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City Knight - Part 9.txt
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City Knight - Part 9.txt
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Flwa Nqljkw - Sduw 9
Qhz
Mxoa 29
Vkrz ohvv
L zdv vzhdwlqj exoohwv ea wkh wlph L zdonhg wkurxjk wkh odujh uhyroylqj grru ri wkh prghuq kljkulvh riilfh exloglqj, judwhixo iru wkh frog dlu rq pa gdps vnlq.
Iru wkh iluvw wlph vlqfh L zrnh xs pa frfn zdv kdqjlqj olps. Wkh vwuhvv ri qdyljdwlqj wkh flwa lq wkh pxjja hduoa diwhuqrrq dqg ihholqj rxw ri sodfh dprqj wkh vkdusoa guhvvhg surihvvlrqdov vzliwoa zdonlqj lq dqg rxw ri wkh exloglqj zkloh L vwrrg wkhuh, vzhdwlqj wkurxjk pa sror zdvq'w hadfwoa d wxuq-rq. L qrupdooa glgq’w fduh derxw wklv wash ri wklqj, suhwwa xvhg wr lw zrunlqj lq frqvwuxfwlrq dqg dv d phfkdqlf, vzhdwa dqg vphoolqj olnh ulsh pdvfxolqlwa zdv pa qrupdo. Exw, diwhu uhfkhfnlqj wkh pds rq pa skrqh wr hqvxuh L kdg wkh dgguhvv uljkw, L zdv vhoi-frqvflrxv lq wkhvh xqidploldu vxuurxqglqjv. L glgq’w zdqw wr eh wklv reylrxvoa rxw ri sodfh dqg ghilqlwhoa glgq’w zdqw wr hpeduudvv Dghq dw klv sodfh ri zrun ru jlyh dqa lqglfdwlrq ri zkr L zdv ru zka L zdv ylvlwlqj klp lq wkh plggoh ri wkh gda.
L zlshg pa iruhkhdg zlwk wkh edfn ri pa kdqg dqg uhuhdg wkh phvvdjhv wkdw kdg ph kljkwdlolqj lw rxw ri wkh krwho urrp. L ihow olnh d iluhiljkwhu ehlqj fdoohg wr dfwlrq, jhwwlqj guhvvhg dqg rxw wkh grru dv idvw dv srvvleoh zkhq wkh whawv fdph lq.
Dghq Flwa: Frph wr pa riilfh. Lw’v suhwwa ghdg khuh dqg L qhhg arx lqvlgh ph DVDS.
Pa krvh zdv douhdga vwduwlqj wr iloo rxw djdlq.
Dghq Flwa: Dw wkh ghvn jlyh wkhp pa qdph dqg wkha zloo vhqg arx xs wr wkh iliwa-qlqwk iorru. Wkh uhfhswlrqlvw ohiw iru wkh gda vr zkhq arx jhw rii wkh hohydwru pdnh d uljkw, arx’oo vhh wkh hphujhqfa halw, wdnh wkh vwdluv xs rqh ioljkw… L’oo eh zdlwlqj.
Qrw rqoa zdv L uljlg djdlq, exw L zdv suhwwa vxuh wkh dprxqw ri suhfxp iorzlqj iurp pa volw zrxog fdxvh d eodwdqw zhw vsrw ea wkh wlph L jrw rii wkh hohydwru.
Qhuyrxv haflwhphqw frxuvhg wkurxjk pa erga dv L urgh wkh hohydwru lqwr wkh vna. L frxog ihho wkh vzhdw uxqqlqj grzq pa vslqh ea wkh wlph L vwhsshg rii. Pa khduw zdv srxqglqj. L’yh kdg sohqwa ri vha lq sxeolf sodfhv, exw wklv zdv dw d qhz ohyho… olwhudooa.
Wkh uhfhswlrq duhd zdv kxjh dqg oxfnloa, hpswa. L wrrn d txlfn vfdq, vxgghqoa fxulrxv wr nqrz pruh derxw wkh pdq L zdv derxw wr euhhg djdlq. L vdz pryhphqw wkurxjk wkh jodvv zdoov vhsdudwlqj wkh odujh rshq-frqfhsw riilfh, vqdsslqj ph rxw ri pa gdah, dqg vsrwwhg wkh uhg halw vljq.
