The Royal Contract

His guest looked out of place in his territory. He was not exactly the type of person one would see in a dirty alley like this, not from his current appearance.

However, he noticed the man seemed different from the last time he saw him. The lawyer looked like he had upgraded his look.

The man appeared overdressed with his expensive suit and well-combed hair if he had come here to see him. He did not need to suit up.

"Mr. Adam, what are you doing here?" He asked as he walked around the potty hole full of muddy water closer to his unexpected visitor. "Are you lost or something?" He questioned with his brows creased at the middle of his forehead.

He knew his dealing with this man was over. He could not remember setting another meeting with him unless he was here to settle some score.

He remembered that he still owed him money from his friend's case. But the man said that he did not need to pay him. Therefore, he never did.

"No, Ken. I am not lost. Actually..." Adam paused as he moved closer to the boy, avoiding the trash that littered the broken cement floor. "I am here to see you." He added.

He looked at the man who helped him before, wondering why he had sought him out. Usually, authorities only searched for him if they planned to put him in jail or a foster home.

"Ok. What for?" He asked as he crossed his arms across his chest while studying the older man before him.

He was not afraid of him, but he still had his guard up. Even though this man had helped him once before, he was still not his friend. He hardly knew anything about him.

"I am going to lunch." Adam gazed at the watch on his wrist before looking back at him. "I am hoping you can join me." He offered. "Then, we can discuss why I am here."

Based on his observation, the man would not tell him anything unless he went with him. But could he trust him? So far, he had no reason not to.

The last time he saw him, the man helped him without asking for anything in return. The least he could do for him now was give him some benefit of the doubt.

"Fine." Ken finally conceded, agreeing to go with him. "But not in a fancy restaurant. I will pick the place." He could not help it. He was also curious.

Besides, he did not have breakfast this morning, remembering to give his food away to someone who needed it more.

Then, his face turned to a man that sat on the cardboard box in the corner, behind the trash box. He seemed better compared to when he first saw him this morning.

"You wait here. I will be back." He told the older man who he had been helping. He was a homeless guy who had some health issues.

"Ok. You lead the way." Adam acknowledged his request as he followed him toward the busy street. "Who is that?" He asked him, probably wondering about the man.

"A friend." He answered, not bothering with the details. "But he is not your concern." He answered him, knowing he did not need a lawyer but a doctor.

But that was not easy for someone who lived in the street. Healthcare was the last priority of someone who did not have enough food to feed themselves.

"Ok." Adam did not pursue the subject as they walked through the crowded pavement. "Where are we going?" He asked as they turned to another busy street.

"You will see. It is just over there." Ken pointed to a diner on the other side of the road. Then he crossed the street, not minding the honking of horns and the shouting of drivers and pedestrians as he caused traffic.

"You don't own the streets either." The boy shouted to the driver, who yelled profanities at him.

Adam suddenly stood in the middle of the driver when the driver was about to grab him, stopping the man from taking a step further.

"Hey, he is just a kid." Adam tried to explain to the man. But he could see he was ready to exchange blows with the driver if the other man failed to see reason.

"You should watch where you are going and that mouth of yours." The driver threateningly said to him as he returned to his car and drove away.

"You did not have to fight my battle. I could have handled the situation by myself." Ken told Adam as they walked further down the block until they reached the diner entrance.

"You should not be picking fights with men twice as big as you," Adam told him. "Besides, it was your fault, not his."

The man started chastising him about the rule of law and how he was breaking them. And he continued once they were inside the diner, taking their seats.

"Are you done lecturing me? Because, as I vaguely remember, we are here to eat lunch." Ken reminded the older man as he signaled for his favorite waitress to take their orders.

He liked coming to this place because the people here were kind to him. They usually gave him discounts and some free leftovers at the end of the day.

"Ok. I am sorry. I got carried away." Adam raised his hand in surrender as he zipped his lips and ordered instead.

"I will take three orders of this." He pointed to the burger with some fries on it. Then, he also picked several more dishes listed on the small menu.

"Can you eat all of that?" Adam asked, slightly stupefied by the amount of food he just ordered.

"No, of course not. But how can I eat knowing that my friends are going hungry? So, I am taking most of that home." He explained to the man opposite him as he placed another order for a soda.

"And why am I paying for their meal?" Adam questioned, but all he could see in his expression was fascination. He did not seem angry at his stunt.

"Because I can see that you can afford it. Besides, it is the price for inviting me to this meal." He was not bargaining for anything less.

Besides, the price of the meal here was not that expensive. He doubted that the man would have difficulty paying for the extra meal.

"Ok. Fine." Adam seemed to concede without him.

His curiosity increased tenfold as each minute ticked by as they waited for their orders and sat quietly at a booth further in the corner.

He never liked sitting among the patrons. He never liked it when they stared at his tattered clothes and dirty shoes. He could see how their eyes were judging, thinking he would do no good.

But he could not blame them. Many liked him had resorted to criminal acts, like pickpocketing, robbing, or dealing with drugs. But he was not like them. He knew better than to get involved in those illegal activities.

"So, why do you wish to speak to me?" He finally asked when he was halfway through his burger.

He never liked talking business while eating. But beggars could not be choosy. The sooner he dealt with him, the faster he could return to his business and pals.

"I was sent here by Serena to talk to you." Adam finally opened the discussion.

And the mention of his friend's name immediately piqued his interest. He had not seen her since she disappeared from the news. But he prayed that she was safe and happy wherever she was.

"About what?" He asked as he grabbed the soda in his right hand while swallowing the rest of the burger still inside his mouth.

Then, he was the solid food down with the sweetened carbonated drink, loving the feeling of its bubbly liquid as it went down his esophagus.

But he quickly shifted his attention to the man, wanting to hear what he had to say about Serena. And what she needed from him?

"She wanted me to tell you that she would soon return. And she plans to settle here in the meantime." Adam explained to him, but he could not see the relevance of her plans with him.

"Does she need anything from me?" He asked, finding the entire story puzzling and quite ridiculous. Suddenly, he wondered if Adam was pranking him.

But what would a famous star like Serena want from him? He had no doubt she had everything she needed. He could not possibly give anything to her.

"Yes, she wants something from you. And she gave me the task of informing you." Adam still seemed to be talking in riddles as he failed to understand his meaning.

"What?" He asked as he slightly felt like he was losing his patience.

But it seemed he was not the only one hesitant about this situation as the other man looked uncomfortable too. He looked like he was debating with himself.

"What do you think of belonging to a family?"