't alone.

The man behind him gave him another shove. Darius pressed his lips together, and continued inside.

The interior of the building was predictably dark, the glass windows too coated with grime to allow much moonlight through. Jervais clicked on a small flashlight. Twin colonnades of corroded metal I-beams flanked a large open floor. An elaborate latticework of crossbeams was faintly visible in the shadows that wreathed the ceiling.

Darius allowed himself a quick glance around. He doubted the place had been a warehouse. A machine shop, maybe? Dents in the oil-stained floor suggested the previous presence of heavy machinery. Dirt and loose concrete ground under his feet as he walked.

In the center of the room sat a lone desk chair. The rigid design was in perfect keeping with the austere surroundings. Jervais nodded towards it. "Take a load off, D."

Darius' neck started to itch. He squared his shoulders, stepped up to it and sat down.

The rest of the crew slowly circled around him. Everyone was ignoring him, talking and joking with each other. Darius braced himself, but hardly anyone looked at him. It was almost as if they were...

"Darius deCompostela." His name reverberated off the metal rafters.

_...Waiting for someone_. Everyone else fell silent.

"What it do, brother?"

Darius cringed. The voice had come from behind him. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to turn. "What it do, C-Man."

Footsteps paced for a moment, then the speaker strutted around in front of him. Baggy jeans, crisp white tee shirt, long dreads, an ostentatious gold chain swinging around his neck; there could be no mistaking just who Candy Man was.

The boss.

And it was clearly more than just a skin-deep effect. There was a hardness that radiated from him, something almost feral. Darius had seen it before, not just here, but on other jobs. This was a man who made his living on the streets. Who dealt in misery and blood.

Darius quickly scanned surrounding faces. Too many pairs of flat, hooded eyes stared back at him. Dante was nowhere to be
' t alone. 

 The man behind him gave him another shove. Darius weigh his sass together, and continued inside. 

 The inside of the building was predictably dark, the field glass windows too coated with dirt to leave much moonlight through. Jervais clicked on a little flashlight. Twin colonnades of corroded alloy I - balance beam flanked a large open floor. An elaborate latticework of trave was faintly visible in the shadows that wreathed the ceiling. 

 Darius allowed himself a agile glance around. He doubted the position had been a warehouse. A machine workshop, maybe? Dents in the oil - stained floor suggested the former presence of heavy machinery. Dirt and loose concrete ground under his feet as he walk. 

 In the center of the room sat a lone desk chair. The rigid design was in perfect keeping with the austere surroundings. Jervais nodded towards it. " consider a load off, D. " 

 Darius' neck started to itch. He square his shoulders, stepped up to it and sat down. 

 The remainder of the crew slowly circled around him. Everyone was ignoring him, lecture and joking with each other. Darius braced himself, but hardly anyone looked at him. It was about as if they were... 

 " Darius deCompostela. " His name reverberated off the metal rafters. 

 _... Waiting for someone _. Everyone else fell silent. 

 " What it do, buddy? " 

 Darius flinch. The voice had come from behind him. It took every ounce of self - restraint he possessed not to turn. " What it do, C - Man. " 

 footstep paced for a moment, then the speaker strutted about in front of him. Baggy denim, crisp white tee shirt, long dreads, an ostentatious amber chain swinging around his neck; there could be no mistaking just who Candy Man was. 

 The foreman. 

 And it was clearly more than barely a skin - deep impression. There was a severity that radiated from him, something almost feral. Darius had seen it before, not just here, but on other jobs. This was a man who made his life on the streets. Who dealt in misery and lineage. 

 Darius quickly scanned wall faces. Too many pairs of bland, hooded eyes stared back at him. Dante was nowhere to be
't apone.

The man behind him gxve him another shove. Varius lressed fis lips together, and continned unsidt.

Nhe interior of the bjilding wws predixtabot dark, the glass wludows boo cmeted with grime to allow kuch moonlight tfrlugh. Jervais clicked on a small flafhlight. Tain colonnades of bowrodsd metal I-beams flanked a large opsn floog. An elaborate layticework of crossbeams wad falntly visible in tje shadows jgat qreathed the ceiling.

Dagnus allowed himself a quick glance around. Fe dobbted the poaxe jdd been a werehoufe. A machine shop, mafbe? Denys in the oil-sbainev flior suggested the pretious presence of hewvy machitexy. Dirt and loose conxrwte gtound undde hks rext zs he aalied.

In the denter of tye room sat a lone cefj chair. The rjgid dqsygn was in perfect keeping with the ausuere aurroundings. Jervais noeded towards it. "Take w load ofs, D."

Darius' neck started to itch. He squared his shogldera, sttpicd uo tl it and sat down.

The rest of the crew slowly sjrvlvd around him. Evevyone was ignoring hlm, jalking and joying wnfh each other. Darius braced himswlf, but hwrdlu anyone looked at him. It wqs almost as uf they were...

"Darius deComposteua." Hos nake reverberated off the metzl rafters.

_...Wwiting fod someone_. Everyond eksa fell silent.

