Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 10:40:06 -0800 (PST) From: Zane Green Subject: Underground Angel: Part Seven by Zane Hunter Green This story is copyright by the author. It can not be placed on a for pay site. It is a fantasy, and is not about anyone real. It has minor characters, and is intended only for a mature audience. Comments are very welcome and appreciated at ZaneG7@excite.com Flames will go up in smoke. I would like to thank my two friends for inspiring me as always with their stories, and there is one who left the earth too quickly that I think about every day. Damn I forgot to ask Len to go over and walk Aries, he would probably do that anyway. Everyone needs a friend like that even if we annoy each other most of the time. I stood at a distance and observed people gawking by the gate where I was instructed to make my rendezvous with the transit worker. The cops were trying to maintain order; keeping people away from the sealed doors what did I know about John anyway? He appeared out of nowhere when I was at the transit museum, and then he caused me to have one of the misadventures of my life in the men's room. Well I still had the book and flashlight. I would have to explore the tunnels on my own. I had a sickening feeling that I didn't have a choice. The main problem was I had no idea how to get into the tunnels. I had been their once when I first found Sashcha, but somehow he knew his way through the underground maze. All of the sudden it struck me, I needed to find him first. We could rescue his box together. Instead of making my way through the tunnels I decided to find the goons that were tailing me, and follow them. Off on the side I saw a homeless man wearing a rather ragged and unkempt coat that covered him. He had one of those English type caps. I went over to him and huddled beside him. No one seemed to pay us any attention. "Listen, how would you like to earn a quick hundred?" I whispered. "Huh, me? What do I gotta do?" "I just want to buy your coat, and hat." "You want me to go naked here?" "I can give you my shirt in exchange." "And the money?" "Yes, and the money." "Ok, take off your shirt, hey you're a good looker, will I look like you in your shirt?" "Sure, hurry up I need your coat." "Okay, this is a valuable coat I want you to know." "Oh yes I can tell" It was tattered and torn but I hoped that it would disguise me. I just had a feeling that I had to find Sashcha now and I would stagger around the station mumbling to myself until I found one of the goons from the tearoom, and then I would tail them. I finally think I saw them on the fringe of the crowd still gathered by the crime scene. I wondered if one of them welded the knife. They were not the same creatures that broke into my house when they took Sash. I had a feeling that they never recognized me at all. They were looking for a well-heeled businessman, not a bum/whore. I deduced that they knew about track 8 before I did. Maybe they were waiting there for me. Perhaps inadvertently I wasn't the one they were waiting for after all. I was hot in the coat, and my sweat was mixing with layers of dirt and scum but I was going to find my way into the tunnels again. ..................................................................... The boy leaned over the encased window studying the city bellow. This way he could remove his eyes from the men who were watching him like he was a piece of choice meat displayed in the freezer case for them. "Oh Sashcha, Sashcha, you break my heart when you look so sad, don't worry little bird, we won't be here in the city forever." The man that was known as Yarrow Pearson walked over to the boy cupped his face and turned him around so he was forced to look. "Ah such a pretty boy, such a pretty face. Stop being so mopey and cooperate. Which subway did you leave the box in Sashcha." "I told you, the one that goes to the airport." "So you rode to the airport did you? I don't think so. Where did you hide it boy? " "I didn't even know it was in my backpack, how could I know that?" "Maybe you didn't, so you left your backpack in the underground did you? Where?" "I don't remember, I got scarred." "Of what?" "These men were following me, I was sure they were going to hurt me, so I ran into the subway tunnel." "Why did you think they would hurt you, they were bodyguards, they would have protected you and brought you back, Why are you in such a hurry to leave me Sashcha, when we are only becoming friends." "I don't want a friend." "Everyone needs a friend, you made friends with that American pretty quick." "He was hurt." "Well I'm hurt that you act like you don't like me, I will be your companion anyway what ever you think." "I don't want a companion." "Why not, I am from one of the best families, and I find you very attractive. I would be good for you. Even your father signed the paper's placing you in my legal care until you come of age." "My Father signed it so you could take me to school." "I will make sure that you learn what you need to know!" "I once liked you, because you paid me attention. I was even excited that you were going to be the one to bring me here. Then you did it to me, and I told you to stop, but you didn't, all you did was laugh and tell me I better get used to it, that was all I was good for. I shut my eyes and pretended it was okay, but it wasn't. When you feel asleep I had to leave." "You are an ungrateful foolish boy, this is a dangerous city you could have been killed!" "And that would have been a problem wouldn't it, if you didn't have the box." "So, you took it on purpose, I thought so." "I took it away to keep me safe from you." "Then little Mister, you are going to find it for me. I think you know very well where it is." "I lost it." "Then you better find it." "And if I do will you take me home?" "We'll see." "I didn't think you would." "So where is it Sashcha?" "I said, I no longer know." "It has to be somewhere in the subway tunnels." "I destroyed it." "No you didn't, but if that happened you would have to make a new one, and that is something you won't want to do." "You can't do that unless my father helps, and you said that he was dead." "No but I can keep you until you're old enough to be a father yourself. We can have fun in the mean time." "I'll, I'll help you find it, if you promise then you'll take me to school." "You'll find it because you have no choice. Let's go." ................................................................... I was being eyed by a teenager who looked more like a wrath than a young human, he had a gothic look to him, studs in strange places, black hair with blond roots, greasy and unbathed. I started to back away. He said softly, are you trying to get into the tunnels tonight?" "Yes," I said. "Come-on I'll show you. Follow me" and with that I was on my way to the tunnels. I could only hope that I would be able to help Sashcha, and that Len would take Aries if I never came out again.........