Storms and craters

Chapter 15

After an hour or so, Vegas finds himself in the middle of an unfamiliar courtyard. On the playground, little residents of local houses play with a puppy of an unknown breed. Even this morning Vegas wouldn't have stopped to watch them with a grin. But now everything feels different. The colors around have become brighter, the images have become clearer, and the moments have become meaningful.

There are no ordinary moments. As well as ordinary meetings or a combination of circumstances. And if Heaven has given me a chance... I can't miss it, Build.

Vegas notices how the puppy, happily wagging his tail, with his tongue hanging out, rushes straight to him. Bending down, he picks the fluffy baby up, holding him under his front paws, and the contented little muzzle sniffs his face. Then, squirming, he gets out of the man's grip, finally licking Vegas in the nose with his warm tongue.

I hope you have a kind home where they take care of you.

Vegas suddenly mentally scalds: and if Pete was just "Pete". Splinter... would I let him go back to his plucking craft?

Would Vegas be so indifferent to his fate?

Vegas once again looks at the puppy, which one of the boys picks up and, after saying goodbye to friends, takes home. The young captain smiles. Perhaps even more natural and sincere than usual. And then he turns his gaze to the bright blue sky. He closes his eyes and exhales: I need to return to reality and just do it. Still, he allows himself to free his head tightly clogged with thoughts a little more, appearing in the department only after lunch. He won't put pressure on Pete, dumping a bunch of past memories on the guy. But he will try to help him to recall their common "before". With what happened to him "after", or rather with those who are guilty of it, Vegas will also figure out. But that's later. Now he needs to make sure that Pete is safe.

In a cheerful mood, Vegas passes the checkpoint, where he is informed that they could not contact him for a long time, so Kinn had to take control over the operation. It was not possible to reschedule Pete's "meeting" with the client.

Fuck!..

Vegas bites his lower lip in blood, immediately hisses in pain and rushes to his office. Scarlet drops fall on the chin. Smearing them with the back of his hand, Vegas falls heavily into a chair, dropping his head in his hands: what the fuck, Kinn?!..

What the fuck... me.

He finally turns on the phone, which starts vibrating smoothly from the delivered messages. Vegas doesn't even read them right away. Well, how could you allow such carelessness on your part?! It's like a completely "freshman" - a month after the Academy... damn! And most importantly - what now? What should I do? Where to run?

Of course, in view of the confidentiality of the information, Kinn did not inform him about the place in the message. A very small number of employees are devoted to the details, and everything is there now. Vegas doesn't know how much time his mind spends in mental agony. It's getting dark outside, and he's still sitting and sitting in his seat staring at the closed door. On the scales are the laurels of the winner in case of success, which will go to Kinn today, and the little life of a street thief who for... hmm, how long have we known each other, it turns out, two months... who during this time made him experience all the emotions once buried under the rubble of his a child's heart.

And yet nature is nowhere to go. No matter how worried he is about Pete, for now - Pete! - it's hard not to admit that his vanity will be hurt if Kinn puts the final point in the case.