Zeke eventually led them to an ordinary looking building. There is a sign on the side, telling you that this is a clinic. Unfortunately though, it is closed. Khonshu took a closer look at the side and found a name. Dr. Badr.
Khonshu felt slightly relieved that it was not Arthur Harrow. He also tried to feel something from inside, but currently he can't. Odd, He thought. Khonshu will have to come at another time then, most likely tonight.
"Guess Doc is not in the office, sometimes he's like that." Zeke said.
"Now What?" Fran asked. They still have the whole day before sunset.
"I know a place where we can hang-out. It's a bit of a distance from here but It can be like a city tour for the new guy." Zeke said.
"I am already familiar with the city layout of Ezekiel." Khonshu said.
"And please don't call me Ezekiel ever again K. My name doesn't even mean that, Jeez." Zeke said.
Zeke then leads the other two across the city, passing by buildings and through small roads until they arrive at a very dim looking alley.
"Are you sure we're allowed to be here?" Khonshu asked. They are passing through a very hidden area now, the kind of places where you can kill someone and hide the body. They eventually climbed over a fence, passing through an even more darker and narrower alley.
"Trust me K. I've been here dozens of times. " Zeke said. They kept walking until they reached the back of an old dilapidated building. On the side of the buildings are some other homeless people squatting there. Some even started making a small shed to protect themselves from the elements. They seemed to be familiar with Zeke, since they started waving at him. Some said Hi and one tossed him a half-eaten apple.
"That is not sanitary" Khonshu said as Zeke took a bit from said apple. Zeke offered but the others refused.
"Suit yourself" Zeke said as he finished his apple and threw it to his side as they continue
"You never took me here before" Fran said as they passed a broken wall that acts as the threshold to the inside. And they find more homeless people but not as many as those outside.
There are kids running around and some made their own tiny sheds to act as their private quarters. One group made a makeshift table with doors and were playing a game of cards while drinking. A few of them stared at the newcomers with suspicion but Zeke waved at them and said, "They're with me."
This seems to placate the skeptic folks since went back to their card game. As the three passes by, Khonshu can hear them gossiping about them in the back.
"Zeke, what is this place" Khonshu asked the gambling folks are out of sight.
"This place used to be an old movie house and a theater back in the day. As soon as DVD and the internet was invented, the place closed years ago and now it is a shelter for homeless peeps." Zeke said
They kept walking inside until Zeke stopped in front of an inconspicuous door that is painted to look exactly like the surrounding wall. Zeke knocked on the door 2 times until it opened, but only by an inch. "It's just me" Zeke said in a low voice, clearly making sure no one hears him
The door then closed again. Multiple clicking noises can be heard, like bolts being unlocked before the door opens wider, showing the darker interior and the façade of an older bearded man. The man noticed Khonshu and Fran and looked pointedly at Zeke. His eyes clearly demanding, Who are they and what are they doing here.
Zeke leaned forward so the other's won't hear, "Don't mind them. I got what you ask for let's get this over with" Zeke then turned to look at the others and said "Wait here" He then entered the room. The door quietly closes.
Fran then turned to Khonshu and asked "Do you have any idea what they are talking about?"
"I have no idea." Khonshu said, equally confused and now wary of Zeke.
"So you suspect that Zeke is hiding something from us?" He asked
Fran stayed quite for a while, then said. "I know you only met Z this morning, but I've been with him for months and trust him. You can leave if you want and I'll understand, but I'm staying." He said.
Khonshu thinks about this, weighing the pros and cons. He also looks at Fran's solid look. In the end Khonshu didn't leave.
"Half expected you to ditch us" Fran said.
"You vouched for Zeke. He must be trustworthy enough to gain your loyalty, but I hope that your right and not being blind about it." Khonshu replied. The two stood there in silence.
"Were you really homeschooled? Sometimes you talk weird and a bit like an old man."
Fran asked, wanting to break the silence. Khonshu looked a bit taken at this. "I was, I was thought a lot of things like literature, astrology, farming."
