• Ransom
    Ch. I “Deva”


    It was dark. Then again, it always was, be it day or night. Sunlight didn’t always penetrate every corner of the world, and no matter what, there would always be darkness. The warehouse was empty, tin walls peeling off it’s rusted steel frame. The moon was the only thing visible through only a hole in the roof. It was quiet. Everyone was asleep, and the entire city was unaware of what was happening under it’s allegedly law enforced gaze.

    Two men stood alone in the skeleton of steel and rust. The moon illuminated the pair, almost like a mirror. One was slightly taller, and of a lean build, he had pale features and unruly black hair that hung slightly to his shoulders with stunning green eyes that seemed to shine in the moonlight.. The other had a slightly darker skin tone, with short dark brown hair that was spiked outward in various different directions, giving it a more hostile and jagged appearance, that matched his dark eyes.

    The air was tense as the two stared firmly at each other, eyes hard and concentrated on nothing but each other and the semi automatic handgun’s they clenched so tightly.

    “I’m sorry it has to end this way Deva” one said.
    “It doesn’t have to! Damn it Noah we can still get out! We can-!”
    “b*****d! Don’t you get it? There is no way out! It ends here… it has too!” Noah shouted.

    Silence fell into the air.

    “I’d rather die than give that b*****d the pleasure of killing me Deva, you know that.”
    Deva’s shoulders slouched at the comment.

    He’d never meant for it to go this far. It started with the gangs, then drug trade, and on to the real deal. The underground law that ran the city. The Lead Police. Noah was his best friend. They’d climbed the ranks together. Noah and Deva grew up together, all in secret.

    Noah came from the bad side of town, and Deva was from the…worse side of town. The east side of Halon City was the territory of the Knives and the west was under strict code territory of the Screamers. It was lethal for Deva to even consider going close to Noah, but none the less the two grew up close.

    It wasn’t fair! God dammit it wasn’t fair! It was for safety! For protection! The gangs protected them! But now…at what cost? They’d killed before, they’d stolen, hell, there probably wasn’t a felony the two hadn’t committed. And now they were forced on each other like dogs.

    East Lead and West Lead’s top hitmen, were chosen to kill each other. This was it. The warehouse was crawling with Lead’s spies. If the two of them walked out of here alive, it would mean certain death, and they knew it.
    “Deva?” Noah said after the silence had passed.
    “Yeah man?”

    Noah clicked the safety off on his gun, before turning to Deva.

    “You gotta promise me man, you gotta get out. After this, you gotta get out. And when you do, you son of a b***h you’re going to go back! I don’t care what you do, as long as you go back! Please man, go to West Halon. I need you to…I need you to look after my family. What’s left of it.” He said pointing the gun at his head.

    Deva’s eyes widened. But in his mind he knew. This was it.

    Noah’s eyes were firm with pride and assurance. And in that moment, Deva knew there was nothing to change Noah’s mind. It was all they had.

    “Deva, I need you to do one last thing for me, please. I want you to kill my brother.”

    Noah wasn’t the kind to come from a happy home. He came from a single mother, who’d gotten herself killed when he was sixteen, leaving his only younger brother, Aiden, at the mercy of child services, underappreciated and ignored in a foster home, miserably living out the remainder of his days. Aiden. Aiden was Noah’s reason for doing everything. And they both knew what Noah was going to ask. He’d talked about it for months.

    “Deva…man, you gotta get out. Or both of us will end up dead.” Noah said, his entire being eminating with confidence and strength.

    “See you in hell.” Noah breathed out, before his hand met the trigger.

    BANG!

    -

    “Ah!” Deva awoke with a start. He cursed under his breath, wiping the sweat from his brow. It had been two years since that day. But time wouldn’t erase it.

    His emerald eyes scanned over the cheap apartment he’d rented. The place reeked of carpet cleaner and cheep alcohol. Deva found the will to pull himself up from the bed, and get dressed.

    It had been two years. And it continued to plague him. He stuffed his handgun into the back of his pants, pulling his tee shirt over it, before stuffing his knife and wallet into his pocket. Two years felt like so little. He’d done his friend one promise, he’d gotten out of Lead. It took two different name changes, six casualties, a fake suicide, and plenty of money to pay witnesses off, but it worked. He was free.

    He’d yet to kill Aiden. Hell, he’d yet to find Aiden. It was like finding a needle in a haystack, but he felt confident that today he’d find him. He had this feeling in his gut, something was going down today.

