Robert

FAST FORWARD TO THUSDAY

Zelda woke up exited, she was FINALLY leaving the department. Link kept looking at her running around trying to collect the few pieces of paper she still had, she had spent her time alone drawing. She had almost finished her sheets of paper, not that he minded in the least, she used them so they served a purpose, hence the money was not wasted.

Even though it was a little fun watching her stressing, he still found it hard to calm his own nerves… Lee had not shown to school yesterday, he knew Lee's address but… he did not want to show up uninvited.

Once Zelda was ready, they left for school. As they approached the entrance, a boy tied to tackle Link, but he just twisted his core to grab on the boy's head, one hand on the chin and the other on the crown, then he cranked the boy's neck, disrupting his balance and making him fall to the ground. Link looked at the small audience he had watching him now.

LINK POV

All of them are waiting for the next move, how spiteful of this lad to attack me because of a game we played yesterday. I believe THAT must be the reason since I have done nothing to him, aside from mercilessly targeting and hitting him with a ball… he is trying to regain his manliness I believe. Too bad i will not allow him to; I will take this as an opportunity to make an impression here; I need them to know I am NOT GAME.

"So… who else wants a piece of me?" Link ask using his hand to taunt them to come at him.

The boy stood up cursing and left, the boys in the crowd left throwing dagger with their eyes at Link, the few females present gathered together and rushed out giggling. Zelda exhaled in relief, she was about to scold Link for taunting his fellow school mates, but she begins to hear steps getting closer. A smile graced her face once she noticed who it was.

"What did you do to make Jim attack you?" Lee asked laughing

Link sighs slowly regaining his calm

"Exist?" he answers and gives Lee a fist bump

Zelda raises her index finger "Actually… I could be wrong, but I think it has to do with the game you were playing yesterday at PE" she laughs "the one you told me you enjoyed because everyone was an easy target" She reminds Link, he nods smiling at her.

"We played dodge ball yesterday? damn" Lee says feeling regret

"Serves you right for skipping classes that day" Zelda reprimands, but she is not really angry at him.

"I guess we will see you during lunch" Link says

"Her lunch break is also at 10:40?" Lee asks surprised at the coincidence

Zelda laughs at that "of course not, Link's lunch is at 12:40 I think, mine is at 11:40"

Lee opens his eyes wide realizing both of them would be skipping classes

"I know what you are thinking, but don't mind that, we are not here to study, we will meet you at lunch" Link assures Lee

Link starts walking away but Lee stops him pulling on his shirt

"I skipped class yesterday because I could not concentrate, a Medic did show up… which means this is FUCKING REAL. I still can't concentrate but I needed to verify your existence, to silence my head and convince myself that this is not a dream"

Hahaha, NICE. I have him now.

Link gives half a smile "as I said, we are not here to study, we came here to find YOU. Wanna get out of here?"

Lee opens his eyes wide "I… yes, but my place is to small and messy for…" He looks at Zelda

Zelda rolls her eyes "Oh gosh, don't mind about that, he made me sleep on a grass bed" she points at Link who just smiles and nods at Lee "if your house has 4 walls its perfect." Zelda tells Lee

"The place we are staying at is bigger, but we don't have amenities, it's your place or a public place like a restaurant" Link says

Zelda hypes at the idea, Lee looks at them and closes his eyes, he was trying to make a mental note of how much money he could spare for this. He rather wastes his money buying food that letting them visit his place, he kind of wrecked it in an anxiety attack. Link notices the hesitation.

"There is a park in front of our place, why don't we go there? A neighbor sells hotdogs for 2 dollars if we get hungry"

"LET'S DO THAT" says Lee and starts heading there

Well, he jumped on that one, he doesn't want us at his place… Hehe, I wonder what he did

Zelda giggled happily and started jogging behind Lee. Link checked his cellphone but there was no new message from SWORD, he sighted in desperation but shacked his head to reset his mood and ran behind his princess.

Zelda walked a little worried, she feared being reprimanded by other adults for not being at school, but the few ladies they saw couldn't care less. As they approached a bench to sit on, Zelda was going to ask why where the ladies before so… indifferent. But she was interrupted by a sound.

Link's phone sounds announcing a message, then Lee's phone sounds too. They both look at each other already knowing what it was about, as Link was about to check his message his cellphone rings with a call. He reads the name of the caller: General Zalatoris, he answers immediately

"Kid, is Robert with you currently?"

Zelda yelps and hugs Lee exited

"Yes, what is going on?"

"YOU NEED TO MAKE HIM ACCEPT THE PROGRAM; we took longer than expected because we had to run the analysis several times… it's just that the results where unbelievable, 98%... Kid, he is basically you"

Fucking 98%, DAMN… I already knew he was me, but I was expecting somewhere around 80%, praying for a 90% so he could enter the program… seems like I should not have been worried at all.

"I get it, don't worry, I will make him accept" Link ends the call.

"LINK! HE IS A MATCH! I KNEW IT, BUT THE CONFIRMATION MAKES ME SO HAPPY" Zelda yells jumping a little

Lee looks at Link puzzled, Link nods at him mouthing ¨she knew¨ Lee opens his eyes wide

"THE FUCK? How did you?" Lee asks Zelda, looking at her like she was a witch.

