Usually, the buses back home were a quiet and boring experience since none of the passengers spoke to each other. Despite sharing the Southern dream of finding work in the North, none of them shared their experiences with each other almost as if hiding a secret of their success. It would've been another quiet ride had Nami not decided to come along.

He tried to warn her of the dangers, but her eyes lit up the longer he talked about them. He never had any issue saying no before, but her constant pestering made it near impossible for him to say no. It almost reminded him of his little brother.

Once they got on the bus she became as hyper as a child on white coke. Asking every question about the South in the book.

"Is it true that everyone has a gun in their home?"

"How many gangs are there?"

"Have you been shot before?"

"Is it true that even kids are allowed to join gangs?"

Moe could swear that she wasn't his age, because there's no way you make it to 19 and not lose your inner child.

The bus they took dropped them off at the border of the South due to it not having an affiliation. They passed the gates where heavily armed men stood guard. After a bit of walking, they passed a sign. Nami's eyes fixed themselves on the mural of a man with wings of fire on his back. The mural was extremely detailed as she could see the man was wearing a grey suit of a certain brand and a black shirt with a white tie. The look on the man in the mural was one of dominance and pride as he looked down on the two of them.

"Woah." Was all Nami could say as she marveled at the Mural's artistry.

"That's a mural of the person who runs the South. Like a mayor or president or whatever..." He trailed off, keeping his gaze glued to the floor while rubbed his arm nervously. "They made the mural in his honor." Moe explained. He expected a negative reaction from her but was surprised when she asked. "Can I take a picture?" That's when Moe saw the look of admiration on her face. He felt sick.

"Do you not know who this man is?" Moe asked, feeling like she was oblivious to the situation but was proven wrong when she responded.

"Aha'med Binyam. The ultimate crime lord of the south and one who has a continentwide reputation. He is also your dad." Nami looked at him for a response and noticed that he actually froze on the spot.

"You knew, this whole time?" He asked hesitantly.

"It wasn't that hard to put it together. You look just like him, and the fact you're a fire emitter only strengthens that lead." She walked over to him and pulled back the sleeve of the turtleneck.

"With scars like this, it's not impossible to believe that you're that man's son." She traced the thunderbolt like scar on his arm with a saddened look on her face.

"I know all too well about scars you can't heal, but either way I won't see you any different because of it, I promise that I won't tell anyone about it too." Moe sighed in partial relief. He still couldn't get over the fact that he was that easy to see through.

"Why are you doing all this?" Moe asked, taking Nami off guard.

"Well don't get the wrong idea about this, I swear there's no feelings between us." Nami crossed her hands in defiance, before realizing the serious expression on his face.

"You owe me no allegiance. And I have not done anything for you that I can recall, so why? Why put up with a Southerner like me?" Nami sighed as she began wracking her brain for an answer. Why did she do all of that for him?

"You..." She started. "You intrigue me." Moe's brow rose in question.

"A Southern-born boy, trying his damnest to get his family out of the South. Not through turf wars, drug dealing or trafficking, but through education. You're the son of a famous and powerful drug lord and yet you choose education as the method you use to get your family out of the South. Isn't that intriguing?" Moe had a look of shock run over his face, before he dropped his head. A light chuckle escaped his lips before evolving into full blown laughter. He wiped the tear out of his eye before saying. "You are one intriguing person yourself don't you think?" Nami let out a proud chuckle.

"Please do come with more praise." She hugged herself while swaying side to side. An armoured truck past by them, kicking up some dust that choked them up for a bit.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Moe said with his hand extended to Nami. A grin came across her lips before she swung her hand to catch his in a dap.

"You know, since we already going to the South, why don't you cook something up for me at your place?" Moe chuckled expecting her to chuckle too.

"You're serious?" Nami rolled her eyes.

"You ate at my place; I eat at yours." Moe laughed at her logic, continuing his trek to the city perimeter.

"With that logic then since I slept at your place then you should sleep at mine?" Nami followed in his steps and walked beside him.

"Exactly, I'll come redeem my one free night at your place another day though. Aldred comes back today and if he sees I'm not there he'd kill me."

"That's insane bro, I can't let you sleep at mine without any form of compensation. Money is scarce at the South and so is food."

"Me coming to your house should be payment enough, I mean look at me." She twirled in front of him. "I'm an absolute baddie."

There was nothing much to look at, sure she had a cute face, but the body was hidden under the hoodie and sweatpants she wore. Without seeing her face, you could easily mistake her as a young boy.

"Meh, May was better." He teased.

"You only say that because you slept with her." She retorted.

"Points are points bro, and so far, you have none."

"Nah, you're just worried that you can't live up to my cooking skills." Moe stopped with an offended look on his face.

"Excuse you, but I am an awesome cook."

"Nothing but empty words coming out of your lips." Moe chuckled at her antics, before his smile faded. The dilapidated buildings had surrounded him before he knew it, alongside the stench of decay.

"Fine, but only one plate. Oh, and while we're still here, promise me you'll stick close to me for as long as you're in the South, and don't say anything unless I tell you to." A taxi stopped in front of them.

