Two Guests

Arriving home while it still was only 11am, I decided to cook up some food for the kids. However, not knowing what to make them, since i didn't know what they wanted to eat, I decided i would make them a bunch of tuna sandwiches, more soup since they seemed to love the chicken soup from yesterday, and to bring with me a bunch of greenery like apples and pears I had lying around. Oh and two yoghurts, one chocolate and one strawberry, since it's two kids that are still in the growing phase.

Having made the supplies, I was about to head out when I heard a knock on my door. Surprised, I grabbed my Redhawk and got ready for anything, since I didn't expect any guests for today.

Looking through the peephole of the door, and seeing that it was a nervous and exhausted Bruce who was carrying the invisible Eliza, I opened the door with an odd expression on my face.

As Bruce saw the door opening, he wanted to say something, but Eliza cut him off.

"Boss, I think a gang may be trying to move into that building. Can we stay here for the day until we find a safer place." she asked quickly, the nervousness apparently in her voice. Whether it was due to their encounter or if she worried I would tell them off for crashing my place unannounced, that I didn't know. 

"A gang? Come on in." lightly surprised, I let the two enter the apartment. 

Looking at the two kids who seemed to be nervous and tired, I asked them if they had been chased by the gang or something. 

"No, no, we just escaped after one guy showed up and inspected the building roughly, mentioning it on a phone call. It was something along the lines of... that they're going to turn it into their base of operations? " Eliza replied with uncertainty, "luckily he didn't pay too much attention so we managed to slip out of that building." 

Annoyed at my carelessness and the crooks boldness, I said "I'm sorry, I didn't expect a new gang to move in here. After all there's a police precinct is in this area. The hell are they doing being this brave?" 

"Boss it's okay, it's not your fault, and we're completely fine." Eliza replied, and Bruce just nodded vigorously. 

"What's up with calling me boss though?" I suddenly noticed the change of addressing me. 

"Well, you are the boss, you did say you'd pay us for the map I made... But if its uncomfortable or something then forget it." she replied. 

"... You just want to call me boss don't you?" I asked, exasperated. 

"Maybe..." both of them replied at the same time, then turning their heads away in embarrassment. 

"Whatever, anyways, food is ready and I was about to bring it over, oh and tell me what you want next time so I can prepare something you two like. Got it?" I said as I pointed at the food I was about to bring over. 

"Got it, boss!" at the mention of food, two excited replies resounded at the same time. 

 Like that, I waited for the kids to finish their breakfast. Humming a tune, I decided to just watch some TV until they're done. More specifically news to see if there was anything interesting going on, like if Starks kidnapping happened yet or whatever else. 

"So, when are they moving in there? And do you know anything about them?" I asked after the kids finished their food, still looking at the TV. 

"If you remember Oswald" Eliza said, wiping her mouth with her hand. "The gang he was part of was the Vipers. They're roughly a forty man large gang that takes part in drug trafficking and arms deals." 

In my head, drug trafficking and arms deals was replaced with they're loaded and they're really loaded. 

Nodding, I asked "Is there anything else that I should know of before I go knocking on their door tonight?" 

Eliza paused abruptly, and then asked with the concern in her voice apparent "Can you really deal with forty armed men... I saw you deal with twenty previously but they didn't have any guns or similar. There's also the heads of the organisation. The Viper is as dangerous as they get and another guy was a war veteran who trains the ordinary goons. Plus they're well equipped due to the vipers connections..."

"Can you... Not go?" the concern in her voice was really apparent. She didn't want to lose another parent like figure again. 

"I know what I'm doing Eliza, just let me go clean them up, If I don't it wouldn't sit right with me as they walked into my turf. They're small fries that I can get rid of in one night or less." I said while ruffling her hair.

If I could previously take on 20 normal men with only <Focus >, now that I had the next level of deadeye, two great revolvers and more stats, I was more than ready to push my limits a bit. 

Firstly, these guys should be somewhat prepared since they recieved training from a former soldier and definitely were armed to the teeth. 

Secondly, the upper echelon seems strong. 

And thirdly, it was 40 people instead of the usual 20 I deal with. 

So overall it should be a good challange for me. 

She was silent for a moment, before she replied in a very quiet manner "Okay, boss."

Suddenly, I noticed a problem.

Both of them were covered in dirt from the life they lived so far. Elizas graysih hair was obscured by heavy layers of dirt, while Bruce's brown hair was also messy. Both of them had patches of dirt on them and their torn clothes probably didn't even fit them anymore. 

Slowly, I made up mind that I would take care of them properly. I shouldn't leave the job half assed like I did previously, after all. 

I would become their guardian.

Saying I would be back in a bit, I left my apartment under the slightly dubious gazes of the two kids. 

Going to the nearest clothing store, I finished buying everything that looked like it would remotely fit them, a whole thousand bucks lighter like that. 

Money wasn't an issue for me anymore. Or at least it wouldn't be in the future, especially with a new juicy porkchop entering directly into my mouth. 

Coming back to my apartment took roughly twenty minutes after I had left, mostly due to the lady in the clothing store packing things very slowly. Returning back, I opened the door under the curious gazes of the two kids. 

Putting down the five bags of clothing, Eliza asked what that was. 

"Boss, what's that." 