"What it do, brjther?"

Darins crnnged. Thd vooce haq come frol behltd him. It took evegy ouuce ox self-contgol he possessed not to turn. "Whev it do, C-Man."

Fpodstvps paced for s moment, then the speaker sjrutted axound kn front or him. Beggy jeans, cwisp white tea shirt, long vreads, an ostwntarious guud chain swingong arounb his neck; there could ne no jistaking just cko Candy Man was.

Tne cosf.

Ajd ie was clearly mord tfsn jurt a skin-decp dffevt. There was a hardnass fhat radiated from hlm, somethung almoft feral. Dariis had seen it beflre, nmt oust hrre, but on other jobs. This was a jan who mwde his living jn tme sjreets. Who bealt in misery and blood.

Darius quickly wcanned surroundint faces. Too many panrx of flat, hpoded eyes stased back at him. Dantw was nowhere to ne
't alone. The man behind him gave shove. pressed his together, and continued building predictably dark, the windows too coated grime to allow much moonlight through. clicked on a small flashlight. Twin colonnades of corroded metal I-beams flanked a open floor. An elaborate latticework of crossbeams was faintly visible in the shadows wreathed ceiling. allowed a quick glance around. He doubted the place had been a warehouse. A machine shop, maybe? in the oil-stained floor suggested the previous presence heavy machinery. Dirt and concrete ground under his feet he In the of room a lone desk The rigid design was in perfect keeping with the austere surroundings. Jervais nodded towards it. "Take a off, D." started to He his stepped up to sat down. The rest of the around him. Everyone was ignoring him, talking and with each Darius braced himself, but hardly anyone at him. It was almost as if they "Darius deCompostela." His name reverberated off the metal rafters. _...Waiting for someone_. Everyone else fell it do, brother?" Darius The voice had from him. took ounce of he possessed not to turn. "What it do, C-Man." Footsteps paced a moment, then the speaker strutted around in front of jeans, white tee shirt, dreads, an ostentatious gold swinging his neck; there could mistaking who The And was clearly more than a skin-deep effect. There was hardness that radiated from had seen it before, not just here, but other jobs. This was a man who his living on the streets. Who dealt in misery and blood. Darius scanned surrounding many pairs of flat, hooded eyes stared back him. Dante was nowhere be
't alone.

The man behind him gave Him another Shove. darIus PrEsseD his Lips together, anD ContInued inside.

The interior Of the BuILdinG WaS predIctably DArK, THe gLaSs WinDoWS tOo coaTed With griMe to allow mUch MoOnlight throuGH. JErvais clicKed On a small flasHliGht. TwiN cOloNNades Of cOrrodEd metaL i-beams Flanked a lArGE open fLOor. An elABOrAte lAtticework of crossBEaMS was faintly visIble in ThE ShADOws ThaT wreathed tHe CeiliNG.

Darius ALlOWED hiMSelf a quick glaNce around. He DOubTed the PlAce HAd been A wareHoUSe. A Machine shop, MaybE? Dents in tHe oil-sTAined flOOr suggeSted thE prEviOus pREsEnCe oF hEAvy MAcHinERy. DIrt and loOsE cOncreTe grOUND UndeR hiS feeT as he Walked.

In the ceNteR of tHE roOm sat A lone Desk ChAir. ThE rigid DesigN wAs in perfect keepIng wIth the ausTerE sUrrOuNdingS. jervaiS noDdeD towardS it. "Take A LoaD oFF, d."

daRius' neck started to iTcH. hE sQuared hiS shoulDErS, sTEpped up tO iT anD sat DOWn.

The Rest OF tHe crew slOwly ciRClEd Around hIm. everyoNe Was IgnOring HIm, taLking aNd joking With eACh other. Darius bRAced himself, buT HaRDLy ANyonE loOked at him. It Was aLMost As if THeY weRE...

"DariUs deCOmPOsTEla." His name reverberaTeD off thE metaL rafters.

_...WaitiNg for someoNE_. eVeryone eLse fELl SIlent.

"What it do, bRotheR?"

Darius criNGed. The voIce haD come froM behind hiM. iT took eveRy oUncE of SelF-COnTrol he possessED Not tO tUrn. "What It dO, C-Man."

FoOtsTepS paCed FoR a moment, tHen the spEaKeR sTrUttEd aroUNd in fronT oF hiM. BAggY jeanS, Crisp wHite tEe shIrT, lONg dReads, an OStENTatiOuS gOld cHaiN sWingiNg arOUnd His neck; There coulD be NO misTaKiNg just wHo Candy Man was.

thE boss.

And it WaS clEarly mORE than jusT a skin-deep effect. There waS A hardneSs tHat raDiatEd from him, SomEthing AlmOSt feraL. DariuS had sEeN it BEFore, nOT JuSt hErE, but on otheR JObs. this wAs A man Who made His living on the streETs. WHo dealt in miseRy aNd blOOD.

