The Requital

Severing Tears

Walking in a trans for miles to nowhere, the tears finally stopped rolling down my cheeks. Or at least I thought I had stopped but my face had become numb from crying so much. I still couldn't believe the only family I knew was dead. Standing still, I realized I had to grow up and follow my fathers last instructions. I pulled my backpack off, kneeling on one knee to see what I was given. 2,000 dollars cash, a burner cell phone, a 22 caliber pistol with two magazines, over ear headphones, an a mp4 player. I cracked a slight grin. My father thought about me even in his time of crisis. He knew I wouldnt be able function without music, which was the only thing I knew I had left to remember him and my brother by was everything in this bag.

I pull the phone, mp4 player and headphones out of the bag, zipped the backpack up, threw it back on my back and put the headphones on, continuing to walk, sulking less. I'm just a nine year old orphan. Trying figure out where am I going to go. Then I remembered about the Marriott sticky note that had a phone number on it. I called the number and I was greeted by a woman who worked at a cab service that asked me my location. I tell her and she tells me a cab will be with me in ten minutes. I stood in front of a house I had never seen before due to the fact I'd never walked around the neighborhoods of Chesterfield, Missouri much less allowed to. Not many black families live in this part of St Louis. I always had a ride where I went. And I'm pretty sure me being black in this type of neighborhood with no type of supervision looked suspicious. A few moments later a blue SUV with Taxi logos pulls up and I get in.

"Where you going little man?"

I hand him the sticky note. He looks at it, punches in the address into a GPS, and hands it back. I was shocked that he didn't ask what a kid like me was doing catching a taxi at four o'clock in the afternoon, on a Wednesday, by himself. We pull up a location of a hotel. "$56.19" he says. I fumble through my small backpack and give him sixty dollars and tell him to keep the change before getting out. I felt like a boss.

The SUV drives off and I stand frozen under the hotel car port gazing at the front door in a nerve wrecking fashion, not knowing what to expect. I take a deep breath and proceed to enter. The hotel rotunda was immaculate with marble eveywhere and a chandelier hung from the five story ceiling. Ever the name of the hotel was embedded with gold leaf.

I walk up to the front desk and I am again greeted by a young woman with brunette hair. This time, I was greeted with a friendlier tone and smile.

"How are you today, young man? How can I assist you?"

"I'm here because I was sent here by my Frank Grey."

A look of sickness washed over her face as she tried to fake a smile I wasn't buying. "One moment," she says while turning to leave from behind he counter to go talk to a manger that was accommodating other hotel guest. I watched them whisper in nervousness before she comes back asking me to wait a moment and I see the manager walk into his office. I hearnhis voice inaudible in a phone conversation. He peeks his head out of his office and gives her a slight nod. She then turns to escort me to the sevice elevator.

We arrive to the top floor and instead of us entering a regular hotel room, we enter a janitorial supply closet. In the closet she slides a few cleaning supplies off a shelf on the left of the room to expose a key pad an another key card entry. My eyes widened as the security light on the key pad turns from red to green. She pulls the shelf and it opens like a door. I felt as if I was in a action movie I had always imagined.

"Mr. Grey, this is where you will stay. In this room is everything you will need to be beyond comfortable for the next three days. On the third day, A gentlemen by the name of Boi Hai will come and escort you to a clearport to take you to your next destination. Enjoy your stay." she says while gesturing me to enter with a smile.

"Ok," I reply following a hard swallow while walking into the room.

I was apparently in well hands. Walking into the room. It was as luxurious if not more luxurious than what a regular room would have been. It was fitted with two full size beds, bathroom, what looked like a fifty inch LCD Tv, security computer, a gun rack with semi and fully automatic weapons, mini bar and kitchen stocked with microwave food. The last final touch I noticed was a PlayStation.

I turn around to get ready to ask her the hotel clerk what her name was but she had already securely closed me in the safe room and left. I sat on one of the beds saying to my self, "What freak is happening?"

I was still trying to understand what shenanigans where my father and brother apart of that they had a safe apartment no one knew of? Who and why did people want him dead? Who was this correspondent who I am supposed to meet? Where exactly am I going that involves an airplane? So many questions circulated through my mind that I hadn't noticed that I had fallen fast asleep......