Chapter 12

Skeptical Decisions

"Wait" John called, "Please tell me who I am?"

"Who are you?" Cynthia relied "you are an agent who works for the security of our country and its people."

"Where do I live? Do I have a family?" he asked.

"Sorry" Cynthia closed the distance between them. She looked into his warm blue eyes and softly caressed his bearded face with the back of her palms "I am sorry Merlin. I also understand that you are distressed about your identity" She said, "I wished I'd know but they follow a policy of extreme discretion of personal life." She shrugged her shoulders "I know nothing about you except you were a part of us" she then kissed him on his cheeks "and I liked you back then and I like you now"

John wasn't sure how he was feeling. He was scared, tormented, glad and confused about the revelations.

All he wanted to know was if he was happy with the life he was leading earlier?

Was killing people for good of others his forte'?

"Will you do it?" she asked whispering in his ears, her lips almost brushing his ears.

John shuddered all of a sudden but composed himself immediately "I.. I am not sure" he expressed his doubts and when he saw disappointment on Cynthia's face "I will have to think about it. I need some time."

"No worries" Cynthia smiled lightly "you have three days, the event is on Friday. Take your time." she folded his hands holding the papers "just remember there are people around who respect you and trust you."

John simply nodded.

She then placed some money in his hands "but first go and buy yourself something, you are stinking" she made an eww face and laughed louder "not that I haven't seen worse than this and this" now she waved her hand in his appearance and then hers "but a little bit of manifestations wouldn't hurt. And maybe you'll need more for what you might plan."

"And what if I decided against doing it?" John asked.

"Then the team will forget that you ever existed." She said firmly "we can part ways"

"How do I contact you?" John asked when she was about to leave.

"You don't need to" Cynthia turned around smiling that John was considering.

''''''''''''''

"Where the f##k had you been?" Danny yelled at John. "If you don't need this job you can say it right away but if you are going to take it or granted. I swear"

John calmly placed his new running shoes in the shoe cabinet at the entrance. He put the bag of clothes, his old clothes that he'd worn in the morning and placed it in one corner discreet from the eyes of forthcoming shoppers.

"Bad hangover?" he asked Danny "want me to get you some aspirin?"

Danny had observed that John would get frequent headaches. He cared

And John couldn't be thankful enough.

"I want nothing from you" Danny shouted again "if you do not want to work, you can leave my house. I did not appoint you for freebies. You need to work for money."

John wondered what had upset Danny so much?' he checked his watch he was only 10 minutes late. Danny never seemed to be an upbeat person.

"Look bud I am sorry" before John could finish, the chiming of winds rimes notified the presence of a customer.

Both of them straightened up plastered a mild welcoming smile on their faces.

"Oh my god!" Kathie screamed in joy "you are here. We were so worried. Where had you been? We'd been looking for you everywhere."

"We do not need your theatrics Kathie" Danny was rude "John is here and he is late for work, let him do it"

"Why does he have a stick stuck up his ass?" John whisper asked Kathie.

"ssshh..." Kathie whispered back "Danny rarely loses his temper. When you went missing in the morning he felt that he forced you with alcohol and since you were under influence of alcohol either you lost your way or were crushed by a speeding vehicle."

"But I am good and right in front of him" John argued.

"And should I celebrate?" Danny shouted again.

"I didn't say that" John turned defensive. He was tired and jumbled up and the add on drama by Danny was too much to handle "look if you want I can apologize."

"What do you mean I want you to apologize?" Danny yelled and when he saw some customer approaching the shop he said, "you know what never mind. Do your job and go wherever the hell you want to."

"Look Danny I am sorry" John wanted to finish off the matter and he didn't want to be cross with Danny. He was family by now and he meant more to him than..than .. John couldn't find a metaphor so he concluded Danny was more important to him than his eagerness to learn about his past. "I should have informed you but you weren't home and again I do not have any phone nor do I have your contact number so reaching out to you was impossible." He fisted his hair in his hand "I was stuck"

He still felt being stuck in his conscience of to do or not to do.'

Danny did not speak after that. He simply plugged on his earphones and was lost in his own world.

Kathie too left shortly with a small "take care"

"Thanks" John hugged her slightly "I will"

Danny watched them with the squint of eye but did not say anything.

John attended the customer who was there for cartridges and some cleaning stuff.

After finishing his chores of the shop John took his corner of the shop that he normally took whenever he was free.

It was a small recliner near the window and since the curtains were slightly pushed to one side the sunrays filtered into the shop perfect for him to bathe in the heat.

John opened the sheet of paper and was looking at the layout when few more customers entered.

Every time he tried reading into it he was disturbed by incoming customers or disappointed fake coughing by Danny.

Only when he was alone during lunchtime John took the moment to first search for Merlin on social websites.

There were plenty of Merlins and there were even more of Merlyn. He will have to ask Cynthia if he was merlin with I or y.

He typed Merlin Trump but there were so many of them. He found it strange too.

How many of Merlins had Trump as their second name?

Did they find it as weird as he did?

Yet none of the profile picture matched his facial features.

John couldn't focus on his work; Danny blamed it on last night's alcohol and offered him to go home for a short nap.

John was so pleased that he could kiss Danny there and then.

He immediately coughed at his own thoughts. It sounded inappropriate in so many levels.

Taking one big yawn John left for Danny's place.

John was glad that Danny trusted him enough to let him in his house even in his absence.

But considering the security system danny's dad Henry had installed, Danny need not worry.