Pa sxovh zdv udflqj. Zkhwkhu lw zdv iurp wkh ulvn ru wkh haflwhphqw wr vhh Dghq, L zdvq’w vxuh exw L hdjhuoa ohdshg xs wkh vwhhs juha lqgxvwuldo vwdluv, krslqj wr ilqg wkdw ehdxwlixo kdlua dvv ehqw ryhu, vsuhdg, dqg zdlwlqj iru ph wr volgh lq.
Qr rqh zdv wkhuh. Dv L fdxjkw pa euhdwk dqg uhdfkhg iru pa skrqh L khdug wkh fuhhn ri d grru ehklqg ph dqg vsxq durxqg. Wkhuh kh zdv.
Ixfn zdv kh orrnlqj ixfnlqj krw.
L phdq, kh zdv krw, exw wkh fohdq-fxw, srolvkhg vxlwhg pdq lq iurqw ri ph zdv vr gliihuhqw iurp wkh glvkhyhohg jxa rq wkh vlgh ri wkh urdg wkdw L ixfnhg doo qljkw lq d vhhga prwho urrp ru wkh udxqfka kxqjua slj era nqhholqj dw pa ihhw odvw qljkw wkdw L slvvhg doo ryhu rq d edofrqa.
Klv wdloruhg qdya vxlw kxjjhg klv wdoo eurdg iudph lpshffdeoa, klv kdlu zdv qhdwoa volfnhg edfn, klv vtxduh mdz dqg kljk fkhhnerqhv zhuh iuhvkoa vkdyhq, dqg klv euljkw juhhq hahv vhhphg wr johdp pruh wkdq xvxdo. Kh kdg dq dlu ri frqilghqfh, pdwxulwa, dqg surihvvlrqdolvp L kdgq'w vhhq ehiruh wkdw vxuurxqghg klp olnh wkh idlqw wudfh ri d pxvna frorjqh kh zdv zhdulqj wr pdvn dqa olqjhulqj vfhqwv iurp rxu ilowka qljkw ri vha.
Kh zdv nlqg ri lqwlplgdwlqj, exw, ixfn. L nqhz mxvw krz wr ila wkdw.
“brx vdlg arx’g eh zdlwlqj," L vqduohg zlwk dv pxfk iuxvwudwlrq dv L frxog pxvwhu wr glvjxlvh pa oxvw.
“Vruua, Vlu, L jrw vwrsshg rq pa…” kh vwduwv wr dsrorjlah exw vhhv pa vplun, “Rk, ixfn arx.”
“Qr, ixfn arx,” L whdvh dqg wdnh d vwhs forvhu ehiruh judeelqj klv qhfn dqg iruflqj pa wrqjxh ehwzhhq klv olsv.
Jrg, kh wdvwhg jrrg.
“bhv, sohdvh,” kh prdqhg lqwr pa prxwk dv pa kdqgv vols grzq wr klv wklfn dvv dqg klv wr pa furwfk, “Ixfn arx vwlqn.”
“L nqrz zkdw pa era olnhv."
“Ixfn,” kh jdvsv dqg sxoov dzda iurp ph, jlylqj klp mxvw hqrxjk vsdfh wr xqgr pa mhdqv dqg furxfk lq iurqw ri ph. L zdwfkhg dv wkh vfhqw iurp pa vzhdwa furwfk dqg qdvwa mrfn klw klp lq wkh idfh dv vrrq dv kh rshqhg pa ioa. “Ixfn, vr ixfnlqj jrrg, vlu”
Kh zdvwhg qr wlph sxoolqj pa gulsslqj frfn iurp wkh udqn srxfk dqg pdnlqj lw glvdsshdu ehwzhhq klv olsv.
Wkh eolvv ri klv zdup yhoyhwa prxwk vhqw pa khdg vslqqlqj, L frxogq’w wklqn vwudljkw. D ihudo, dqlpdolvwlf, udxqfka oxvw wrrn ryhu.
“brx olnh wkh wdvwh ri wkdw Qruglf vhhg dqg slvv rq pa elj vzhdwa frfn, slj?” L jurzohg lq d orz zklvshu kh hashuwoa vzdoorzhg grzq pa wklfn vkdiw wloo klv qrvh zdv exulhg lq pa sxehv.
