Dust hung in the stale air of the warehouse as I squared off against Leo. Sunlight slanted through high windows, glinting off motes and the sweat on my brow. Leo S. Kennedy—former Marine turned criminal mentor—circled me with a predator's calm. I raised my fists. This wasn't a drill; it was a street lesson, and Leo fought to win.
He struck fast. A sudden feint drew my guard, then a hook slammed into my ribs. Pain flared. I staggered, and his boot swept my legs out. In a blink I was on the concrete, ears ringing.
"Street fights don't have rules," Leo grunted, hauling me up with a rough hand.
I shook off the shock and nodded, catching my breath. Lesson learned. We squared up again. This time when he feinted, I was ready. I blocked his trick and countered with a jab that caught him in the side. Leo grunted, then clipped my jaw with an elbow before I danced out of reach. I stayed on my feet, and he gave a short nod of respect.
By the time he called it off, I was bruised and sweating, but a tiny grin tugged at my face. I was earning his respect. What started purely professional was turning into camaraderie.
"Not bad, Jasen," Leo muttered, clapping my shoulder. That was high praise from him.
As we packed up the gear, he added gruffly, "Go clean up. Then take Leon out in the Jeep, teach him to drive."
I tried not to show my surprise. Leo trusting me with his 16-year-old son was a big deal. "You got it," I replied, hiding a smile.
A couple hours later, I found Leon behind the warehouse, perched on the Jeep's hood with a comic book in hand. He glanced up, and I recognized the white skull on the cover.
"The Punisher. Nice," I said, nodding at his comic.
Leon brightened, jumping off the hood. "You read it?"
"Yeah, I know Frank Castle," I chuckled. "He's a badass who doesn't play by the rules."
"Exactly!" Leon's grin was wide. "He gets the bad guys, no mercy."
I tapped the cover. "He's also a guy who lost his family. That kind of pain drives him."
Leon paused, grin fading a little. I could tell the comment hit close to home. Before he could retreat into dark thoughts, I twirled the Jeep's keys around my finger. "So, feel like taking this thing for a spin?"
His eyes went huge. "For real? Dad actually said yes?"
"He did. I'm your driving instructor today," I said. "Hop in."
Leon tossed the comic aside and scrambled into the driver's seat. I took the passenger side and pointed out the clutch, brake, and stick shift. He nodded eagerly, determination all over his face.
On the first try, he popped the clutch too fast. The Jeep jerked and stalled. Leon winced. "Sorry."
"No worries," I said, laughing. "Try again—easy on the clutch, give it a little gas."
He turned the key, and the engine rumbled to life. This time he eased off gently. The Jeep began to roll forward. Leon's eyes lit up as we started moving.
"Good… keep it steady," I coached as we lumbered across the dirt lot. He managed to shift into second gear with only a slight grind. The ride smoothed out and we picked up a bit of speed. A whoop of excitement burst from Leon's lips.
We spent the next hour cruising the deserted grounds. With each loop around the old yard, Leon's confidence grew. He let out a carefree laugh after pulling off a smooth turn around a pile of scrap.
Eventually, we parked under the shade of a big oak tree by the fence. Leon cut the engine. Both of us were hot and dusty, but he was beaming.
"That was awesome," he said, pushing his sweaty hair off his forehead. "Thank you."
"You did great." I bumped my fist lightly against his shoulder. "Your dad's gonna be proud hearing how well you drove."
At that, Leon's smile dimmed. He rested his arms on the steering wheel, gaze drifting. "Maybe. He's been... different since Mom died."
His voice was quiet now. I stayed still, letting him talk if he wanted. He did.
"Nora—my mom... she was killed two years ago. Some deal of Dad's went bad and she... she got caught in the crossfire." He spoke flatly, but I could hear the hurt underneath. "After that, Dad just shut down in some ways. And me... I try not to think about it. But I still have nightmares. Sometimes I swear I see her, like she's there watching me at night." He let out a shaky breath. "Sounds crazy, huh?"
My chest ached. "Not crazy," I murmured. "We all carry ghosts." I put a hand on his shoulder. "What happened to your mom, it wasn't your fault. And it wasn't your dad's fault either. Bad people did a bad thing, and you both paid for it." I waited until he met my eyes. "Your dad loves you, Leon. He just has a hard time showing it. And your mom? I bet she'd be proud of the young man you're becoming."
Leon's eyes shimmered. He blinked rapidly and scrubbed a hand over his face to wipe away the single tear that escaped. "I... I hope so."
"I know so," I said gently.
He managed a small smile then, and I felt some of the tension go out of him. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming protectiveness for this kid. He'd lost so much, but he was still standing. I silently swore I'd help keep him standing.
I cleared my throat and tossed my chin toward the road. "Alright. Ready to head back?"
"Yeah." Leon drew in a long breath, seeming lighter after opening up. "Let's go home."
We swapped seats so I could drive us back. As twilight settled in, painting the sky orange and purple, we rode in comfortable silence. Leon looked tired but peaceful, staring ahead as the wind from the open window tugged at his hair. I kept my eyes on the rutted path, feeling the steady rumble of the Jeep beneath us and a quiet sense of pride in him.
When we reached the safehouse, I parked and killed the engine. The cooling motor ticked as we climbed out. Leon turned to me, hesitating. "Jasen... thanks. For today," he said softly.
I gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "Anytime, kid."
Inside, Leo was waiting by the door. Leon immediately started excitedly recounting how the lesson went, gesturing with his hands. Leo listened with a rare half-smile on his face. As Leon rushed ahead into the house, Leo caught my eye. He gave me a short nod – a silent thank-you from a man who didn't say the words often.
Later that night, I lay on my cot, hands behind my head, unable to sleep. I replayed the events of the day in my mind: the grit of the morning fight, the sunlit laughter of the afternoon drive, and the quiet confession under the oak tree. Somewhere in all that, we stopped being strangers thrown together and started feeling like a family.
In this world of gasoline and ghost stories, we had each other's backs. For the first time in this strange new life, I felt like I belonged. Whatever tomorrow brought, I was ready to face it alongside Leo and Leon.