-THE NEXT DAY-
"…"
"Hey we're here!"
Keith shouts as Xavier's eye blitz open and he springs to his feet.
"R-really!!"
He shouts from the back of the trailer looking forward to see a small town
"Yup!"
Keith responds smiling to Xavier
"Finally!!!"
Xavier says
"Looks like I'll finally get to see Uncle Mark again!!"
He thinks to himself ecstatic
"Things are finally looking up!!!"
He thinks.
Xavier jumps out the back and runs to the front were Karim leads the camels.
"Morning Karim!"
He shouts as Karim just nods.
"Hey kid!!"
Jacob says
"Don't wonder too far ahead this place isn't as friendly as your last."
He shouts from inside the caravan
"Oh! Mr J."
"Morning!!"
Xavier shouts full of energy
"Yeah, yeah…."
"Stick close to Karim."
"Hehe, right!"
Xavier responds to Jacob in laughing.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Geez."
Xavier thinks
"I thought father said this place was just like back home."
He thinks to himself as they pass the gate and enter a dead town with almost no people.
The few people he can see.
All seemingly sickly or intoxicated.
"…"
"Well it doesn't matter."
Xavier thinks to himself
"So long as I get to see Uncle Mark."
He thinks optimistic.
Xavier and the caravan slowly trek through the town
More and more of this little place comes out the shadows.
There are almost no children.
Like at all.
And all the buildings look dilapidated.
It's odd
He thinks…
However, the optimism of being able to reconnect with a piece of his now recent past overrides the caution he feels he should take as they stroll through the town.
"We're here."
Keith shouts to everyone
They arrive at a fairly big building.
At least opposed to the other buildings they've seen so far
And just above its door letter's read
'Gora B'
With letters missing.
Xavier finds the placement of the letters familiar but can't quite put his finger on why.
"C'mon kid."
Jacob says tapping Xavier's shoulder and walking to the door.
"ri-right."
"…"
-silence-
"…"
Jacob knocks on the door.
"What's the password?"
A sly voice responds from the inside.
"You're fired."
Jacob says lighting a cigar
"AH!!"
The voice exclaims
"M-Mr Jacob…"
"Sorry sir come in!!"
The door swings open and a short scrawny hunch backed man is revealed
He looks on in terror of losing his job…
Or maybe something more…
"Weavil."
(smokes)
"How's the product?"
Jacob asks taking a puff.
"Ju-just the way you left it sir."
Weavil responds fearful
"And Mr. Ellsworth?"
Jacob asks
"Due to arrive this noon sir."
Weavil responds
"Good."
Jacob says blankly
"C'mon."
He says sharing a short exchange with Weavil before signalling to Xavier to enter.
The interior is much fancier than Xavier expected.
Paintings decorate the wall and what look like expensive ornaments and furniture design the place.
Granted it could do with a little dusting
But the question of who owns this building crosses Xavier's mind
Because as well-mannered as Keith is.
And much as Jacob loves to flaunt his gold teeth.
That doesn't seem sufficient for the riches on display right now
"…"
Xavier is led to a room at the end of a stair case while Keith just waves them off.
"Isn't he coming?"
Xavier asks Jacob.
"…"
"No Keith has…"
"Other business to tend to."
Jacob says as they enter the room
It's a big oval office with massive bookshelves
"Take a sit."
Jacob says to Xavier before going to sit behind the desk at the end of the room.
"Want something to eat?"
Jacob asks putting his feet up on the desk.
"Ah--"
"Yeah..."
Xavier responds.
"Weavil!!"
"Get the kid a sandwich or something will ya."
Jacob shouts to the scrawny man
"Y-Yes sir."
Weavil responds
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Ahh.."
"Mr J."
Xavier calls.
"Yeah??"
Jacob responds rusty voiced from the smoke.
"Wh-what time will we go looking for Uncle Mark?"
Xavier asks unease in his voice as something FINALLY starts to feel wrong about this whole ordeal.
"Oh… soon"
Jacob responds
"We just have to…"
(smokes)
"Meet someone first.."
He says
(coughs) "Don't worry about it."
He says
"Meet someone??"
Xavier thinks to himself confused.
"Ah… right."
Xavier responds to Jacob.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"W-what about Keith will he be joining us soon after he's done??"
Xavier asks again uneasy.
"…"
"You sure ask a lot of questions don't you?"
