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Four: Marvin

I arrived at the checkpoint precisely nine minutes before said meeting. I sat down on a bus stop bench, waiting for Theodore Remi. Eight minutes later, I saw him wearing white shorts, white sneakers with pink socks, and a pink polo shirt. Very gay indeed. He looked so nervous and I couldn’t resist catching him off guard. Plus, intimidation in my line of work is key.

         “Follow me, Theo.” I startled him and almost laughed at how high he jumped.

         “Azrael?” He foolishly asked.

         “What’s wrong with you? I said follow me, not talk to me.” I snapped. Is he stupid? Why would he say my alias out loud like that?

         “Yes, Sir.” He saluted me as if he was in the army and I was his commanding officer. Yes, he is stupid.

         “Shh.” I silenced him before he could get any dumber. I took him to my “office,” which just happens to be an abandoned warehouse. It’s perfect to meet new clients.

         “Achoo!” He sneezed and took out a pink hanky from his back pocket. Just my luck; he’s probably allergic to the dust. He’s already high maintenance.

         “Now you can talk, Theo.” I allowed.

         “How do you know my name?” He fidgeted.

         “It’s my job. Why did you contact me?” I rebutted.

         “I need you to kill my stepfather.” Two points for me.

         “Why?” Don’t lie, Theo…I don’t like liars.

            “It’s so hard to say to a complete stranger…” He fidgeted once more. This time he almost acted like something disgusted him. He was  molested or raped.

         “I’ve often heard that it’s much easier to speak to a complete stranger. Take comfort in the fact that after this meeting, we won’t see each other again.”

         “Vanessa did tell me you needed to know a valid reason…May I ask why you need to know?” Behind his eyes there was a shame you could only get from being sexually assaulted.

         “These are my requirements. I’m sure Vanessa told you that I do background checks on all my hits and clients. I don’t off the innocent. If you won’t comply with my terms, you can kill him yourself.” Terror jumped out of his eyes like I’ve never seen before. And I’ve seen a lot.

         “Oh Mr. Azrael, he’s just a horrible man,” he paused and took a deep breath like he was about to unload the weight of the world on me, “When I was ten, he started molesting me. And then when I was thirteen, he raped me. Every time mom would be gone, he would invade me. We went to court once, but he won. Now my mom doesn’t believe me anymore. I just want him dead! He belongs in hell and I just need you to make his departure sooner rather than later!” He broke down and started crying into his hanky. Two more points for me. How do I always know? Have I done this for too long?

         “What’s his name and social security number?” I finally asked when his hysterics calmed down a bit. He handed me a folded piece of paper with the information I needed. Vanessa probably told him of everything I would ask for.

         “Do I pay you now? Will you call me when he is finished?” He felt at ease to ask.

         “I will text you an account number tonight for you to deposit the amount that I will send you in the same text message. I won’t proceed with anything until the whole lump sum is deposited in the account I supplied you with. And no, I won’t call you when the job is done. You will know when your mother calls you up bawling her eyes out.”

         “O.K., Mr. Azrael. Thank you so very much.” He said misty eyed.

“You’re welcome. Now get out of here.” I abstained from eye contact because I can always tell who the huggers will be. He was definitely a hugger. As soon as I noticed he was gone, I alleviated my fury by punching the dry wall. It really chops my balls to hear stories like Theo’s. Why do things like this happen?!

“Achoo!” I heard and felt stupid for losing it in public; though, in my defense, I thought I was alone.

“Didn’t I tell you to get out of here?” I turned around, but was surprised that Theo was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a little Asian girl standing there with possible blood stains on her t-shirt and skirt.

“Hi.” She said looking up at me with her squinty eyes.

“Um…hi.” I replied uneasily.

“What are you doing here?” She asked with curiosity spilling out of her eyes.

“Working.” I replied still confused at the situation. What is a little girl doing in a warehouse? Where are her parents? What the hell is going on?!

“Oh. Working is good. I haven’t seen anybody here in six days!” She said sounding glad to have human contact. Six days without supervision?

“Why have you been here for six days?”

“I haven’t been living here.” She gave herself away sounding so defensive.

“You’ve been living here?” Why was I even concerned?

“No, silly, I just said I haven’t been living here.” She annunciated the “haven’t.”

“Where are your parents?” I interrogated.

“In a better place.” She vaguely said.

“What’s a better place than New York City?”

“Heaven.” Shit.

“Oh.” I managed to spit out.