"Farming? Sounds useful if you live in the country"
"Farming is the reason this country is able to eat at all, without it, civilizations would never have been born. All that food needs to come from somewhere." Khonshu said, trying to explain the importance of agriculture. Fran still doesn't understand it though.
"Well sorry professor. Will this come out on the test?" Fran said sarcastically. Khonshu is as ever, not impressed and it showed on his face.
Fran thought that Khonshu wouldn't last a week in New York City alone with his attitude. He still thinks that Khonshu should be in some University getting a degree and drinking tea, not living homeless in New York. He is also intrigued about Khonshu's weird beef with Moon Knight and well, Khonshu. This stuck-up kid who shares the same name as the God may lie but his facial expression always betrays his words. Fran saw how K's eyes widened the moment Zeke mentioned the God. Khonshu's jaw then hardened and his mouth opened a bit before the boy schooled his features immediately. Fran is also sure that Zeke noticed it too but didn't say anything. Khon probably didn't realize just how bad his poker face is and Zeke suspects it may be a result of being homeschooled.
They heard the sound of the door being opened. The duo turned and saw Zeke leave through the door, "Hey"
"You're done there?" Fran asked.
"Yeah I think so." Zeke said. Behind him the old one closed the door quickly but quietly. Too quietly for Khonshu. "You think so? And who is that old man?" Khonshu asked, he is curious about the man behind the door.
"Oh him? He's actually the owner of this place. I occasionally do some errands for him, for a price. I don't do things for free." Zeke said
"The owner? He looks more like a hobo living here than the owner." Fran said, already suspicious of the old man's actions.
"He actually prefers it that way and it makes him less obvious." Zeke explained
"What exactly happened here? You said that this place used to be an old movie house but I feel like there is more to that." Khonshu said, demanding more.
"Honestly, I don't know. That's what the owner told me about this place. He won't tell me more." Zeke said. Khonshu is still not happy with this. His instincts tells him that there is more to that, to everything.
"You can ask him yourself K. Though I'm sure he'll just tell you what he said to me."
"And what did he say to you?" Khonshu asked.
"None of your business, kid." Zeke answered in a fake and deep voice, clearly meant to imitate an older man.
"What did you do for him anyway?" Fran asked, he have been wondering about that since they stepped in the building and finally got the guts to asked now.
"Just delivering some info." Zeke said. Fran can tell that Zeke is not being fully honest, the latter seemed more defensive than usual. Zeke ends up changing the topic when Fran asks again.
"You know what, forget I asked." Fran said, annoyed at Zeke. He will stop asking for now at least, maybe some other time.
"Actually since we're here. I also asked if we could get a job. To earn some cash. I'm getting tired of eating out of the dumpster and would like to eat something cooked for once." Zeke said.
The other two don't look so excited at this. "Is this job legal? Are we smuggling drugs or anything like that?" Fran asked.
"What? No. Not like that, well. It's a bit illegal but it has nothing to do with drugs or chemicals." Zeke said. "Basically, since the place is so run down, the owner guy is paying us to patch it up."
"So we're repair-men, We are minors Zeke". Khonshu said
"Pretty much. It's too expensive to hire a proper repairman so I made a deal with the guy." Zeke said, pointing to the man behind the locked door.
"We do some repair work around here and he pays us. We also can stay here for free." Zeke said in a cheery voice like he just won the lottery. He then directed them to follow him again. They passed by other homeless people staying on the hallways, some made a shack under the stairs. There are even a small stall where they sell some old canned food and alcohol.
"The owner, does he have a name?" Khonshu asked
"He said his name is Greg, so I call him that. But I'm sure it's not his real name, I overheard him talking with other people using a different name." Zeke said.
"That still doesn't' help" Khonshu complained.
"Well sorry for not asking more kid." Zeke said, now a bit annoyed at Khonshu's insistent demands.
"For the last time, I'm not a kid. I'm a go….grown up. I am an adult and will be treated like such" Khonshu said. He quickly realized that he nearly said god so he twisted that last word. But it made him sound even more childish and he hates how embarrassing it is.
