Buttons glanced in my direction and then back towards the road. The city was bustling, even though there wasn't heavy traffic at the moment, thanks to the sunny weather. In New Dawn City, most people relied on public transportation like the subway, buses, or hired drivers. Those who didn't opt to walk to their destinations. Leaving cars or motorcycles unattended in the open was risky since parts could easily go missing, prompting costly repairs.
That might explain why the abandoned cars lined the streets, seemingly unnoticed and uncared for. They weren't worth the effort to move, and their owners couldn't justify the expense of fixing them.
"So, are you going to tell me what that was about?" Buttons finally broke the silence after we left the abandoned factory.
I was relieved she didn't mention anything about my face. If it resembled Ricky's in any way, it must have been quite a sight.
Avoiding eye contact, I focused on the ever-changing scenery outside the window, a habit I had whenever I rode with someone. "There's not much to say, honestly. When I gave him leadership before I left town, he responded with the typical Ricky threat. I didn't think he'd actually follow through, but I guess he meant it."
"With everything that's going on, it's not surprising he's wound up. You know how he is. You and him will be best buds again before you know it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Isn't that how it always-"
I interrupted her before she could go on about the cyclical nature of male friendships, where fights would occur one moment and reconciliation the next. "I meant with everything that's going on."
This time, instead of gazing out the window, I looked at her. She briefly met my gaze and then shifted her eyes back to the road. "I'll tell you, but only if you tell me what's happening with you."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but you seem different. Also, we never finished our earlier conversation."
Was I different? I certainly didn't feel any change from yesterday or even the past month. Perhaps I couldn't perceive it, but she could. Well, everyone changes, I supposed.
"Yeah, I'd rather not. At least not yet," I told her.
Buttons remained silent on the matter, and I was relieved she didn't push further. As we continued driving in silence, I noticed that we were heading towards my home but taking a different street. It made me slightly anxious. There were countless cases of people being set up to be killed for money.
But this was Buttons we were talking about. She wouldn't do something like that to me. I think. No, I'm sure of it.
"Hey," I began, scanning the neighborhood as we drove. It was far from upscale, and I spotted a group of homeless people huddled under the bridge we passed. "Where are we going?"
Buttons glanced at me and chuckled. "Ray, I can't let you go home looking like that. I'm taking you to see the doc." Just as she finished speaking, she parked in the driveway of a house. The exterior looked better maintained than the others, but the darkened windows gave it an eerie vibe.
"What doctor?"
"One-eyed Joe. Any more questions?"
"Yeah, are you crazy?!" I nearly lost my composure upon hearing who she wanted me to see. That old man was completely unhinged, and anyone in their right mind would steer clear of him. She must have had some twisted plan to harm me. I couldn't believe it.
"Relax. Have I ever done anything harmful to you?" She asked, opening the creaking gate on the side of the house, barely hanging on its hinges.
"Well-"
"It was a rhetorical question. Just follow me, unless you want your mom to worry."
She had a point there. If my face resembled anything like Ricky's, I truly needed to be healed. The upside of the world we lived in was the advancement of medicine. Minor wounds could be effortlessly treated, taking just a few minutes to a couple of hours to vanish completely.
I still wasn't enthusiastic about being treated by that crazy old man, but I didn't have much of a choice at the moment. My wallet was empty, and the few bucks I had were stored in New Vegas.
We circled around to the back of the house and entered the garage through a side door. It was unlocked, and after Buttons stepped in, I followed suit. The interior was in much better condition than the exterior, not quite hospital quality, but there was an array of high-tech equipment scattered around.
"Hey, I brought you a customer," Buttons announced, catching One-eyed Joe's attention. He was reclining in a chair with a visor covering his face.
Removing the visor, he laid eyes on the two of us. After taking a good look at me, he spoke.
"Who-"
"Are you going to fix him, or do I need to go somewhere else?" Buttons interjected before he had a chance to finish his question. She had a brusque manner with the man, but I suppose it was necessary when dealing with someone unstable.
One-eyed Joe, true to his name, had only one functioning eye, and it was bloodshot red. He appeared different from the stories I had heard, and even his physical appearance was somewhat better than what the media portrayed. It was hard to put into words, but he seemed despondent, as if someone had killed his beloved dog right before his eyes.
