Safe Way Home
In the morning, Phesx and Pheli opened their eyes. Even though they felt sleepy, they looked at the entrance, where a guard with a flashlight walked into the rooftop. They supported their bodies, when the guard shouted, “What are you doing here? Huh?!”
“We are fully clothed!” Phesx shouted back. The guard was left a bit speechless. Pheli shook her head, blushing a little. She whispered into his left ear, “How is your body?”
“Only my gunshots hurt a lot. Yours?” Phesx replied as the guard began walking towards them. Pheli jolted her neck backwards before smirking and shaking her head again. “We should get going. Let’s take a taxi.”
. . .
Later on, Pheli was fined 500 credits after finding out Phesx was underage, and for sleeping in the parking garage like it was her residence. Afterwards, they simply went to a helitaxi and went from city to city, heading to Pretetl’s northeastern borders with Désincá.
Phesx could see Proteros capital from there. It had some very enormous buildings, and he could even see the presidential precinct when they grabbed one of the high-end tech helitaxis. Being one of the states so close to Proteros, there would be many helitaxi zones with these models just to show their national pride and charge double. Or more, to tourists.
Proteros was one of the 4 smallest states in Lýmoca along the 3 bordering Endesa’s northern border. But it was the capital state, and one of the states where Lys lived in the most. Despite how beautiful every state can be, Proteros always attracted foreigners to visit first, or think about.
When arriving in the city nearest to Túacan in Désincá, Pheli brought Phesx to one of the entries to Riverlye tunnels. Clearly, she didn’t plan to consider taking more touristic journeys to Sargonde. Phesx didn’t bother her a bit, accompanying her into an abandoned forest between hills, where a manhole-like trapdoor required a code to enter it. Pheli had to check her phone to connect with the HQ to know about it, something Phesx couldn’t do as of yet.
Then, as they trekked the tunnels, walking on the ‘sidewalk’ to avoid being run over or afflicted by a flying chopper, they had enough time and silence to chat a bit.
“Who built these?” Phesx asked in a curious tone, sounding in a good mood. Pheli blew through her nostrils before satisfying his brain itch, “It wasn’t Riverlye. All I know is the first Head somehow gained ‘ownership’ over these things.”
“Not many lagjs have them. Those who do have a bit of advantage, but they’re also a target for anyone who wants them, which are many. Hoogs don’t necessarily use them. They are mostly fearless, or simply use other stuff to not be so easily detected.”
“As for these tunnels, they do go around Lýmoca, but it’s a bit limited. I’ll show you the map later. After this mission, trust me, we won’t be too far from each other in terms of status.” Pheli said, encouraging her baby man to continue.
Phesx nodded. “So, hoogs don’t use these because they aren’t afraid of being seen. Is this only in Lýmoca? Or in their nation?”
“Mhm. It’s more so in the small countries. You won’t have to worry about it, and if things do go well. In a decade, we won’t have to worry about any of these.” Pheli commented, making Phesx look at her while palming some of his gunshot wounds, which felt tingly.
“Would you return to the ordinary life?” Phesx asked, simply asking about her future and nothing else. Pheli looked at him with her chin up and side eyes. “I’m not sure yet. But I might.”
“Hmf,” Phesx humorously blew through his nostrils. A little later, Pheli walked closer to him, grabbed his fingers with hers, and slowly lied her head on his shoulder and neck with the top of her head. “Let me rest a little as we walk. I need some rest.”
Phesx smirked and shook his head a bit. He was the one who needed that rest, but it didn’t matter. Anything for his Lien.
. . .
It was a lengthy journey, at first, after being thrown into a PPO so Pheli could pay for her crimes, they couldn’t go back for the dirt bike, nor use it again. But that was fine, as even after the helitaxis, on their way through Túacan, Phesx went out of the tunnel and stole a few bikes with ringing bells and all. No matching helmets, though.
They were much faster with them, saving more than half the time they would’ve by walking. After all, just running would deplete their stamina for long after they grew tired. But now, they could rest when going as fast as possible and with their breath, sitting on their seats.
They didn’t see others, though. Maybe because they ran the farthest away. Even then, their way back to Sargonde was mostly uneventful, except for the few hours they rested, and did more than rest under some blankets.
Once they were back in Sargonde, they took a helitaxi that led directly to the state capital city. There was nothing reaching their hands towards them now. Returning to Sargonde was like going into bed after running from the big bad monsters in the dark, safe and familiar, making everything better.
