Got Ham

[mostlyajerk]

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[mostlyajerk]

"He helped me." Hart looked at Barry as he walked with him, trying to figure out how something like this was best and ideally handled. "I'm not sure why, but I owe him my thanks." He didn't think he had done a good job of showing gratitude back then, especially with Leonard chasing him off. "I don't make things up."

[gotspeed]

"Everyone makes things up. People lie a lot." Barry gave Hart a look before he continued on ahead, trying not to shiver in the cold air. It was chilly out and he didn't really have the clothes for it but then, clothes were hard to come by when he had no money. He was hoping this cash would help pay for new stuff. "Paco doesn't usually help people, only if they really need it. And he doesn't often tell people to call him Cisco. If he told you that, he clearly didn't want you finding him."

[mostlyajerk]

"If he doesn't want to talk to me, he can tell me that himself, can't he?" Hart wasn't easily intimidated, in spite of what his appearance might lead someone to believe. He put his hands into his pockets and walked a bit faster until he could catch up to Barry. "I do need help. I really do. And I try never to lie."

[gotspeed]

"What do you need help with?" Barry gave Hart a look, unsure if he was worth trusting. "Maybe other people can help." People who weren't Paco because he didn't think he really sounded like he wanted to help. "Not the police. Don't trust them." Barry was very firm on that one because he knew how little they could be trusted. "But a lot of people around here aren't too bad. If you ask the right one and you got enough cash."

[mostlyajerk]

"I'm afraid only Paco can help with this. But I appreciate the offer, a lot." Hart nodded and kept walking quickly. This boy walked too fast and his legs were way too long. "Why shouldn't I trust the police?" He sounded like Leonard did, when Leonard was talking to Mick.

[gotspeed]

"Because they killed my mom and they took my dad." Barry huffed angrily as he paused by a fire escape and yanked the ladder down. "All because of the dumb Rathaway murders. A bunch of rich people die and I have to lose everything." He had a lot of anger in him lately, it was all still so frustrating. He couldn't do anything to help his dad and he lost his mom. All in one horrible night. "And it's not even like they did anything."

[mostlyajerk]

Oh. Hartley had no idea what exactly the connection was there and his chest tightened. He should tell the boy who he was, because he might not want to help him. But that was precisely why he couldn't tell him. "I'm sorry. That's terrible. What happened?"

How had his parents' murder led to this? How could these things even be connected? "I'm so sorry."

[gotspeed]

"They stitched my dad up for their murder. They shot my mom when they came in, she wasn't even coming at them but they went right for her." Barry explained, his eyes tearing up as little as he started climbing up the ladder, leaving Hartley behind to follow him. "They ruined my life. They took my dad and he didn't even do anything. They planted the gun on him and I don't even know why they'd do that. He's a doctor. He's a good man!"

He saved people and this was how they repaid him? It sucked.

[mostlyajerk]

"I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's not fair." Was it his fault? What could he have done to stop this? "Maybe there is something I can do." He would have to remember. He had to talk to Leonard. He couldn't put his head in the sand over any of this. he had to act. He made his way further up the ladder behind Barry, glad he wasn't scared of heights. "I will owe you for helping me."

[gotspeed]

"You can't help me, you're a nobody. All you can do is not tell anyone about me. I don't want to go into care." Given the state of it here, it wasn't anywhere any of these kids wanted to be. Barry reached the top of the fire escape and approached a window, knocking on it three times and waiting. While he waited, he looked down from the balcony and leaned forward, almost hanging off the edge. "If he's in, he'll answer."

[mostlyajerk]

"I won't. Promise." Hart wished he hadn't lied to Barry. Well. Not so much lied as withheld information, but he still didn't feel comfortable with it. He just didn't see what choice he had. He crossed his arms as he waited, looking at the window expectantly. "Thank you for showing me the way."

[viber]

Paco looked out of the window and caught sight of the back of Barry's familiar red hoodie, sighing as he opened up for him. "How many times have I got to tell you, Barry, I can't just--" And then he saw him. The Rathaway kid. Paco was usually known for keeping his cool but in the face of this, he just slammed the window back shut and pulled the curtain over. Barry looked up from the ledge and turned his head, laughing in amusement.

"He doesn't want to talk."

[mostlyajerk]

"No! Please, Paco. Cisco!" Hart immediately moved forward so he could knock on the window again, the desperation he'd been trying to hide showing through the cracks. "I need your help, please. Please, I'll do anything!"

[viber]

Paco stayed behind the curtain for a while before finally, he pulled back the thing he was hiding behind and looked right at Hart. Fuck. He pushed the window open and glared at him. "I told you, Rathaway, I didn't see nothing happening! I was too high up, I wasn't close enough. I just wanted some cash and I don't even want that now."

