Sid looked down at the floor, pressing two fingers up against the left side of his temple. ”Just gimme… A latte and… some tap water for the gentlemen opposite.”
”Erm, alright then.”
She turned to face Michael, unnerved by the sudden change in the elegant gentlemen’s character. ”You sure just a water and nothing else for you, sir?” Michael held a stained palm out. Black flecks of dirt had collected under his fingernails and some minor cuts and bruises were visible down several fingers. She winced for a split second before regaining her composure. Though to her surprise, his jaw was clean shaven to the point of almost appearing half decent to look at. Taking his silent gesture at face value, she nodded before hurrying back into the interior of the café.
Sid flicked at the sleeve of his jacket to check the time. Just gone 9.40am.
”So let’s hurry this up.” He blurted out, scowling up at him. ”What’s going on? Why the hell did you contact me when you could have easily stayed in the shadows getting free payouts for the rest of your stinking life? Using no less than my damn money! Because you know I could have easily called the cops on your ass this morning, right?”
”Enough with the insults, Sid.” He responded whilst shaking his head. ”I thought after all this time you’d at least have a modicum of respect of me considering we are still family and all.”
”Fuck you. You’re a walking ghost. Some dirty illusion that's making me sick to my stomach.”
”Do illusions offer up keys to $15 million dollars worth of pure crypto gold?” Said Michael with a humourless deadpan gaffaw. ”And while we’re at it, don’t bandy around idle threats of police intervention. With the amount of shady interactions you’ve been privy to in the past, I think it better the law doesn’t get involved more for your sake than for mine.” Sid sat in silence, staring back at the scrawny, malnourished creature that was once his sibling. He relaxed into his stiff plastic chair, anger still running deep through his veins. ”Big words for a street vagabond. Now, where’s my money?”
”I’ve decided to give you your money and much more besides for all the trouble and pain I’ve caused you.” Micheal’s words appeared to somewhat sooth his rabid agitation, whether they held any truth or not. Sid knew full well he was good for it, even though Michael by no means looked the part. ”Oh yeah? Like what exactly?” He asked, after a brief pause in order to digest this new revelation.
”OK, I agree it was wrong to steal your private key.” Micheal continued. ”But it was more a call for… your familial attention. You see, I had got involved with hard drugs in a bad way. Three weeks before I went AWOL. Didn’t know that now, did you?”
”You up and left, robbing me of most of my personal digital savings. I hope you understand that may have been a little more pressing of an issue at the time.” His sarcasm was lost on Michael who ignored the comment altogether and offered up a dry smile.
”I assumed you wouldn’t have cared. Anyways, believe it or not, since leaving your apartment that night, I’ve been living on the streets most of the time. I had nothing but my cellphone…”
”The one I bought for you as a gift. That one, right?” Interrupted Michael with a cold sneer.
”Yes, Sid. That one. I moved in with a group of junkies upstate to feed my habit. Collecting daily allocations of financial assistance via your precious steem power. Feeding my addition and almost taking my life in the process. In fact, I got to know those guys through interacting with them within the “Self-Help” community of the platform. So ironic, don’t you think?”
”So you were just a few miles uptown all this time?” Sid asked, with a certain hint of disbelief. ”The cops shut the investigation down when they couldn’t find any trace of you after the first two months. We all thought you’d turn up face down in an alleyway or something. Even Jenny. You do still remember my fiancée, I hope?”
”You all though I was dead. Is that it?” Michael responded in the same neutral tone. ”Well, sorry to disappoint you. But anyway, back to what I'm trying to explain to you.” Sid glanced across at the clock again in the shop window. He would be late for the meeting, that was for sure. But if it meant receiving back possession of his long-missing treasured steem bank vault in exchange for listening to the ramblings of his lunatic brother, he knew there was only one sensible option to go with. Biting his lip with impatience, he continued to listen.
”I needed some guidance and thought it lay in the hands of my new group of “friends”, but I soon turned that situation around. I mean, I saw it all, Sid. Prostitution, child abuse, murder contracts. These guys were in this shit up to their necks. But I couldn't go through with most of what they wanted me to. I managed to find salvation. I wanted a way out and found it by contacting Charles. You already know him.”
”Charles? Who the hell is that?” Michael smirked.
”The leader of the “Empowered” sub community. Under “Religion. He helped me out a great deal.”
”Jeez, that nutcase?” Scoffed Michael, before giving a fleeting look at some young brunette passing by him, wearing a pert mini-skirt and fashionable pair of high-heel stilettos. ”That’s some fucked up cult. So you got involved with them? I think you were better off with the druggies.”
Michael froze at his mocking approach and for the first time gave off a subtle air of annoyance. ”Don’t speak about him that way. He’s a good man. After all, he helped me when my time of need was greatest. Something you were never capable of doing. But all is forgiven, Sid. After all, he will be the same man who is gonna help you today.”
