“I won’t,” Sparks said, then quickly added, “Probably won’t, at least.”
“Good.”
“I just have one question.”
“Just the one?”
“Yeah. You told Juliette this city was a shit hole. So why go back to risking your life for it?”
Roman didn’t have an answer to that. Not a proper one, at least. “Someone needs to do it.”
“But why you?”
“I’m someone, I guess.” Roman finished his drink and considered whether he needed a third or not. Probably not.
Sparks frowned, confused. “But it’s not your fault.”
“That’s true. This isn’t our mess.” Roman motioned for that third drink regardless. “We’re just the cleanup crew.”
“We,” Sparks said the word slowly, as if tasting it.
Roman nodded. “That’s right. We’re partners now.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“It means we’re gonna have to protect each other.”
Sparks smiled. “I’ll have your back, if you watch mine.”
Roman extended his hand. Sparks shook it. And Roman realized that he truly believed the kid. Also, having seen the kid fight, he knew there was no one better to have protecting him than Sparks.
Sparks’ grinned, obviously pleased with himself. Still, his expression held a generous amount of bewilderment, as if he couldn’t quite believe the two of them had actually agreed to work together. Roman figured he probably had the same damn expression on his own face.
Griff laid a pair of drinks on the table. “A toast, then,” Roman said, taking his glass and raising it. “To the future of Legacy.”
Sparks’ glass met Roman’s. “To this shit hole of a city. Because it’s our city.”
The boy had the right of it, Roman reckoned. Legacy might be hell, might be falling apart, might be doomed, but it was theirs, and it was all they had left. Adrenalite or not, everyone was trapped here together, for better or for worse, in Humanity’s last city.
It wasn’t much, but it was worth fighting for.
The End
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Copyright © 2020 Travis Brett
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