"... Rathaway?"

Barry turned his head to look at Hartley and Paco winced. "Look, stay cool, Bear. Come inside and we'll talk. All of us."

[mostlyajerk]

"I told you, I will help you. Any way I can. I'm sorry, I'm not responsible for the investigations!" But Hartley didn't want to deny responsibility, if there was any way that he could be blamed for this. "I understand that you must hate me. I just needed to find Paco."

He looked at Barry, hoping that his apology could do anything good at this point.

[viber]

"Bear, come on, it's not on him what they did."

Barry didn't seem to happy, staring down Hart from where he was standing, his fists balled up as he resisted the urge to shove Hart off this balcony right now. "You used me." That's why he didn't tell him. He knew it, his word was dirt. No one was ever honest any more. "Give me my money, I want to go."

"Come on, Barry, stick around. I got food."

"Don't want to. Give me my money. Now."

[mostlyajerk]

Hart lowered his head as he looked for his wallet. "I didn't know that my last name would matter. I just needed to find Paco and then I knew you wouldn't show me. I planned on telling you now, either way." He got out the remaining money he had, even if it amounted to fifty instead of just twenty-five. He swallowed, wishing there was anything he could do to alleviate the guilt. "I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do, please say so."

[viber]

Barry took the money and shoved passed Hartley, going to the ladder and leaving without a word. Paco exhaled sharply. Well, he was going to have to find Barry and make him feel better tomorrow, that was just what he needed. "Thanks. Fuck up my friendship, why don't you? He's gonna think I was in on this or something." Rolling his eyes, he opened the window wide. "You may as well come in."

[mostlyajerk]

"I didn't mean for that to happen. He didn't tell me about it until we were almost here and I was told not to use my full name." Hart did climb inside, feeling thoroughly awkward and guilty now. He looked at Cisco, no, Paco, and tried not to avoid his eyes. He had to face his fears. "I need to know if what happened was planned or really just a random mugging. I... It's important. Lives could still be at stake."

[viber]

"Why should I know? Or care? Like I said, I saw nothing." Paco argued as he moved further into the place. It was an abandoned apartment he and Dante were squatting in, the whole block had to be shut down when there was a gas leaker that blew up the left side of the building. It wasn't so bad, though the place was a little crispy and lacked any real human touches. All there was in this place was two mattresses with some sheets and a half eaten pizza still in it's box. "It was probably random. It happens all the time here and it weren't no one like Barry's dad."

[mostlyajerk]

"You said yourself that it was strange. That was the first thing you said to me, that it was strange that this happened. That it shouldn't have." Hart wasn't going to give up easily. He watched Paco, wishing that he could read his mind. "Why don't you want to tell me now? You were happy to before. What is stopping you?" It didn't really make any sense. "I told you, I'd pay."

[viber]

"Strange but not impossible. Look, they gave their shit over to him but he had an itchy trigger finger. Some dudes do. I thought it was strange and then I talked to some people about it and apparently it isn't." It was a lie but what else was he supposed to say? He didn't want to get messed up this. Dante had specifically told him to keep his nose out of it. The Rathaways were a big name and dealing with this was a bad idea. It would cause trouble.

Odds are, it was an assassination or something and if they knew he was a witness, he was so dead. "I don't want your money. I want to live. Now knock it off and give up."

[mostlyajerk]

"So it wasn't just random." Hartley had that much deductive prowess, at least. It was obvious, really. He nodded and put his wallet away, approaching the window. "I am sorry for the inconvenience and I am really sorry that I upset your friend. Thank you for your kindness and you help, Cisco. Paco. I won't forget it, if there's ever anything I can do for you. I can make my own investigations now."

[viber]

"Aww, come on. No. Let it die, kid. Or you will die." Great, now he was trying to help him. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just let Hartley leave and be done with it. "Look, Rathaway, your parents were killed by a bad man and that man was probably hired by a worse person and that person, hell, they could have been hired by someone even worse. Do yourself a favour and accept it's beyond you. Let it go."

He reached out and grabbed the rich boy's arm, yanking him back. "I'm pretty sure this thing is beyond you. I mean why specifically set up Barry's parents as well. There's more to this. It's dangerous."

[mostlyajerk]

"I need to know who did this why, for exactly that reason. You said it yourself. There's something bigger behind it. I'm the head of the Rathaway Foundation now. I need to know what is going on and I need to claim responsibility." Hart looked at Paco's hand, then up at him. "I understand why you don't want to be involved. I'll try to find out through other means. This is important. I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself."