Kismet

Nineteen - Dalton

Why won't these kids just get in? He wasn't that odd-looking, right? Was his hair okay?
He didn't have hair.
Dalton's patience was thinning with each question that came out of Raymond's mouth. Just get in, for the love of God. Was it so damn hard to listen to orders? He doesn't get paid enough for this bullshit.
His only mission was to escort the kids back to the lab—well, a new one, since the one they supposedly escaped from was practically unusable to company standards.
"Look, how about this." Dalton cleared his throat. "If you get in the damn van, I'll tell you everything you need to know. Simple enough, kid."

"Not a kid." Raymond rolled his eyes at being called a kid. "Why can't you tell us now? While we're outside, safe from you?" Raymond retorted, jabbing a finger in Dalton's direction. The younger ones had shared uncertain glances.
"Wouldn't that just ruin small talk?" Dalton countered. "I don't mean any harm. I just want to make sure you kids are safe.
Is that such a crime?" He smiled.

Raymond scoffed, his vexation growing with Dalton's irrelevant questions. "Yes, it is. It's called kidnapping. And I'm not a kid. I'm way older than these kids here." He corrected Dalton, once again.
Dalton shrugged, nodding dismissively. "Sorry, Raymond."
Konrad jumped in, a little offended by being called a 'kid' all of a sudden. "I'm not a kid." He corrected. He corrected. "I'm a grown adult. Almost." He grumbled the last part, Raymond's disdain with being called a 'kid' evidently rubbing off on the dark boy.

"I'm sorry, what's your name?" Dalton asked, narrowing his eyes at the younger individual.

Hesitance nearly washed over him, but he persisted. "Konrad." He says, crossing his arms. Dalton noticed dirt stains on his clothes, as well as the others'. That simple detail made Dalton realize they all needed a warm bath. Or at least some sort of hygiene fix.

Dalton nodded, his patience starting to come back as a sense a pity weighed on him. This was a group that was made up of mostly kids, some who looked no older than thirteen. Who knows what would happen to them if they kept wandering the streets?

He knew he should stick to the 'script', but seeing these kids who looked terrified and desperate for a sliver of anything broke him. They shouldn't be locked up.

Stop.

They have abilities. Powers. That could hurt someone important, hell, it could hurt society. That's why they're locked up in those labs. They don't deserve the taste of freedom when they're so dangerous. They were animals. A threat to society, to civilians. Who knew what they would use their unnatural powers for?

But these kids looked harmless. Did they even have powers? Dalton felt the need to ask. "You kids come from that ...hospital? Lab?" He queries.

The younger ones tensed, but Raymond resisted the urge to do the same.

Konrad glanced at Ophelia. "We— we saw some other kids leave that place ..." He remarked, lying through his teeth. Dalton raised a brow.

"Is that so? What do they look like? I need to know." He said, his 'civilian' identity slipping.

The oldest teen's brows furrowed in confusion, and almost a hint of defensiveness. "Why do you need to know? Why's it so important?" He retorted, his tone a tad bitter. Dalton had to suppress a little sigh of impatience. But the boy had a valid question.
"What's your name again, kid?" Dalton asks.

The boy already had flared up in terms of anger, and him being called a 'kid' obviously fanned the flames. "I'm not a kid. My name is Konrad. I already told you this." He said, his voice shaking from wherever his anger rooted from. His choleric demeanor spoke numbers of what lied beneath the protective cloak to his undivulged mind.

"Of course. My apologies, Konrad." Dalton smiled at him. Something negative was underneath his smile, and Zeke discreetly noticed it. His eyes narrowed at Dalton, clearing his throat gently. Konrad just nodded, further deciding to ignore the older man at all costs.

"Where will you take us?" Aaliyah curiously asks, coming out of her shell with that simple question. Dalton's bitter smile softened a little.
"Wherever you need to go, kid. I just want to help you."
Silence struck the atmosphere.
"Do you promise?" She then says.

Dalton nods. "You have my word." But did they?