… After reporting to the administration, Phesx received 100,000 credits as payment, while Pheli had 90,000. No doubt, the weapons and ammunition to melt he gained from that alley brought many benefits to himself, beside his aid in the mission effort.
It had been 4 days since they left, making it the 7th day of the week upon their return. A bit later than expected, but still within an understandable reach. They immediately went to the workshop to bathe, together. Then, once they were warm, fresh, and dressed up, they prepared to continue on their daily lives.
“Pheli-” Phesx turned around after drying his hair with a towel like an animal. Electricity that could power up a model city surged. As he turned around, arms coiled around his neck, and his forehead was bumped against.
“Hmm…” Pheli hummed, slowly connecting the center of her nose’s bridge between her eyes with his before falling utterly silent. Despite the suddenness of the situation, Phesx grew fond of it fast and closed his eyes with her.
His hands went to her hips, she started swaying them from side to side, they started a little dancing. It wasn’t fashionable, and there was no music. Somehow, Phesx found this acceptable. He followed her movements with his hips buckled a bit forth, feeling so peaceful.
… When Phesx saw his Myertha again, he smiled big time. After not riding it for a few days, and riding other bikes instead, he felt rewarded. It reminded him from when he first received it as a gift, actually making him want to hug someone on his accord.
Realizing that today was vacations, and tomorrow classes would start again, Phesx prepared to take a look at Ojazul when they came out, after training with Emer, who starved for pizzas.
Phesx saw Lorena, no doubt. Additionally, she wasn’t just with her girlfriends, who were as giggling and girly as always. There was a boy who walked with her, too. And it was one who used to work in the Ruvas’ mansion with his parent. Lore looked contented, almost treating the youngster like a brother, but Phesx could see other glints in those pretty, small brown eyes.
Phesx looked from very far away, not giving anyone a chance to recognize him. His previous class and mates were still in the school, only entering college by 18 or so. Either way, seeing that the little lass was doing more than okay, Phesx felt it was enough.
He wondered what of Victor, Marisela, and even Mermelada nowadays. But Phesx didn’t go visit or look at them. He also avoided anywhere near B&C Enterprise or any of its branches.
After checking the life of the ordinary, Phesx went back to the usual.
In the farm, the blondie became more mature, this time in matters that required ample attention and seriousness. With Phesx helping her sell some livestock before, the buyers who always contacted the old man first for his products decided to trust the daughter.
It was an important decision, after all, any store can fall in a decade or 2, be it financially, problems in the localities, or simply because of management. It became more and more complicated when it came to a business like high-quality products being reared and then sold.
The blondie was learning, but the one to work the hardest was her now husband, who plowed the land, checked the livestock, and met new people every day to help with their farm expansions first. He wasn’t good in management, but his social skills were top-notch, when business-related. Furthermore, they were planning for babies. A big family. Thus, the blondie didn’t bother learning the physical stuff for the moment.
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All was well on their side. Phesx just gave his ideas not that long ago, when he thought things could work if they just did this or that. He wouldn’t take credit for their success, but after seeing so much of the life he used to not know before, and more that even old men like the deceased farmer could never know. He wondered if they’d have taken that step without his counsel.
When Phesx returned to work there before going to Emer in the first day of the 4th week, things seemed just flourishing. A few issues here, some drama with unhealthy people to mingle in the business, but none of that slowed the farm’s fluent progress.
At last, Phesx felt he could leave the farm’s work not too long from now. He also had priorities now. If Phesx wanted to not just be someone’s ‘soldier’ in this secret world, he ought to focus on what he can work best, and do his best, too.
… Later, that late afternoon. Phesx came to the pizzeria, where his cheap, ‘humble’ house remained the same without irregularities. He had just arrived from Riverlye’s HQ, so he parked the Myertha around the pizzeria before going in.
The day seemed to be bursting with activity. Almost the entire pizzeria was full. With the previous remodeling, it could welcome more people at once. It now served its purpose as a few new faces delivered delicious-smelling pizzas everywhere every few minutes. Drinks and snacks took prominence as the customers ate to their fill.
Phesx’s face was a little well-known by most clients, but with so many new clienteles, few recognized him. It wasn’t until one of the owners saw him and saluted him that he was noticed, different from a client. He was the ‘guard’ here.
“Oh, Phesx!” A tall man with a short, middle-aged wild hairstyle and a long face that looked harmless carried some boxes into the kitchen when he noticed Phesx. He stopped and turned, saying with a gladdened face with wrinkles on his forehead, “Thankfully, the heavens sent you.”
