134

"So, how did you get to know Georgio?" Bjorn asked Einar as they entered the servants' living room.
"Well, it kind of just happened."
"Kind of?" Bjorn asked, teasing Einar by imitating his local dialect.
"I was hanging around here, and when I saw all those other kids helping out with stuff, I asked if I could help him too, and he said yes."
"And now you're his favourite helper?"
"Kind of, I guess."

Noticing a kitchenette in the corner of the living room, Bjorn wondered out loud about the need for it, considering the large modern kitchen just down the hall from where they were standing.

"The kitchen is part of the main apartment, so the servants aren't supposed to use it for themselves," Einar explained. "So if the servants feel peckish or anything, they have to cook here in the corner."
"Strict segregation in other words."
"Yeah, that's how Pedro likes it I guess. There's even a separate entrance to this section."
"Really? where?"
"The first door to you right in the hallway."
"Can I have a look?"
"Sure, I'll show you."

Einar brought Bjorn with him over to the hallway, where he opened the door to let Bjorn have a quick peek.

"With a lift and everything!" Bjorn exclaimed.
"Yeah. Why not?"
"Why not indeed?" Bjorn said with a nod. "And the stairs lead all the way down to the garage?"
"It does... And there's an entrance at the ground level too. All locked of course."
"Of course!"
"There were some guys trying to break into the flat that way the other day," Einar continued before closing the door and leading Bjorn Back into the living room.
"Really?"
"Yeah, but me and my friends beat them away."
"You did?"
"We did... We messed them up pretty badly."

Einar was about to continue talking, but was interrupted by Ante suddenly appearing in the doorway.

"So you actually killed a guy?" Ante asked, with a fascinated look on his face.
"Me? Yeah," Einar replied. "Who told you?"
"Georgio..."
"You're kidding?" Bjorn asked, baffled. "Did you kill those guys trying to break in here?"
"No, no... We just beat them up. You know... With a plank."
"With a plank?"
"Yeah... I mean... Wouldn't you?"
"Well... We carry guns," Ante explained.

There was a moment of silence. Then Bjorn asked how old Einar was.

"I'm fourteen."
"Holy Moly, and you killed a guy?" Bjorn asked, shocked and surprised.
"Not on purpose."
"So, what happened?"
"I knocked him on the head with a frying pan."
"Who? Why?"
"Ah... A police officer."
"So they really are looking for you?" Bjorn asked.
"Sure... But they aren't going to get me, are they?"
"We could arrest you right now," Bjorn ventured.
"But you aren't are you?"
"No, we aren't."
"Because if you do, I'll kill you both."
"No, you're not. We're not afraid of you."
"Well, you should be."
"Why?"

Einar didn't answer.

"You know... Let's go back to the others," Einar suggested. "You guys are creeping me out."
"Okay, but why did you hit that guy on the head with a frying pan?" Bjorn asked.
"He was coming to get me, and I hit him."
"Get you for what?"
"For school."
"For school?"
"Yeah, they sent two big guys after me for having skipped school."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"And so you killed one of them?"
"Well, not on purpose."
"But even so. You killed him."
"He fell and cracked his head against the floor. That's what actually killed him."
"Sure!" Bjorn replied, eager to change the topic. "Let's find the others!"