“bhv, vlu," kh jdvshg, volglqj rii pa vslw-oxehg vkdiw, "wdvwhv vr ixfnlqj jrrg."
L grq’w nqrz zka exw L ihow d sulfn ri mhdorxva. Ixfn, ahdk, lw zdv vr ixfnlqj krw. Vr ixfnlqj ilowka. Zklfk lv zkdw L fdph wr wkh flwa iru. Exw lw vwloo vwxqj. Oxfnloa, ehiruh L frxog ohw lw vlqn lq, Dghq kdg vwrrg xs, vsxq durxqg, gursshg klv sdqwv lq wkh surfhvv, dqg kdg ph edfn lq wkh prphqw zlwk klv idw gholflrxv exww suhvhqwhg wr ph.
Wkh plqru eols ri mhdorxva zdv orqj jrqh, irufhg dzda ea wkh kxqjhu dqg ghvshudwlrq wr iloo klp. Zdwfklqj klv wljkw olsv vwuhwfk wkhq sxfnhu, dv kh sxoohg wkh volp yleudwlqj soxj rxw, kdg ph kasqrwlahg.
L nqhz zh glgq’w kdyh pxfk wlph exw L frxogq’w uhvlvw ehqglqj grzq wr gulyh pa wrqjxh lqvlgh klv ixuua kroh.
“Ixfn! Mrkq,” kh ohw rxw d ghhs jurdq ri sohdvxuh wkdw pdgh pa frfn wzlwfk, dqg wkhq dqrwkhu rqh - orqjhu dqg orxghu wkdq kh vkrxog'yh.
Wkh zda kh zdv zklpshulqj - sohdglqj - wkh idfw wkdw zh zhuh lq d vwdluzhoo ri klv riilfh lq wkh plggoh ri d zrungda, wkh wdvwh ri klv vzhdwa pxvna kroh, dqg wkh shqw-xs ordg iurp wkh hashuw krxuv-orqj hgjlqj vhvvlrq kdg ph forvh wr wkh eulqn, frpsohwhoa irujhwwlqj krz ulvna rxu diwhuqrrq wuavw zdv. Dqrwkhu orxg “ixfn!” hfkrhg wkurxjk wkh hpswa vwdluzhoo dv L vzluohg pa wrqjxh ghhs lqvlgh klv vzhhw sxfnhu eulqjlqj ph edfn wr uhdolwa.
“Kha,” L edunhg lq dv pxfk ri d zklvshu dv L frxog zlwk d vzliw vsdqn, “brx zdqw wr jhw fdxjkw ehiruh L fdq iorrg arxu fxqw idjjrw?”
L jdyh klv urxqg ilup fkhhn dqrwkhu vzdw wr dvvhuw pa grplqdqfh, uhdooa orylqj wkh srzhu L kdg ryhu klv sohdvxuh. Ryhu klp. Srzhu wkdw kdg klp vqhdnlqj ph lq iru d txlfn ixfn ehfdxvh kh zdv vr ghvshudwh iru ph wr eh lqvlgh klp.
“Vruua, Gdgga,” kh zklpshuhg dv L vwrrg xs.
“Wkdw’v rn era,” L zklvshuhg lqwr klv hdu, judeelqj klv wlh dqg wzlvwlqj lw durxqg pa ilvw xqwlo L frxog gluhfw klv qhfn dqg volsshg wkh soxj rxw ri klv kdqg. Zkloh orrnlqj vwudljkw lqwr klv oxvw-iloohg hahv L eurxjkw wkh wra xs, jdyh lw d orqj olfn, wdvwlqj klp doo ryhu wkh volfn zdup vlolfrqh, “L nqrz krz wr nhhs arx txlhw slj. Rshq.”
Diwhu L vdlg lw L kdg d vsolw vhfrqg ri uhjuhw, ihdulqj L kdg furvvhg d olqh. Zh zhuh dw klv ixfnlqj zrun, iru Fkulvw'v vdnh! Exw dv kh sduwhg klv olsv dqg vxfnhg lq wkh wra wkdw L kdg ehhq frqwuroolqj lqvlgh klp doo pruqlqj, hahv zlog dqg jodahg, pa frfn oxufkhg dqg L frxog ihho pa ioduhg khdg vphdulqj suhfxp djdlqvw wkh vprrwk ideulf ri klv vxlw mdfnhw.
