Ignition (MHAH)

37

"You're gonna give me the answers I want?" I ask, stepping back into the cabin. The elder nods, sipping on tea he suddenly had.

"Go sit, ragazzo." He hums, taking another sip.

"Listen uncle Iroh, I don't have patience for this cryptic bullshit!" I snap, leaning up against a wall. Ethan clears his throat and taps his belt as to warn me of my attitude, only to earn a glare.

The elderly man bursts out laughing at the comment.

"Uncle Iroh.. I like that.. where's that from?"

"A show Minnie introduced me to." I grumble, impatience filling me up. "Well? Do I get to ask questions yet?"

"Watch. Your. Tone." The raven grits, impatience seemingly fueling him too.

"Silenzio.. what do you want to know?"

"What was that warehouse?"

"A weapons facility." He says as if the most casual thing in the world.

"Why the secrecy? ... Why is everyone so scared of you?"

"I have.. a complicated history."

"Cryptic. Bullshit." I repeat, looking dead straight at Ethan as I said it.

"I'm a criminal... of many sorts.." He reiterates.

"Fine.. does that mean those two work for you?" The elder nods, while my two partners avoid my eyes.

"What's their actual job then? I don't buy the bar bullshit."

"Hey! Don't diss the bar!" Ethan interjects, scowling. Vincent sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"They work at the bar." He begins, staring me down when I scowl at him. "But they also work for the mob."

"What mob?"

"The Italian mob."

"N what does that have to do with your past?" Vincent stays silent for a minute, contemplating his choices.

"I.. I run the mob. I'm the boss." My eyes trace back to the other two, both straying away from any sort of confirmation; which coincidentally gave me all the confirmation I needed.

"Who was after me?"

"I think we all know the answer." Ethan pipes up.

"Say it then."

"The barn." Justin chimes in.

"And the connection of you three to the barn is.. through the mob?" All three nod.

"Ace has practically been sucking my dick since he was ten." The elder chuckles, gesturing towards Justin.

"So.. Stone Age?" Ethan and Justin gawk at me while Vincent bursts out laughing.

"How old do you think I am?!" I shrug, picking my nails.

"I dunno, 35.. 40?"

"I'm 28!" He scoffs, crossing his arms.

"Well that's a relief."

"Wait.. Wait, wait, wait! How old do you think I am??"

"32 at oldest?"

"Hold on! So he gets like a number relatively close and I get fucking 40?!" Justin guffaws.

"What do you want from me?! He's got baby face and you have early onset old man syndrome!"

Justin throws his arms in the air, scoffing at my response; all the while, the other two can't refrain from laughing their asses off.

"Are you done asking your questions?" The brunet scowls, his arms crossed.

"Do I get to ask more later if I have more?"

"Se vuoi." Vincent shrugs, his fit of laughter finally reducing to occasional chuckles.

"Fucking 40.." Justin grumbles as he leaves the room to 'check how far until we land'.

The other two followed out soon after and I went went back to sprawling myself across the bed, scrolling through my phone until more questions popped into my head.

I slammed the cabin door open as if I had earth shattering news.

"How am I gonna go to school now?! Does this mean I don't have to go back?! How many kids do you have working for you?!"

Justin spat out his drink while Vincent made quick work of smacking his back.

"We can sort that out when we land, yes you still have to go, and what the fuck?"

"What?"

"You don't just barge into a room and ask 'how much child labor do you have?'"

"It was a genuine question.." I mumble.

"I don't have any children working for me." Vincent announces. I look at him and then point to the couple passed out on each other, draped across a couch.

"They don't work for me." He hums.

"That's bullshit." I mutter, eyeing Justin as he stares me down.

"They get no compensation, aren't asked to do tasks and aren't trusted with any information about the mob.. they don't work for me."

"So you just let kids wander into your warehouses whenever they want?"

"Allison is Teddys daughter, I highly disregard that as some random kid. Elijah happens to be a kid I saved from a shitty situation."

"Well what about having them spy on me?"

"Nobody was spying on you kiddo. It was mentioned that you were going to their school, but nobody was asked to watch you. They realized who you were and by then, you were already part of their group." Justin chimes in.

"Hm.. okay." I respond, slowly backing into the cabin as I slide the door closed.

I'm not sure when, or how, but I ended up passing out, startled awake when someone shook my shoulder. Upon seeing it was Ethan, I made grabby hands towards him, cozying into his chest when he lifted me up.

Wherever we were, the sun was beginning to set.