Part 2

Fey was fuzzily aware of the softness and warmth that surrounded him.
Something alien, yet so comforting that he wanted to stay asleep just a
little longer. It took a few moments for it to register that he was
holding something ... or someone. He winced and cautiously opened his
eyes.

"Ohayo, Fey! You slept a long time, and I was beginning to think that
I'd be stuck in bed all day." Odin bit his lip as frightened violet
eyes shot to his face. "Baka! Stop acting like I'm going to hit you!"
He started wiggling as Fey released him.

Fey tilted his head and licked his lips nervously. "Why'd you say
Ohio? I thought that was a State in America on Earth."

Odin grinned a little. "I was speaking Japanese. Ohayo means good
morning."

"Ah! And what does 'baka' mean?" He scurried to the end of the bed.

"Baka ... means idiot. You were being a little idiotic when you
thought I was going to hurt you. I told you I wasn't. I don't break
my promises. And I promise I will never hurt you." He returned the
tentative smile Fey gave him. "You should smile more. It suits your
face!"

"Oh I know that! That's why I don't do it too much. Solo tells me
that people would claim me the way I look every day. He says that if I
started smiling, I'd be a lamb in the slaughterhouse." He pushed
himself off the bed. "So ... what're we gonna do today?"

Odin frowned thoughtfully. "I think I could teach you how to read a
little. I'm only here for a week, but I could give you the basics."
He shrugged. "Wanna try it?"

Fey nodded and hopped out of the bed onto the floor. "I know all the
good places to get stuff! I may not read, but I hear great and people
talk about stuff!"

Odin quickly got dressed. "Okay ... first we eat breakfast, then we
head out to do some shopping."

"Breakfast?" Fey curled his toes in the carpet.

"Hai ... that means yes. Breakfast." Odin shoved a second pair of
shoes at Fey. "You can keep these if they fit ... they're too small on
me."

"Ooooo! I never had shoes b'fore!" He bit his lip as he slowly untied
the laces.

Odin watched as Fey pulled the laces free of the simple bows that held
the laces tight. He was about to offer to teach the boy how to tie
them again when Fey surprised him by tying the shoes by himself. "Is
that why you took so long to untie them?"

Fey nodded. "Uh-huh! I'm a quick learner!" He hopped from one foot
to the other with a smile on his face. "COOL!"

Odin finished putting his own shoes on. "You ready?" He grabbed Fey's
hand and lead him out of the room. "First we're eating breakfast.
After that, you can bring me to a bookstore and I'll get a beginner
book for you." He paused as he remembered that Fey had learned how to
tie shoelaces simply by untying them first. "Maybe I'll get a few easy
books and one book that's a little harder since you're such a fast
learner. Does that sound good to you?"

Fey was still getting used to the feeling of the shoes, so he nodded.
"Hey ... how long are we gonna be out? Isn't your da gonna worry that
you're not here? He seemed to insist that you stay in the room while
he was out last night! Are you gonna get'n trouble? I don' WANT you
ta get'n trouble 'cause of ME."

Odin scowled. "He's not my da. We have an agreement, nothing more. I
pose as his son to help with his cover, and he doesn't leave me to fend
for myself." He gazed at Fey. "So, you see ... that's why I wanna
help you, Fey. I wanna give you the chance that Odin gave me. You're
smart. I saw that last night when you met my eyes. I don't want you
to end up on a corner any more than you want to end up on a corner."

Fey nodded. "But aren't ya gonna get'n trouble?"

"No ... we'll be back long before he returns from his meeting. Come on
and try not to attract attention." In some part, Odin was grateful
that Fey was concerned about him. It was new to him. Odin Sr. only
gave him a quick once-over whenever they had to bail out of an
assignment early because someone had leaked information. He still
remembered the first time it happened. Odin Lowe had turned to him and
snorted at his terrified expression. 'Get used to it, Junior! Your
life, like mine, is forfeit. No one will CARE that you're a little kid
who doesn't want to be left behind. They only see the target.' He
shook his head. "Let's go."

