Fortune woke up at least two hours later and opened his eyes to me looking at him. His eyes were ever so slightly red. This scene was also jaw dropping. His gray iris complimented his complexion. One gray and the other brown. He smiled at me and sat up before gasping.
"What is Johan doing here? You didn't call for protection, did you, Treasure?" He looked at me with a disgusted expression.
"Ah, Fortune, pleased to see you again," Agnus smiled and held out his hand to shake Fortune's.
Fortune looked reluctant but shook his hand, "Yes Johan?"
"Dear," Agnus paused, "brother, why are you putting your friend in this trouble? The CDs, I am acting not on behalf of the FBI but as your brother, stop searching for them. You will turn into how Joe was." I could see Agnus's genuine sadness.
Dear brother? Agnus was Fortune's brother. Why would he call his own brother dangerous? I was completely confused. While they talked I sat on the sidelines as I've done my entire life. I watched.
Fortune laughed, "Seriously? You think I will turn out like Joe?"
Agnus nodded.
"Joe was impeccable, sure, but he was also careless and never thought anything through. I take risks, taking risks and being careless are different. A risk is a minimum of a 50 percent chance. I am always 50 percent sure." argued Fortune.
Agnus frowned, "50 is not enough."
"It is enough, did father never teach you anything?" Fortune grinned.
"His teachings were cruel, and it is why you have turned out the way you are, you mustn't search for the other CDs," Agnus looked at me, "please stop him."
"Father loved us only 50 percent, was it not enough?" Fortune began to get louder.
"He loved you, 50 percent," Agnus corrected.
Fortune fell quiet, and he simply looked downwards before looking back at Agnus with pain on his face, "You can't stop me."
"I know."
"I never want to see your face, Johan, never, and do not send the others my way," he glared at Agnus and stood to his two feet. "Disappear."
And like that, Agnus left. I didn't see him for the rest of the train ride. Fortune went back to sleep and I stroked his hair. I felt as if I could've done something to help him feel better, besides just stroking his hair while he slept. Soon I fell asleep too.
When I woke up, Fortune was gone. I panicked at first, then realized that I looked like a maniac. I noticed my phone was missing and then, again, panicked. Not only that, but I wanted to contact my mom and let her know that I wouldn't be home for a week, but I guess not. As I stood to go look for Fortune, he appeared from the bathroom.
"Ah, Treasure, have a good nap?"
I glared at him, "Where is my cellphone?"
"Hm... I don't know, did you leave it home?" He asked.
He was so clearly lying that it made me angry. I held my emotions and sighed deeply. I didn't need my phone, but I still would prefer him to at least tell the truth.
"Now let's go sit back down, we've only been on here for nine hours," he grinned, and it reminded me of Agnus now.
We sat down, and we talked only about the CDs. I thought it would have been dangerous to talk about them in public, but everyone else was enjoying their dinner in the hall. At least we thought everyone was. While talking with Fortune, I thought, I would never hand this man over to anyone. He is mine. Fortune Laurent is mine. My best friend. No one can take him from me. I know for a fact that I would give up time and space itself for him.
"You are very loutish," I said.
Fortune laughed. Then more. And even more, "Loutish? You must listen to too much music."
I stared at him in confusion.
"The smiths?"
"Who?" I asked.
He suddenly stopped laughing, "Never mind, either way, I am not loutish I am speaking at this level because no one else is here."
"What about CD #7 again?" I asked.
"Well it's about, well I heard, this one is about the Holocaust," he continued. "Trust me, I am not a neo-Nazi but watching people suffer is truly my thing. It's not that I hate Jewish people specifically nor Cambodians just people in agony are, well, entertaining is it not?"
I looked at him in silence, saying nothing.
"The Holocaust is truly one of humanity's worst, but it does not deserve to be in the written. I find it, humiliating to the rest of the other genocides or terrible circumstances. For instance, Jonestown, it was absolutely magnificent. 909 lives lost due to suicide, astonishing. It could have been better, perhaps, if they all had shot themselves going in order from youngest to oldest with one gun too. That is why if I see Jonestown in these CDs I will be disappointed as it could have been better," he sighed.
"Well, what about the French Revolution? Well, not the revolution but the executions," I suggested.
"By the royal executioners?" he asked.
"Yes, for example, Charles-Henri Sanson."
Fortune thought for long and gasped with realization for something, "Louis the sixteenth! Now that would be interesting, but it is impossible as cameras didn't exist back then, let alone video cameras."
"That is true," I agreed and sighed.
"Let's get something to eat," he offered.
The next two days on the train were terrible. I felt trapped and free at the same time. As we departed from the train, he sighed and looked me dead in the eyes before saying the most unbelievable thing ever.
"I don't have a friend named Viola," he blurted.
I dropped my suitcase, "Are you serious?"
"Do I seem like the type to lie?" he asked.
I was so sick of his lies constantly. I grabbed my suitcase. He shouted at me while I walked away from him. People must have thought we were an angry couple fighting because I could hear them whispering around us. When I finally calmed down, I was in the middle of New York. I didn't have my phone, as it was missing. I couldn't contact Fortune. I didn't even have a couple of quarters to call him from a pay phone. I found myself in front of the Museum of Modern Art after walking around for a short while. It would be good to scope out the place before I actually went in to steal something. It was peaceful without Fortune. I didn't have someone nagging or smacking in my ear all the time. As I stepped in, I glanced around. Scary. I thought. I was from a small town, so seeing many people was new.
I walked over to an attendant, "Well I," I stuttered a lot. "I wanted, well a friend, well both a friend and I but he isn't here. I'd like to see the painting by Leo…" I shut down. What was his name, again?
"Leo?" She repeated back, "what is the last name?"
I thought harder.
"Da Vinci, the Starry Night, please," I heard the familiar voice right behind me as it wrapped its arm around me.
I wanted to say so many things, but I kept it to myself since we were inside a museum. I swear it was Van Gogh.
"Ah, of course sirs, right this way."
She led us to the Starry Night. It was much more beautiful in person. I felt terrible that I had to destroy a painting that someone painted. He took his time to paint this yet two teenagers searching for a CD that may or may not affect the world just might be inside the painting.
"Can't wait to rip a giant hole into this painting," Fortune said aloud and smiled.
An old lady nearby giggled at this as if it were a joke.
I glared at him.
I was ready to leave the first hour, but Fortune was absolutely dedicated to scuffing out every inch of the Museum today. Once we finally left, it was five p.m. We stood outside the Museum as the breeze went by.
"So where are we staying?" I asked sarcastically.
"Someone that I did not want to stay with," he sighed.
"Who?"
"Viola," he stated as if it were common sense.
I upturned my lip, "You said you didn't have a friend named Viola."
"I don't," he paused. "I have a sister."
I had stormed off earlier for absolutely no reason, when all I had to do was let him explain. I was so used to him lying that it honestly seemed like everything he said was a lie. Seems it was just like a couple's fight. I smiled then quickly laughed, he joined my laughter.
"Viola Laurent, huh?" I asked.
"Viola Paul," he began to walk, "different mothers."
"Well, how old is she?" I asked.
"My mother or my sister?"
"Your sister."
"Oh," he grinned that same hysterical grin. "eleven."