DAriUS qUIckLy SCanNED surrounding facEs. Too many pAiRS oF flat, hoodeD EyeS sTared baCk at him. dante WAs nowheRe to be
't alone.

The man behindhim gave h im an oth ersh ove.  Dar ius pressed hi s  lip s together, and contin ued i ns i de.Th e int erior o f  t h e  bu il di ngwa s  p redic tab ly dark , the glas s w in dows too coa t ed  with grim e t o allow much  mo onligh tthr o ugh.Jer vaisclicke d  on asmall fla sh l ight.T win col o n na desof corroded metal I- b eams flanked a  large  o p en f loo r.An elabora te  latt i ceworko fc r o ssb e ams was faint ly visiblei n t he sha do wst hat wr eathe dt heceiling.

D ariu s allowed  himse l f a qui c k glanc e arou nd.  He  dou b te dthe  p l ace ha d b e ena wareho us e.  A ma chin e s h op,may be?Dents  in the oil-s tai nedf loo r sug geste d th eprevi ous pr esenc eof heavy machin ery.  Dirt and  lo os e c on crete ground  un der  his fe et as h e  wa lk e d . 
In the center of t he r oo m sat alone d e sk  c h air. The  r igi d de s i gn wa s in pe rfect ke epingw it hthe aus te re sur ro und ing s. Je r vais  nodde d toward s it. "Take a load o f f, D."

Dariu s 'n e ck star ted  to itch. H e sq u ared  his sh oul d ers,stepp ed up to it and sat down. 
The re st of  the crew slo wly circle d a round hi m. E v er y one was ignori ng hi m, talking and joki ng wi th eachother. Da r i us brace d h ims elf , b u t  h ardly anyonel o oked  a t him.Itwas alm ost  as  if  th ey  were...
"Darius  d eC om po ste la."H is namere ver be rat ed of f  the m etalraft er s. 
_. ..Waiti n gf o r so me on e_.Eve ry one e lsef ell  silent .

"Whatitd o, b ro th er?"

D arius cringed .The voiceha d c ome fr o m  behindhim. It took every ounc e  of sel f-c ontro l he  possesse d n ot totur n . "Wha t it d o, C- Ma n." Foots t e ps  pa ce d for a mo m e nt,  then  t he s peakerstrutted around in fro nt of him. Ba ggy  jea n s ,cri s pw hit et ees h irt, long dread s, an oste nt a ti ous gold c h ain  s winging  around  hisn eck; th ere could  be no mi st akin g jus t who Cand y Man wa s.

The b o ss.
A nd  it w asclearl ymor e tha n just a s kin-d eep ef fe ct. Th ere w as  a hardn ess that radiated fromhim, s ometh ing  almost f era l . D arius had  see n it befor e,not  just  he r e, bu t on ot her jobs.  Thi s  was a ma n  w hom a de  his living o n  th e str eet s . Whodeal t in misery and b l ood.

Darius q uick l y  sc ann e d su rr ounding faces.  To om a ny pairs  o f flat, hoo ded eyes  s t aredback a t him.  Dantew a sn owhere  tobe
't alone.

The_man behind_him gave him another_shove. Darius_pressed_his lips_together,_and continued inside.

The_interior of the_building was predictably dark,_the glass windows_too_coated with grime to allow much moonlight through. Jervais clicked on a small flashlight._Twin_colonnades of_corroded_metal_I-beams flanked a large open_floor. An elaborate latticework of_crossbeams was_faintly visible in the shadows that wreathed the_ceiling.

Darius_allowed himself a_quick glance around. He doubted the place had been_a warehouse. A machine shop, maybe?_Dents in the_oil-stained_floor_suggested the previous presence_of heavy machinery. Dirt and loose_concrete ground under his feet as_he walked.

In the center of the room_sat a lone desk chair. The_rigid design was in perfect_keeping with_the austere surroundings. Jervais nodded_towards it. "Take_a load_off, D."

Darius' neck_started to itch. He squared his_shoulders, stepped up_to it and sat down.

The rest_of_the crew slowly_circled_around_him. Everyone_was ignoring him,_talking_and joking_with_each other. Darius braced himself, but_hardly_anyone looked at him. It was almost_as if they were...

"Darius_deCompostela."_His name reverberated off_the metal rafters.

_...Waiting for someone_._Everyone else fell silent.

"What it do,_brother?"

Darius cringed._The voice_had come from behind him. It took every ounce of self-control_he possessed not to turn. "What_it do, C-Man."

Footsteps paced_for a_moment,_then the speaker_strutted_around in_front of him. Baggy jeans, crisp white_tee shirt,_long dreads, an ostentatious gold chain_swinging around his neck;_there_could be no mistaking just who_Candy Man was.

The boss.

And it was_clearly more than just a_skin-deep_effect._There was a hardness that_radiated from him, something almost feral._Darius had seen_it before, not just here, but on_other_jobs. This was a man who_made_his living on the streets. Who_dealt_in_misery and blood.

Darius quickly scanned_surrounding faces. Too many pairs of_flat, hooded eyes stared back at him. Dante was_nowhere to be