The White Ring [4a]
04 Dec 2015Kurotama
[4a]Wrapped up the Mongatha contract and headed to Zhen at Xihe. Thought I'd get it over with to shut up the nagging inside my head.
Called ahead to let Kasdan (the baymaster) know I was coming. His face was smug; didn't need to say anything to tell me he knew I was gonna do it anyway. Maybe that's why he didn't bother bugging me about it. I suppose people who work in a place that does business in onion head know ways in and out of the system. Or people's heads.
He gave me directions to a hole in the wall joint in an area I hadn't been to at Zhen. Grimy. Pale, sickly yellow place. Smelled fried and oily. Sticky. Other than me: old guy in the corner slurping something, girl at the counter (bored), Kasdan, kid.
First time I got a look at him as I sat down opposite. Dark hair, messy. Pale. Seemed multi-ethnic. Asked how old. Ten, Kasdan said. Kid wouldn't talk, but didn't seem tense either. He seemed busy with his hands under the table, fiddling with something. Asked name. Nothing.
Kasdan gave me a bag with the kid's things (guy at least looked like he had a charitable streak to get the kid some stuff; kid's clothes seemed new). All he said was "off you go."
Kid put his hands on the table to get up and I saw he was wearing a white ring. He'd been playing with it that whole time.
I tensed up. Can't be. Must be a mistake.
Asked, cautiously, where they got it, hoping Kasdan bought it for the kid for whatever dumb reason.
Said someone gave it to them before they got here; the guy thought the kid had dropped it. Kasdan said he tried to explain it wasn't theirs but the man was lost in the crowd before he could say a word.
I shook his hand. Said thanks for looking after the kid, all things considered. Wished him well. Took the kid and hurried out. Didn't look back at Kasdan. Might be the last time I see him.
They found me.