*****

"Mmmmm! I never thought I'd ever have a full tummy!" Fey smiled
happily and practically skipped next to Odin. "So ... where're we
gonna go FIRST?"

Odin was hard pressed not to smile at the boy. 'Such a simple thing as
a full stomach makes him happy?' He shook his head. "First ... we'll
get those books for you. Then we'll see from there."

"Yeay! Okie ... the best place to get books is Darlin's ... people say
lotsa neat stuff about that store, but I never went in there ... no
need ta! NOW I get ta see all the books. YOU know what ta buy, right?
So I'll leave the lookin ta you." He turned and ducked into an alley.

Odin noticed the fear in Fey's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Fey shook. "You see those guys? The big ones with the ugly yella
shirts on? This's THEIR turf. If they catch me ... I'm theirs. They
like little kids like me. They've already killed three of Solo's gang,
and they've had their sights set on me for a long time." He pushed
himself deeper into the shadows and whimpered as the thugs drew near.

Odin leaned up against the wall to hide Fey better. "Shhh ... they'll
hear you." When the thugs drew near, he met their eyes steadily. His
mind was screaming at them to leave.

Thugly sneered at the boy who met his gaze. "Yer not a street rat ...
an yer no corner kid." He shrugged. "You seen a street rat 'bout ...
this tall with long pretty hair?"

Odin shrugged. "I can't say that I have." And he couldn't ... he
wouldn't hand Fey over to these ... rancid ... bullies.

Thuglier snorted. "Ye're sure? He's got VERY pretty eyes and a really
nice little ass."

"Nope. Can't help you."

Thugly nodded once. "Ye keep ye're eyes open an' we'll let you have
some fun with whatever's left of 'im when we're done."

Odin narrowed his eyes. "I'll keep that in mind." He waited until
five minutes after they left to check on Fey. He frowned when he
noticed that the boy had passed out. "Fey? Fey wake up! We gotta go
before they come back." He gently shook the slender form, and quickly
grabbed Fey's wrist as the boy went to strike him in his panic. "It's
all right, Fey. You're safe!"

Fey bit his lip. "Safe? I'll never be safe, Odin." He sniffled and
curled into a little ball. "I won't be safe until I die."

Odin watched as Fey sobbed a moment before he let his instincts kick
in. He shyly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the thin boy
that was quickly working his way under Odin's skin. "It'll be okay,
Fey. I promise that - somehow - it'll be okay." He hugged his ...
friend ... close. "We really have to move it, Fey. They could come
back at any moment. If there were only one, I'd take care of him, but
I can't stand up to two of them." He smiled as Fey nodded and stood
up. "C'mon ... let's get out of their turf and I'll buy you some ice
cream."

Fey tilted his head and momentarily forgot his terror. "Ice cream? I
never had that before!"

Odin quickly led Fey and followed the boy's directions. He knew they
were in friendlier territory when Fey let out a sigh of relief. "I'll
but that ice cream now."

*****

Fey sat in the booth and studied the dish of ice cream. He poked at it
with a spoon. "Are you sure this stuff is edible? I mean ... it's
COLD! Only liquids taste good when cold."

Odin fought a giggle. "Ice cream is just really cold milk. Have you
ever eaten snow?"

Fey shook his head. "Only if I were really thirsty. The snow tastes
like all other water ... stale. And it's really hard to find snow that
hasn't been walked in."

Odin pointed to the bowl. "Well ... think of the ice cream as really
fresh sweet-tasting snow. Try it!"

Fey made a face and decided to give Odin the benefit of doubt. He took
a deep breath and scooped some ice cream with the spoon. He stared at
it a moment before closing his eyes and placing the spoon in his mouth.
His eyes flew open in surprise as the sweet substance slowly melted in
his mouth. "Mmmmmm!" Emboldened, he attacked the dish with a passion,
not hearing Odin's warning until his head suddenly started throbbing.
"OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!!!"