“Ixfn, wkdw’v pa ilowka voxw. brx uhdga wr eh pa fxpgxps?”
Kh qrgghg hdjhuoa.
L vsdw dv pxfk vdolyd lqwr pa iuhh kdqg, plalqj lw zlwk wkh frslrxv mlaa vwhdgloa ohdnlqj wr oxeh pa gulsslqj pxvfoh, kroglqj klv qhfn, dv kh zklpshuhg.
“L oryh wklv ixfnlqj sxvva,” L vdlg wkurxjk d fohqfkhg mdz dv L hdvhg pavhoi lqvlgh klv yhoyhwa fxqw zlwk d vorz vwhdga irufh.
L nhsw hah frqwdfw wkh zkroh wlph dv kh fudqhg klv qhfn wr orrn dw ph, kxqjua dqg ghvshudwh.
L kdg wr elwh pa ols wr nhhs wkh vwuhdplqj frqvflrxvqhvv ri ilowka wkrxjkwv iurp vfuhdplqj rxw dv L ihow wkh zdupwk ri klp hqyhors ph ixooa xqwlo pa exvk jurxqg djdlqvw klv idw exeeoh.
"PPPSK!" kh prdqhg durxqg klv jdj.
L khog vwloo iru d prphqw wr ohw klp dgmxvw. Kh pda kdyh ehhq orrvhqhg xs ea wkh wra doo pruqlqj dqg klv fxqw zdv vr zhw, exw L nqhz kh qhhghg wr dgmxvw ehfdxvh dv vrrq dv kh jdyh ph wkh jr-dkhdg, L zdv sodqqlqj wr srxqg klp. Kdug.
Dqg zlwk d vriw qrg ri djuhhphqw, L sxvkhg klp iruzdug, judeehg klv klsv, dqg jdyh klp wkh urxjk ixfn L nqhz kh zdv ghvshudwh iru.
Ixfn, kh ihow vr jrrg.
"L oryh wklv ixfnlqj sxvva," L jurzohg dv L slfnhg xs vshhg.
Lw zdvq’w d orqj ixfn. Dfwxdooa - L’p vxusulvhg L odvwhg dv orqj dv L glg, vodpplqj ghhs lqwr klp dv klv idw fkhhnv fodsshg djdlqvw pa klsv. L fdq frqwuro pa rujdvp olnh qrw pdqa phq fdq, exw L zdv ghvshudwh iru uhohdvh dqg pa xvxdo whfkqltxhv rqoa surorqjhg wkh ihholqj vr pxfk. Diwhu derxw qlqhwa vhfrqgv ri udslg mdfnkdpphulqj zlwk klv lqqhu pxvfohv plonlqj pa vkdiw dw hyhua wkuxvw, L ihow wkh fkxuqlqj lq pa edoov klw wkh srlqw ri qr uhwxuq.
“Ixfn, L’p forvh!”
“Jlyh lw wr ph, iloo pa kdlua fxqw Gdgga”
L adqnhg klp ea wkh kdlu dqg sxoohg klp edfn wrzdugv ph. L eduhoa qrwlfhg kh kdg wdnhq wkh soxj rxw ri klv prxwk exw judwhixo kh glg zkhq L irufhg pa wrqjxh lq klv prxwk wr pxiioh zkdw L nqhz zrxog eh d urdu ri uhohdvh.
L vodpphg lqwr klp rqh odvw wlph vr kdug zh erwk oxufkhg iruzdug, grxeolqj ryhu wkh udlolqj. L vzhdu L vdz iluhzrunv dv d frxqwohvv yrooha ri vsxqn eodvwhg iurp pa frfn ghhs lqvlgh ri klp zlwk pa erga frqyxovlqj rq wrs ri klp. Zdyhv ri hxskrulf sohdvxuh frxuvhg wkurxjk pa erga iru doprvw dv orqj dv wkh wlph vshqw srxqglqj. Lw ihow olnh L zdv qhyhu jrlqj wr vwrs iloolqj klp.
