Free Web NovelChapter 7: Damn Prowlers
A few minutes after concluding their heartwarming conversation, the duo, at last, arrived at Old Man Darrell’s place.
Lucien felt like the building was a really crafty place. And indeed it was, if this place could even really be called a building. From the outside, it appeared as a white, stretched canopy mounted between two large buildings.
When Lucien had asked why the old man’s shop was a tent instead of a small building, Darrell had replied with something along the lines of: ’It’ll be faster to fold and scatter all traces of smuggling if we were to be caught up in a Prowler’s investigation.’
As the former Lucien had judged it, the old man’s caution was, in every sense of the word, smart. After all, the prowlers’ investigation of smugglers in zerozones was becoming increasingly heated. Prowlers were detectives in the big cities — they were all like Sherlock Holmes or something, only more deadly. And plenty.
Indeed, they were also one of, if not the major reason, why Lucien avoided the honestly dishonest work of a smuggler, not considering his zero status, of course. If one of those prowler guys got on a person’s case... well, it was sufficient to say that the young calamities that Lucien had read about in the novel had a hard time adjusting to society because of them. Damn prowlers.
The moment they reached the open tent flaps, Lucien breathed in deeply, chest inflating as he paused for a moment, eyes studying the trail of smoke wafting through the air from an opening on top of the canopy.
Eyes squinted.
’Darrell knows Lucien. And Lucien knows Darrell. They’ve known each other for a while now. Although not on a personal level. I’m glad Lucien never had many close friends. None that would be able to discern that I’m not really Lucien. But, would that man be able to–
Damn it. What am I afraid of? I am Lucien now. Just have to follow his mannerisms from his memory.’
Lucien could now, again, see how the Mental Fortitude that the returns system gave him would be usef–
"Finally!" Young Mikky, with a radiant smile, exclaimed.
The boy was giddy on Lucien’s shoulders. And, not long after he exclaimed in excitement, the cute kid jumped down from Luci’s shoulders, giggling as he flung open the tent flaps and made his way into the tent. Lucien stood there, blinking, watching the young kid walk in with springy exuberance. freёwebnoѵel.com
Lucien jolted out of his minor daze, a warm, tender smile surfacing on his lips as he watched the boy.
"Right," he muttered, "I should stop fretting," he tapped his cheek, finally breathing out. "Action!"
Immediately, the young man walked into the tent, following behind Michael.
The moment Lucien stepped into Old Man Darrell’s place, he paused. A warm feeling fuzzed in his chest.
He reached out to his chest, caressing it over his loose brown shirt.
This place... the dim, yellow light illuminating the rows of plastic chairs lined up here and there with people, the strong smell of alcohol intertwining with the fresh scent of something fried...
The place evoked a strange feeling in Lucien’s heart—
’I’ve been here before.’
No shit.
—The feeling of familiarity.
It was truly a weird feeling. He had the memories floating in his mind. His body and his heart knew that he’d been here. But then, it still felt new to him.
How would Lucien even explain this feeling? It took hold of him, making his hair stand on end.
With a soft sigh, he shook the feeling off, finding his way to Mikky, who stood a couple of feet away from Lucien, waving at the young man with a bright, sunny smile that reached his blue eyes.
In a way, the boy looked happier than he ever had. It might’ve just been excitement for the food, though, but still, it did warm Lucien’s heart.
Luci walked over to Mikky, who grabbed him by the hand, towing him toward the counter.
"Come on!" Mikky squealed, excited. "I can smell the fried rice!"
Lucien laughed awkwardly, letting himself get dragged by the youngling. A lone sweat slid from his forehead, though, as he watched the people seated on the chairs in the canopy, drinking and eating.
He’d noticed them the very moment he walked in. And they’d noticed him too. Indeed, for it seemed the very moment Lucien stepped into the tent, the noise, laughter and murmurings died out, leaving only a suspiciously calm silence...
Lucien narrowed his eyes, gazing at the customers.
’Suspicious indeed.’
Under the dim light of the tent, it appeared as if the eyes of all the customers glowed, locking in on Lucien and Michael, tracking them as they moved.
Look at them.
All of them. These people, they all knew that Darrell’s place was illegal. But here they were anyway.
Honestly, either they were all sick in the head, low on money — Darrell’s prices were ridiculously low, by the way — or they were all just criminals.
And Lucien would bet everything he had on the last guess. After all, it was well-known news that Darrell’s place was mostly frequented by criminals.
’Shit. I forgot that,’ he gazed at the kid. ’I shouldn’t have brought Mikky here. I should’ve come to buy the food on my own.
’I don’t feel good exposing the kid to these kinds of people.’
He contemplated turning back and scurrying away with Michael, but, unfortunately for Lucien, not even 40units was enough to get a full meal in any other known eatery. Not to mention two full meals.
He sighed. Well, Darrell wasn’t a bad person after all. According to Lucien’s memories.
If he was, he didn’t act like one. But the possibility of someone involved with smugglers not being a bad pe–
"Lucien, boy," a deep, aged voice called out, reorienting Lucien, who blinked, shaking his head. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
They were already in front of the counter. And there was Mikky, short as he was, in front of the considerably tall counter, repeatedly jumping up and down in excitement.
Lucien smiled, ruffling his hair. And then, he looked toward the old voice.
"Old Man Darrell," he said, grinning. "It’s been a while."
The old man didn’t look quite old at all. That was if Lucien didn’t consider the man’s greyed out hair, his grey, short trimmed beard and the subtle wrinkles in his face. But apart from those, Darrell stood tall. Almost at Lucien’s height. He wasn’t hunched, and his movements were neither slow nor lethargic.
Darrell’s eyes crinkled softly as he smiled a warm smile.
"No, it hasn’t," Darrell said. "You were here only a few days ago."