“Did something break?” Phesx asked, helping with half the boxes before walking to the kitchen. Phesx ignored the noise around him, and the stares, especially the latter.
He had become proficient in this after Riverlye’s training. It became easier to go out like this, despite how much his attitude has changed, where even his employers easily noticed it.
The owner nodded, but then shook his head. “One of the register screens malfunctioned. We replaced it, but we’d like that fixed quickly. We might need all of them in a few months, you know? Heh heh.”
“Planning on expanding?” Phesx lifted his right eyebrow, looking at the owner, who opened the storage room with a key. The owner smiled victoriously, like he’d just made the scene he recreated in his mind in the last days real, at last.
“Oh yeah, but not something like those bigshots. We’re only buying that little tea house on the corner in front.” The man said. Since the pizzeria owned the entire block, and was famous in all of Sargonde, one would think they’d have expanded everywhere in Lýmoca, but they are faithful to their natal city.
“You’re firing that aunty from business?” Phesx was glad. He wondered if everyone was thinking of expanding nowadays, seeing something before it became popular and beneficial. The man shook his head, gently saying as he put the boxes in a shelf. “Oh no, no. She’ll ‘join’ the troop. Even if we wanted to kick her out of ‘our streets’, heh heh, a few rich people would hate us.”
“We gotta know who our ‘neighbors’ are. Oh, that also goes for you,” the man said before turning to Phesx, stopping. Phesx fell into thought. Although that tea house was good and had excellent aromas whenever one walked by, giving anyone the notion of walking through these streets even if they detoured from a more direct route. This helped any other potential client from looking around, increasing the flow of people a bit, some days a lot.
That tea house didn’t enjoy the same treatment. In these days, little to no one cared about such things like ‘natural snacks’. However, with that old aunty added into the pizzeria, they could add another type of drink into their menu, something that’s been requested and criticized by the gentlest of clients the pizzeria has had for years and even decades.
“Eh? What do you mean?” Then, out of nowhere, Phesx processed the owner’s words. The latter extended his hand, holding a paper. Phesx kept staring at the man, who raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the paper when Phesx kept staring at him.
Phesx took the paper, looking down. It was a document of an ownership to the rights of the pizzeria. Phesx was left astounded. He hung his head to the right, falling completely speechless before the man crackled up. “Bwuahahaha! How is it? Shocked, ah?”
“W…why me?” Phesx shook his head after breaking his silence and even after questioning. The man blinked understandingly before elaborating, “If anything were to happen to any of us, we’d like you to take care of the pizzeria. It can’t fall into some conglomerate or become a new shopping center. Much less one of those fast food chains. If my pizzeria can last, then it will only be in its highest. We don’t want any of our work to fall for the gain of just money.”
“Wait, what? Did someone come to threaten you?” Phesx frowned, looking at the man’s face. The latter put on an ugly expression before shaking his hands. “Some things went a bit awkward the other day, but nothing happened. We did receive threats, but that’s just life. Don’t worry about it.”
“…” Phesx Caolia was about to say something but stopped. He seemed to think for a little before touching the man’s arm. “I accept this, then. Don’t worry, I’ll protect your family’s work from anything trying to harm it. But, are you sure? What if I’m a super special, secret, foreign agent that seeks to destroy Lýmoca’s order?”
The man frowned at the weirdly detailed ‘what if’, but then shook his head, patted Phesx’s back, and loudly said, “I don’t know about that. But I know you, kid. That’s who we’re placing importance on. Now go ahead and earn your pay. I hope you had nice little vacations with your girl, go on!”
Phesx jolted his head a little before leaving the storage with a smirk. He didn’t say anything about Pheli, but he does her a few times, although not every week. The pizzeria owners seemed keen on his love life. Phesx shook his head as he walked to his spot.
He looked around, noticing the great atmosphere of the pizzeria. He wondered what could have happened for things to turn like what the owner said, ‘awkward’.
… Time passed. A few days rapidly came and went as Phesx’s usual life returned to ‘normalcy’. He spent a few more days acting as the sole security guard in the pizzeria, which allowed him to see through some things.
Although it was scarce, Phesx easily found out a few people spying on the owners and waiters and waitresses. More than anything, there were a few batches of people who’d come in the morning, afternoon, and evening, all with the same goal. Working like a chain of information.
When it was night, and the pizzeria still worked, he noticed people observing from the other side of the street, and even trying to change their clothes when making rounds around the block and a few others. It all looked comical to Phesx. They were too simple for him.