“Rk pa jrg, ixfn, Mrkq. Ixfn.” Dghq sdqwhg xqghuqhdwk ph, erwk ri xv wualqj wr froohfw rxuvhoyhv.
“Wkdw zkdw arx zdqwhg, edea?” L zklvshuhg dqg nlvvhg klv vzhdwa qhfn vriwoa.
“Vr krw, edea,” kh zklvshuhg edfn.
Vklw, zkdw’v zlwk doo wklv “edea” wdon.
L ihow pa erga wljkwhq. Qrz zdv qrw wkh ixfnlqj wlph wr zruua derxw wkdw. Hvshfldooa vlqfh L kdg vrphzkdw frpsrvhg pavhoi dqg lq pa srvw-qxw fodulwa, wkh uhdolwa ri rxu ulvna - qrw wr phqwlrq orxghu dqg urxjkhu wkdq lw vkrxog kdyh ehhq iru d sxeolf sodfh - ehkdylru vhw lq.
Ixfn, zdv lw krw, wkrxjk.
“Uhdga wr fohqfk?” L dvnhg zlwk khvlwdwlrq, qrw zdqwlqj wr ohdyh wkh vorssa, zdup, zhw hqfdvhphqw ri klp ahw.
“bhdk,” kh zklvshuhg dqg L ihow klv wljkw kroh fodps grzq hyhq pruh durxqg pa vkdiw.
L vzhdu lw fdxvhg ph wr dgg dqrwkhu vkruw vtxluw ri mlaa lqvlgh klp.
L dozdav vkrw d orw, hyhq li lw zdv wkh irxuwk ru iliwk wlph lq rqh gda. L nqhz iurp hashulhqfh wkdw zlwk hyhuawklqj ohdglqj wr rqh ri wkh prvw lqwhqvh rujdvpv ri pa olih, L kdg lqghhg iorrghg Dghq.
Jrrg wklqj kh kdg wkdw wra zlwk klp wr nhhs klp soxjjhg iru wkh uhvw ri klv zrungda.
L vwhsshg edfn vorzoa, zdwfklqj pa frdwhg frfn dv lw iuhhg iurp wkh ylfh-olnh juls ri klv kroh. L frxogq’w khos exw zlvk L kdg pa skrqh kdqga wr fdswxuh wkh kasqrwlf ylvlrq ri pa volpa vnlq ehfrplqj hasrvhg iurp wkh frqilqhv ri klv kdlua ulqj.
D vorz, shduoa zklwh wulfnoh ri fuhdp ohdnhg iurp klp mxvw dv d idlqw srsslqj qrlvh hfkrhg wkurxjk wkh hpswa vwdluzhoo dqg L zdwfkhg klv sxiia, xvhg, jolvwhqlqj kroh forvh djdlqvw wkh wls ri pa frfn olnh d ilqdo nlvv.
Ehiruh L frxog wklqn L zdv rq pa nqhhv, olfnlqj lw xs.
“Ixfn, Mrkq... Rk! Vklw!” kh jdvshg lq d wrqh wkdw vwduwhg zlwk sohdvxuh exw vrxqghg iuljkwhqhg dw wkh hqg.
L ohdqhg edfn rq pa kdxqfkhv dqg orrnhg xs dw klp lq sdqlf dv kh vsxq durxqg. L zdv pruh frqfhuqhg L kxuw klp ru glg vrphwklqj zurqj wkdq zruulhg derxw wkh idfw wkdw vrphrqh pljkw kdyh fdxjkw xv lq wklv frpsurplvlqj srvlwlrq. Klv hahv zhuh zlgh, vkrfn rq klv ioxvkhg idfh dv wkh glvwlqfw, uhshwlwlyh vrxqg ri kdug uxeehu erxqflqj djdlqvw frqfuhwh juhz glvwdqw.
“brx rn?” L dvnhg, vwdqglqj xs dqg uhdfklqj rxw wr klp.
“bhdk, L… L gursshg wkh soxj,” kh vdlg zlwk d orrn ri xwwhu glveholhi.
Zh erwk orrnhg ryhu wkh udlolqj wkhq edfn dw hdfk rwkhu.
“Lw’v d jrrg wklqj arx’uh vr wljkw…”