The Darkman 3
The first order of the morning was to deal with his instructions and quick “training” session. This wasn’t too difficult because KiNa knew exactly what the Darkman wanted from the boys under his command. They were there to scout, steal and forage for whatever they could find. Sometimes, some boys landed more specialized jobs, but that was only for the ones the Darkman trusted to do the job well.
He failed that when he trusted me the first time. Once was all it took.
The boy continued his meek-act, and pretended to learn the things that the Darkman instructed. KiNa had to balance between showing that he was smart and a quick learner, without acting as if he knew too much.
“That’s very good, Friz,” the Darkman said after the initiation was over. “I think you’re going to make a fine addition to our runner’s front. What do you think?”
“I can do it, sir,” KiNa answered with a nod.
“That’s a good boy,” the man gave a black smile in return. “We’re a bit low on rations right now. What do you say about trying to get us some more?”
“Sure… from where?” the boy pretended ignorance.
“Wherever you can find it,” Darkman told him. “Probably easiest to swipe stuff in the marketplace. Just don’t get caught.”
“Yes, sir,” KiNa nodded.
Wow. This is low, even for Darkman. Sending his scouts to steal from the carts.
The boy raced off before anything else was said. He had someone to meet and not much time to make the meeting. Afterall, the recording orbs only held so much time. Master SoYa was right where they scheduled, hidden around back of the library, a place few people ever went. KiNa was thankful when he saw the bagged lunch in his teacher’s hand.
“How’d it go?” the mind mage asked.
“The food is worse than yours,” the boy replied, quickly popping the recording orbs out of Vidarchy and handing them over. They decided it was important to secure the evidence as often as possible, just in case something went wrong and KiNa was discovered.
Not that I’m going to let that happen.
“That’s pretty bad,” Master SoYa remarked, giving him fresh recording orbs to replace the used ones. “He’s not hurting you, is he?”
“No. Nothing like that,” KiNa answered. “But some of my friends that were there before… they’re still there. They don’t look so good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Puddle looks sick. They just seem… lifeless,” the boy tried to explain it. “I didn’t talk to them because they don’t recognize me. But…”
Master SoYa placed a hand on his shoulder. “Be steadfast. Remember we’re doing this to help them, even if they don’t know about it yet.”
KiNa nodded, not having further words to say.
“Now, keep your head down, keep yourself safe and don’t do anything wild,” the mind mage arched an eyebrow.
“Me? Why would I do something wild?” the boy gave a wide, scrunchy-eyed grin.
Master SoYa didn’t say anything more. Just gave him a parting pat on the back and walked the other way. KiNa settled down on a nearby fence to eat his lunch, happy to have real food. The sandwich was definitely SoYa-made, but then, he was improving on his sandwich techniques as time went by.
What’s this?
The boy lifted the food bag to find a place to dispose of it and discovered it was a lot heavier than he expected it to be. Shaking it around, a second smaller pouch dropped from the bag to his hand. Opening that, KiNa found a bundle of wooden coins. The boy blinked a few times before realizing it was money to pay for the food he was instructed to steal.
How did Master SoYa know?
KiNa glanced up in the direction his teacher walked, but the mind mage was already long gone.
***
A few hours later, the children in the cellar had the best meal they were privileged to in a long time. KiNa brought in all sorts of breads and fruits and decent meat that didn’t crunch. He did the cooking himself, making sure to urge the children to eat as much as they could before the Darkman returned and got suspicious. The children didn’t need much encouragement.
He spent the rest of the afternoon hunting down the boys on the street to bring them their portions. This was hardly an issue, using his mind-senses to track them down no matter where they were hidden.
It’s important that they’re well-fed and have their strength. We’re going to need to run to get away and make a long trip into the forest afterwards.
KiNa also began making friends with the children. They were, naturally, grateful for the food that he brought, so it didn’t take much to earn their goodwill. Trust, however, was a different story, and he needed them to trust him so that they would do as he instructed when the time came.
