An Errant Prince

With a Good One

If we're going on a "road trip" I need to know you won't run off in search of drugs." Sam pulled Kash's pill bottle out of his pocket.

For a hazy moment,  Kash saw Diana's blue eyes reflected in Sam's green ones. As if the beautiful princess was superimposed on Johnson, piercing his soul. He blinked as a feeling of peace settled over him. "Do me a favor, Sam." He pushed the pills away. "Hold onto them for me. Using drugs is the worst self-effected wound. If I'm going to meet Diana, I want to be clean." Sweating, he swayed on his feet. I'm riding this tiger now.

Sam was elated. "I knew you had it in you, but you can't get off amphetamines and quaaludes cold turkey. You'll go into cardiac arrest. If you need a pill, tell me." Sam pulled out a flask of liquor from his vest and offered him a downer. Kash took the blue pill and swallowed it with some whiskey. Immediately, his body relaxed.

"There's a young girl on the street corner. I think she's homeless and working as a prostitute."

Sam frowned. "There's hundreds of teens who leave abusive families and have nowhere to go. It's a sad fact they end up working on the streets. They're all over the city."

"I think we should help her."

"Help her? How?"

"Maybe she could stay in your apartment while we're gone."

Sam harrumphed. "Not bloody likely!"

"What if we bring her to a shelter?"

Sam's eyes softened. "Princess Diana was a patron of  Centrepoint. A homeless shelter for runaway teens."

"Let's bring her there. I can't stop thinking about her."

"If you're going to rescue every stray cat.."

"She's not a cat!"

"Alright, but mind you she may scratch like one if we rub her the wrong way."

~~~~~~

Sam and Kash tracked down Layla in a dark side alley with a customer. "That's a good job, sexy man. Come fuck me." A middle-aged man cupped Layla's bottom, rubbing up against her.

"That's enough, Mistress of the Dark," Sam admonished. When the aroused customer turned to face him, Sam flashed his inoperative MI6 badge.

The anger drained from the thick faced man. "I don't want any trouble." He turned and quickly exited the alley.

Layla rounded on Sam. "What the hell do you think you're doing. That was my customer!"

Kash interrupted, "That wasn't a customer, that was a man three times your age who wanted to buy your body."

Layla zipped up her clothes and glared at Kash. "You look well-fed. What would you know about being hungry." She scowled at him. "How am I supposed to eat?"

"You should be in school."

"Fuck you!" Her face turned down in an ugly frown.

Sam pulled out his wallet. "Listen Layla. We're offering you a choice. You can come with us and get help, or stay here and put yourself at risk." He pulled out a hundred dollar bill. This should more than cover the loss of your customer.

Appeased, Layla took the money and stared at Kash. "I've seen you before."

"I asked you where I could buy some drugs earlier."

She shook her head. "I don't mean that, I've seen your picture online. You're a prince."