A Drowned Whelp

Chapter 3

Hill drifted off to the sounds of the car and the gentle hum of the radio. He didn't know the song, something local. It was in the language spoken in this region of the empire. His mind floated in the nostalgia of the tongue. Until he wasn't sure when the darkness took over him. Next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake. Groggily he looked around. They were at Ms Kuang's restaurant. Slowly he got out, Kai had already undone his seatbelt so he slipped out easily.

An arm wrapped around his waist and he was gently led inside, Kai's hand resting on his hip. The embrace was almost intimate. Intentionally so. It left him vulnerable. Still, Hill only really waking up again once he was inside the building. The restaurant was as busy as ever, few people paid much mind as he was quickly hustled to the back rooms.

There, things changed. He was vaguely aware of whispers around him as other gang members saw him. Word hadn't gotten around yet that he was back. It was clear the grunts weren't sure what to make of it all. Cops weren't exactly welcome but he was different. He was one of them by birth and proven in blood. As Kai said, he had the respect of a lot of people. They knew he could fight, knew he would kill without mercy. Or indeed without the call of the law. He had not betrayed them or brought them down while undercover. If anything, he had improved their standing but he was still an enforcer.

Kai released him and sat him down in a chair as they reached the private dining room. It was the centre point for the house, several doors lining it. The floor was white ceramic tiles that had turned grey long again, the walls a similar grey colour, though there were posters up to brighten up the place. The wooden table was old and had a vase of flowers in the centre. It felt almost surreal to be back there. Last time he had been at this table, he had been playing poker with Johnny and a few of the other up and comers. As far as he knew, they were all dead now. Kai ran a hand through Hill's hair approvingly at his behaviour. "Good whelp," he praised. "Stay awake a little longer, JJ."

"Not JJ," Hill said firmly.

"I don't think you get to pick your nickname, JJ," Kai teased. Hill forced himself not to growl. Kai clearly wanted to use his first name to make him younger. It was the same thing with them calling him a whelp or pup. Make him seem younger and control him more. Only his mother had ever called him Jonah, everyone else had called him Hill. Not to mention, that particular nickname...

"Johnny was JJ. He's dead. I'm not JJ," Hill repeated, looking Kai directly in the eyes. Kai didn't look away, of course not. But there was a slight widening of his eyes as he remembered just who Johnny was before he nodded slowly.

"I forgot Johnny was called JJ," Kai said almost apologetically. The man was not about to say sorry to him but it was close enough for Hill's comfort. "We'll find a different name for you," he mused.

"Thank you," Hill said politely, calming again. It was bad enough he let his friend get killed. He didn't need to be referred to by his nickname forevermore either.

"You said you would call," a voice said behind him in Thomia's dominant language. There was a clang as a bowl of soup was placed down in front of him. Ms Kuang stood imposingly, arms crossed with a deeply unimpressed expression on her face. Her voice was as rough as ever, in her native tongue rather than common and she was clearly still fit as a fiddle despite her years. Hill ducked his head embarrassed, looking at the soup uneasily. It was Xiao Long Bao, dumpling soup. Last time he had seen her back had been with the flesh of one of the people who had betrayed the gang. She had fed it to their co-conspirator.

"I apologize, ma'am," Hill bowed his head slightly. "This was an unexpected reunion. I was not meant to be coming here."

Mrs Kuang made a sound of disbelief. "You were on the planet and not far either. You should have called," she scolded, continuing not to speak in common. "Eat your soup," she commanded, before looking at her son. "Has he given you any trouble?"