25. RAVEN

25

RAVEN

If some people are signs, others are speed bumps. The little dude definitely is.

I ride through Ayana later that afternoon when I hear someone wailing my name. I see Sonny running in my direction, holding his hand above his head, his hair flapping in the wind as he almost trips on himself.

"Ra-ave!" He waves for me to stop.

I do and turn off the engine. Like I said, speed bump.

He's always so loud, like everything is the most important thing in the world demanding attention.

"Raaaave!" He almost runs into me and my bike, and I see that the thing he's gripping in his hand is some sort of candy wrapped in a package.

He pants as he waves the candy in front of me, practically jamming it in my face. "You gotta try this! Do it! 'S like the best thing eva'!"

The candy is so close to my face that I have to lean back and gently take his wrist to inspect his latest infatuation.

It's a giant rainbow swirl marshmallow. I nod in approval, though these days they have so many candy varieties that I'm sure this one is nothing special.

Sonny has a different opinion. "Try it! Sssso good!" His lips pucker goofily when he says "good" with more enthusiasm than he ever said about anything. "Try! Try, Rave!" he begs, his eyes darting from the already open package to my face, back and forth, his eyes bright like stars.

I want to dismiss him. I want to roll my eyes. But this little dude is rubbing off on me. Right now, he is grinning from ear to ear, his puppy eyes on me.

I lean in and take a little bite of the sticky, sugary thing. I know what it tastes like. It's a freaking giant marshmallow. And this kid just discovered it for the first time in his life.

His eyes fixate on my mouth, growing larger as I swallow the candy and theatrically lick my lips.

He meets my gaze. "Good, yeah? Taste' like clouds. Soooo gooood." His eyes are full of so much wonder that suddenly I feel a lump in my throat.

"Here." I gently push it away, my heart twisting. "You should eat it all."

"Nah. You can have it." He pushes it back into my hand. "I'll get another one. They have several left at Ayana Mart. An' then they are out. So, you have it. Bu' so good, yeah?"

It looks like he's been using his Ayana bracelet mostly on food and candy and funky clothes that Kai helps him order online, because we don't have kids' clothes at Ayana.

And he won't shut up. He insists on me having that candy, but I push it back to him, and he finally gives up, studies the wrapper, and tells me a mile a second how he discovered it's the best candy they have in the store. And I have to look away and hide my eyes so he doesn't think something is wrong because I'm sucking in my cheeks at the thought that some kids have so little that a marshmallow is their biggest treasure.

I am about to part with him when he changes the topic.

"I am learning the al-pha-bet," he says proudly, licking his lips, the blue marshmallow smudged in the corners of his mouth. "Also, learning ‘bou' the Earth. About the Earth," he corrects himself and smiles. "And stars."

He is unusually diplomatic and trying too hard to talk nicely.

I study him, waiting for him to spill his daily report to me. He goes quiet, digs the tip of his flip-flop into the ground, then looks at me from under his eyebrows. "Can I go to Port Mrei today?"

So, that's what he was schmoozing me for. "No."

A disappointed huff escapes him. "Please?"

"Still a no."

"Bu' I have friends there!" he says louder.

I cock a brow.

"Bu'… But"—he corrects himself—"they don' have food. I bring it to them!" he shouts, his voice breaking.

I meet his teary eyes, and my heart clenches.

Dammit.

He went from smiles to almost crying in three seconds. And I don't recall ever seeing him upset. Fucking hell. How did I get myself into this ordeal? With a kid, of all people?

And I can't look into his eyes and say no to him helping his friends. He is not my problem. They are not my problem. But… It's food, right? Nothing bad can come out of it.

"Listen to me," I say, trying to think of the right words as he hangs his head low. "It's dangerous there. I know you want to help, but you belong here now. Everyone here cares about you and your safety. So, here's what we're going to do."

I pick up my phone and call Skiba. I tell him to pack a box of dry foods that don't need cooking.

"Like what?" Skiba muses.

"Like energy bars, chips. Also pack some dry salami and soft drinks. Use my account at the Ayana store. Enough for a dozen people for, let's say, a week or so."

"What is this about? I need more info."

The thing is, Ayana is completely capable of taking care of all the homeless kids in Port Mrei, in fact, the entire Port Mrei. But this is social hierarchy at its finest, and Ayana is losing interest in Port Mrei's wellbeing.

"You are going to pack it and take it with you to the docks tomorrow morning," I say and glance at Sonny, who stares at me unblinkingly with hopeful eyes. "I will give you the instructions for the exact location later tonight. Also, take a trail cam with you. I need you to install it at the location where you are dropping it off."

"Are we trailing someone?"

"No, it's… It's that kid. It's for his friends."

"You got it."

I am slightly annoyed that I just caved in for the kid. But sending aid to a bunch of kids doesn't hurt, right?

I tell Sonny that I will let him know what happens. I am about to pull away when he steps in front of my bike, twisting his little hands.

"Can I watch that camera?" he asks.

"I will show you what happens."

"'S in the morning, right? The boat leaves with first light?"

Again, the kid is too smart for his own good.

"Yes," I say curtly.

"Can I come to your house and watch it?"

No. I don't need this kid stalking me at my own home.

"Or I can come to the cave where you go. By the beach."

Seriously, he's going to be a spy when he grows up.

"I'll let you know," I say and drive away before he asks me a hundred more questions.

He is another liability but also someone who knows way too many ways around this resort and the town. Naturally, I need to keep it under control.

I call my IT guy at the Center and connect Sonny's Ayana bracelet to the tracker on my phone. The sensor in it registers heartbeat and goes into emergency mode when there is none—in case the shithead decides to be smart and leave the bracelet at home and then venture into another trip outside the resort. I check his bracelet activity history. He has limited credits loaded onto it. And he maxed out twice. I go through his shopping list, and it's a no-brainer he is going over the top. All it takes is a swipe of the bracelet to purchase anything he wants anywhere he wants at Ayana. He purchased a dozen burgers on four different occasions. Now I know where that went. He purchased a bunch of T-shirts and the smallest sizes in shoes. I'm sure that went to his friends in town. And there is an ungodly amount of candy bought.

Clever, I have to admit. Besides food, he smuggles clothes to his friends. I want to be angry, but all I feel is empathy for the little dude who tries to help his friends in the most basic way he can.

My mood sinks. We thought we were doing a good thing by saving Sonny from the streets. Now we find out there are dozens like him, and as much as he is happy and smiling, he is silently hurting as he watches his friends struggle and tries to figure out with his kid's mind how to spread the goodness.

I veer my bike past the medical center. It feels good to drive by, knowing she is inside. But something catches my attention.

I see Maddy with two guys, that big Eastsider, Guff, and fucking QiShan again. They stand by the medical center entrance. Guff has his arm around her shoulders and kisses her cheek as she happily laughs like she never does in front of me.

That's when my mood goes from depressed to angry in two-point-five seconds.

This just won't fucking do.