Zelda smiles with pride "because of how you smell"

Lee stares at her with doubt, then turns to Link

"Is she a fucking dog?" Robert asks

"HEY!" Zelda yells in anger, Link smirks at that "a hound I would say, she does have a sharp nose" Link states laughing

Robert laughs a little, but then secludes himself in his head for some reason. Link was about to touch him to snap him out of it but he starts speaking

"Is it true that I will be getting a deposit of 8 thousand per month?" Lee finally asks

"Yes and no, it was actually 10, but I called them and told them about your living situation, they lowered the monthly pay in exchange of placing you in a better house on a better neighborhood… the house may not even be in this state, and it will be small, but I think you don't mind that right?" Link asks raising an eyebrow

"Hehe, yeah, I don't mind that at all, I hate this place, anywhere else to rent is good" Lee says confirming he is willing to move

Link almost cracks laughing, he covers it by clearing his throat before speaking

"Lee, you won't be renting, it may be small, but it's going to be YOUR HOUSE"

Lee's jaw drops "no, no, don't joke with me here, YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS, WHY WOULD THEY DO ALL THIS? AM I BEING LIED TO?"

Zelda giggles a little and raises her index finger again to draw their attention

"I think it makes perfect sense, they will be taking your blood every month" Link raises 3 fingers "every 3rd month, they need you to be properly feed for that, and not stressed at all if possible, you not worrying about your living conditions is a must" Zelda tells him

"And you also need to subscribe to a gym or do something to stay in shape, in case I ever need an organ… the operation is easier if there is not a lot of fat around the organ" Link adds

Closing his eyes and breathing in deeply "eating healthy and exercising, I don't know why those are listed as hindrances of the program but oh well. I don't mind them at all" Lee says

Link's cellphone beeps announcing a message, he reads it and raises from the bench. Then looks at Zelda with dread.

"SWORD informed me that there is a situation involving child kidnapers, I am the agent closest to the site, hence the fastest responder right now, but I CAN refuse to engage, they know I am currently dealing with my possible donor… yet"

Lee immediately stands up and walks in circles with his head between his hands, he is cursing under his breath, after a few seconds he stares straight at Link

"LET'S GO" Lee yells

"What? No… both of you stay here, I will…"

"ITS FUCKING KIDS LINK, WE MUST GO, I CAN HELP"

The case is too close to him, he could make mistakes and hinder the mission.

"I also think he can help; he knows a little self-defense and has training in shooting" Zelda adds

Shooting… of course he does, he comes from a mafia, but how does the Princess know this? when did she talked to Lee?

Link breaths in closing his eyes, arriving to a decision he hoped would do more good than foul.

"Let me make something clear, SWORD punishes people, our directive IS NOT to save them, I CAN AND WILL save people if doing so does not interfere with my main directive. You can come with me but you have to follow my orders, no questions asked, fair bro?"

Lee agrees with a nod "Bro?"

"WHAT DID I SAID ABOUT ASKING QUESTIONS?" Link yells

Lee nods, it's not like the tag bothers him, he was just shocked by the sudden familiarity.

ZELDA POV

Link starts doing something on his cellphone, and walking in circles like a caged lion. Zelda sits closer to Lee and leans to whisper him something

"Just so you know, he is not angry with you, that is just the character he has. Or maybe not, it may be the character he has forced on himself… anyway, I guess he called you bro because in a way you are. A normal match for organ donation can be of 50%, SWORD demands 90% at least"

"The fuck, how? I don't even… but apparently YOU were sure I was going to be on the program, smell can't be your only lead, so how did you do it?" Robert asks Zelda intrigued

Zelda grins and gives him a side look "well, you also look alike and share that awful character, but that is all, it was primarily the smell for me, both of you smell A LOT" Lee turns his head to his shoulder and tries to smell his armpit "NO, not like that, you don't smell bad at all, I was referring to your natural musk, maybe you won't be able to pinpoint it since you have to live with it every day"

"Stop the next TAXI you see" Link orders them still using his cellphone, he appears to be fighting with the recipient of the call

Zelda stands and heads for the road, Lee follows looking back at Link who was now yelling. He turns to the road and whistles to stop a taxi that was passing by. They board it and wait for Link who ends his call and rushes to board in the copilot seat. Link shows the direction to the driver and they head off.

"I will accept the program, I don't think there are serious hindrances to it, I will be willing to donate even a limb after this... this hits too close to home; you were right to deny my participation back there, but I just can't ignore this, I won't fail you. I am sorry if this caused trouble, but thanks for bringing me" Lee finally gathers the will to state what was on his mind.

Well, they seem to be getting the hang of each other, I am jealous. it my dad had only… NO ZELDA, HE IS NOT WORTH EVEN A FRAGMENT OF YOUR THOUGHTS

Link sighs "you could have sad all that earlier you know, to give me a solid reason to contest my general and avoid disobeying his direct orders"

Lee just grins with malice "forcing you to turn to the dark side is what a good brother does, stop complaining and start bonding with me" he says as he reaches to grab on Link's left shoulder.

Link tries to suppress his laughter by just tapping on Lee's hand in his shoulder

I hate Link, why does he get to have a family and I don't? this is fucking unfair. I am going to make him pay for this… I am going to slap him or kick him during my sleep. Yeah, I will do that, he can't blame me if he thinks I was asleep.

Zelda was plotting her vengeance, but deep down, she was happy for the boys.