“Hey! Watch where you’re going, mister!” I glared up at the tall, thin man who had pretty clearly purposefully run into me. I didn’t have time to deal with loons in the park if I was going to make it to the shelter before they shut their doors for the night.

He gave me what I think he thought was a friendly smile. “My apologies, let me help you up.” He pulled me to my feet and I brushed myself off. “Let me make it up to you. How does a hot meal and a warm bed sound?” I eyed him warily. Cara had warned me about strangers offering to take me anywhere. People were going missing. Not that anyone would want a street kid like me. Can’t be too careful sometimes, though.

“Naw, I’m okay, mister.”

“Doctor.”

“Whatever. I gotta go, man.” I tried to pull my arm out of his grasp, surprised by the strength of his hold. I turned to tell him off but froze when I saw his hauntingly nice smile. Something about it transfixed me.

“I’ll change tactics, then. How about a job?” His voice was strangely melodic, not threatening as I had expected.

“A job?”

“Yes. A job. You look like a young man who needs some money. How about you come with me, do as I say, and then I’ll let you leave with more money than you’ll know what to do with? How’s that sound?”

I considered his words. They say money can’t buy happiness, but I think those people have never been homeless without a possession in the world that they couldn’t carry on their backs. Money meant food. Money meant better shelter. Money meant, well, money meant a lot of things.

“What would I have to do?”

“Nothing too difficult. In fact, if you’re lucky, you’ll just get to sit there and answer a few questions. Easy money and I’ll still let you stay in a warm place if you want since the shelters will likely be filled up for the night by the time we’re done.” He was right. If I didn’t get going soon, I was going to miss my chance anyway. He was quickly becoming my only option that didn’t include hiding from alley rats.

“Okay, I’m in. Where to?”

His smile grew slowly, but his grip on my arm didn’t loosen like I had hoped it would. “Good lad. Right this way to my vehicle and we’ll be on our way. Our destination isn’t far and I’ve brought something to eat.”

We walked a couple of blocks to another alley where a dark-colored van was parked. He didn’t let go of my arm until he’d gotten me in the passenger side door, locking it as it closed. It was then that I started wondering if I had made a poor decision.

Now you start worrying?

My thoughts were interrupted by him getting in and throwing me a brown paper bag from the driver’s seat.  “Here. Technically the lunch that my assistant made for me, but you look like you could use it more than me.”

He typed a code into a pad on the steering wheel and the van pulled out of the alley without his help. He laughed slightly at my confused look. “Autonomous vehicle. The wave of the future. Enjoy the sandwich.”

I examined the food suspiciously, but nothing seemed off. Just a lunch meat and cheese sandwich. I glanced at him as he wrote something in a small notebook, wondering if he’d poisoned it, but shrugged.

In for a chip, in for a credit, right?

What can I say? I was hungry and I could never be sure when something might be my last meal.

I only really got worried when we went toward the industrial sector of town. Nothing but warehouses and nightmares on that side of town. Cara told me to not go with anyone I didn’t know over here. Maybe I should have asked more questions.

“Hey, uh, mister…”

“Doctor.”

“Hm?”

“You can call me Doctor.”

“S-sure thing, Doc. So, uh, where are you taking me exactly?”

He didn’t respond or look up from his notebook. I laughed nervously and tried to reach for the door handle without him noticing.

“Listen, Doc, it’s been fun, but I really ought to go. I just remembered I’ve got to meet a friend and if I don’t show up on time they’ll get worried and my friends will come looking for me. I wouldn’t want any trouble on you since you’ve been so kind, but I should really ge-”

Everything beyond that was a blur of motion and pain. He moved faster than I’d ever seen a person move as he grabbed me by my shirt and covered my face with a cloth. I tried to struggle, but that iron grip of his was impossible to break. Last thing I remember was being held against the passenger door by the throat, the dark-eyed doctor looking down at me with nothing but cold calculation as everything went black.

What have you gotten yourself into, Niko?