Chapter 9: Contracts and New Beginnings
I woke up at 5:00 AM after a restless night of sleep. I couldn't sleep. The nerves about the contract were killing me. Maybe I should have thought about it before accepting, but what else could I do? I didn't want to hide anymore. Besides, if there had been bad intentions involved, my ability would have detected it as an attempt at manipulation. I also felt guilty, although I couldn't help what happened at lunch. Maybe I shouldn't have looked so innocent, and maybe they wouldn't have compared me to their past, or so Loki says - that I looked very innocent and reminded them of their sorrows. Speaking of the devil...
—Loki —I whispered in the darkness of the hotel room—. Are you there?
He took a minute to respond. I suppose even gods need rest.
🍾「SERIOUSLY?! It's 5 in the morning!」
🍾「Why aren't you sleeping?!」
🍾「Humans need at least 8 hours of sleep!」
—I couldn't sleep. Too many things on my mind.
🍾「sigh Alright! I understand!」 🍾「And it was partly my fault for telling you all those stories!」 🍾「But then you need caffeine to function today!」
Loki opened the LokiMarket with what seemed to be a special dawn discount.
╔════════ 5AM SPECIAL OFFER "I'M SORRY" ════════╗
║ ☕ Premium Instant Coffee
Price: $15 → $8 (Guilt discount)
║ 🍓 Fresh Fruit Cup
║ Price: $20 → $12 (Guilt discount)
║ NOTE: Because not sleeping is my fault! ║ ╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════╝
I bought both things and had breakfast while watching the morning news. Then I showered and put on something simple: jeans and a white t-shirt. I wanted to look presentable but not too dressed up for whatever they had planned. But something seemed strange to me. According to mythology, Loki was an envious and cruel god who didn't care about others.
—Loki, I have a question. Are you really Loki, the Norse god?
🍾「Why do you ask, child? What have you heard about me?」
—Well, honestly, the mythology books don't do you much justice. They say you were a playful god but that you didn't care about anything else, and that because of that, you caused Ragnarok with your son.
🍾「Ahhhhhh well, I suppose I saw that coming. Well, child, you should know that history is written by the winning side, right? Well, that's how they painted me, but I had reasons for what I did. It started with me giving them gifts - you know, Thor's hammer, Odin's spear, the ship, and even the wall was because of me. If Odin had rejected the gift because of the Freya thing, Asgard would never have survived many invasions. I even gave them the spell for Baldr so he would live longer. Anyway, after a while I stopped favoring them, just like that, and that's when they started to hate me and make up things about me. They even went after my children - they threw Hela into the underworld, and since Odin bound her there, I couldn't save her. All I could do was make her queen of hell. And then I decided to take away everything I had given them. I deactivated Thor's hammer power and it shattered. I took away Odin's spear and my son Sleipnir, and I took away the spell from Baldr they used - obviously he died. Later they blamed me and forced me to watch as they murdered my children. That's why I decided to start Ragnarok. I lost, and my children and I ended up floating in space and time, and that's how I came to take control of reality as a god, obviously with permission from the god of this world. The end.」
Maybe I shouldn't have asked him that. I wanted to cry. That was the story of a father who started a war for his children, whom they turned into someone evil on a whim.
—Loki, thank you for telling me. I know you're not a bad person, and your proof isn't your story but everything you've done for me. Thank you.
🍾「Sniff... sniff... hey kid, you're still very soft-hearted, but thanks for that.」
We spent a few hours watching television and eating something. At 8:30 I went down to the lobby to wait for them.
At 8:45 AM, Santos and Marcus arrived at the hotel. I was already waiting for them in the lobby with a small suitcase with my few belongings.
—Good morning, team star! —exclaimed Santos with his characteristic energy.
Marcus handed me a bag of elegant clothes. —For today's meeting. You can change in your room.
Both immediately noticed the dark circles under the boy's eyes.
—Didn't you sleep well? —Marcus asked with genuine concern.
—A bit of nerves —I admitted—. Nothing serious.
I quickly went up to my room and changed into the suit they had brought me. It fit perfectly, which made me suspect they had investigated my measurements. The suit was elegant but not too flashy: a classic navy blue with a white shirt and silver tie.
When I came down to the lobby, Santos whistled appreciatively.
—Now you really look like a professional!
—Hahaha you know Santos, I can't imagine you wearing a suit like this —I said, adjusting my tie—. It wouldn't go with your body.
Santos laughed genuinely. —Ha well that's true, but you know how Marcus is - without a suit I don't see the boss.
Marcus laughed so hard he was almost crying with laughter. He tried to muffle it but seeing him like that, his smile was contagious and all three of us laughed.
—Marcus —I continued—, your smile is much prettier than your usual serious face.
Marcus blushed slightly but smiled genuinely. —Did you just say I have a usual serious face?
—Yes, didn't you ever notice it? —I said, winking at him.
The three of us laughed like we were lifelong friends.