After resting to a sound sleep for an hour and half John was up and awake and wanted to show his gratitude to Danny so he decided to cook.

With the limited stock in the pantry he chose some potatoes and grilled them into jacket potatoes and also baked fresh garlic bread.

John loved the smell of his cooking, reminded him of home.

"Jacket potatoes yummy!" little john bounced in happiness.

"But I asked you to make pasta" the girl with blonde curls was back again with her tantrums.

" Be nice..." John heard a loud beep when his mom was calling the girl "your brother has had a rough day. I will cook your favorite tomorrow" his mom ruffled the li'l girl's hair

"No" she scrunched her face "don't do that. You know I hate it."

"Aww!" her mom made a 'you are so cute' face.

"And you bro. How can you be so nerdy? Why do you take the bully and abuse.." she looked at him square in the eyes, her grays shining with vengeance "if you answer back and abuse them back only once they'll know how to stay back.

With potatoes stuffed in his mouthed as he fed himself hungrily John mumbled, "I don't like fighting" he did not mind His sister ewwing at his lack of gentlemanliness "I believe in nonviolence."

His sister patted on her head "gone case" mumbling before she grudgingly helped herself with jacket potatoes.

She took all four of them and John tried to sneak one even though he was full so that he could eat later but his sister slapped him so tightly at the approaching hand that he made a guilty caught stealing the cookie" face and walked away.

The pinging of the oven and entry of Danny startled him.

He pressed his head; the ache was worsening.

"Headache again?" Danny asked and without waiting for an answer he suggested, "you should go visit a doctor"

John nodded knowing that it would be a while before he could collect money to visit the doctor.

"Made dinner for you" John called expecting to call a truce. He had mild remembering of the saying 'way to man's heart is his stomach'

John did not understand why Danny was so upset till Katherine dropped during lunchtime and mentioned about his mother leaving him likewise when he was 10 the next day after Christmas.

Overall the hard exterior he realized that Danny was a softhearted boy and he liked the bond his new life had given.

His old life could wait.

He eyed the white folder that was left on the table besides his makeshift sofa that he'd slept earlier.

Jacket potatoes were indeed the ice breaker.

The two guys talked about random stuff even laughed about the customer who had come to their shop to buy a gun for aiming balloons, which was for her stall at some local fun n fair.

It took almost an hour to convince the cat voiced lady that they couldn't help her

"please ser" she begged and since the begging didn't work she even tried to flash her b**bs at john "you can also come at the fair. I swear" she wriggled the tiny tits inside her top "you'll have more fun than you ever anticipated."

"Young boy" she addressed Danny "you can even come. There will be really hot girls looked for hotter guys in the fair. Maybe you can nail the drop the ring' game" she winked.

"I am sorry" Danny said, "I can be of no help. These are policies

And when the two of them didn't buzz and denied she started cursing them "you have no morals, this was a charity event but youngsters these days are only selfish, moron, dickheads, cherry poopers...." She kept on and on till she was out of the market, all the other shopkeepers staring at the lady and then at the embarrassed John and Danny who were silently praying for her quick exit off the market area.

They then went clubbing obviously it was Danny's idea. His girlfriend's friend had managed some passes in the newest club of the town

"Not bad" Danny whistled at the new pair of clothes that John wore.

"Yeah" John scratched the back of his neck "the old ones were no longer wearable'
"yeah I did see you getting cozier the other night." Danny said "but your crush was pretty upset."

"My crush?" John was confused "who?" he asked as Danny locked the doors behind them.

"Uh huh ouch" John rubbed his temples" he was bent trying to tighten his shoe laces when he bumped his forehead.

"Ouch..." she shrieked louder rubbing her forehead herself "cant you watch for yourself?"

"Look who is asking!" Danny commented mockingly winking at her "klumsy Kathie" he put a hand on her shoulder "you know its always you. You cannot help it."

But John was a thorough gentleman "I apologize Kathie."

"This is She" Danny gestured at Kathie.

John knitted his brows "who"

"She" Danny shrugged "your who"

"Who who?" John was more than confused.

"The one I mentioned about earlier." Danny clued.

"what did you mention about her?" John looked at Kathie trying to solve a puzzle.

Kathie was now busy loosening her bracelet that she had probably worn too tight.

Danny hit himself on his head wondering how John could be so clueless "the one I told has crush on ."

Before Danny could finish Kathie was so caught in the conversation that she slipped the bracelet and in hustle of picking it from falling she tripped herself.

John immediately helped her saving from the awkward fall.

Her tight glittery skirt would have done little to save the show for others.

"You two are really meant..." Before Danny could complete John hit him playfully on the back of his head "Stop being the cupid would you?" He eyed Danny.

"Well I was expecting gratitude" Danny said rubbing the back of his head "I though I had company of my girlfriend. Did not want you to get bored. So I got her"

"Chivalry is dead," Danny said dramatically earning a shrug from Kathie and John.

John was having great time with Danny, Kathie, Stella, Danny's girlfriend but he had the nagging feeling running behind his head.

The fact that the research that he made on this Hamilton guy; he seemed like a good person. Although there were some news about his disturbed personal life but he was a good politician. He had been funding several social welfare organizations and was also actively participating in few. People were opinioned highly of him.

Such a citizen was an asset to the nation' one of the article read.

"And the f##kers are planning his assassination'John's blood boiled at that.

He couldn't help but vision the pile of papers that were left on his side table to see.

Was he actually considering it?