"Really, I can't really tell how short you are." Zeke said again. Khonshu's face is getting pinker with embarrassment. The younger one is now scowling and pouting at the same time. Puffing his cheeks as if he was trying to make himself look bigger and intimidating, but it only made him look like a bird puffing his feathers.
"I think you teased him enough Zeke." Fran said he also finds Khonshu's little pout to be funny. This only made Khonshu puff up his cheeks even more if it is even possible.
The three climbed through 3 flights of the grand stairs until they reached the top floor. Zeke then leads them to a smaller flight of stairs; this one is hidden behind a steel door. Located at the end of the hall.
They continued up until they reached what looks like a cross between a huge attic and a storage space. There are boxes of many sizes, cloth covering item, set props, and what looks like an interior mechanism thing protruding from the left wall. The ceiling is really high and they can see the exposed beams holding the roof. The whole place is a mix of stone and wood, the floor is stone while parts of the upper wall and ceiling are wood. But still sturdy enough to hold the roof, the ceiling though is starting to deteriorate. Khonshu can see holes and rotten wood, allowing sunlight to seep in and illuminate the large room, besides the equally large and broken windows on both sides.
"So, our first job is to patch up the ceiling and roof." Zeke explained. He then went to the closest box and removed the cloth covering it. This caused a huge dust cloud that he had to step back and cover his mouth. The others started coughing from the dust.
"This is going to take forever. this room is huge." Fran said. The place is clearly where the theater kept its props and other items during its heyday.
Khonshu looks up and estimates the roof to be a good 3 Storey high. He then looks to the side, towards where he saw a metal scaffolding. That part looks cleaner and newer compared to everything else. Since unlike the whole room, it does not have an inch worth of dust and cobwebs. He can also see some tools on the lowest part. Khonshu guessed that it was probably made by the repair men Greg hired.
"Do we have all the right equipment." He asked.
"We can use the stuff from the old repairman. Greg hired them a month ago but he stopped paying so the guys left." Zeke said. He then walked to the scaffolding and started climbing it.
"Zeke, get down from there this instant." Khonshu said
"Relax Mom, I've done this hundreds of times." Zeke said. He climbed higher until he was at the tallest part, almost touching the exposed and started hammering the loose planks with the tools he tied around his waist, doing it with skills that show that he has done this before. Most likely he already did.
"Guys, can you bring more nails? I ran out." Zeke said after a while. The other two just stared at how casual Zeke is. The teen just yelled back, "At least we are getting paid for this. Beats smuggling drugs or other dirty jobs."
It was Khonshu who walked to the opened toolbox on the bottom of the scaffolding. There were some nails there so he grabbed them and started climbing. Well, he tried to climb.
Khonshu learned that his body is not coordinated or adjusted enough. He still lacks muscle memory and as a result he struggles on trying to get a good grip and balance.
Fran noticed Khonshu's struggle so he stepped forward and said "Here, let me do this." Fran then grabbed the nails from Khonshu and started climbing with more ease until he was next to Zeke.
Khonshu felt nothing but humiliation. So he kept on trying, even if his hands kept on slipping. He eventually lost his grip as soon as he was a meter of the ground and fell. Landing with a large thud and causing the dust around him to fly around like a tiny cloud storm. The other two heard the noise and looked down to see Khonshu laying on the floor.
"You okay K!...Hey that rhymes." Zeke yelled.
"Thank you for your concern, Mother Goose!" Khonshu yelled back. Khonshu did not give up though. He dusted himself and tried again. No matter how many times he would slip and fall on his back. Fran went down to tell him to take it easy.
"K, don't get me wrong but you need to stop. You're going to hurt yourself. Maybe you can move those boxes instead." He said, pointed to the dusty and covered boxed on their right. Both Fran and Zeke are getting concerned about Khonshu's stubborn attitude and the fact that he is constantly falling down on his back.
"Absolutely not Francis. I am not going to just sit while you guys do the work without me." Khonshu said stubbornly. He did manage to reach halfway up after many near failed attempts. But he looks so shaky that the others are starting to think that he might fall any minute.
"Maybe we should take a break. I'll some money from Greg then we can go out for lunch." Zeke said. He quickly climbed down with ease and left.
Fran tried to help Khonshu down. But the latter kept denying it. It took a while before Khonshu was able to reach the ground again.
"You've never done this before, haven't you?" Fran asked. Khonshu refused to look at Fran after that question. But he said stubbornly, "I have, just not recently."
So Khonshu may be out of practice and haven't done any strong physical activity for a few thousand years. But he thinks he can gain back his strength with a bit more practice.
"Hey, it's not a problem. You'll get the hang of its K. But maybe lay it off for now. I could give you some tips if you like?" Fran tried to reassure K.
"I do not need your help" Khonshu declared. He is already embarrassed by his lack of coordination and he is trying to scrap what little of his dignity he has left. Unsurprisingly, this did not go unnoticed by Fran. The teen can clearly see Khonshu's stubborn pride even when they first meet. He even sees it in other people such as Zeke. This would annoy him sometimes, especially when Zeke refused to ask for help and it resulted in getting them in dangerous situations. Fran walked to where Khonshu is.
The smaller teen is still trying to climb the scaffolding, trying, falling down, and trying again.
"Here, put your hand on this spot, not lower." Fran said, "Keep your foot on this flat surface and get the force from your stomach, not your legs." He knows that Khonshu wouldn't like it but went with it anyway.
"I said I don't want your help." Khonshu kept protesting.
"I know, but I'm going to say it anyway. It's up to you if you're going to listen or not." Fran said. He continued giving tips, ignoring Khonshu's glare. The latter finds this insulting and moves a bit further from Fran, now he is just moving as many boxes and props as he can. Clearing a small space in the middle.
Zeke came back after a while, saying that he had enough cash from Greg that could last them for 2 days. They left the abandoned theater, going through the same passage in the back as they came in.
"Where is the entrance of this place?" Fran asked, wondering why they couldn't pass there instead.
"Yeah, some thugs took over the entrance and made it base or something. They won't let anyone pass unless you pay them" Zeke said.
"And Greg just let them?" Khonshu asked.
"He was trying to get them to leave, but the thugs threatened to kill him if he tried to do anything." Zeke explained. They had already reached the main road.
"Greg should inform the police, or any of the Heroes for hire." Khonshu said. There are plenty of super heroes willing to help, he is sure one would come forward even without payment.
"He isn't exactly keep on calling any of the authorities." Zeke answered. This sounds interesting, Khonshu was already suspecting something shady is involved. And he was right when Zeke further explained.
"Greg have other matters that will get him in trouble with the law, getting legal help will get him exposed. It's not super illegal, no one gets hurt and it actually helps those homeless people living there. Greg did give us a job when normally We're not allowed on due to our age, and we get to stay there for free." Zeke said.
The three arrived at a taco stall on the side of the road. Zeke ordered 3 and waited for the vendor to make them. Khonshu is taken by the smell of the meat, cheese and other garnishes on the table. Once he received his, he took a small. A bit unsure if he is going to like it at first. But then the spices he never tasted before hit and he took another larger bite. Savoring the taste.
"You never had a taco before, kid?" The vendor asked and he watched Khonshu take another large bite. Wondering if his new customer is going to choke.
"No, this is actually my first time." Khonshu explained. The vendor just finds this amusing.
"Well, glad this is your first experience. So, what do you think about your first taco?" He asked.
"It's surprisingly delicious," Khonshu admitted.
"We should bring you to a pizza parlor K. You'll love it." Zeke said.
Maybe next time. Khonshu thought. They returned after eating lunch, passing the same route on their way out. Looking around, Khonshu finally noticed a candy shop, fast food, restaurant and ice cream shops. When he arrived, he never really bothered. But after actually eating, He is now noticing the possibilities and finally looked. He didn't indulged in eating for a long time, mainly because he lost the ability to taste anything besides Wicked Hearts, and only hearts. It was fine, but it's starts to get very, very boring after the first couple of centuries.
Returning to the theater, they continued with their repairs while Khonshu moved stuff around. And this went on non-stop until sunset, with the occasional snack breaks.
By the time they decided to stop, the teens got so tired that they ended up asleep on the floor.