The Slave Game

Chapter Four: Honest Hearts

Chapter Four: Honest Hearts

Two years later...

I clocked out my shift at the store and stepped out of my station. "I'll see you around, Pete."
He ran from behind the counter. "Wait. I got that item you asked about."
A few weeks ago I had asked Pete to ask his trader buddies to get a particular item. Pete was known to be able to acquire certain things from time to time. He came up to me and unrolled a cloth, revealing a golden ring.
He looked me in the eye. "This wasn't easy, or cheap to come by."
"I already told you, take it out of my pay for as long as it takes to pay it off." I replied, taking the ring and putting it in the pocket of my shorts. "Thanks, Pete."
He smiled and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Kyle. You're a good kid."
I thanked him once more and left.
I found Jed at Sunny's in our usual booth. He definitely looked older, now being in his fifties. Though he still kept himself in shape and we'll taken care of. This night he only had a water instead if a beer. He nodded as I sat across from him.
"Done working for the night?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yup. And I got that item from Pete I asked for."
He raised his eyebrows. "Really? Well let's see it."
I pulled out the ring and set it on the table. Jed picked it up and held it in the light for closer examination.
"It's got some shine to it."he finally stated. "How much?"
I shrugged. "Probably a few months worth of pay, but I think it's worth it."
He handed it back to me. "Mira can do a lot worse. When you asking?"
I shook my head. "Not sure. Some time soon probably." I had been thinking about it for months. I never actually made a plan for it though. In hindsight I probably should have at least made a basic plan...
The bell on the door chimed and Mira walked in. She always met me here after my shift. She wore a white shirt and her usual jean shorts. I smiled as she walked toward us.
"Be cool." I whispered to Jed.
He looked at me with an unimpressed face. "Did you just tell me to be cool?"
Mira drew close. I tucked the ring in my pocket. "Here she comes. Act natural."
"You're the only one not acting natural, kid. Chill out." He said.
Mira sat next to me. "Hey, guys. What're you talking about?"
"Hunting." Jed and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, impressed with the other's quick thinking.
She nodded, not convinced by our sudden stares. "Okay... should I just ignore that?"
"It'd probably be best." I concluded.
Jed stood up. "Well, I'm going to go talk to Sunny or something. You two have fun."
We said goodnight to him and sat by ourselves. We actually hadn't been with each other for a few days because we were both busy. It was nice to catch up after a while.
The bell chimed again. I looked over instinctively and saw a guy I'd never seen in town before. He was a few years older than me from the looks of it. He wore a black leather jacket over a white shirt with jeans. His hair was light brown and looked rather unkempt. His skin was a bit darker than my tan and his face was steely. He seemed to scan the area with every step. Something at his side caught my eye. A gun was holstered at his right hip, a .44 magnum revolver from the looks of it. A pretty powerful gun in most cases.
"One of Pete's trader buddies?" Mira suggested.
I shook my head. "A trade run isn't scheduled for another month, and this guy is too young." I watched him walk up to the bar and turned away, shrugging it off. Mira and I made conversation for a while.
"Man, I'm thirsty." She commented to herself.
"I got you covered." I said, standing up. "What are you feeling?"
"Oh no. I can get it." She argued.
"Nope. Tell me what you want."
"Just a water will be fine." She conceded.
I walked over to the bar and ordered a water. I leaned on the counter and waited. I couldn't help but notice the new guy was staring at me. I felt uncomfortable and slowly moved my hand to the knife at my side. I just wanted the water so I could go back to Mira.
"I don't believe it." He stated.
I frowned in confusion at him. "Can I help you?"
"You look just like him." He commented, looking over my face.
I felt very uncomfortable. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry. Is your name Kyle?" He apologized and asked.
I nodded slowly. "Yeah... Okay, who the hell are you and how do you know who I am?"
He shook his head in apology. "Of course. Of course. Sorry. Uh- my name is Asher." He paused. "This will sound completely insane, but hear me out."
This guy was pretty weird, but I was curious. Mira didn't mind waiting an extra minute for a water. I still had to voice my uncertainty. "Okay..."
He suddenly grew very serious and looked me in the eye. "I know your father."
I froze. My reality flipped. "What?"

