Orion and the Clockwork (The Carmsborough Vigilantes #2)

Chapter 24

Orion strolled peacefully to the market stand and placed down the evening's haul: a bouquet, a loaf of bread, and the morning's newspaper. In a smaller section of the visible side of the newspaper, a section titled "EARTHQUAKE CAME FROM DOVI MOUNTAIN?" stood out, along with a picture of some of the destruction in town. The man looked down at him, his face somewhere between pleased and confused.

"Doesn't your old man come in the morning?"

"Oh, come on, Terrence. It's a celebration tonight."

"It's been a celebration the past couple of nights, Orion. I'm not turning down the business, but I am worried about the three of you spending too much on celebrating."

"Don't you worry about me, sir." He spread the newspaper open to see his face on the front, with the Clockwork in the background. The header said "THE CLOCKWORK BOY: A VIGILANTE HERO."

"If you gave me an hour, I could come up with something more flattering than 'The Clockwork Boy.'"

"Yeah, I hope that's one that doesn't stick. Thanks, Terrence."

"No problem, Orion. Say hi to your dad for me."

With the haul in hand, Orion turned to the outskirt of the market, where Rami was waiting patiently. The flowers and bread were offloaded to him, and they held hands, walking back to Orion's house.

"Roses?"

"Yeah, I don't know. Do you like flowers?"

"Well, I certainly don't hate them. They are sort of beautiful."

"But?"

"But also really basic."

"Oh, come on."

"No! I really do love them! You'll figure it out, eventually."

"Or you could just tell me."

"But where's the fun in that?"

They climb the stairs and enter the apartment, where Dad and Sam were already in pajamas and gearing up for bed.

"Well?" Dad asked.

"A little basic," Orion replied.

"Oh, come on."

"That's what I said."

"Okay, okay," Rami said, smiling.

"That's gonna have to be the last of that for now," Dad said, getting up to move to the kitchen table. "I don't enjoy worrying you about it at all, but we're back to square one on having enough money to make ends meet. Plus, you're out of a job, and now we have another mouth to feed."

"I really don't want to be a burden to you, sir," Rami said. "If you need me to go back, I can—"

"Absolutely not what I was saying at all. I would much rather you be here than wherever your parents would put you. We've just got to sit down and talk about the plans for the immediate future."

"I can go hunting around for a job again," Orion said. "There's gotta be something close by that will hire the most popular name in Carmsborough right now."

"True," Rami said, "or you could ask the president for money."

"What do you mean?"

"You saved his life and his job and stuff like that. The least he could do is repay you by literally paying you."

"Unless something drastic happens, the last thing I want to do is sell out. There are morals to uphold here."