Jacob responds
"Ah here is your sandwich little friend."
Weavil says handing a plate with an egg sandwich to Xavier.
"Thank you Weavil."
Xavier says with a warm smile that catches Weavil off-guard
Overjoyed at the gesture though he returns the smile and bows before heading out.
"Tsk."
"Huh?"
"Nothing…"
Jacob clicks his tongue at the gesture allowing for a short but awkward exchange between Xavier and Jacob
"…"
Time passes as Xavier eats his sandwich…
And the pair continue to sit in silence
Xavier decides to pass the time by looking the room over.
For a place laden with bookshelves they are barely any books.
Leading Xavier to wonder if this room is ever used.
As more time passes.
It gets harder for Xavier to stay awake
And just as he starts to doze off…
("BAM!!!!!!")
The door swings open violently startling Xavier awake
A stocky short man in a suit rushes in followed by two masked larger men!!!
"Mr Jacob I hope you have what I asked for."
The man says speaking fast
His voice is squeaky and accent, posh.
"Time is money you know."
He says
"And the less time I spend in this place… well the richer I feel Mr Jacob."
He says smiling
"…"
Jacob watches the man in silence as a startled Xavier looks on confused.
"Good afternoon to you too…"
He begins
"Mr Ellsworth."
He says slowly standing up and reaching for a handshake…
"Eck."
…Which is ignored.
"Do you have what I asked for??"
Mr Ellsworth says
"Also its Sir Ellsworth to you."
Sir Ellsworth says.
Jacob gestures to Xavier in response.
"Wh-what's going on??"
Xavier thinks watching the situation unravel confused
"See Mr Jacob I'd really appreciate it if you didn't think of us as equals."
Sir Ellsworth says gesturing to the masked men before being given a pair of white gloves.
"That would…"
"Complicate things."
He says approaching Xavier
"Hey let go!"
Xavier shouts as Sir Ellsworth aggressively grabs hold of his face.
"Restrain him."
Sir Ellsworth gestures to the men who come straight to Xavier and hold him down by the arms.
"Hey!! What Gives!!!"
Xavier shouts
"Mr J!!!"
"HEY MR J!!!"
Xavier shouts to Jacob who remains silent lighting another cigar
"Ack!"
Xavier exclaims as Sir Ellsworth holds his face again as if inspecting it.
"Hmm…"
Sir Ellsworth exclaims before widening Xavier's eyes
"…"
"Aha!"
He exclaims looking into his eyes
"AH!!!!"
"HEY WHAT GIVES!?!!"
Xavier shouts when Sir Ellsworth pokes his eyes with his gloved fingers
"STOP THAT!! HEY!!!!"
Xavier shouts before Sir Ellsworth stops.
"Good."
Sir Ellsworth says with a huge grin that exposes a single golden tooth at the front
"They're real."
He says pulling away from him
"But why is his hair black?"
He asks to a shrug of the shoulders from Jacob who faces the ceiling smoking
"Tch."
"No matter we'll take him."
Sir Ellsworth says arrogantly.
"Take me??"
Xavier thinks to himself alert
"There's nothing that a little hair dye can't fix."
Sir Ellsworth says
"Hose him down and check for any wounds."
Sir Ellsworth says signalling to the masked men holding Xavier who proceed to lift him from where he sits and start to take him out
"Hey!!!"
"HEY!!!!!"
"LET GO WHAT IS THIS!!!!!!"
Xavier shouts as he is lifted away!!!
"I'll be back for him in six months."
Sir Ellsworth says as Xavier continues to shout in the background.
"And as for your pay expect two carriages by tomorrow."
He says a cheeky grin on his face
"HEY!!!!"
Xavier shouts
"HEY!!!!!!!"
He shouts
"MR J!!!!!!!"
He screams
"WHATS GOING ON!!!!!!"
He shouts
"MR J!!!!!!!!!!!"
Xavier's shouts continue to echo the building as he is dragged out the room.
"Heh…"
"Pleasure doing business with you."
Sir Ellsworth says
"Mr Jacob."
He says disgustingly taking off the gloves and throwing them on the floor as he leaves the room a great smile plastered across his face as Xavier's shouts echo the building!!!
"…"
-silence-
"…"
("TING!!!")
Jacob flicks his lighter open…
(smokes)
"…"
"…"
-To Be Continued-