    Deva had already found a source that told him about a brat on Rio St that fit Aiden’s description. Blond, short hair –like his brother had-, large blue eyes, pale. He was anxious to find him.

    You see, he’d thought it out into a detailed plan. I mean, it was his friend’s brother. He couldn’t just go up and shoot him point blank. He wouldn’t be surprised if Noah would haunt him for doing something like that. No, he would earn the kids trust, and let him down gently. Perhaps a sedative, then a poison. A painless death. After all, he was a kid.

    Deva walked out side the building, leaning against his motorcycle lazily taking a long drag on a cigarette, before stomping it out, and looking to the sky with a smirk. Something was going down today. He just knew it.

    He hopped on his motorcycle and sped off to his mole’s house. The mole had a way of finding anyone, in a sea of people. Todd. Todd Williams was the real life ‘Where’s Waldo” expert. He’d know where to find Aiden. If he didn’t, then Deva would be out of bullets soon.

    He stopped in an alley, banging on the wooded door mercilessly.
    “Hey! Williams! You got my info?” he shouted angrily.
    He stepped back for a moment, until a neatly stapled packet of information slid from underneath the door.
    Deva grinned.
    “You live to see another day maggot.”
    The criminal got back onto his motorcycle , speeding off towards the sensible place to find him on the list.

    West Halon High School.

    Ransom
    Ch. II “Aiden”


    Aiden walked slowly, his cerulean eyes fixed on the concrete school building. His blond hair was short in the front, but fell longer in the back. The sun felt warm on his pale features, giving him comfort.

    “Aiden!” a shirll voice screeched after him.

    Aiden didn’t need to turn around to know it was Kelly. Kelly was his foster sister. The house was filled with girls and boys, and she was one of the worst. She hated Aiden. Aiden was left there after his parents and brother died. Kelly’s parents were killed by the gang his brother Noah was in. Hell, Noah ran it!

    His pace increased, but she caught up to him anyway.

    “Where are you going? Drugs?” she snorted.
    “To school. You should try it.”

    He felt a pain in his head, and it didn’t take rocket science for him to know she hit him on the head with her textbook. He felt a small dribble of blood ran down his hair, but he shook it off, before bolting for the school building.

    Aiden was a good student, who studied diligently and tried hard to make good grades. After all, the foster mother would strike you if you didn’t get good grades. He tried his best to stay out of the house. The other kids didn’t like him. Mostly because they’re parents or siblings had been killed by West Halon Gangs.

    Unfortunately for Aiden, school ended all to early, and as soon as he felt settled into his desk, the bell had rung and it was over. He found himself used to the silence as he walked down the hall, and the hushed whispers of the other kids.

    They were afraid of him. No, they were afraid of the gangs.

    He scowled with a sigh. He was miserable. Aiden’s feet carried him outside. He’d waited as long as he could, but it was inevitable, he had to leave. By now only the teachers were still there, and they would call his guardians if he stuck around too long.

    The smell of smoke passed his nostrils as he turned to see someone leaning against the school walls. There wasn’t much of a reason, but the school had a fence of solid concrete standing ten feet tall encasing it. People climbed over it all the time.

    The man looked young, with sharp tan features that relaxed as he took another long drag on the cigarette. Emerald eyes slipped closed in silent ecstasy and Aiden could tell that the man was beyond addicted to the stuff. His ebony hair was thin and fell gracefully onto his shoulders. He had a slender frame with a tall build.

    Aiden didn’t particularly feel comfortable being in this man’s presence. He had an aura of danger and mystery about him. The gun in his back pocket didn’t help much. He was adorned in simple clothing, the kind you see every other person on the street wear, or the casual wear someone might wear to go down to the drug store in. The man’s eyes opened again, and flickered to Aiden, then back to the street.

    He didn’t waste any more time, Aiden scurried past him beginning his journey home.

    “Slow down Aiden.” A voice cut the air.

    Aiden nervously looked over his shoulder to see the man staring at him, still casually leaning against the wall.

    “W-who are you? How do you know my name?” he asked.
    The man smirked.
    “Deva. I’m…a friend of Noah’s.” he said thoughtfully.

    Aiden’s eyes widened. Sure, being Noah’s younger brother had made his life a living hell, but that didn’t mean Aiden didn’t miss him dearly. Noah may have been a criminal, but he was still Aiden’s family. Still, the sixteen year old had never heard of anyone named Deva.

    But…he did look the part.

    Deva had the same air of regal confidence and cocky grin as his brother did. What if it was a trick? Noah had enemies, that he knew.

    “Its not a trick Aiden.” Deva said as if reading his thoughts, before taking another long drag on the cigarette.

    “…Why should I trust you? You’ve got a gun on you!” Aiden gawked turning and facing him fully. He wish he didn’t. Deva’s emerald eyes were kind and genuine, the cockiness leaving for a moment.

    “I understand.” He said casually, before pulling out the gun slowly, so as not to frighten Aiden, before dropping it on the ground, and kicking it to him.

    Aiden stared blankly at Deva, who simply smiled.

    “How about now?” he asked nonchalantly.
    “…you’ve got something else on you.” Aiden said firmly.
    Deva laughed.
    “You’re a lot like Noah that way. Do you have to do a strip search before you’re satisfied?” he joked.
    Aiden blushed slightly at the comment before sighing.
    “All right ‘friend of Noah’s’, I guess I’m all ears.”

    Deva smiled again, before stomping out his cigarette and gesturing to the motorcycle parked on the street.

    “What say you and I go somewhere else and talk, yeah?” he asked smugly, pulling a helmet on. He pulled another out of a sidebag, tossing it to Aiden.

    “I don’t take rides from strangers.”
    “But you know who I am.”
    “Yeah, but you’re still a stranger.”
    “…just get on the damn motorcycle.” Deva snapped irritably.
    “And grab that gun, cost me a shitload of money, it’s the only one I’ve got.”

    Aiden was slightly unnerved by his sudden tone, but followed his orders none the less, obediently getting on the bike. Deva kick started it once before speeding off. Aiden jumped in surprise grasping onto Deva for dear life.

    The ride took forever, and Aiden had never felt so scared in his life.

    “You can open you’re eyes now.” Deva said blandly.

    Aiden blinked a few times, before suddenly realizing that they had come to a stop. His embarrassment showed on his face as he jumped slightly, letting go of his death grip on Deva, scrambling off the bike.

    Deva laughed.

    Aiden looked around for a moment, realizing they weren’t in West Halon anymore. They were close to a park, filled with people absentmindedly walking and enjoying the nice weather.

    “Where are we?”
    “South Halon.”

    Aiden never went to South Halon before….It was for the middle class district, it wasn’t proper for him to be there. He looked down at his ratty clothes and shaggy hair, then at Deva’s equally shabby clothing.

    “If you make any dumb comments about districts and social class I won’t hesitate to drag your a** back.” Deva mumbled, walking into the park.

    Aiden followed silently, watching the rest of the world went on. Deva had no problem with the silence, it gave him time to think about what he should say. Aiden was a quiet, nervous boy, whose presence was comforting to be around. Deva could sense a deep sadness in him, and insecurity bridging off from lonliness.

    “…Deva?” he spoke up.
    Deva turned to Aiden, his gaze fixed on the sidewalk.
    “I’m confused. Why are you…” he trialed off mumbling a ‘nevermind’ and continuing beside him.

    The park was filled with gardens, all in bloom, surrounding a lake. Deva stopped as they were crossing a bridge, and leaned onto the guardrail. Aiden took the silence as his way of saying stop. They were quiet for a long time.

    “Noah and I used to come here and look at the water for hours. We would meet here almost everyday from the time we were seven up until he died.” Deva began.

    Aiden looked at him still confused, but Deva’s eyes were fixed solidly on the water.

    “We would talk about dreams and ideas and family. He would talk about you a lot. You were everything to him.” He continued finally glancing at Aiden, before returning his gaze back to the water.
    “He joined the gang so he could pay for you to go to school, slipping the money into your mom’s savings without her knowing. I joined when he did. That was just how it was. We got pretty far up, didn’t we? Living life on the easy…it was fun.”

    Aiden silently listened.

    “But…it didn’t last. We were still gang rivals. Our bosses pitted us against each other. Trapped us in a werehouse to kill each other.” Deva’s face was cold.

    Aiden’s mind began to spin, did Deva kill Noah? Could he trust this man?

    “But Noah wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t kill his best friend, I wouldn’t kill mine either. So he shot himself. But before he did, he made me promise him something.”

    “What?”

    Deva turned to Aiden and ruffled his blond hair with a stupid grin.
    “To look after his family.”

    Silence.

    “Then where have you been the last three years?!” Aiden shouted, suddenly angered.
    “You aren’t an easy person to find.” Deva smiled.