The boy spent day after day repeating the process. He met with Master SoYa in the morning to exchange recording orbs and pick up money enough to pay for meals. The afternoons he cooked what he brought, and often taught the children about cooking, too. Late afternoons he spent scouting out the boys on the streets to bring them their meals. All the while, he talked with them, learned names and helped to cheer them. Even Puddle’s face began to gain color with better nourishment.
Of course, there were always kinks in the best-laid plans.
“You’re up to something,” the bossy girl cornered him one afternoon after lunch.
“What?” KiNa asked, trying to look genuinely surprised.
She wouldn’t have any of it. Tough as nails, she shoved him in the storage room and shut the door behind her. Green eyes glittering, her mouth curved down in mistrust. “Who are you and why are you here?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the boy held both his hands up.
“I think you do,” the girl said, jabbing him in the chest. She was the one who didn’t warm up to him. Though she ate the food he brought, she refused to act friendly. In fact, she wouldn’t even tell him her name. “You’re getting that food from somewhere, so don’t play dumb with me.”
“Of course I am,” KiNa told her. “Darkman says to steal. So I steal.”
She was unconvinced, and he didn’t blame her. “That’s an awful lot of food to steal without being seen. Especially every single day. Either you’re a really good thief or–”
“I’m a REALLY good thief,” he interrupted her quickly. Then he arched his eyebrows with a winning smile, “I could teach you something, if that’s what you want?”
“I don’t need you to teach me anything,” she looked somewhat offended.
Seeing his opening, KiNa took it. “Oh, don’t be shy. I see, that’s what this is all about.”
“What?” her eyes turned dangerous.
“This whole closet thing,” he motioned around with a widening grin. “You don’t have to be ashamed. You can ask me for help without hiding it.”
“I’m NOT asking YOU for help!” the girl fumed.
“Are you sure? It’s no problem.”
The finger returned to jabbing him in the chest. “There’s something funny about you. You’re just too NICE… and way too friendly.”
“What’s wrong with that?” KiNa rubbed the back of his head. “I’m just trying to help out.”
“I don’t believe a word you’re saying,” she jabbed him again. This time, her finger made a metallic sound as it met with the recording device under his cloak.
The boy tensed up, gritting his teeth. She saw it. And she tapped the device again.
“What’s this?”
“Nothing!” KiNa pulled back from her, trying to cover his chest with his arm.
“It’s not nothing!” she tried to tackle him, pulling at the front of his cloak.
The boy fended her off, suddenly glad for Hunt’s training, “Hey! Stoppit!”
“You tell me!” the girl demanded, shoving him back.
Suddenly, there came a thumping sound outside the door, then the closet burst open, the shape of the Darkman looming over them both. The slant of his eyes were heavy under his brows, a look of sharp displeasure. He took no time in reaching in and grabbing the girl and the boy by their collars and hauling them out.
“What are you two doing in there? We don’t have that prancy stuff going on!” he thundered at them, clearly misunderstanding the situation.
The bossy girl returned a dark look, mouth open as if to defend her position. KiNa hissed, knowing that if the girl tattled on him, things would get nasty really fast. Her eyes shot to his face at the sound. He silently pleaded with her, shaking his head.
Please don’t. This isn’t what you think it is.
The girl lowered her own brows, still caught in the Darkman’s grips. To his amazement, she said nothing, just allowed herself to be plopped unceremoniously next to the dirty laundry pile.
“You. Get these clean and keep your nose out of trouble, girl,” the man told her. Then he shoved KiNa towards the kitchen, “And you, get to scrubbing out the pots. I want them all shiny as new. You hear me?”
“Yessir… sorry…” the boy’s face flushed with embarrassment. Thankfully, he stumbled over to his workstation, glancing across the room. It was only now that curiosity rose in the back of his mind. He knew that he had not mind-commanded the girl, not even in his desperation, though he should have. However, for whatever reason he couldn’t fathom, she didn’t tell her discovery to the Darkman.
He didn’t spend much time pondering, though. The great yawning pots and dishes waiting his attention. KiNa knew he wouldn’t get any sleep until the chore was done. With such a close call, he also knew the time for their escape was coming very soon.