CHAPTER 4

"Dude, did you see the game last night?"

"It was Nova!"

"Y-Yes honey, I-I understand."

"And I'm all like, you can't talk to me like that!"

"Roger, the target was successfully terminated."

"Mama, I'm hungry."

"It's alright, sweety; Daddy is picking up some fast food for us when we get home."

I leaned back against the window of the built train, my ears picking up the constant voices from everyday people, their daily lives somehow intertwining with mine, even if we've never been face to face. My eyes glanced over at a boy with his mother. The young child was leaning against his parent's arms, his eyes dropping with exhaustion as the mother tenderly combed her fingers through his locks of hair. I stared for a few minutes, my thoughts absentmindedly, as I reached up to gently comb my fingers through my hair.

I flinched when I felt someone slap my hand away and spun around, only to stare at a sleeping man, resounding snores escaping from his open maw. I turned away from the stranger before mentally replying to Rose, (Did you slap me?) My words were answered by a giggle full of joy before ethereal fingers seemed to comb through my scalp gently.

I groaned, my entire body melting into jelly, as I leaned heavily against the window, a smile appearing on my lips. [If you ever need comfort, Quinn, I will always be here,] She said, her voice containing warmth as she continued, [You're not alone.] I squirmed slightly at her words before remaining still and letting her magical fingers through my scalp. Slowly, I felt my eyelids drop as sleep started taking over.

[Shhh, get some rest, I'll wake you up.]

Taking up the chance, I adjusted my position and let sleep take me.

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"I hope those shitheads like hospital food."

[You did stomp on that one guy's face.]

I smirked, my thoughts going back to the train, in which my peaceful sleep was disturbed by two gonks. The two were both muscle-heads, almost close to being Animals, as they rudely awoke me with a slap to the back of the head.

All because I was sitting in their 'spot.'

After a few harsh words and an opening of a can of whoop-ass, the two goons will be sipping through straws for a few months.

I scratched my head, glancing around at Arroyo, a part of the district of Santo Domingo. It's not the best place, mainly because of factories, robotics, logistics centers, and many junkyards. The junkyards were convenient places for gangs and gonks to camp and make their base.

Yawning, I continued crossing a crosswalk before gazing up at a towering building in the distance.

Megabuilding H4.

It is a gigantic apartment complex housing thousands of people and an excellent place for people with low incomes to nearly nothing. Most people living in the complex were homeless, and hundreds of gonks and users occupied the stairs and other places. I walked past a man leaning against a building; his face was covered by a BD oculus and a Mr. Handy around his pecker. I frowned in disgust as the man shivered in delight, a perverted grin on his face as he continued to indulge in his fantasy.

I shook my head as I walked away, my gaze traveling to a pair of staircases leading closer to the large apartment building. I stopped at the top; my lips twitched as I stared at the hundreds of BDs and drug users lining the stairs.

The noise was appalling.

I quicken my pace, trying to avoid people lying across the stairs. When I finally reached the bottom, I heard a loud whistle. The chorus of moans, along with the groans and grunts of drugged-up idiots, was a little too much.

"Quinn!"

I looked up, my gaze locking with a pair of brown-colored eyes. I felt my smile grow as I raised a hand and yelled, "Davie!" The Latino boy's lip twitched in annoyance as he shook his head and walked toward me. Standing around 5'8, the kid had dark skin, brown hair shaved on the sides, and slightly slicked back. He wore a long-sleeve black shirt, along with greyish joggers and sneakers. As he drew closer, he raised a hand before forming it into a fist and throwing it at my face. I sidestepped the punch before reaching up and grabbing the kid by his ear.

Now, all I had to do was twist it...

"Ah! Fuck! Let me go, you asshole! Shit, that fucking hurts!"

I glanced down at David's squatting form, his hands trying and failing to pry my index and thumb from his earlobe. I smirked and replied, "What did you say?" He growled out a response, "You fucking as" I twisted his ear again, cutting off as he cried out in pain.

"Okay! I'm sorry, now let my ear go!"

I chuckled before releasing David's ear. The boy stood up, one of his hands gingerly rubbing his reddening earlobe, as he glared at me in irritation. I rolled my eyes at his glare and said, "Oh, stop being a baby; I only hurt ya a little bit."

"Hey! Why don't you try having your ear almost ripped from your skull?!"

"Don't be so dramatic; I barely even hurt ya."

David huffed in response and turned away from me. "Whatever, let's head on back." As I watched the young lad retreating, I felt Elisabeth gently comb her fingers through my scalp, electing a pleased groan from me.

[So young, he's way too young to deal with the truth of the world.]

I nodded before quickly dashing after David, my mind drifting off to a specific image of a burning wreck.

(A/N: Sorry guys, I've been busy with College and everything and never really had the time to get around to the story. This one is shorter than the others, but mainly because my exams are coming up and I need more time to study.)