    Silence.

    “He made me promise to get out of the gang life. I did.” He said grinning. He turned to the sunlight, basking in it happily.

    “I’m free.”

    Deva turned to Aiden.
    “And you can be to. Free from that hell hole.” He said comfortingly placing a hand on Aiden’s shoulder.
    “How?” he asked.
    Deva’s eyes were deep, and Aiden had a hard time looking him the eye, but now he had no problem searching threw them for a straight answer.

    “Come with me.”

    Aiden’s eyes widened, he felt tears well in them and before he could control himself, he buried his face in Deva’s shoulder. Deva wrapped his arms around him in a friendly embrace.

    “Yeah, yeah, now get off of me. It looks gay.”

    Aiden pulled away with a laugh, smiling happily.

    “Where will we go?”
    “Anywhere we want to.” Deva said playfully linking arms and dragging him off down the path again jokingly. But this time both of them laughed.


    Ransom
    Ch. III “Shujaat”


    The evening sun painted the city sky red, the color calming the noise of day, as the noise of night began to make itself known. Deva smirked, emerald eyes wandering up to the endless clouds as Aiden busied himself looking at the cars as they passed. Finally the pair reached the entrance to the park again.

    The blond looked at his counterpart happily as he took out the extra helmet again. Aiden put it on gladly, before the noise of laughter met his ears.

    “It’s a little big.” Deva mentioned.

    Aiden pushed the helmet upward again, but again it fell in front of his eyes.

    “With your driving maybe it’s best I don’t see.” Aiden jested.
    “Perhaps. Then maybe you wouldn’t hold onto my waist for dear life.”

    Aiden blushed in frustration. But Deva turned back to him with a smile, and Aiden found mercy in his heart to forgive him. Deva often smirked and grinned, even sneered, but when he smiled plainly, it suited him better. He had a calm, knowing smile, that made a person feel warm, and appreciated. Aiden was happy Deva smiled at him.

    “We’re burning daylight here, let’s go.” Deva said again.
    “Where are we going?”
    “New York. It’s big enough to hide you for a while, no?”
    “New York?! Why?”

    Deva’s smile turned into a grin, as he slid on a pair of sunglasses.
    “People will look for you.”
    “No they won’t.” Aiden snorted.
    “You’ll think that, won’t you? No, they will. Weather they want to or not. So I though it best we disappear for a while. Besides, New York is only six hours away; I’ve got an old friend who’ll give us a place. We’ll stay for a week until the heat goes down, then it’s back to Halon again in no time.

    Silence filled the air.

    “…What if I don’t want to come back to Halon City?”

    Deva looked at Aiden, who had his eyes on the ground, nervously tugging on his clothes.
    “Poor kid.” He thought, reaching a hand to his shoulder comfortingly.

    “I know the feeling. You want to go away forever, and never have to return. You want to hide, start anew. You think if you disappear it’ll all go away. It’s a nice thought, but I’m afraid we can’t do that.”

    “Why not!” he shouted suddenly. A few people turned and looked at them.

    Deva saw a few tears stray from Aiden’s eyes, which he quickly wiped away before shoving Deva’s hand from him.

    “You don’t understand yet. You will someday Aiden, I promise.”
    “Why can’t you tell me now?”
    Deva placed a patient hand on Aiden’s head.
    “You wouldn’t appreciate it. You have to learn it for yourself. And someday, you’ll look back and thank yourself for going back.”

    Aiden looked up at him, clearly confused and angry. Deva smiled sadly. He remembered looking the same way as he entered West Halon city limits after his escape. Aiden was scared, and unsure.

    “Shujaat.” Deva said suddenly.
    “What?”
    “It’s the reason why. It’s the reason for everything we do. And someday, when I know you’ve learned this, I will tell you what it means.” He promised, taking Aiden’s hand in his own.

    “I’m just…” Aiden trailed.
    “Scared? I am too. Shujaat Aiden. It’ll keep you going.” Deva said getting on his Kawasaki motorbike again.

    The word, what ever it was, felt instantly comforting to Aiden. He didn’t know what it meant, or why it was so important, but Deva said it in a way that made it stay in his mind. He spoke the word with pride, confidence and understanding.

    “Shujaat.” Aiden said quietly as he got on the bike. “Shujaat.”
    Deva looked behind him to see Aiden, holding onto his waist firmly, but his eyes were set in thought, glazed over with determination. Without a second thought, he kick started the bike and sped off.