After giving me a once-over, he turned his attention back to Buttons. "I don't do charity work."
Buttons reached into her pocket and tossed him a small sack.
"Are you that deep into the game now?" I commented, noticing the pills inside the transparent sack.
"Just doing what needs to be done," Buttons replied, hopping onto the cabinet in front of the medical chair. Needles and pills were scattered across the surface, with some bottles already open.
I was no stranger to doing whatever was necessary to make some cash and get by in life. But I had never stooped as low as to touch what Buttons had just given One-eyed Joe. The contents of that sack shouldn't even exist, as they were highly addictive and carried a high risk of death. Dead customers were the worst kind.
"This will do," One-eyed Joe said, pointing to the medical chair. "Come and sit down, let me take a look at you."
Following his instructions, I sat in the chair as he shone a bright light in my face. One-eyed Joe used to be a renowned doctor, and I couldn't question his skill. It was his sanity that concerned me. Recalling the stories I had heard, I tried to remain composed. His face used to be plastered everywhere before I left the city, and the news surrounding him was far from positive. But I had learned that hearing one thing didn't always mean it was the truth.
One-eyed Joe connected wires to monitor my vitals, took a blood sample, and performed several other procedures. His equipment surpassed most I had encountered before.
"So," he looked up at me with his one good eye, the close proximity feeling eerie. "What door did you run into?"
Buttons, who was across from me, looked up from her phone. One-eyed Joe paid her little attention.
"No door, just a fist," I replied as he began examining my face.
"No shit," he responded, sounding annoyed. "Who kicked your ass to next Saturday and back?"
"Hey, don't worry about that. Just focus on fixing him up," Buttons called out.
"I didn't exactly get my ass handed to me," I corrected him.
Buttons rolled her eyes, as if she couldn't believe what I was saying. Did I look that bad?
Her phone vibrated, and she appeared surprised. "Hey Ray, I've got to go. Do you want me to leave my car here?"
"No, my house isn't too far from here. I'll just walk the rest of the way," I told her.
Some people might have just left without asking, so I was grateful that she did. Thankfully, my house wasn't too distant; otherwise, I might have taken her up on the offer. Buttons didn't say much more and left.
"Need you to take your shirt off," One-eyed Joe instructed me a few minutes after Buttons disappeared.
I furrowed my brows, puzzled. I had taken a few body shots, but I felt fine, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The issue was with my face, not my chest. "Why?"
"Just standard procedure, unless there's something you want to hide," he replied.
We stared at each other for a moment, and then I reluctantly took off my shirt. The way he stared at me was as if he was looking at a walking corpse. I knew exactly what he was fixated on, and I was relieved that Buttons had left before this examination. If she found out... I wasn't sure how she would react.
But that led me to question: Did I even want her to know?
On my chest, where my heart was located, there was a bulge. My chest felt perfectly fine, but the abnormal sight was something that many would kill over.
"This should have stopped growing years ago," One-eyed Joe began to explain as he checked my lungs. "You know it's dangerous to let it progress this far. If you don't get it removed soon, it will severely limit your lifespan."
"Yeah, I know. Don't tell Buttons or anyone else about it," I responded, my voice tinged with a mix of resignation and desperation.
He chuckled, the first time I had seen him do so. "I'm not one to go around spreading gossip. Besides, I don't have many people to talk to these days."
After the incident, I supposed he was now truly alone. People saw him as a crazy old man, so everyone kept their distance. If it weren't for Buttons, I wouldn't be here conversing with him now.
He motioned for me to get dressed. "So, what kind is it?"
"The doctor in New Vegas said it's a Ruby. But the surgeries are expensive," I confessed.
One-eyed Joe nodded knowingly. "Indeed, so expensive that ninety percent of the world can't afford it. Most people's never grow beyond a certain point, but there are rare cases like yours. If you don't have it removed, it will continue to grow until your heart stops beating."
I listened attentively, though I was already aware of this information. It was widely known.
"I'll tell you what, I'll remove it for free."
When a crazy old man suggests cutting you open, the prospect is hardly comforting. I wasn't comfortable with the idea, even if his skills were still top-notch. Especially because he wanted to do it for free.
"Whoa, don't give me that look. I have a favor to ask of you. I want you to find my daughter, Julia," he proposed.
