The next day

I didn’t want the guys to get worried about Nick and I disappearing or anything like that, so the minute Rok mentioned we would be needing to buy some last minute supplies I volunteered to go and get them and asked Kevin if Nick could come with me. Surprisingly, he accepted. I guessed he was still on a guilt trip and wanted to make me happy.

We walked to the bar without saying too much at first. I tried to act confident but, truth to be told, I was as nervous as him but for different reasons.

“What if that Gris is not there, Nick?”

“I don’t know. I suppose I could ask someone where can I find him.”

We were less than a block away when I heard someone calling me and I froze. It was a booming voice in my head, which kept saying my name, “Alexander”. It’s him.

“Aje, come on.” Nick stopped a couple of steps ahead of me.  “AJ?”

I didn’t answer so he came back and stood at my side. “What is it?”

“I…”

“Something happens?”

“I can’t go in there” I said shaking my head.

“You can’t go? Why?”

“I can’t Nicky.”

“Come on AJ. You promised me.”

“No, you don’t get it, I want to, but I can’t.”

“Why?” he asked intrigued.

I looked into his eyes. “My father is in there.”

“Your father? What are you talking about AJ?”

“My father.” I said slowly as if that would explain everything. Nick looked even more confused.

“Is this a joke?”

“I wish, but no. He is one of them Nick.”

I didn’t know if he had finally understood what I was saying but for some reason he believed me. “Shit! Do you want us to go back to the ship?”

“No.”

“Lets go Bone.” he said going back and pulling me by the sleeve of my jacket. I didn’t move.

“No, Nick. I need to go in there. We are going inside. You have to solve your problem and I need to talk to him.”

“No, AJ. Lets just go back. I will tell Kevin everything.” Great Bone, you already scared him.

“I’m going in, Nick.” I said finding the courage to walk to the bar. When I was about to go inside I heard his steps behind me, he was running and caught me in seconds. The place, as always, was really dark and a strong damp smell was emanating from it. It wasn’t crowded but I saw more people than the last time; it didn’t take me too much to find my father though, he was sitting at the same table on the corner where I had seen him the first time.

“AJ the Gris is not here, lets just go home.” Nick hissed at my side.

“Hello Alexander.” My father greeted raising a glass full with an amber liquid.

“You go if you want Nicky. I’m staying” I answered approaching the table.

“Come on take a seat.” he patted the chair at his side but I chose a chair in front of him. Nick was still at my side without knowing what to do. “Man, you do look like your father kid,” he addressed to Nick “What’s your name again?”

“His name is Nick and he is not staying. Go back to the ship bro.”

Nick just stood there with a worried look on his face. I read his lips: “Are you crazy?”

“Go to the ship Nick.”

“Alex” he pleaded, this time out loud.

“Go Nicky.”

Nick looked at my father and at the other two men at the table and then he looked at me again. “I’m going to tell Kevin that you are here,” he said before running to the door.

“Do whatever you want,” I said under my breath.

My father made a gesture to the other two, who immediately left the table and went to the bar. Jeff was sitting there and he was looking at me. For a minute I had the feeling that he was as uncomfortable as I was.

“Well, Alexander. Wait, it’s Alex, right? That’s what they call you.”

“AJ”

“What?”

“The name is AJ. Only my family calls me Alex and you are not family.”

“Wow kid, you speak like that cousin of yours. Yeah, you sound like Kevin. His father was the same way. I guess that’s Ryan’s blood in you.”

It felt sick hearing he talk about my uncle after what Kevin had told me.

“So you want things pretty clear from the beginning, don’t you?” he asked me.

“Yes.” I tried to act as tough as possible but I was shaking inside. “What do you want?”

“I told you. I wanna talk to you. You are my son.”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You can’t go against blood. I’ve been looking for you?”

“What for?”

“Because you are my son. Isn’t that enough reason?”

“Not even before knowing who you really are, did I think of you as my father. You are only the man who got my mother pregnant. I was alright without you in my life and I plan to stay that way.”

“Who I really am? You mean a Tracon? You are a Tracon too, AJ. Part of you is Tracon.”

“So what?” I gave a shrug of indifference. “I don’t care.”

“You will, son. You don’t belong with them. You belong here with us.”

I looked at Jeff over his shoulder.

“Here. Have a drink”

“Huh?” I said looking at my father again.

“I said have a drink,” he repeated placing a glass with the amber liquid in front of me and turning around to look at the bar, probably trying to find what I had been looking. He faced me again with a big smile on his face.

“No, thank you.” I said pushing the glass aside. “And don’t tell me where I belong. You don’t know me; you have no clue about me.”

“Help me then. Let me know you Alex.”

“I told you not to call me that.”

“Son, I don’t know what had they told you about me but I’m almost sure they had lied to you. You have to see the things for yourself. I would never hurt you.”

“My family would never lie to me.”

“We are your family too.”

“I have to go,” I said standing up.

“Why? Are you afraid of what I could tell you.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“But you don’t want to know if they had lied to you.”

I wanted to tell him again that my family would never lie to me but I couldn’t, they had already lied and I hated to admit that he was right. “Fuck you!” was the only thing I could say before leaving the table and turning my back to him.

I have to get out of here before he senses my doubts.

“I will see you again,” he yelled at me before I reached the door. I turned around and gave him a look but I couldn’t manage to say anything so I just left the place.

The minute I found myself on the street I regretted my decision. Why did I leave? I should have stay there longer. There’s so much I want to know. I forced myself to keep walking. I couldn’t go there again. No, just walk away. I don’t have anything to do here. Damn, why I feel like I have to be there with them. I walked as fast as I could and some minutes later I reached the ship. Kevin was sitting on the stairs near the main gate.

