Volume V: The Tragic End of Treason

Chapter 3: Family Values

            I went for walks from time to time, leaving the tiger home alone. She was still wounded, it’d been a few days; she would be out of commission a good long while. Whoever did their job, did it well. I prayed that someone would claim her, holding her was getting more and more difficult the stronger she got. But she also was a tad bit less…violent as time passed. She came to grips with the reality of the fact that she had nowhere to go and we were only doing a favor. I could risk the displeasure of the Endless and throw her out into the street. It would have been that simple, that nonchalant, just poof, you’re done. But so it goes.

            I walked around and found groups of kids here and there, the Dragon was all on its’ own, the group that protected it long gone. Pike and Syn were the couple to run it, they still stopped in, but they’d handed over absolute control to the Drakes’ children, Payge and Set. Set’s name was really Dante, but they all called him Set anyway. Dante was too…proper, kind of like Marcellus. Legends in flesh and blood; everybody knew the stories, everyone knew the tragedy and how it’d ended up, but nobody asked questions. Out of respect to the lost. The shop had pictures everywhere of the fallen soldiers, the lost friends and family. I was going nowhere when a figure came around and took me by the arm. Now, I know the names and vaguely know the faces, it’s been a while.

            “Can I bother you for the time, sir?” The kid had his eyes lowered to the ground, a dark look to him, you could feel pain from him, he emanated around his shape. I took a step back and looked the frame up and down, lost under a long coat and dark colors. I knew without knowing.

            “The time sir, do you have it?”

            “All we have is time, kid.”

            “I’m looking for my sister.”

            “What does time have to do with her?”

            “She’s running out of it.”

            “Is she?”

            “Have you seen her, sir? Her name’s Dev.”

            “Can’t say that I have.”

            “Are you absolutely certain? I can usually find her here and she’s been missing for days, I’m terribly worried, sir.”

            “Listen, I haven’t heard of her, I can’t help you,” and I walked away. I took about two steps when I heard my steps being repeated. I stopped and they stopped. I turned around and the boy was still there. He wasn’t much of a boy though, he was my age almost, somewhere between Dev and I. I knew without knowing.

            “You’re Marcellus, aren’t you?”

            He smiled a carefree, jaunty little grin. “Now, whatever makes you say a thing like that?”

            I looked him over, he had all the right qualities, but it couldn’t be, the real Marcellus wouldn’t be so foolish to get so close. I took a few steps closer until we were toe to toe. I grabbed him by the throat and dragged him into the alley and held him against the wall. I stared deep into his eyes, eyes that, for a moment, reflected fear. I knew them, in an instant, that this was an imposter.

            “Put him down.”

            I turned my attention elsewhere, to a similarly clad boy, darker, more menacing with a voice more solid than the first. I lowered my victim to the ground and watched the approaching form. He came up to us, clapped his fellow on the back as he struggled to breathe, and faced me.