Chapter Nine: Kai
Kai stepped out from the safety of the crowd and followed the men to the front of the room. They halted in front of the girl and her company, most with some form of a frown on their faces.
The girl was the only one who smiled, revealing a dimple in her left cheek.
“What is your name?” she asked.
“Kai Garrett. What’s yours?”
She blinked, her smile dimmed and she glanced back at a man behind her before saying, “I’m Caryn Tobin. You don’t know who I am?”
“Maybe,” Kai said. There was something about the way she smiled that tickled a memory. Then he noticed the wall screen flashing her photo along with words underneath, too many that he didn’t care to try to figure them out. He’d probably seen her picture being advertised before, but hadn’t really noticed it.
“It doesn’t matter,” Caryn said. She straightened her shoulders and her complete smile was back. “I am going to be visiting this city for several days this week and I will need a companion. Do you know this city well?”
“Sure.”
“Do you like history?”
“Not really.”
“Oh.” Caryn’s shoulders dropped and then she brightened. “But you’re honest.”
“Sometimes,” Kai said, before he had a chance to stop himself.
She laughed a soft joyful sound that made him want to laugh too.
A man with a thin nose typed rapidly on his hand-held computer and said, “Caryn, this is not an appropriate companion, look at the way he is dressed. And he’s way too young. As far as I can tell, he is not even on our list and I’m sure the mayor would not approve.”
Kai stared at the man. The man hadn’t even bothered to lower his voice, if anything he had spoken louder like he wanted Kai to know he didn’t make the cut.
“Ralph, right?” She waited for the thin nosed man to acknowledge his name. “There was no stipulation about age, or dress, as long as the person was in this room and the mayor said these are the people I could pick from. Are you saying his presence here is an accident?”
Ralph swallowed, his eyes darting from Caryn to Kai and small beads of sweat started to form on his brow.
“What makes you think I even want to do whatever it is you’re talking about?” Kai asked.
Caryn caught her breath, but Ralph and the woman next to him ignored his question. Instead Ralph took Kai by the arm and pulled him a short distance from Caryn.
“I don’t know if I can do this, Anderson,” Caryn said softly to the man behind her, but Kai heard her and he could tell by the worried look in Ralph’s eye that he had heard her too.
The woman next to Ralph stepped closer and asked, “Have you ever been tagged?”
“No,” Kai snorted at the idea. Not yet. It was the getting out of dangerous situations that led to tagging without having to steal something that he still needed to work on.
“Are you a native of Highton City?”
Kai rolled his eyes. “What does that mean?”
“Have you lived here all your life?”
“Yes.”
“Where are your parents?” Ralph asked.
“Dead.”
“What are your thoughts on the Compound?”
Kai shrugged.
“How old are you?” the woman asked.
“Sixteen,” Kai said. At least according to the age Father Merrick had decided on.
The woman nodded.
Another man walked over to him with a scanner. He double-checked Kai’s neck and spine before saying in a surprised tone, “He’s clean.”
Both the man and the woman looked back at Ralph and the woman softly said, “Technically he qualifies.”
Ralph leaned toward the woman, his lips pressed together in a tight, thin line. “The mayor said no mistakes, but if we don’t agree to this one, she may decide not to come and that would be worse than for her to spend three days with him. Besides the doctor will be available and we will be able to watch her through her vital signs and the city’s surveillance.”
“I believe the mayor would agree if she were here.” The woman nodded.
Kai stood next to them and could hear them perfectly even though they used quiet tones. He could also sense the desperation in Ralph. That guy was at the point of doing anything, agreeing to anything, but Kai couldn’t handle the distraction of another job.
“Very well. What about a second companion?” Ralph asked, his tone subdued as he turned to back to Caryn.
“I only want one,” Caryn said.
“Wait,” Kai said. “I don’t want to be some companion. I have enough things to do this week.” Like finding a ruby, running away, or being killed.
“Why don’t you want to be my companion?”
“I don’t even know what that means.” Kai shook his head.
“All it means is you would travel with me to different places around the city for the three days I am here and keep me company,” she said, but she looked over at Ralph and waited in case he wanted to add anything, which he didn’t.
“We’d just hang out? That’s it?”
The woman cleared her throat. “It would also be your duty to keep her from harm and to help her navigate the city.”
“Yeah, thanks for considering me, but I don’t think so,” Kai said. He stepped back and began to walk away.
“You would be paid for your time.” Ralph’s voice rang out.
Kai paused. “You couldn’t give me what I want,” he said mostly to himself.
“Try me.” Ralph’s head cocked to one side as if he were daring Kai to come up with something.
“So you’re saying you could pay me an all-expense paid trip to Deltan, include the necessary travel documents, and throw in a.” Kai looked up at the ceiling like he was trying to think of something impossible. “Let’s say a six carat Betan ruby?”
“Done,” Ralph said, without hesitation. “But you would not be paid until the job was finished and in a satisfactory manner. You will also have to sign a contract and release documents.”
Kai blinked. That hadn’t gone quite the way he thought it would. Then his mind leaped ahead, if he took this job, and they did provide him with the ruby and a ticket, he would have the best of both worlds. He would find out about his mother and be able to leave Highton City forever. He would never have to steal for the T-Man again.
“You would give me a six carat ruby and a ticket out of here to stay with her and protect her for three days?” He had to make sure.
“Yes,” Ralph said.
Kai didn’t see any deception behind the man’s eyes, only desperation. In fact, he looked more serious than anything, like making this deal was the most important thing for him or his career. And by the way the woman sighed, Kai guessed she was imagining the check they would have to sign.
“Okay,” Kai said, letting the word hang in the air. “I’ll be your companion.”
“Great,” Caryn said and she held out her hand for him to shake on it. Kai gripped her hand feeling like the weight of the world had lifted from his back. They were going to give him a Betan ruby and he didn’t have to steal anything.
The T-Man would have his ruby and Kai wouldn’t have to risk getting tagged to get it for him. He would be able to finally leave Highton City. And the T-Man would have to tell Kai all about his mother. His whole life was falling into place.
“You will need to be here at seven a.m. sharp tomorrow morning,” the woman said. “And you will receive payment at the end of the third day.”
“Not a problem,” Kai said. He could hardly believe his luck.