Chapter 16 Afterwords

Jake was reliving a memory the memory was one of his favorites it was the day of his seventh, birthday he had woken up with a beautifully wrapped present on his bed the groggy sleep he felt had disappeared the moment he saw the polka dotted wrapping paper, he furiously tore it open and when he saw what was inside he screamed like a little girl but not with terror but with pure excitement, his mother who was cooking in their kitchen couldn't help but chuckle hearing her son full of manic joy. She then heard the sprinting pitter patter of his feet running down the hallway.

"Mom!!"

He screamed.

"Mom, you got it you got me a joy-boy game system!"

As he made his way to the kitchen he was dancing in place as he held on tight to the game system box, he held it close to him like it was his teddy Mr. Bond his mother turned to look at him and he could see she was cooking him his favorite breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes and that filled him with even more joy his mother smiled at him he remember how warm and inviting his mother smile was, he remembered her piercing blue eyes and her long dirty blond hair that fell way past her back. Jake could remember how beautiful his mother was he could remember who she was.

"Calm down, clam down Jakey, you'll disturb the neighbors."

She said trying her hardest to hold back her laughs, but he was so excited he must not had heard her because it was still dancing with glee.

"I thought you said you couldn't get one."

He shouted his mother couldn't help but laugh as she kneeled down to her son.

"I did but I picked up some extra shifts at the mill, and by a stroke of luck while in the capital I found a store that had a single one left and I snatched it right up."

At hearing this Jake was smiling from ear to ear he couldn't contain himself he jumped into his mother's arms hugging her as tight as he could.

"Thank you, mom thank you thank, you thank you."

His love and appreciation made her smile Jake wouldn't know, but his mother sacrificed a lot she broke her body down to hell and back to just buy him a silly little game system but seeing him at that moment as happy as could be made it all worth it for her she hugged him back and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Happy birthday Jake.

On this day Jake knew he was the happiest kid in the world but as a river flows from one point to another so too did jakes memories, they flowed to memories of his mother coming home from working in the mill her coughs became worst and worst after every shift, his memories flowed to when she would have to stay home from work for a week sick because she couldn't manage to get out of bed, his memories flowed to when he came home from school and he found his mother collapsed unconscious on the floor, they flowed to when he had to sell of his possessions because their saving had dried up and the hospital cost were getting to be too much he sold everything ever precious thing his mother had given him every thoughtful gift, birthday gift Christmas gift he sold all of it for money to extend his mother's hospital stay, his memories flowed to when she fell into a coma and he never heard her voice again they kept flowing his memories kept flowing and the more they went the more resent the memories were, Jake remembered how he unsheathed that katana he remembered fighting that man he remembered being cut across the chest he remembered how it hurt how painful it was.

Jake remembered the feeling of death grip him he felt his life slipping away from him all of these memories were rushing through Jake, he felt as if they were over taking him he was hit with a tidal wave of memories and he was drowning he was sinking lower and lower and when he reached his breaking point jake reached out for salvation, the boy gasped for dear life as he shot up from the bed all the memories that he was seeing all the experiences he was reliving were only dreams. The pain of his injury and the pain from his life's situation brought him back and firmly planted him into reality, Jake was in a room he never been in before laying in a bed that was foreign to him his clothes were gone he wasn't wearing his own clothes no he was wearing a hospital gown, and he wasn't bleeding to death anymore he was alive even though he could still feel the wound left on his chest he sat there for a moment catching his breath then her heard a voice.

"Well seems like your awake, good morning sunshine."

On the other side of the room a man walked through the door that man was Nolan Sullivan, but now he wasn't wearing his military attire he was dressed less formal and more relaxed he wore a black turtle neck and matching pants, his footwear was the only part of his outfit that clashed with everything else on his feet he wore bright yellow slippers, when Jake's eyes landed on him Nolan smiled his warmest smile he could give.

"Who… who are you and were am I."

Jake asked.

"Well, I am Nolan Sullivan, and you are still in the very place you tried to rob are family estate."

Jake pondered what that man had just told him the Sullivan estate quick flashes of what happened ran through his mind.

