Day 3

You don't remember much else, past smoking with Mitch. You vaguely remember getting tossed around in the alley and later stumbling into someone's bed. By the musty smell and grimy feel, you can only guess it's your sheets you're entangled in. As you stretch your limbs, you're relieved to find everything remains intact. It feels like a month has passed since you've last been in your own apartment. Did the brother's know where you lived? Did one of them carry you back here? You quickly dismiss the details as the pounding in your head was getting stronger. But as you straighten up against the bedframe, you nearly pass out again as Agent Miller stares at you, wide eyed and alert.

"Fuck!" You clutch your chest in pain. The sudden rush of adrenaline hits you hard as you suddenly feel lightheaded.

"Finally, you're up." You turn and see the Kid brewing tea with your bent up kettle. You wonder how he dug that up in the heap of kitchen clutter. He pours two servings of black tea into mismatched cups and asks if you'd like any. You wave your hand and turn back to Miller, who's hasn't taken his eye off you this entire time. Rubbing the crease on your forehead you croak, "How the fuck did you two get in?"

"Well you always keep the spare in the same two spots. Maybe change it up once it a while. You know, spice things up."

"God, what time is it?" The sun blinds you through the curtains. Your vision's blurry and everything looks lopsided. Wincing through the nausea, you read the bright neon numbers on your clock: 10:30. You were way past your check-in time. You fall back in bed, defeated and already exhausted. The Kid loudly sips his drink as if to deliberately annoy you. "Don't you have work today?"

"I traded shifts with someone, so no. And for the reason I'm here..." The Kid flashes a white paper bag and pats it on the counter. "I ran into Doc yesterday and he asked me to give you these. It's like, pain relief medicine or something for your arm. How's it doing anyway?"

"Fine. Just sore."

"Mmm, sure. But anyways..." The Kid points his head towards Miller and mouths, "Who's that?"

"Oh he's... he's someone I work with at the Auction House. Wait, you let some random guy you didn't know into my house?"

"Oh you two seemed very well-acquainted since he was holding you in his arms. We just kind of skipped the pleasantries cause he was practically sobbing over your drunk body at the stairwell. Honestly, your neighbors thought you were dead or something by how he was acting. No offense sir, but you were being very melodramatic. Getting drunk and passing out is like, every other day with this man. What? Don't give me that look Gael, you know it's true."

Miller abruptly gets up and kneels before speaking, "I'm sorry, Gael. I shouldn't have drunk on the job. I failed to protect you."

The Kid looks from Miller to you with raised eyebrows. "Did you join a gang or something? Who the fuck is this guy? And protect you from who? Glen Moray and Jack Daniels? I thought the Auction House was a desk job or something."

Your head feels like its about to implode. You promise yourself to never drink again. As you dry swallow some of the pills Doc gave you, you mutter, "It's complicated."

"Yeah, I bet. Tell me something that isn't."

"He's just someone that follows me around."

"What does that even mean?"

"I told you it's complicated!"

"Oh my god, forget it." The Kid saunters over to Miller and sits down next to him. He extends his hand to which Miller hesitantly shakes. "Hello Miller. I have no name but everyone just calls me Kid. Why are you following Gael like a lost puppy?"

Miller looks over as if asking for your permission. You shrug and lay back in bed.

"I'm an agent. I was assigned as Gael's guardian."

"So what else do you do? You must be doing something else besides following him."

"I...I'm not allowed to say. It's confidential."

"Ohhh, I get it. So you must be a pervert." You shake your head as the Kid performs his infamous gaslighting technique.

As expected, this accusation throws Miller off guard and he stutters, "E-Excuse me?"

"I mean, yeah. Why else would you be holding Gael while he's passed out or watching him while he's asleep. You probably did all sorts of dirty things to him before I got there, didn't you?"

"I didn't!"

"Wow, sounds pretty defensive for someone who's innocent. Is it normal for someone to just watch someone while they are sleeping? I mean, it makes total sense to me that you're just a dirty, filthy, closeted pervert." The Kid jabbed Miller's chest with his last words, quite literally and figuratively. You get the feeling the Kid would be quite good as an interrogator. He saw through Miller's weak points in just one sitting.

As you watch Miller flush pink again, he stutters before retorting back, "I-I'm protecting him from renegade militia groups. He's assigned to someone in high security so the Feds want to make sure Gael doesn't come into their influence."

This was probably not what the Kid was expecting to hear. But to be fair, you weren't expecting it either. For once, the Kid is speechless. Digesting what he's just heard he gets up and claps his hands. "Wow, ok. So, I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that. Whatever this is, you got yourself wrapped up in Gael, I want no part in. Wow." The kid is out the door but you can still hear him muttering down the stairs, "In just two days that man has gotten into more bullshit than I can count..."

It's long past to be fashionably late but you decide it's better than not showing up at all. You pat Miller's back a few times before getting up yourself. "Time to go, Miller." He nods, realizing he just got outsmarted by the Kid.