It was two in the morning. Misery was still sleeping. Suddenly, there was a large crash but neither Misery nor Mecca heard it. They was deep in sleep. Eartha came in, took Misery's hat and hopped onto Misery's bed and started hitting him with it and screaming. After a while, Misery woke up. He was about to yell at Eartha when he heard a window break. Misery ran into the living room to find two windows broken and some objects in there were messed up. He turned on the light to find, painted on the wall, a drawing of some kind of bird with 'Sanam Shandar' written under it. He rubbed his right arm thoughtfully. He then started to clean the room.
Misery stood outside Tibby's to wait for Ellis. The bird stayed in his head and he couldn't shake off the feeling of being watch. It was a weird feeling which he never had before. He thought of who would have broken in and leave such a sign.
"No, they're still in India." He said.
"Who's back in India?" Ellis asked. He came back to reality when he heard her voice.
"Hey, girly. I was just thinking out loud." He said, smiling.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Nothing for you to worry about. Really. You want to go in?" He asked. Ellis looked in the window and noticed Sarah was there.
"Oh, heck no. All week, me and Sarah been fighting. I don't feel like talking to her. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Fine. Why?"
"You're looking around like you're trying to find someone."
"I just feel like someone's watching me. I'm just going crazy. Don't worry. Let's head over to Fat's." Ellis nodded. Misery took her hand and they went down to Skid Row.
That night, Misery stared at the wall where the bird was pai nted on. No matter how hard he tired, he couldn't get it off the wall. He was sitting on the floor, with Eartha on his lap, thinking about who would do that.
"You think they did it?" asked Mecca when she entered the room.
"Don't you?" He asked without turning around.
"There's a chance it might be but as far as we know, they're still in India." Mecca said as she sat next to him.
"Yeah but...I don't know. Who else would know about it but them? Couldn't they have others or something?"
"Maybe someone saw your arm and thought it was funny to do this."
"No, I wear nothing but shirts with long sleeves or my coat. Not even Ellis knows."
"Fat knows."
"Yeah, Fat knows."
"Didn't he said he had to trade some information to an inmate so they wouldn't tell he was missing?" Mecca turned to her brother. He looked at her then got up and left.
Misery been looking for Fat for two days without success. Th at afternoon, Misery was sitting on a bench thinking about other places Fat would be at. He was about to give up and find Ellis when he saw Fat coming down the road with Specs. Misery stood up and went to meet them.
"Fat, we need to talk." Misery said.
"I did nothing to your girl and I didn't steal anything." Fat said quickly.
"What?" Misery said, confused. Specs laughed.
"Sorry. Just a reaction. What do we have to talk about?"
"Um...Specs, you mind leave?"
"No problem. Fat, I'll be at Tibby's. See ya."
"Yeah, see ya. What did I do?" He asked once Specs was gone.
"What information did you give that inmate?"
"What inmate?"
"When I busted you out of Jersey, you said an inmate caught you and wouldn't let you go unless you gave him and who was he?"
Fat thought for a while. Misery stood there impatiently. Fat started walking away with Misery behind him. Fat walked a few feet, stopped, turned around, and walked back. After a while, Misery stopped following because he knew Fat wasn't going anywhere and people was looking at them like they were crazy. Then Fat stopped and looked at him.
"His name is Shia Goldstein. He said you look familiar but he didn't know form where. He wanted to know if you were ever with the Raja Clan, or something like that, and I said yes. That's all. Why?"
"Geese, Fat, why did you tell him?"
"Because it's the truth. I was being honest. Will you tell me what's going on?"
"Someone broke into the apartment three days ago and painted the same mark that's on my arm. They're looking for me, Fat. You should have lied."
"How should I know he was part of your cult thing?"
"I told you about a guy name Shia. Geese, just don't say anything to anyone, will ya? I think someone's following me. I have to go." Misery said as he started to leave.
"Yeah, sure. I'll be quiet. Hey, don't go psycho!" Fat yelled then he head to Tibby's.
Nothing happened for two more d ays which was kind of scaring Misery. He knows for sure it's who he thinks it is and they can be very cleaver. But on the third night, a note was found on the door. It said that someone that he loves will be gone. The note gave some hint. They said it will be a young girl. That left Ellis and Honey. This night, Misery was lying on a bed with Ellis. Honey was playing with Boots and Snipeshooter. He thought Honey would be safe if she was here with the other boys.
"What is this all about?" Ellis asked after she read the note.
"They want me back. It's a kind of revenge for leaving." Misery said while looking at the bottom of the top bunk.
"They? Whose they?" Ellis asked. Misery lifted his right sleeve to expose a tattoo of the same bird that is painted on the wall.
"They did this to me. When my mother was pregnant with me, she ran off with Mecca because she didn't have a husband and pregnant gave dishonor to the family. Well...my mother found a group of people who took her in and helped her when she gave birth. But then they forbid her to leave and they branded us with an animal. My mother was going to take us when I was ten but the headmaster found out and killed her in front of me, Mecca, and everyone else. A man in the group name Aximili, he loved my mother deeply, took me and Mecca to a ship that was to leave for America. He gave me Eartha to remember that I had someone there. They were called the Raja Clan. A few days ago, someone broke in and painted this bird with my real name on the wall.