"Clothing for the two of you. I can't have my two henchmen look bad and embarrass me in front of the entire superhero and supervillains community you know?" I replied with a smile, "Now go take a bath and clean yourselves, you can't dirty the evil vigilantes lair you know?" 

"Got it, boss." they both replied, as if its usual, at the same time. A faint smile, however, was plastered on their faces. 

Going to the fridge while they took a bath, I opened the fridge door and saw that my stock of energy drinks was running low. I only had 10 cans that would last me for a week, after all. 

With a grim look, I left to go on another shopping spree, this time for energy drinks and some other groceries wanting to keep my fridge stocked with food. 

Returning back to the apartment, the now cleaned up kids were both sitting on the floor. 

Eliza had long platinum hair and golden eyes, a quite frankly unforgettable look if she ever decides to join the scene with supervillains and superheroes. Besides that, she also had a long scar on the side of her face, obscured by her messy hair previously. Overall if she ever does throw herself into the scene, she would be one of the most popular superheroes, villains or vigilantes. 

Bruce, a head shorter than her, stood out far less compared to his sister. Yet the saddest part was... He didnt have brown hair, it was a deep shade of red originally, obscured by layers and layers of dirt. The same dead fish eyes I have, he had, so that was one slightly amusing similarity. He didn't seem to have any scars whatsoever, either due to the ability he had or just plain luck. 

"No sitting on the floor, if the henchmen get cold or a fever or something the boss needs to worry about them." 

While I went to the kitchen to fill the fridge with my supplies necessary for me to work, aka energy drinks, and the less important things like food, the two of them relocated to the couch. 

Returning back, energy drink in hand, I asked out of curiosity. 

" How old are the two of you even?"

"Im 14, Bruce is 12" Eliza replied, frowning while looking at the can in my hand. 

"Boss... Do you drink?" Bruce asked nervously all of a sudden. 

"Yes but this isn't alcohol." I replied, taking a sip right after. 

"Then what's that?" she asked while looking at the can. 

Feeling slightly mischievous, I went to the fridge and grabbed two cans from it, washing them carefully since that stuff needs to be cleaned when it comes from the store, and finally handing them over to the henchmen. 

Looking at the two cans, both of them wanted to say something, yet I went ahead and interrupted them. 

"Open your cans for now." 

Hesitating at first, they still did as told. 

Tsssk

Clack 

Looking at the two cans and the visibly nervous expressions on the kids, I then said while still sipping my own drink, ready to clean up afterwards. 

"Now take a sip." 

Slowly, they both brought the can to their mouth and took a sip. Yet the exact thing I expected happened. 

"Bleeeergh!", this sound came from Bruce. 

"Eww!" this sound came from Eliza. 

The only difference was, they didn't spit it out, so at least I didn't need to bother cleaning up. 

"Yeah, that's what I drink. I'm surprised not one of you knows about this." I replied, with an empty can in hand. 

"Boss..." Eliza looked at me with a pitiful expression, asking me how I could make them drink something that tasted this bad. 

Feeling bad about my little prank, I tried to change the topic, having at least somewhat relieved their nervousness. 

"... Anyways. Let me set up some simple rules for now, just so I don't have to worry about you. Okay?"

"Yes, boss." they again replied simultaneously. They really didn't practice this in advance knowing I would take them in did they? 

"First, you sleep in my bedroom and I sleep on the couch. The bed is nice and comfortable and I don't have a place for you two other than that. Second, if you need anything, shoot, I'm not gona bite you. Third, if you feel unwell or something, tell me as I'm the boss and I need to take care of my henchmen. Fourth, I can add any rules I want that I think of later that I probably missed now. Understood?" listing off the conditions seriously, I looked at their surprised expressions. 

"... The Boss can't have a worse lodging than the henchmen!" Eliza replied after a second, while Bruce nodded. 

The only thing i did was cross my arms and look at them with my eyebrow raised in a somewhat annoyed way. 

After five seconds, she replied quietly with the usual "Got it, boss." 

"That's that then. Oh and if you wanna watch TV or use the PC, feel free to as long as its not searching up illegal things. I dont want to deal with cops just yet. And don't click random download this download that things, you could infect the pc. " saying that, I grabbed a chair and started watching TV together with them, planning on relaxing before tonight's big event. 

I made a mental note to get Eliza a wheelchair for now, as Bruce shouldn't really have to carry her around. Although that would be a bit hard to smuggle into the apartment without being seen or such. 

Like that, they spent the day watching TV, and at one point, I showed them how to use the Internet. Eliza had far more interest in Internet related things, while Bruce seemed to enjoy being a couch potato that watched soap operas. And at roughly 10pm they headed to sleep. 

Making another mental note after I changed the bed sheets that I needed to find something for these two to do, so they don't end up rotting away their potential the entire day, I left my bedroom and started getting ready to crash a party. 

Putting on a skull mask as usual, this time the fancy black one, then the two holsters on the hips and one on my ankle, with a simple dark jacket, I was almost ready. 

Finally, a black pair of military boots was donned, and I was once more ready to play the role of a vigilante. And as I headed outside the apartment, I heard a faint voice coming from behind me. 

"Be careful, boss..." Eliza said that while looking at my back that left the apartment. Waving a dismissive 'don't worry', I left the apartment and closed the door.