Chapter 22: A Kriminel Decision

--- Miles Kennedy ---

He took a deep breath before exhaling, knowing that this was a big decision.

Sammy, better known as Baron Samedi Lord of the Dead, simply watched him from behind a pair of shades while smoking a cigar.

He’d already accepted the Gede family’s deal, to work for them in exchange for being brought back to life. Now he had to choose which of them he’d actually be working for.

Samedi had explained that he’d eventually end up working for the whole family, but due to the ‘craziness’ that he still hadn’t been given the full story on, he was going to be working closest as one specific Baron’s ‘horse’ getting a direct line to them in particular. Something that would result in him answering directly to them and their duties, while also getting blessings to do his job based on that particular Baron’s domains.

The only rule was he couldn’t work for Samedi or his wife directly, the two already having their hands in the mortal world, if unfortunately too far from his city to do much to help him just yet. Leaving him the other four Barons at the table.

Nibo, who he’d almost immediately dismissed, because while healing was a powerful ability and finding lost souls sounded like a good enough thing to spend one’s time doing. He couldn’t help but think about Samedi’s warning about whatever was going on back home, and while healing could be helpful it wouldn’t let him protect his family. Especially with the Baron’s desire to avoid conflict.

Bábáco he’d briefly considered due to having the widest range of abilities, and hopefully the easiest duties since he filled in to help everyone else rather than leading any particular effort. Which while invaluable, also left him thinking the Baron lacked the same… focus that he could feel coming off of the others, almost causing the man to drift into the background.

Brav was arguably the one he wanted to choose the most, a guardian was exactly the kind of thing he needed to be if he wanted to protect his family. It was exactly the kind of thing that he needed, and it was also the kind of thing that everyone he knew would be proud of him for if he took up the call. In fact, he was pretty sure if his dad was still around this was the Baron he’d sign on for.

It was that thought, the memory of his dad that turned his attention to Baron Kriminel, the first Murderer. An aggressive man that wanted him to hunt down murderers and see them brought to what he was pretty sure would be a more permanent justice, something that the idea of made his stomach roll. The thing was, that considering all of that, he couldn’t help but ask a question that he just knew would damn him.

“If I work for you… will you help me find my father’s murderer?”

From the way the other Baron’s inhaled, he was pretty sure they knew he was damning himself too. But unlike the others, Baron Kriminel grew a grin wide and sadistic, as he answered, “I guarantee ya’ll eat that pig with a fork and spoon.”

He understood what the Baron was getting at and nodded.

“Ya sure ya want to work with him of all people?” Nibo asked, looking more disappointed than angry. “This isn’t the kind of thing ya can take back.”

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He considered it for one last minute, understanding exactly where Nibo was coming from, while wondering if maybe his better nature would win out and he’d change his mind, but…

It didn’t.

His resolve stood strong as he decided, “If he can help me get my father justice then yeah. I’ll help him bring others to justice too.”

Kriminel began to laugh deep and boisterous as he stood from his seat before leaning over the table and offering his hand. “I care more about Vengeance than Justice but if ya can live with that then we have an accord young man.”

“I don’t plan on killing anyone for you.” He warned the Baron as he took the man’s hand. “If you can live with that then we do.”

“We’ll see if we can’t change ya mind.” Kriminel’s hand tightened around his as the Baron smiled down at him just before he felt a heat beginning to burn through his veins. “But first let’s get ya back to the land of the livin’.”

The burning continued to grow until it felt like he was being burned alive before the world faded to black.

--- Richard Kennedy ---

He’d watched the whole thing from the sidelines, wanting nothing more than to rush over and wrap his son in his arms but knowing that doing so would only do more harm right now than good. The fact that Samedi was letting him watch at all was as much of a blessing as he could expect, given how the Barons were already doing him such a massive favor.

Not that that did anything to keep his heart from breaking when he heard why his son wanted to be the horse of arguably the cruelest of the Barons. A life that would wear away at him if he couldn’t keep that resolve he’d shown as Kriminel sent him back to the land of the living.

“Ya can come out now brotha.” Samedi told him as the last of Kriminel’s blue flames faded, both the Baron and his son disappearing with them.

“Is it bad I was hoping he’d take Brav or Nibo?” He asked, making his way to the same seat his son had taken just a few moments prior.

“Little offended brotha.” Bábáco chuckled good naturedly showing he took no real offense as he took a swig of his own drink. “That said, I’ll admit I wasn’t expectin’ him to go for Kriminel either.”

“Don’t think anyone was.” Brigette admitted as she twirled a glass of rum. “No, seriously did anyone bet on Krim? Did Kriminel even bet on himself?”

“Please, we all bet on ourselves.” Samedi answered, before rubbing his face into his wife’s neck. “Well, except me. I bet on him beggin’ to work with ya, cherie.”

“Ha-ha, don’t stop.” Brigette encouraged, wrapping an arm around Samedi’s neck. A display that they were all used to after years spent with the extremely affectionate couple.

“Bit disappointed.” Brav confessed when he collapsed into his chair. “Thought I’d get an encore of our performance brotha.”

“Yeah.” He sighed with a wry grint. “He could’ve made one helluva a guardian.”

“I hope the boy knows what he’s doin’.” Brav sighed as he passed Richard a glass of wine. “Kriminel is not an easy man to work with on the best of days.”

“Aye, it’s a dark path he be walkin’.” Nibo agreed.

“I know.” He admitted before downing his glass in a single go, not bothering to savor it. “But the boy has to choose the kind of man he wants to be. Can’t make that choice for him. Wouldn’t even if I could.”

Samedi pulled back from his wife and nodded. “Ain’t a fatha’s place to pick what roads his son walks.”

He could only nod at that before shaking his head as he remembered this was supposed to be life’s after party and stood from his seat. “Regardless of what we think of his choices, let’s at least give a toast to the little bastard we know is going to do me proud out there!”

All of the Barons raised their glasses to that.

“Heh-ha! Fuck yeah! To the little brotha!”