"You're not my dad." Nami stuck out a tongue at him and tried to enter the taxi before he stopped her.

"Promise me." His tone shifted to a serious one and with a sigh Nami gave him a reassuring nod.

"I want you to say it." Nami was about to complain before the taxi driver hit his horn.

"Fine, I promise." Moe lifted his arm, allowing her to get in. When she did though she had her arms crossed with a defiant look on her face. This is gonna be a long ride. Moe thought with a smile he unknowingly had on.

"Ruyat Jadida." He said as the taxi driver drove off.

Nami had thought she had prepared herself before she came there. She had spent hours of research into the South, mostly out of fascination with how a city could be born out of prisoners. Despite all of that, nothing could prepare her for the site before her. The sight of gut churning human depravity at full display, even in the brightness of day. The streets were dirty, buildings ran down, and the lights barely functional. The air con in the car filtered most of the stench coming from the outside, but the smell of industrial rot was inescapable.

The state of the people living there looked even worse. Their clothes dirty and eyes bloodshot from all the smoke in the area. Marks of obvious drug use littered their arms. Some random person getting stomped on by a gang of people, and the people around them barely batted an eye. Hookers and prostitutes having sex with their clients in broad daylight with some watching with their hand on their member and the other with a bunch of cash that was being collected by bulky looking men. The absolute dehumanization of the people before her carried one common thread. All of them, the drug dealers and prostitutes. All of them, the gangbangers and thieves. All of them, the women and children. All of them had no light, no joy, no hope, no love in their eyes. In their eyes they had nothing.

The taxi stopped and Nami climbed out, still in shock with what she had just witnessed. Her stomach churned in disgust and the sensation of vomiting crept up her throat.

"Come on, we still got a way to go." He didn't face her as he walked away and Nami ran to his side in fear of getting left behind. How could he be so calm about... Nami had to stop that thought because she had to remember. This was where he grew up.

Their walk continued in silence before Moe spoke up again.

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that. It's easy to forget you're new to this place when you act so confident." He teased, but his tone remained somber. Still his face didn't meet hers.

"N-No, it was my fault, I should've known things would be this bad." She tried to force a smile, but it didn't stick.

"Hey, about that payment we were talking about, this dish will be on the house." Moe finally turned to her with a warm smile on his face. Compared to everything around them, something about Mohammed seemed to glow.

Before she could even respond Moe turned, his head jerking left and right.

"Fuck." He sighed. Nami began to catch on as she stepped closer to him. Sounds of metal bats began clanging from every direction and were only getting closer. In short, they were surrounded.

More and more people came out of the shadows from every direction, each wielding a bat, and a Glock 9 holstered in their pants.

Crap, can't this wait? Moe wondered in annoyance.

He knew what they were trying to do, so he kept his cool. The man leading the group in front walked towards them and stood in their path.

"'Sup Moe. I see you've been keeping yourself well." The guy was the same height as Nami, and wore a black mask that covered about half his face. A skinny figure with light brown skin, wearing a white tank top and blue baggy jeans that hung on his thighs.

"Let us pass. We have no business with you lot." Moe said in a calmly, keeping his gaze fixed on the man that stepped up.

"Nah we got business, but word 'round the block is you got yourself a fine ting walking with you. Can you blame us for being a little curious?" The boy asked, giving Nami a look which made her cringe.

"Let us pass or else you're gonna get hurt." Moe threatened.

"Oooo nah big bro, you can go through any time you like, but your friend here needs to introduce herself to the rest of the group, ja'feel? " Some cheers and whistles came from the group surrounding them which sent a shiver down Nami's spine.

She looked to Moe for permission to speak, but he shook his head in disagreement. "We have no time for this Hassan, let us through."

"Can't your girl speak for herself, or is she the type to need a reason to talk?" The boy withdrew his gun and aimed it at her direction.

"Put that away Hassan!" Moe shouted, standing between Nami and Hassan.

"You know the rules big bro, outsiders aren't allowed in these parts. Moe was about to speak again before Nami walked towards the boy. She bent over a placed her head at the edge of the gun, her eyes locking on to the supposed leader of the pack.

Everything went quiet as the two stared down at each other, the boy's hands slowly beginning to shiver. The boy groaned loudly before he began to laugh.

"Yo, bro where did you find this beast?" Moe breathed a sigh of relief, before separating the two.

"We gave you those guns to protect yourselves, not to scare people, now hand it over." The boy laughed as he was about to holster his gun until he felt nothing go in, let alone anything in his hands.

"The Glock 17. 18 total rounds and a small but heavy feel to it." She pointed the gun at him and everyone around them pulled out theirs and aimed it at her. "Nami, put the gun down." Moe demanded as he raised his hands. There was a small stand-off between them before Nami pulled the trigger to an empty click.

"Bang." She said. Before flaunting the bullets she had taken out in front of them. "If you're brave enough to threaten someone's life then you shouldn't fear losing your own." Nami walked up to the boy and handed him his gun and bullets.