Odin handed Fey a glass. "Here ... drink some water. It'll help." He
watched sympathetically as the boy sipped from the glass. "I tried to
warn you about that. If you eat something cold very fast, your head
will start to hurt." He smiled. "Feel better?"

Fey nodded. "Uh-huh! Where're we goin' now?"

Odin paid the waitress when she came by and got up ... waiting for Fey
to follow him. "We get those books and head straight for the hotel.
Are there any other ways to go other than through ..."

Fey nodded. "Yah! It takes about five minutes longer, an' we gotta
clear it with Solo ... this's HIS turf. Shouldn't be a prob ... since
I'm a member of his gang. C'mon ... Darlin's is not too far from
here."

Odin followed Fey without complaint and smiled when they stood outside
of a bookstore. "Keep quiet, and don't let anyone bully you." With
that, he took the lead and entered the bookstore with Fey's hand firmly
in his grasp.

*****

Fey watched as Odin picked out not four, but eight books. "I thought
you were only gonna get four!"

Odin held up the other four. "Letters, numbers, addition, and
multiplication. Knowing how to read is one thing, learning how to
WRITE is a plus. And the more you know, the better you are. You're
too young for the complicated stuff, but ... maybe later in life,
you'll be able to read the big books they had near the front." With
that explanation, he moved to the front and waited for the checkout
girl to finish ringing them out.

Fey spotted a familiar head of hair and tugged Odin's sleeve. When he
had the boy's attention, he nodded to the window. "That's Solo. He'll
letcha through the catwalks."

Odin nodded and let Fey do the talking to the lanky boy Fey had named
as Solo.

Solo's eyes shot from Odin, to Fey, and back. "Whatcha bring him HERE
for, Kid?"

Fey met Solo's eyes. "He protected me from the 5th Eve gang leaders,
Solo. He let me take a bath in his hotel room and he got me breakfast
an' dinner! He said he's gonna teach me to read so's I don' end up a
corner kid."

Solo narrowed his eyes and walked over to Odin. "You plannin' on
claiming him?"

Odin met the taller boy's eyes without hesitation. "Not if he doesn't
WANT to be claimed. I'm only here for the week. After that ... I'm
hoping the few grains of knowledge I give him will sprout. He's got a
good mind, and I don't want to see it go to waste."

Solo nodded. "All right. Follow me and don't ask any questions. Yes
I know the hotel you're in. I followed the Kid last night. To tell
the truth, I was worried about 'im." He mussed Fey's hair and smiled
affectionately. "I worry about everyone in my gang, but the Kid, here,
is special. He's quick and clever ... so if anything were to happen to
me, he'll be the next in charge. Having a leader who can read an'
write ... would be a good thing."

Odin kept his lip zipped and followed as quickly as he could behind the
other two boys. He knew that he could be walking into a trap, but he
trusted Fey for some reason. He blinked when he found they were in
front of the hotel. "That was quick!"

Solo nodded. "Big people can't use the catwalks." He grinned. "You
did good! You ever need anything, look me up! Take care of the Kid
while you're here and get him back to my turf safely when you're
leaving. Promise?"

Odin nodded in return. "Promise. Take care!"

Solo waved. "Be swift of foot, Skye!"

Odin blinked as Solo left. "Skye?"

Fey grinned and looked as if he'd been given a treat. "Solo just named
you! You're now a member of the gang! I guess he referred to your
eyes. They're a deep blue ... like the early evening sky."

Odin smiled. "C'mon!" He led Fey to the elevator and started going
over the alphabet. He was just getting to the middle when they reached
the door. He froze when the door opened to reveal a none-too-happy
Odin Lowe Senior.

"And WHERE have you two been?"

Odin Jr. swallowed. "Uh-oh."

End of Part 2