“Wanna play tea party?” She asked unaffected by the conversation.

“Um…no. I’ll catch you on the flip-flop, kid. Be safe.” Must…Get…Out.

“What does that mean?” She curiously asked again taking a step closer to me.

“It means I’m leaving and I’ll see you later.”

“When is later?”

“I don’t know.” Are kids always this curious? Aren’t they supposed to not talk to strangers or something?

“Well, I need to know these things. I have to look presentable.” She smiled showing the cutest dimples I’ve ever seen.

“How old are you, kid?”

“Eight.” She looked down and hugged her teddy bear. I hadn’t realized she was holding one until now.

“What do you know about looking presentable?” I chuckled.

“I’m a lady. That’s what ladies do.”

“What’s your name?” I asked after laughing a bit at her seriousness of the lady comment.

“I’m Keiko Akashimi. What’s your name?”

“Az—-Marvin.” She didn’t need to know my alias.

“Azmarvin? That’s a strange name.” She said without inhibitions. What a lady.

“No, just Marvin.” I corrected.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Marvin.” She extended her tiny hand for me to shake it. I carefully took her hand in mine feeling how soft and brittle it was. Was I ever this tiny?

“Kid, be honest with me. Have you been living here?” I honestly wanted to know.

“Are we friends?”

“Sure.”

“Friends never lie to each other, right?”

“Right…”

“Then yes, Mr. Marvin, I have to admit that I’ve been living here for six whole days.”

“Don’t you have aunties and uncles? A grandma…maybe, that would take you in?” I asked truly feeling concerned about this little girl who was no kin to me.

“No, they are all in Japan. Daddy broke their hearts for doing something bad and now they don’t ever wanna see us again. Well…there is no ‘us’ anymore. I guess they don’t wanna see me anymore.” She said for the first time sounding sad since our chance encounter.

“Are you hungry?” I inquired.

“As a matter of fact, I am.” As a matter of fact…she’s such a funny little girl.

“Come on, I’ll take you to get a happy meal and then I’ll drop you off at the police station.”

“The police station? Why?”

“Because you can’t live here. It’s dangerous.” She looked deep in thought for thirty seconds.

“You can take me to get the happy meal, but I must decline to the police station proposition.”

“You must decline?” I asked chuckling. This kid is hilarious. Who talks like this?

“Yes, I must decline.” She smiled in a serious manner as if nothing was negotiable.

“What if I say it’s not up to you?”

“Hey, I thought we were friends. Friends don’t pressure friends to do things they don’t wanna do like drugs, or dangerous stunts…or going to the police station.” She counted the reasons on her miniscule fingers and looked deep into my eyes when the police station reason came out of her mouth.

“I can’t let you stay here, kid.”

“Why don’t we go eat and talk about this later?”

“Quit being a smart-ass and get your things,” she gasped at me and looked flabbergasted, “What?”

“You said the ‘a’ word.” She whispered making me speechless. After a minute of us looking at each other she scrunched up her forehead and sighed.

“I won’t tell.” She finally decided.

“Thanks.” I smiled. She walked toward the elevator and opened it with a mop. In it, was an air mattress, a pink pillow that said “princess” on it, and a pink backpack. She also had drawings hung up on the elevator walls. Some of the drawings had stick figures lying on the ground surrounded by blood. She was actually quite talented. I took the drawings down without wrinkling them and shoved them under my arm.

“You ready?” I asked.

“No, I need a minute to say goodbye to my home.” She said. I nodded. She then bowed down to the elevator with her hands joined together in prayer position. What a strange kid! With her head bowed down, her shiny black hair curtained the sides of her face. I just now noticed her bangs. I also noticed how skinny she was. I guess she looks like a typical Asian kid, only cuter in the face if that makes sense.

“I’m done.” She said as she put her backpack on her back and held my hand. I cleared my throat immediately feeling uneasy and strange. I never held a kid’s hand before. I don’t even hold Carmen’s hand in public. I took my phone out of my pocket and looked at the time so I could have an excuse to stop holding her hand. We walked to the nearest McDonald’s side by side. I opened the door for Keiko and she seemed to like that I acted like a gentleman. She walked up to the line and looked up at the menu. When it was our turn, the cashier seductively smiled at me.

“May I take your order?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’d like a number two with no pickles or mustard large sized with a coke, no ice.” I winked at her when I was done talking. She blushed which made her seem more intriguing through my eyes.

“I would like a happy meal, please,” Keiko said politely, “And I would like the cheeseburger prepared with only mayonnaise.” She specified.