Moe sighed in both relief and exhaustion. "Nami, this is my little brother Hassan. Hassan this is Nami, a friend from school." A smile came over the boy Hassan's lips as he extended his hand towards Nami.

"I wanted to see if the friends you were making in The North were pussies, never knew you'd bag a badass bitch though." Nami stared at his extended hand with a look of disgust on her face.

"Everyone, return to your posts! There is absolutely nothing to see here!" Moe called out to the rest of the gang. They all obeyed his instruction.

"Where is Gresh?" Moe asked sounding extremely serious.

"She is at home. So, there is no need to worry." Hassan answered before stepping in with his mouth covered by his hand

"So big bro, have you done the deed with this one? A bit too boyish for my liking, but she looks really pretty." Under his hand Hassan hid a sleazy grin.

"Hassan, you're still too young to be asking those questions." Moe whispered, despite speaking an entirely different language.

"C'mon big bro, I'm 14, so of course I'll be curious." Hassan nudged at Moe's ribs.

"We are just friends, nothing more, nothing less." Moe groaned, growing frustrated with his brother's pestering.

"You're being a bitch big bro." Hassan turned away with a disappointed sigh.

"Have you been hanging with Nathaniel!?" Moe asked, grabbing the boy by the collar.

"So, what if I have!?" He spat back arrogantly.

"I swear Imma kick the shit out of you, you little punk." Moe shook the boy around, making his sagging jeans dip further down.

"If I were you big bro, I would've clapped the cheeks the day I met her." Hassan continued his unrelenting teasing. Mohammed being tired of his little brothers games threw him on his ass.

"You wish you had a girl as fine as me." Nami said looking at the two who looked at her in a mix of shock and confusion

"Speaking Arabic so no one understands you only works if the person you're talking about doesn't understand." Nami had to hold back a snicker, finding their dumbfounded expressions amusing. Up close the two really looked identical, sharing the same features save for a difference in hairstyles.

"You can speak Arabic?" Moe was the first to speak up.

"Arabic, Deutch, Mandarin, Korchinese, you name it and I can probably speak it." Nami said crossing her arms pridefully. The two brothers exchanged glances, Moe being accuser of Hassan's awkward smile.

"So, miss, where are you going with my brother? This place is not really ideal for a date." Hassan said which got him a slap on the back of the head from Moe.

"Firstly, where we go is none of your business. Secondly, we are not on a date!" Moe exclaimed.

"Oh, we aren't on a date. Well, why didn't you say so?" Nami asked teasingly.

"Stop entertaining him!" Moe shouted, which got Nami laughing.

"If you still want me to cook for you, you better behave." Moe reprimanded prompting Nami to throw her hand over her mouth to stifle the leaking giggles.

"I regret making myself hungry for your meal." She groaned. "Your cooking better be worth it." She declared, poking at Mohammed's competitive nature.

Hassan watched the two bicker on, seeing a glow in his brother that he'd thought he'd never see. The North was good for him, which is why it hurt Hassan to tell him.

"Big bro, uhm... I actually did have business with you." Moe turned to his little brother, still giggling from the argument he was having with Nami.

"What is it?" He asked, his jovial mood sobering when he saw the look on his face.

"A message. Uncle Jumbo wanted me to call you for him. He said you two had an 'important' matter to discuss." Hearing that name instantly killed the smile on Moe's face, his fists clenching in response to his soured mood. The sudden change in atmosphere was enough to even get Nami worried.

"What does he want this time?" Moe asked in a colder tone.

"I don't know Mohammed, but he sounded serious, and you know how uncle Jumbo is when he's serious." Hassan said, also dawning an uncharacteristic tone to him.

"Is everything alright?" Nami asked, sensing the growing tension in the air.

"I'm sorry Nami, but this is about as far as you can go for today." Moe said, sounding as disappointed as Nami felt. "Promise to give you a proper tour of the place next time I bring you along." He promised, extending a pinky out for her to swear on. Nami stared at his hand hesitantly before wrapping her own pinky around his.

"I'm going to hold you to it then."

"I'll call a taxi for you?" Nami couldn't help the feeling of dread growing in her gut, but she had to ignore it. At the end of the day, it was none of her business. Still, she couldn't ignore the dark look that came over his eyes, like a dark shade that dimmed the warmth she felt from looking at them

"Hassan, stick with her until she's out the gate." Mohammed commanded, sounding nothing like his playful self she saw moments ago.

"Yes sir." Hassan bowed and began leading the path back. Nami hesitated before following him, passing one final glance at him. She watched as Moe continued the road they were walking on his own, his fists still clenched.

"Will he be okay?" Nami asked, unable to shake the feeling of worry she felt over him.

"It's nothing you have to worry about. My brother isn't like the rest of us." Nami turned to the boy, catching a striking familiarity in him. Other than looks he had the same thing she saw in Moe when she entered that place. The look that was in their eyes was unlike all the other residents of the South. Like a bright light shining in a dark fog their eyes held what all the other residents lacked. Their eyes held hope.