The Danger ABC's

Chapter 9: Seductive Treachery

Call winced as the huge metal doors creaked open, revealing Constantine, The Enemy, looking as badass as ever in all black, rustic desk a haphazard mess that somehow made him look even cooler. Call couldn't help but imagine himself in that chair, cutting into that apple with the trained accuracy of someone who has wielded countless knives before. Call made a mental note to stop fangirling over the evil gang lord's badassery, and sat down in the chair across from Constantine.

"So, Call, how are you enjoying our renowned hospitality?" Constantine said with a smirk.

"Um, It's a very nice place you have here."

"You've thought about my offer?" Constantine questioned expectantly. Call had, but whether he wanted to be part of the gang or not he still hadn't decided. Still, the best course of action either way was to say yes, get closer to Constantine and get more freedom.

"I'll do it." Call said confidently, as Constantine broke out into another grin.

"As I knew you would. I need someone like you, Call; I need someone who understands how important family is. It's a dangerous business, not gonna lie to ya. But you get the thrill of it, you understand what it's all about."

"I do?" Call asked quizzically.

"Fun." Constantine said with a gleam in his eye, cutting off another slice of apple and crunching it to emphasize his point.

"You think killing people is fun?" Call said with more shock than should have been given. He was a gang leader, after all. A powerful one. Constantine erupted into laughter, and then stared at Call with deadly eyes.

"Of course it is. You'll find out soon enough." Call shook his head vigorously, recalling the events of just a few years earlier.

"I have found out. It isn't." Constantine frowned, as if Call had done something to offend him.

"How disappointing. Of course, you were young then. Scared. But now that you're acquainted with crime, you'll find it's much easier to take someone's life. You start to enjoy it, after a while. Look forward to it. Hatred is a powerful thing, Call. Life must be taken in order for life to be made." Constantine pointed his knife at Call, expecting him to respond. Call shook his head again.

"Killing people doesn't make anything except a bigger mess." Call said, wary of angering Constantine too much.

"You don't get the full picture just yet, Call. Give it a chance, you'll learn. We're sending you out on a job soon, after the Stewart boy comes back with the intel, of course." Call's neck reddened at the mention of Aaron, which made Constantine raise an eyebrow.

"Strike will keep training you until then. Any questions?"

"How did you know my father?" Constantine looked up from his apple at Call's question with a mix of nostalgia and surprise.

"We were... partners in crime, you could say. Before Joseph came along, he and me..." Constantine stopped for a moment, pensive, and then his eyes flitted from Call back to the apple. "But that's a story for another day. Joseph will take you back to your room, assuming you don't have other plans."

Call shook his head, and Constantine knocked on the desk with his foot, signalling for Joseph to come in. Call and Joseph parted ways at the door, an unspoken agreement to interact as little as possible slowly falling into place. Call went to bed, tired and confused with the days events, pondering the connections between Constantine and his father, and wondering if Aaron would come back at all. If he were Aaron, Call would be running. That was the smart thing to do. He secretly, guiltily hoped that Aaron wasn't smart enough to leave him. But seeing the look in his eyes when he left, Call knew deep down the chances of Aaron saving him from his own poor choices were too good to be true.