TEN SECONDS , The Kenny Ackerman Story BOOK ONE~ ORIGINS ,by Melly O'Hara

KUCHEL

CHAPTER 3      KUCHEL

"Oh, get on with it!" laughed Jas, givin' me a playful shove and then grabbin' my hand inta hers.
"Tell me,  was everything better once you got your new boss?"

I were feelin' confident now, an' it were easier ta continue. It even felt sorta good ta have some one care for me, but not need anythin' from me. God knows, after Levi, I weren' ready ta be any one's rock again, not yet. An' she didn' need that from me, she jus' wanted what l had ta give. So's l continued.

"Well, this time, l were careful. This time, l made sure the money went ta the thugs that were guardin' the stairs ta the  Underground, an' then straight ta Kuchel, after they'd taken their cut. An' me an' Silver Lady checked that they didn' take any extra! I visited mor' often too, jus' ta be on the safe side. An' it were good. Kuchel were taken care o' an' people even started ta clear the way when l came inta aroom , or walked the streets. I figured that 'ventually l wouldn' even need ta wait for Uri to become King an' change things; that soon I'd be able ta keep Kuchel safe jus' by my own rep.
So's even as l was comin' an' goin', earnin' an' visitin' with Kuchel, I could see that she jus' weren' as happy as she shoulda been. I know she missed me an' wanted ta come up ta Mitras with me. An' I knew that though it flew by for me, that the last six months had crawled for her an' the two years 'til she turned sixteen seemed a lifetime away. But she were  livin' good, an' so's l couldn' really understand whys she were so sad.
Every time l rose ta take my hat an' leave after a visit, she would cling ta me an' not wanna let me go. But the last time, she were breakin' down an' beggin' me ta take her with me. I asked her what was wrong, but she jus' said that she missed me an' that two more years were ta long for a family ta be apart.
But ya know Jas, it jus' didn' feel right. Some thin' within me felt all wrong. Kuchel weren' tough, but she weren' no crier either, so's afore l left ,l made sure the rooms was  locked an' the guards was doin' their job, then l made my way ta the stairs ta the surface. But instead o' leavin', l jus' hid in the shadows. An' waited.
***
The stair thugs l paid ta make sure Kuchel got her money an' were safe had finished their shift an' the 'night guards' were now on duty, guardin' the stairs. They would jus' assume that I'd left the Underground on the 'day guard's' shift an' the 'day guards' (my boys) would jus' assume that l was visitin' with Kuchel fo' a a little longer than usual. Nobody would know that l were still here.
From my hidin' spot l had a clear view o' Kuchel's rooms an' all the streets leadin' to 'em, as well as a clear view o' the stairs ta the suface, in case some one or some thin' came from 'bove ground. The lights in Kuchel's rooms dimmed,  the good folks o' the town shut their doors for the night ; leavin' the streets free for the thugs, the whores an' the thieves.***

Bars filled up with their drunken patrons an' the sounds o' off- key singin' an' piano playin' filled the night .An' still l waited. It seemed that l was wrong; everythin' was as it shoulda been. But l couldn' shake the feelin' that some thin' was off.

Musta been close ta midnight when l saw him descend the stairs inta the Underground. Didn' recognise him at firs' 'cause he looked so shabby, compared ta the snappy threads he usually wore. But it were him. I watched him pay the 'night guards' on the stairs an' then walk the route ta Kuchel's rooms.
He knew the way Jas. No askin' for directions or breakin' his stride ta check where he were. Nah, he knew 'xactly where he were  goin'. 'Cause he'd been goin' that way for far more than jus' a couple o' times. I didn' need ta follow him 'cause l could see him from my vantage point, an' sure enough, he went straight ta Kuchel's front door. Then he paid her guards, MY GUARDS! An' he musta told 'em it was break time or some thin', cause they jus' left! Walked away , lightin' cigarettes as the laughed an' joked their way ta nearest bar  - the scummy, two-faced, fuckin' shit bags! They'd get fuckin' paid alright! Silver Lady was   jus' 'bout the best accountant l knew, an' she'd balance the fuckin' books an' make sure they got paid what was owed 'em!