“What do you wanna drink, sweetie?” The cashier asked.

“I would like an orange soda, please.”

“That will be ten fifty four, Sir.” I reached for my wallet and paid for it. When the order was up, I carried the tray to a booth as Keiko got us some napkins and straws. On the tray, I noticed that the cute cashier had written her number on our receipt with a smiley face next to it. I looked back at the register and smiled at her making her blush again. I made sure she saw me put the receipt in my jeans pocket before I sat down. Keiko started inhaling her food like she hadn’t eaten in days.

“Slow down, kid.” I ordered. She listened. As I ate, I started looking through her drawings carefully analyzing each of them to put together in my mind exactly what this kid witnessed. I could clearly see that the four people were killed in two different locations. And then one drawing jumped out at me.

“Who’s this, Keiko?” I sternly asked.

“That’s the bad man.” I knew exactly who he was. She did a good job with the drawing; especially the scar on his lip. I gave him that scar long ago. Her family was assassinated!

“Is this the man that sent your family to the better place?” I asked already knowing the answer. She nodded much too preoccupied by the food in her mouth.

“Did he see you?” She shook her head still chewing like this was the best meal she’s ever had. I lost my appetite and started to contemplate whether or not the police was the best route to take. Bram is ruthless. He kills whole families and there’s no doubt in my mind that he is looking for this one. He never leaves a job unfinished. No, he wasn’t trained that way. I decided this kid was going to be a pro-bono case. She can stay with me until I have a chat with Bram. I looked at Keiko and noticed she had swiped my uneaten French fries. She must’ve been so hungry.

“Keiko,” I said in a serious tone, “What happened to your family was very bad. I’m sorry for your loss.” I was surprised at how much I sympathized. She looked at me and her eyes started filling up with tears. Oh no, please don’t cry.

“Thank you for dinner, Mr. Marvin.” She said as she wiped her almost tears with the sleeve of her shirt.

“You’re more than welcome. Keiko we’re friends, right?”

“Most definitely.” She nodded animatedly.

“Friends let friends be a guest in their homes.” I said.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because the bad man will find me.”

“No, he won’t. I’ll protect you.”

“He’s looking for me, Mr. Marvin.” She said with a hint of fear.

“How do you know that?” I wondered.

“Because I heard him on the phone. The elevator was a good hiding place…I don’t think your house will be.” She honestly said.

“I found you, didn’t I?” She nodded.

“It will only be a matter of time until he finds you there, too. He won’t even think to look at my house, though.”

“Will I get my own room?” Her eyes sparkled.

“Kind of. You can sleep in the pull out couch in my office. Is that all right?”

“Yeah. Mr. Marvin, can I have an ice cream cone?”

“Sure, there’s a good ice cream place by my house.” She quickly stood up and threw the trash away. She was eager for that ice cream and it only made her cuter. We walked along the sidewalk for a few blocks and when it was time to cross the road, she tried holding my hand again.

“What’s your deal with the hand holding?” I asked half annoyed.

“I can’t cross the street without holding your hand.” She innocently said.

“How did you cross the street when you were alone?”

“I held my own hand.”

“Then do that. I’m right beside you.” We walked to the subway and rode it to my street. There, I bought her the ice cream I promised. When we got to my place, she politely asked to take a shower. I showed her the bathroom she would be using while I gave her a clean t-shirt and a pair of Carmen’s clean volleyball shorts. While she showered, I made up the couch/bed in my office with flannel sheets.

“That was nice. I hadn’t showered in six days, you know?” She said after she yawned. My shirt looked like a dress on her, and the volleyball shorts that looked so tight on Carmen were practically falling off her tiny body.

“Mr. Marvin, will you tuck me in?” I went over to the bed and pulled the blanket over her without touching her when she unexpectedly hugged me tight. My heart dropped and I felt myself pushing her away with my hand making her lay flat on the bed without touching me.

“Good night, Keiko.” I finally said walking toward the door and softly closing it behind me.

“No! Don’t close it all the way…” She begged.

“O.K.” I opened it halfway and just like that, she drifted into the sleep world without a care in the world. While she slept, I washed her clothes removing all the blood stains so she could wear it in the morning. Today was insane. How can she act like Pollyanna when her family is dead? I need to get a hold of Bram, but this will surely be difficult. The last time we talked face to face…things didn’t end well. And we pretty much agreed to not look for each other again; kind of like a treaty that would be best if it weren’t broken.

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