Asher and I sat at the bar for what seemed like an hour. I shook my head, still not believing his story, even though he'd already told it twice now.
"My father is dead." I said. "I've had to come to grips with that, and now I've accepted it."
Asher shook his head. "No. James, your father, didn't die that day that he stayed behind to save you. Those weren't raiders who were attacking you. They were slavers. They took your father."
I nodded. "Yes yes. You've said this multiple times, and it still doesn't make it seem any less crazy. I don't even know you, dude."
"I know. I know. But just think about it. It makes sense that your father wouldn't have been able to make any form of contact with you if he was a slave for all these years-"
"My father died years ago." I cut him off. Ten years ago I may have jumped at the suggestion that my father was alive, but I had a life now. I had everything my father ever wanted for me. I don't know how Asher could know any of the things he did if we never met before, but so what?
"Did you ever go back to see a body?" He suddenly asked.
I didn't... "No..."
"Then how can you be certain?" Asher pressed on before I could argue further. "Look, Kyle. I can take you to him. There's something big going on where he is, and I can get you a chance to see him again... Maybe even free him."
Could he be telling the truth? Who was I kidding?! I wasn't really buying this, was I?! I mean, I didn't know this guy! Yet he spoke of things that he couldn't possibly have known about if he hadn't met me or my father in the last ten years. But even if it was true... What would my dad say if he learned that I had a great life that he always wanted me to have and just threw it away on a hunch that I could see him again? I had everything he wanted for me.
But this was my dad...
He'd do anything, even if it was most likely false, to follow a chance to get me back. I dreamed of seeing my dad for ten years.... Could I really just let this opportunity go?
"Look." Asher snapped me out of my trance. "I came here looking for able bodied people to help your father and what he's doing. I don't think it's a coincidence that I found you. I'm heading back the way I came tomorrow morning. I hope I see you there at first light." He then left the bar and walked out the door.
By now, almost everyone had cleared out. A few people sat in the darker areas, finishing up some late night gambling. I was surprised, yet strangely relieved to see Mira still sat at our booth. She had actually waited an hour for me to come back. I loved her for that.
I sat next to her and set her water down. "One water..." I said half halfheartedly.
She grinned. "Do I teach some handsome man that you're mine?" She joked.
I tried laughing, but just found myself staring at the table. My mind was still on what what Asher told me... first light.
"What's wrong?" She asked, studying my face.
I told her everything. She basically had the first reaction as I had.
"Kyle, you don't know this guy. He could be a slaver himself and is just trying to lure you into his base or something." She said.
"I know, Mira. I've already thought through every part of this. It's insane... But this is my dad we're talking about. If there's even a chance I can find him, shouldn't I take it?" I replied.
She looked pained. "Kyle, you've spent years trying to accept the loss of your father. You have gone through so much pain in your life. If this Asher guy is full of shit, could you really go through that again?"
I shook my head. "No. Probably not. But what if he's not? Mira, I know it's insane. I have everything my dad could ever want for me... But I know that he'd leap at this chance to find me. It's my dad... I spent years convincing myself that he was dead... but I always hoped, in my heart, that he wasn't."
She didn't say anything, suddenly sharing my previous fascination for the table.
"Mira, I have to do this." I concluded. "It's my dad."
She nodded and held back tears. "I know. It's just... what if you don't come back?"
I held her close. "I'll come back. I promise."
"How can you promise that?" She whispered.
My hand fell to my pocket which held the ring. "Because I have something to come back for."
I looked her in the eye. "Can you tell Jed not to worry about me? That I'll be back in a couple weeks, tops?"
She wiped tears from her eyes. "You aren't telling him?"
I couldn't. I knew that he'd completely understand... but he'd also want to come help me. Jed was older, but he could still handle himself. I just didn't feel that this was his fight. "No. He'd want to come, and this is something I have to do on my own."
She nodded. "I'll tell him."
I kissed her. "Two weeks, tops. Then you can meet my old man."
"I'll be waiting." She said.
With that I got some sleep, woke up before Jed could, and left the house at the crack of dawn.

Asher had a red jeep waiting at the gate. It was badly rusted, scratched, and I'm sure there was some blood on it, but it was still a sight to behold. Vehicles were a rare sight if not used by trade runners. I'd only ever seen those and Jed's motorcycle.
Asher leaned against the driver's seat door. "Glad you made it."
I has my pack of supplies and my knife at my hip. I was as ready as I would ever be. "I expect some answers along the way."
We climbed into the Jeep. "Don't worry. I'll tell you everything you need to know."