"If I'm still here then why ain't I died yet."

Nolan could only giggle at the question.

"Well young man."

He said as he walked towards Jake then sitting on the edge of the bed.

"That's because we as Sullivans have many family rules, and one of those rules is we have to come to an agreement when there is a big decision to be made, that decision has to be made as family."

Jake was puzzled but the man continued he pointed a finger at Jake dramatically.

"And you young man are the very big decision we have to make, you're a thief that's a given but a thief with some promise and potential and we have to figure out what to do with you."

Jake opened his mouth to ask a question, but he was cut off by Nolan before he even got the chance the man but his hand up in a motion to stop Jake.

"I think your done asking questions."

He spoke.

"I'm the one asking the questions now."

There was a hint of sinisterness to the man that Jake was now noticing he felt more in danger now as the mood was shifting then when he was fighting the large mountain man.

"My first question whats your name?"

He didn't hesitate he told him.

"Jake, Jake green"

"Ok and who hired you to rob us Mr. Green?"

"I don't know I was never told."

Nolan could tell the boy wasn't lying he could see it in his eyes that he was too frightened to lie.

"Alright then give me the names of your comrades who assisted you."

At this question Jake halted, his answer didn't come out like the first one he just looked at Nolan silently, Tone Roach Porsche and Coco, Jake knew none of them were that close to each other well except for Tone and Roach he knew they weren't his friends Jake had no friends, but he did know they were from the slums just like him and he couldn't bring himself to turn on those from the slums like himself, noticing Jake was holding back and taking a guess why Nolan scoffed at him.

"Come now boy don't you know that old saying there is no honor among thieves, if there was then they wouldn't have left you on the ground bleeding to death."

He was right Jake knew it to be so, but the names of the other slum kids never left his mouth this annoyed Nolan, but he shrugged it off and continued with his questions.

"Where are you from?"

He asked.

"The slums."

Nolan smirked.

"Yea I know I could tell by just looking at you, I knew you were from the slums I'm asking which of the slums are you from?"

Jake hesitated but he did answer the man.

"The northern slums."

"Ok ok now what about your parents."

"What about them."

Jake shot back a small ting of anger he felt being asked that question.

"Who are they what are their names?"

A brief silence hit the room then Jake answered.

"My mother has nothing to do with this."

"Your mother?"

Nolan said questioning.

"No father?"

"No never knew the guy."

"Well by the way you said that you don't seem to care about your father, so what so tell me his name it doesn't hurt if you don't care about him."

Jake paused for a second the man was right again with his attitude becoming easier to maintain he told him.

"My mother only told me his first name once she said his name was Bruno."

At this Nolan was shocked the man was caught completely off guard, Jake could see that shock on his face he watched the man as he was lost in thought.

"Boy."

He said after a few moments.

Tell me your mother's name no need to be on guard I mean her no harm."

If this was the man Jake was speaking to only a moment ago then his lips would have been sealed, but at the near mention of his father's name Jake watched the man have a lost look on his face his mother's name escaped him before he had even realized it.

"Jeanette Green."

Mentioning his mother's name Jake watched as the man became lost in his thought after a few minutes Nolan stood up patted Jake on the back and went to leave, as did he spoke to Jake once more.

"Will be having are family meeting in a day or two so just sit there in rest and prepare for any decision we make."

With that he left as Nolan closed the door behind him, he entered a hallway and, in that hallway, standing next to the door was a man dressed very fancy the man had tan skin and his hair was pulled back in a ponytail the man standing by the door was a butler and when Nolan exited the room, he spoke to the man.

"Curtis."

"Yes, Sir Nolan."

The man responded.

"Tell me something do you remember a maid a couple of years ago that worked her called Jeanette."

The butler paused in thought then answered.

"Yes, I do sir it was a long time ago though I think around 15 years ago."

"Yea, yea you do remember her."

"Yes, sir I do."

"Tell me what ever happened to her?"

"I'm not sure sir one day she just vanished."

Nolan stood there for a moment then he smiled he through one of his arms around the butler as he pulled him in close.

"Curtis my man I need you to do me a favor."