🍾「Aww! You're making friends!」
🍾「Your humor is relaxing everyone!」
🍾「Even Marcus is having fun!」
At that moment, both Santos and Marcus definitively confirmed that Alleinad was not a sociopath. No sociopath could fake such a genuine and innocent smile. None could make such natural jokes or show such real warmth. This kid was traumatized, yes obviously, but his behavior was that of an innocent child.
We left the hotel and arrived at an office building in downtown. It was modern, elegant, and completely legitimate in appearance. As we walked toward the entrance, I felt happy and relaxed until...
—...yes, the package will arrive this afternoon as agreed...
That voice. That damn voice.
My body completely paralyzed. It was one of the voices from the kidnapping. One of the kidnappers. He was here, in this building, talking on the phone as if he were a normal person.
My face froze in pure horror. I began trembling involuntarily, my breathing became irregular, and I felt as if the world was crumbling around me.
Santos and Marcus noticed immediately.
—Inside, now —Marcus murmured, taking my arm firmly but gently.
Santos covered me from the other side while they quickly led me into the building. I remember we passed by the reception. They sat me in a chair in the lobby and spoke to me in calm voices.
—What did you see? —Marcus asked directly.
—One of them... one of the men who kidnapped me... is here —I murmured, still trembling.
Marcus and Santos exchanged a meaningful look. They knew exactly who it was. Dmitri Kozlov, one of the Kozlov Brothers who had participated in Alleinad's kidnapping. It was no coincidence that he was here. Giovanni had specifically summoned him, along with his older brother, for a "conversation" about their recent activities.
Marcus discreetly took out his phone and sent a quick message: "Target has been identified by the kid. Proceed with the meeting."
Neither of them told Alleinad that the encounter had been completely intentional.
Santos cursed under his breath, feigning surprise. Marcus made a call, spoke briefly, and then hung up.
—He's not here anymore. Our men made sure of that —he lied softly.
It took me a few more minutes to calm down completely. When I could finally breathe normally again, I realized something important: with my new appearance and identity, he wouldn't have recognized me even if he had seen me directly.
—I'm fine —I said finally—. It just caught me by surprise.
Giovanni appeared a few minutes later, clearly informed of what had happened.
—Everything okay? —he asked, but his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
—Yes, just a little scare.
Giovanni had observed the entire exchange from the building's security cameras. Seeing the reaction of pure terror on Alleinad's face upon hearing Dmitri Kozlov's voice had sealed the brothers' fate. Now he had visual confirmation that these were definitely the men who had kidnapped the boy.
The meeting he was about to have with the Kozlovs would be very different from what they expected.
He led us to his office, where a complete breakfast was waiting: scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, orange juice, and coffee.
—Eat first —Giovanni ordered gently—. Contracts can wait.
While I had breakfast, I still felt a bit stiff from the previous encounter. Marcus told Giovanni what had happened, and everyone waited patiently for me to calm down completely.
When I finally felt normal again, Giovanni put a thick folder in front of me.
—Your official contract.
I expected something basic, maybe exploitative. What I read left me speechless.
OFFICIAL CONTRACT
EMPLOYEE: Alejandro Romero
POSITION: Cleaning and Forensic Analysis Specialist
BENEFITS:
• Fixed salary: $40,000 monthly
• Scene commissions
• Fully furnished apartment
• Premium medical insurance
• Covered psychiatric therapy
• Company vehicle
• Equipment expense account
OBLIGATIONS:
• Availability for urgent cases
• Absolute discretion
• Detailed scene reports
• Collaboration with other sections
🍾「HOLY HEAVEN! This is incredible!」
🍾「Even I am impressed!」
🍾「This is more generous than most legitimate jobs!」
—This is... too much —I said, looking at the three men—. I can't accept all this. I feel like I'm taking advantage of you.
Giovanni laughed. —Alejandro, actually, we're going to take advantage of your knowledge in different areas. Forensic medicine, scene analysis, your eye for details that we overlook. We both benefit from each other.
I laughed genuinely for the first time that day. —Well, when you put it like that...
I signed the contract with my new name: Alejandro Romero.
—One more thing —I said, putting away the pen—. Can you call me Alejandro? Or Ale, if you prefer something shorter. Alleinad... has too many associated memories.
—Of course, Ale —Giovanni smiled—. Welcome officially to the family.
While Ale signed his contract, Giovanni was already mentally planning the meeting that would take place in two hours. The Kozlov Brothers believed they were coming to discuss a business opportunity. In reality, they were going to answer for every moment of suffering they had caused the boy he now considered family.
Justice would come. But first, he would make sure Ale was safe in his new home.
That afternoon, Santos helped me move all my belongings from the hotel to my new apartment. It was a modern space, completely furnished, with city views and a security system that would make Fort Knox look vulnerable.
🍾「Incredible! I love this place!」
🍾「And with a contract anyone would envy!」
While Santos placed my few books in the new library, I couldn't help but smile. For the first time since the kidnapping, I had a real home.
And a family that really seemed to care about me.
🍾「LIFE IS FINALLY GOOD!」
It was true. For the first time in a long time, life really felt good.