Chapter 6

Dio got up with another shout from the senior and went to the bathroom.

He then went to the cafeteria like he did every other day. He talked to one of the other boys here before going up to his room to get ready for school.

"Hey, Martin."

"What's up, Dio?"

"Can we talk?"

Dio asked and pointed to a distant, empty table in the cafeteria.

"Sure,"

Martin replied and said good-bye to his other friends before coming to sit with me at the other table.

Martin was one of the few boys he talked to at this place. He was sixteen, a slightly chubby guy with short hair and brown eyes.

He sleeps in the same room as him, and they often exchange stolen items.

He steals food from stores—of course, small stuff compared to what I steal—but the chance to eat something other than the food they give to them in this place is worth the trade.

Since Martin is constantly involved in such activities, many of the kids turn to him.

"I need you to cover for me today."

Dio said without pausing to speak and tried not to raise his voice too loudly.

"What do you mean?"

Martin asked.

"Most likely, I'll be late today. I found a great opportunity, but it will only happen after the end of the work. So I want you to turn in my assignment today on my behalf and come up with an excuse for Ma Gunn."

The meeting with Ma Gunn today is scheduled for ten o'clock in the evening. Dio has to arrive at the meeting place early just in case Batman does show up and agrees to help him.

"It's dangerous, Dio. If she suspects anything, she'll call the police, and they'll definitely punish you."

Martin said this while already planning how to say no to my request.

They are called escapees if they don't come back before dark, even if they finish their task.

Dio is not the first person to think about running away; one of the kids tries to do it every once in a while.

That's when Ma Gunn calls her a completely corrupt police pig. They find the kids and bring them straight to her without listening to any excuse.

"Just cover for me; I've already prepared everything."

Dio has a certain reputation as a smart and resourceful kid, and Martin knows that too.

"What do I have to do?"

Martin asked.

"I'll give you one of my stolen items. When it's time to close the gates, you'll go straight to Ma and tell her that I gave you this item. I couldn't give it to her in person because I got sick and went to bed immediately."

Dio created the illusion that he was sick for everyone.

For this, he had to cough every time he passed by Ma Gunn or the seniors, and he's been doing it for several days in a row now.

"What's in it for me?"

Martin asked.

"I'll give you forty dollars and one item to turn in."

Dio said it firmly.

Martin put his hand on his chin and thought about whether to agree or not.

Dio is sure he'll agree. There is a chance to make a lot of money with very little work that no teenager here would pass up.

"I'm in,"

Martin replied and nodded.

Then they shook hands, and Dio discreetly handed him the money and the stolen items—a pair of earrings and a necklace that he had prepared in advance.

After their conversation, Dio finally went up to the second floor to take a bath and get ready for school.

Now that Dio had finished everything, he went downstairs and joined the line of kids his age going to school.

Dio likes to skip class and go straight to where he needs to be, but if he doesn't show up at school, Ma Gunn will definitely call and report me missing, and that's something that Dio can't allow.

After another boring lesson and a much more delicious and satisfying lunch than at the shelter, Dio left school heading in the opposite direction from his usual route.

Dio needed to walk a long way to get to the police station, which his little legs couldn't do.

Dio needed a taxi, but they didn't go to this dangerous area. It's dangerous in the alley, and anyone walking around here could be one of Ma Gunn's kids.

Dio took the long route and hid in dark and dirty alleys.

After so long walking through them, he felt comfortable when wandering in the darkness.

After walking through these alleys for three hours without seeing any signs of people, Dio finally came out of the Crime Alley.

Dio was shocked when he crossed a small bridge and went into a different part of the city.

This place looked a lot more organized than Crime Alley. As people went about their normal lives, the streets were filled with vehicles and taxis.

Dio immediately stepped to the sidewalk and got into a taxi that had just pulled up.

The woman who was exiting hadn't even closed the door when he had already sat down and pulled the door, which made a loud noise, catching the taxi driver's attention.

"What do you need here, kid? I don't have time for games."

The old man with gray hair and old glasses probably thought Dio was fooling around by getting into the taxi on his own.

"My parents told me to take a taxi by myself, sir."

Dio said it in the most innocent voice he could and thought that this was the proper way for a child to talk to an old person.

"Did your parents allow you to take a taxi by yourself?"

The old man asked, and looked quite surprised.

"Yes, they also told me to give this to the taxi driver he sits next to and tell him to keep the change."

Dio said and handed him a fifty-dollar bill, which the old man took without hesitation.

"Well, where do you want to go, kid?"

The old man asked and turned to the steering wheel.

"Five Points,"

Dio replied.

The money was a pity; he could still use it.

On the other hand, the taxi driver didn't even ask him how old Dio was after he gave him fifty dollars; he just started the car and went in the direction Dio said.

The ride was calm—so calm that it made Dio uneasy.

He checked the clock on the radio receiver; it was almost curfew, and all he could do was pray and hope that Martin had completed his part of the deal.

...

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