3 Chapter 3: Anything for a proper meal.

20 years ago...

It was the new year day, the old damaged radio hanging to the muntin was reading some crime news while Leo laid on the back seat of the abandoned old bus that served him as a shelter, his eyes were closed and tummy was empty, he wasn't really concentrated on the news as he had more important things to ponder over.

He took out a two-day-old newspaper which was found in a junk heap the day before and started searching if there was an advertisement that would offer a job to a broken orphan.

As he was turning pages, he recalled people asking him to start working and make money. Winterwich never believed education gives fortune because they have seen both uneducated plastic-filled faces on the list of billionaires and drug-addicted scientists, but Leo always wanted to fill his brain with knowledge, though he knew that he was waging a war every day for just a meal.

The billboards outside were all excited and lit up to invite the new year while Leo was searching desperately for a livelihood. He didn't know why the new year charm was not lighting up his life, the promotional posters outside promised that a new start cures everything but he still could feel the hunger pangs in his stomach.

He came out of the bus and the early morning sun warmed up his naked torso and gave him enough hope to beat the day, but as he closed his eyes to savour the moment, the darkness reminded him of his ghastly life, "survive" was the only word ringing in his head.

"Winterwich, one of the richest cities in the world both in terms of wealth and crime, the richest celebs and poorest poverty-stricken families live here like the yin and yang, a forest of skyscrapers on one side of the city, stinky slums on the other and the horrible mafia underground, it is estimated that around ten people die every day due to crime in Winterwich. While the government is filled with corrupt rats, crime rules over the city...watch Black Hand 3 today in your nearest theatres."

As the massive marketing billboards were yelling to sell their crap, Leo got dressed up in his casual dusty ragged wear and walked to the Bus Station so that he could go to the City-Centre and find some work for himself.

The station was swarmed with commoners working hard to see the next day, as Leo watched more people like him, he felt a sense of security until he saw a man staring at him, he was sitting on a raised cement platform ten metres away, adjacent to Leo, all the dust raised by moving vehicles on the busy road was settling on him, his hair and beard were grown so wild that one could see only his sharp bloodshot eyes, he was wearing a torn dirty outfit just like Leo and seemed like a hobo drug addict.

His stare was so intimidating that Leo turned his face away to not give him attention but he still could feel the drug addict's eyes poking his neck. That man got up and tossed away the burning cigar in his hand. Leo experienced an elevated heart rate as he was getting closer to him, every step of his made Leo more restless and scared, as Leo was about to flee, "Stop!!" he yelled, his voice was hoarse yet his tone sounded civil, but Leo was still nervous,

"I have to go search for work," said Leo, as he started walking in the opposite direction,

"I can give you work." He said.

Though Leo couldn't trust him, he didn't want to miss the opportunity because he had no hope that he would be getting any work at the City-Centre.

"What type of work?", asked Leo, the hobo ignored the question and signalled Leo to follow him and without further interrogation, Leo followed him as he had no intention of starving for the third consecutive day as well.

"My name is Khan," said the hobo as they both crossed the road,

"I am Leo," said Leo, gazing at the bruises on Khan's forearm as he walked along with him.

They walked into a narrow street alongside the main road, the road was so confined that Leo had to walk behind Khan. They did not speak to each other until Leo broke the silence.

"Where are we going?" asked Leo.

"To meet my boss, he needs someone to work for him.", replied Khan, as he walked carefully without bumping into the vehicles parked in that narrow street.

"Who is your boss?", asked Leo as he increased his pace to catch up to Khan.

"He is a God, just walk now, no more questions." He said while pushing away some malnourished kids that were playing in his way.

Leo's conscience felt uncomfortable, he didn't like the idea of blindly following a homeless junkie for work, but his belly gave him no choice.

As they walked further, a wall filled with random graffiti related to some anti-government protests marked the dead-end of the street, Khan proceeded towards the wall and stomped on the manhole-cover lying a few feets away from it and opened it using all his might. "Boy...come on!", yelled Khan. He was looking down the sewer with arms on his waist until Leo reached him.

Leo never knew that the underworld of Winterwich lied underground, as he went closer to the sewer the terrible stink intensified and for the first time Leo felt the scent of crime.

As they climbed down the sewer, darkness of the world beneath engulfed them and Leo didn't know if he was doing the right thing, all he wanted was a nice meal.