Then, one day, a few days after he went on another boring mission on the other extreme of Sargonde, a situation unfolded when he was in the storage helping move things. Just as he was lowering his back to let go of some heavy cheese containers, he heard a ruckus from outside.
“…Didn’t I tell you to go prepare some for my boys something?!”
Phesx was about to step out after assessing the noise and sound of strange, unfamiliar, and brazen footsteps. But he stopped, simply opening the door to peek a little. He saw a few men in dark clothes wearing jeans. Most were young, but a couple were near their middle ages.
“You! Over there! Get out!” One of the old ones pointed at Phesx, making a few owners step up to explain he was just a boy, but Phesx stepped out and raised his hands.
Although the man said ‘boys’, there were a few ‘girls’ around. Some were straight out unattractive, ugly. But some others were attractive, all wielding a handgun and simple clothing as well.
“What the fuck were you doing? Did you call the cops?!” The man pointed his handgun at Phesx. The man’s eyes trembled, clearly afraid, but not of shooting someone who didn’t even had the age to go to college. It was… worse than in Preut. It seemed strange and not to Phesx at the same time.
“N- n- no, I was just putting down the cheese…” Phesx spoke peculiarly timid. Even the owners squinted their eyes a bit, feeling strange. The man decided to trust Phesx for whatever reason as the others looked at this scene, looking up to their ‘superiors’.
“Listen here, fatards.” The man’s attention returned to the store owners. Only 2 were fat, the man who gave Phesx the document, and the pizzeria’s ‘mother’. But they weren’t obese. Either way, the owners listened. “You have 2 fucking hours to give me and everyone here a pizza.”
The man threatened. Phesx could see the fella moving around and sitting on a table with his eyebrows sharply sent down. He surely thought he looked demanding, even more with that vicious threat.
“Can I leave?” Phesx weakly asked. One of the older ones frowned, twisted his lips, and stared at him with disgust. “Are you fucking stupid? Pendejo? Let you go so you can run and call cops? I should just shoot you, no? No?!”
“I- I live upstairs. The little apartment on the pizzeria’s roof…” Phesx said with squinted, fearful eyes. The man grinned, “Hahaha! You call that thing an apartment? It’s smaller than my bathroom!” - “Hahahahaha!”
As the others laughed, Phesx trembled, fearfully blurting out, “It’s the old lady’s ‘mansion’ across the street, in the other block. It’s not bad, really…”
“…” Suddenly, the criminals went silent. The young ones didn’t understand, especially the female. But the older ones went into a stunlock. The other older criminal asked, beginning to visibly sweat. “That… that old lady?”
“Well… she offered me different places to live around here, but I could only afford my… my little ‘apartment’, as you say.” Phesx bit his lower lip in the end, looking so innocent and gullible.
The older criminals looked at each other before lowering their handguns. The youngsters looked at each other, confused. Was that a code? A scary criminal… ‘lady’ only the ‘pros’ knew about? What was going on?!
“Look…” They stored their handguns in the front of their pants. “I don’t want to do ugly things. So this is my last warning. Give me pizzas… at half the price. I will protect you from other folk. We’ll also do… small jobs for you, if you need us to. Aight?”
“Aight?!” The older criminal yelled, appearing demanding and playing good/bad… blackmailers. To Phesx, he looked desperate instead. Wanting to hear a positive answer before they were seen. They weren’t scared of cops. They’d probably look at this and say ‘fuck that’. Because they’d be outnumbered and with the same weapons.
“We- we’ll do that. As you say!” The oldest man, pizzeria owner, nodded, still with his hands high. The older criminals nodded, put on badass faces to stare at the owners, and then turned around. “Let’s go! We’re eating good from now on. Amonos~!”
The criminals left one by one, throwing nasty glances at the owners and Phesx, especially him. He was the youngest, and he was better looking than all of them, for the males. The females, on the other hand, only saw a young boy who would fall down with just the movement of one of their fingers; weak.
“Huff, huff… Thanks heavens, Phesx. It all… phew. It all ended well.” The owner who gave Phesx the document held his chest in terror. The other store owners hugged each other before asking him if he was alright. Phesx shook his head, politely declining to stay before going out and up the stairs.
However, he fell down after barely going up, choosing a spot where the streetlights didn’t illuminate and was dark. Rolling on the ground, the images of a few criminals he saw lately in the pizzeria flashed in his mind.
…