Chapter 12: No Tragedies Allowed

"I don't think I need to repeat myself."

And Ian didn't.

Sling had gone off into his own world. All noise seemed to disappear in his ears, the sound of the TV faded, the sight of the smiling Ian faded to black, even the sofa he involuntarily sat on disappeared from under him.

Although Sling cheats money out of people and deceives others with false hope. He was truly sincere to his family. He would never allow harm to reach them, that's why he was so careful about exposing his identity. If that happens, it's not just him that would be in danger but his family.

But he never thought he was a threat to his own loved ones.

Sling slumped back on the sofa, without even realizing that he had control over his body again. Something that was so natural and taken for granted.

He deeply realized that this young boy in front of him was correct. He was a danger to his family. 

He clenched his hair.

'But swindling is all I know!' He felt aggravated.

Born to a swindling house, Sling Bonds was raised by swindler parents, his parents were raised by swindler grandparents, and his grandparents were raised by swindler great-grandparents. For generations, the Bonds household had committed to this line of work and excelled at the art of swindling.

Swindling was all Sling had ever known. He had never been to school, never went to any formal education system and institution having been homeschooled all his life by his parents and now deceased grandparents. 

From a young age, before he could even walk and talk, before he could even understand, his parents educated him on the ways to be a swindler. What the dos were and what the don'ts were.

He never thought there was anything wrong with his way of life. 

Everybody has their own way to live. Some were born into the common and ordinary lives they have, never knowing of another path. Some were dropped into environments where they had no choice but to stray from the 'correct path', as people claim it. 

Some knew what was normal but chose to ignore it while some never knew of this normalcy and couldn't comprehend it.

A criminal could never understand the thoughts and behaviors of common people staying within the bounds of rules. Just like normal people could never understand the reckless and unrestrained mentality of a crime-committer. 

What's normal for one is not necessarily normal for another.

To Sling, swindling was normal. Cheating to win over others was fair. Taking money from others was natural.

But for his family.

Sling clenched his teeth.

He was willing to change!

Ian watched his entire change from the initial shock and disbelief to realization to the breaking of his beliefs to finally, conviction.

"So what do you think?" Ian broke the silence of the moment once he calculated that it was the appropriate time to pull the line.

"Will you work for me? In exchange for your family's safety and well-being. I guarantee you in the name of Everett that I will protect them for as long as you stay loyal to me."

Ian's tempting offer got Sling to raise his bowed head.

Sling looked at Ian. Seriously looked at him. From the very start, Sling could feel something extraordinary about him. A sense of maturity and cunningness radiated from him that belied his age. 

Despite his young age, his eyes were not clear, they were dark and hid something terrifying, however, the other concealed it well. If not for Sling's abnormal environment growing up where he learned to read other people's thoughts and his natural ability to sense other people's true nature, he would have been blind to the terror that lay dormant in such a young boy. 

Without any hesitation at all, Sling said with the most serious and sincere tone in his life, "As long as you protect them, I will be loyal to you forever. If I were ever to betray you, may a thousand knives pierce my heart and my soul be obliterated!" 

Ian smiled. 

"Then may it be so."

Ian's eyes glowed.

*****

The sun that had reached its peak in the afternoon started descending as noon passed, descending into late afternoon.

After having a good meal at lunch, Ian walked to the doorway with Shade right behind him and Sling and his family seeing them off.

"Remember to come to the address I told you about in a week; pack up the things you want moved in the meantime. I'll have a house ready for your wife and son in my family's territory. It will be easier to look after them that way and it'll put you at ease, no?" Ian said as he changed his shoes to the ones he wore here, placing the guest slippers in the area Sling's wife pointed at.

"Yes," Sling replied to show he understood. 

"Well then, goodbye, little Rip. See you again soon," Ian smiled a friendly smile towards Rip who smiled back.

"Bye, brother, I will definitely see you again!" Rip shouted with excitement. For some reason, Rip felt very close to this brother who was less than 10 years older than him and he really liked being around him. Just being by his side made him feel safe and secure, like when he's with his father.

Ian rubbed Rip's hair at how cute the little kid was. 

"Hey! Don't rub my head, it'll mess up my hair! I'm already 10 years old, this is so embarrassing!" Rip complained as he held his hands up to protect his already messy hair that had still looked carefully brushed just a second ago.

"Oh, sorry." Ian politely and innocently apologized with an ignorant look on his face that made Rip think he did not intentionally ruin his neat hair, so the latter childishly and naively forgave Ian.

"It's fine. Just don't do it again."

"Of course. I'll keep that in mind." 

'If I feel like it.' Ian stuck his tongue out mentally.

The light purple in Ian's eyes softened.

Watching the 10 year-old son of Sling worrying about his messed up hair, Ian could not see the image of the past life's swindler god. 

Sling was a living legend in his trade among the people in his line of work, his reputation even spreading to the underworld.

However, what he was globally famous for, acknowledged by everyone, in the light and in the dark, was his identity as the father to Rip Bonds.

The god of swindling. 

Everyone knew who he was and all the achievements under his belt. The police and government had his picture, name, and information yet could never get solid and concrete evidence to convict him of his crimes. 

His accomplishments surpassed even his father's who was an acclaimed legend at the time.

After Rip's father got thrown into prison due to the betrayal of his colleague, Rip's mother fell ill. That wasn't even the worst part. Rip's father soon mysteriously died in prison and after his mother heard the news, she soon passed away as well, leaving Rip all alone in the world. 

This happened when Rip was 14 years old. In the present, Rip was 10. 

This misfortune would never be allowed to happen under Ian's watch.

Ian understood too deeply the feeling of losing all his loved ones, for he experienced the same thing in his past life. He would never allow those close to him to experience the same tragedy that he did once. What's more, the tragedies he could prevent with the memories of his first life.

Saying his final goodbye to Sling and his family, Ian and Shade left.

Walking to a distance, Ian turned around and looked back. His light purple eyes saw Sling's wife heading back inside with their son while Sling closed the front door. The wife laughed at something her husband said. The son pulled his parents inside to show them something interesting he found. The three of them were the perfect picture of a harmonious, loving family.

Like he had told Sling, all Ian did was use his power to instill a sense of trust in him in Sling's wife and son. He did not control their behaviors and actions, nor did he change their memories or anything else. All he did was let them feel and understand something that was true. That he was someone they can trust and count on.

Because he will be.

Although Ian did not care about other people like he does his brother and gang members, Ian still cares about the people under him. Since they were willing to offer up their loyalties and their very life to him, then he was willing to care for them, even if just a little. 

Bonds can grow. So can feelings and affections. But Ian is going to let them be and see how things turn out. 

Despite humans saying and thinking they know how they feel, they can't control their own hearts. When someone hates another, they lose all rationality to think. If they ever were to go back and think about it, they might realize: "Why did I hate them in the first place?" or "That's so silly of a reason to hate them." While some may never turn back, drowned in the emotions that ruled over them. The same with love and every other emotion.

Whether grown on real or false truths, their growth is out of humans' control.

That's why Ian will let them be. 

…Unless they were a threat.

As he walked forward, Ian's eyes glowed a deep and dark purple that appeared almost black.