“Did you talk to him?” he asked me.

I took a seat at his side. “Nicky told you that I was there?”

“Yes. The poor kid came running like someone was chasing him. I asked D to tell him everything. He’s in there explaining everything to him and Brian.”

“Why didn’t you go and look for me?”

“You needed to talk to him.”

“You didn’t think that yesterday.”

“I wanted to speak with him first Alex. I needed to be sure that he wasn’t going to hurt you. I know now that he wouldn’t do it.”

“He already hurt me the day he came back to my life. And why you are even saying that? You think he won’t hurt me? Don’t tell me you think he loves me.”

“I would like to tell you that but no bro, sorry. I don’t think Drew is capable of loving anyone. What I do think is that you are important for his plans.” And now you decide to being sincere. You are a big jerk Kevin.

“Care to tell me what he said?”

“No.” He call you a liar and I couldn’t defend you. You want to hear that, Train?

“We are leaving tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t want to go?” Where did that come from?

“What?”

“That’s an option, right?” Tell me it’s not. Why I’m even saying these things?

“No, it’s not. You are coming.”

“You can’t make me.”

“Of course I can.”

“Deal with it Kevin. You can’t.”

“Excuse me,” someone said and we both look up to find a little Gris standing in front of us.

“Is there a human kid named Nick in this ship?”

“Who’s asking?” I saw Kevin’s left hand hover his laser. The Gris probably saw it too because he raised his hands for us to see them.

“I’m just a friend.”

“A friend?”

“Okay, not exactly a friend, just someone who knows him.”

“Knows him?” Why are you repeating everything Kev?

“The kid owes me money.”

Oh shit!

Kevin stood up and the guy became really nervous. I had always thought about the Grises as short people but that was probably just because I used to compare them to the Sargons. In reality the average Gris was not that short. The Grises were skinny, quiet creatures just a little shorter than humans. Now, this Gris in particular was probably pretty short for an adult, and in front of my tall cousin I could understand his agitation.

“My little brother owes you money?” The booming voice of Kevin wasn’t going to make him feel less uncomfortable.

“I...” he was definitely scared. “You are one of those rebels, aren’t you?” Kevin didn’t even bother to answer the question and eyed him up and down. Of course, that explains it. It’s not only Kevin’s height what makes him nervous but the fact that he had recognized him. Grises aren’t an example of courage and rebels are known as tough people.

“Sir, I don’t want to bother you but the kid and I made a deal. I sold him a laser and he hadn’t canceled his debt.” Sir? Hmm, I have a feeling that this is a very young Gris. But then again you can never tell with the Grises. They always look the same once they reach adulthood; they never get gray hair or wrinkles like humans.

“AJ” Kevin was clenching his fists, not a good sign. “Go and call Nickolas.” Nickolas? Nick is definitely in trouble.

I walked into the ship and found Nick, Brian and Howie sitting on the main room. They all gave me a weird look and I remembered what Kevin had told me, which made me feel incredible uneasy. They had been talking about my father, about me.

“Nick, bro, your day has come,” I said immediately trying to avoid the uncomfortable feeling their stares had caused me. “That Gris is outside talking to Kevin. He told him about the gun.”

Nick got pale and I though he had stopped breathing.

“Shit! Brian you got to help me.” he was pulling Brian’s sleeve. “Kevin is going to kill me.”

“What are you talking about? And don’t curse!”

“NICK!” Kevin yelled outside.

“Nick what’s going on?” Howie asked standing up, his brow creased.

“NICK!”

“You better hurry up Kaos.” I said feeling bad for the kid.

Nick left the room and approached the gate with the three of us following him. He was walking very slow, like trying to delay the inevitable. Once outside I noticed that the Gris had stepped back from Kevin and was looking at the floor. When he heard us coming he looked up at Nick with those strange black eyes. Grises’ eyes were all black, without the white part the humans had. That was the only big difference between them and humans, that an their gray skin of course.

“Nick, do you know this guy?” Kevin asked.

Kaos didn’t answer and just stood in the door, as far from Kevin as he could, his eyes darting from the Gris to me. If you are looking for help here Nick, you are not going to find it. I’m sorry bro but I have no idea what to say.

“I’m asking you a question. Do you know this guy?”

The kid finally nodded.

“You bought a gun from him?” Kevin was beyond pissed and shot Kaos a frightening glance, it was like fire was about to come from his eyes. He doesn’t have that power, does he?

“Yes.” Nick mumbled.

“How much do you owe him?” Kevin said in a lower voice, the same tone of voice we used to call “the calm before the storm”.

Nicky gave a nervous gulp before answering. “30 kubrimks.”

Kevin shook his head in disapproval. Howie and Brian were witnessing everything in awe.

“Go wait inside.”

“Kevin I...”

“NOW!”

Nick ran inside and Brian went after him. Kevin immediately got out some money from one of his pockets.

“Here’s your money.” The Gris took it quickly. “And now just disappear. If I ever see you again near this ship or near my brother you will regret it.”

“You won’t see me again, sir, I promise.” The Gris told him before running away.

Kevin faced us and for a moment I thought he was about to came up the steps but he turned around again. After a couple of seconds he looked at us for the second time.

“I have to go.”

What?

“You have to go? Where are you going?” Howie asked.

“i need to go for a walk.”

“Walk? Why?”

“AJ, if I go inside I’m going to do something I’ll regret because right now all I wanna do is to knock some sense into that kid. And when I say knock, I’m talking literally.” Oookay

And having said that, he just walked away.

----
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