"Julia?" I echoed, taken aback. "I don't know anyone by that name."
"But that girl you're with does. I figured if you're close, she could introduce you to her. You see, I haven't seen Julia in ten years, and I'd like to reconnect," he explained.
"Ten years is a long time," I remarked, standing up from the chair. "I suppose she's not responding to your calls or messages?"
One-eyed Joe nodded. He didn't delve further into the matter, and to be honest, I wasn't particularly interested in his backstory. Everyone had their own burdens to bear, and it wasn't my place to pry. If someone chose to share, they would. That was all there was to it.
"I'll think about it," I told him before heading out.
As I left One-eye'd Joe's place, his request to find his long-lost daughter, Julia, lingered in my mind. Ten years was a substantial amount of time, and the fact that she hadn't been in touch with him for so long raised questions. But I had my own priorities and limited time in this city.
Burying my father had been the main reason for coming here, and once that was done, I intended to return to New Vegas. Staying in this city for the long term wasn't part of my plans. I had debts to settle, and a life to rebuild.
Walking through the neighborhood, I couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the houses around me. The rundown houses were a far cry from the high-end areas I had become accustomed to in New Vegas. Poverty and struggle were more evident here, and the sight of the homeless people under the bridge reminded me of the harsh realities faced by many.
As I approached my home, I felt a mix of relief and apprehension. It had been a long day, and my battered face was a testament to the events that had unfolded. Stepping inside, I was greeted by the familiar scent of the place I had grown up in. Memories of my childhood flooded back, both good and bad.
Settling into the living room with my mom, the atmosphere felt both comforting and melancholic. Our old house, which my father had insisted on keeping, now held the weight of memories and the absence of his presence. The few items we had left behind served as reminders of the life we once had.
My mom's reminder about leaving early for the funeral tomorrow brought the reality of the situation back into focus. It was a bittersweet occasion, gathering with family to bid farewell to my father. But amidst the somberness, my mom shared some unexpected news that brightened the mood.
She mentioned that my aunt had asked about me and suggested that I give her a call. Additionally, she informed me that Derrick, my older cousin who had been serving in the armed forces in Europe, had recently returned. The idea of reconnecting with Derrick and reminiscing about the old days brought a sense of excitement.
"When did he return," I inquired.
"Not that long ago, Destiny said he was rotated out and set to come back this year. The timing is just off since he won't have a joyous return." My mom said as she took a sip of her water. Glancing at me she rubbed the side of my face before giving me a sly grin. "How is Buttons? I haven't seen her in ages, she's doing well I hope."
"Yeah, she's fine," I told her.
Our conversation continued for a while before I headed upstairs to my old room.
As I settled onto my black futon chair, memories of the past flooded my mind. It used to be the coolest thing ever, a symbol of my carefree days when worries seemed distant. It had once belonged to my uncle James, and though I had outgrown my fascination with it, I couldn't bring myself to part with it. The chair served as a memento, a tangible connection to a time when life was simpler.
Turning on the television, I expected to find solace in sports, but fate had other plans. The screen flickered to life, revealing a news station instead. A line of officers dressed in suits caught my attention, their serious expressions magnified by the gravity of being on television. It seemed the city had more pressing matters at hand.
The image focused on a woman standing at a podium, her demeanor exuding determination. "The Lotus gang has been responsible for more than a hundred kidnappings and deaths. Today we have put a stop to that by arresting their leaders and recovering more than three hundred gems of various types. Gem harvesting is a heinous crime that carries a hefty sentence-"
Before she could finish her statement about the Lotus gang, responsible for numerous kidnappings and deaths, I swiftly changed the channel. The news had always been a reminder of the dark underbelly of the city, a stark contrast to the memories I cherished.
Feeling a sense of disillusionment, I couldn't help but think that this city was as bad as I remembered. The news stories of crime, violence, and corruption served as a constant reminder of the harsh reality lurking just beyond the surface. It was a reminder of why I had distanced myself from this place, seeking a fresh start in New Vegas.
As I leaned back on the futon chair, contemplating the events that had unfolded, a mix of emotions swirled within me. The impending funeral, the unexpected reunion with Derrick, and the favor One-eye'd Joe had asked of me — all of these factors weighed heavily on my mind. In this city, where darkness seemed to overshadow the light, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for me and those I cared about.