Then I started feeling that someone was watching me. Then the note. The note could have meant either you or Honey and I ain't taking chances. Is Honey going to be safe here?"
"Sure, she will. These boys love her like she was they're own sister. Don't worry."
"Good. I have to go, Mecca's worried about me." Misery said.
"Misery kissed Ellis, got up, and went over to Honey. He explained to her why she was staying there instead of going home to Fat. She hugged him and he was off.
"Misery! Mecca! Open the door!" Ellis yelled the next day.
It was seven-thirty in the morning. Kloppman woke her up to tell her that Honey was gone. Kloppman stayed up all night and neither saw nor heard anyone come in or leave. She just...disappeared. After about twenty minutes of banging on the door and yelling, Misery finally opened the door.
"Ellis! I love you and everything but can you shut up, please. Wait...where's Honey?" Misery said.
"I don't know. My grandfather was up all night and nobody came in and she didn't leave. Some of the guys are taking off to look for her. I'm sure they'll find her. Really."
"Misery! Where the hell if my sister?" Fat asked as he made his way to the door.
"How in the world do you know if I just found out?" Misery asked, leaning against the inside the doorway.
"Race came by and told me. Where's my sister?"
"Race knows where you live?" Misery asked.
"Fine. I bumped into him, okay. Now, stop asking all these questions and answer mine. Tell me where the hell my sister is before I go all psycho on you." Fat said.
"I don't know. Come in. I'll get dress and we'll go and find her." Misery said as Ellis and Fat came in.
Misery was sitting in Tibby's two weeks later. Since the day he heard that Honey was missing, he received two more notes and one of them, Honey wrote. They didn't find her but they didn't give up. Since that day, Fat been all over New York looking for her only to return home to see if she came back. Everyone looked in every possible place and no Honey. Misery was sitting in a booth in the back when Spot came in.
"Hey, Misery, anything good?" Spot asked as he sat across from him.
"Nope. You?"
"Nothing. Some of my boys is heading over to Jersey. Just to make sure. They're going to tell the guys over there about her and spread the word. Maybe we can find her a lot quicker if we get more people."
"Can we talk about something else. I mean I just need something positive right now, you know."
"Yeah, I know. Well, let me think. There was this guy yesterday who keep asking all these stupid questions and I soaked him good." Misery stared at him.
"A guy? What he looked like?" Misery asked.
"I don't know. Like you but older. Black hair, brown eyes, like a normal person. Anyway, the point is that I soaked him good."
"What was he asking?"
"Um...he wanted to know if I know Sanam Shandar, where did he live, where can he find him. He got annoying. Why?"
"You know where he is?"
"One of the guys saw him on the bridge. He could still be there. I been here since nine. Why?" Misery didn't answer. He just got up and headed for the bridge.
When Misery got to the bridge, h e found a man wearing traditional Indian clothing leaning on the railing looking at the water. Misery slowly walked over and stood next to him. Neither of them said anything. They just stared at the water.
"You think they're looking for you?" The man asked.
"Aximili, I-"
"You think they're looking for you? Answer me." The man said calmly.
"Yes."
"Well, they are, Sanam. Shia told them. But you have friends on the inside. We're killing them from the inside. Tell your guys to stop looking. They're making the headmaster angry. Honey's safe. She's with Mali and Geo. Stay down and be careful with the ones you're talking to. We have more people her than back in India. Just do what I say and Honey will be back as soon as possible." He said as he started to walk away.
"Aximili, I don't know why they're doing this to me." The man stopped and turned to face him.
"You're sixteen. You're a man. We must have all our men stay with the clan. We have no need for Mecca."
"But why Honey?"
"You'll do anything to get her back. Listen, do what I said and she'll be fine. I'll bring her back to you. Just call your boys off."
Misery nodded and Aximili left. Misery went back to Manhattan. When he got back to Tibby's, everyone was there. He stayed outside for a few minutes before going in. When he got in, he just stood by the door. Ellis and Fat was talking but Ellis stopped when she saw Misery. Soon after, everyone else was looking at him. There was a kind of tension in the air and everyone could feel it.
"Um....Honey's fine." Misery started.
"Where is she?" Fat asked.
"I don't know. That's the problem."
"We know that's a problem." Fat said.
"I met one of the men. He said that she's fine and they're fighting the headmaster from the inside. He said to stop looking and to lay low if I want Honey alive. So, we better stop looking."
"And you believe him?" Jack asked.
"Yes, I do. His name is Aximili Garak and he's a real good friend. He wouldn't lie to me. So, I think we should do what he said." Everyone agreed expect Fat. "Well, Fat?"
"You really think if we do this, she'll come back?"
"Yes."
"Well, you never did wrong by me. I'll stop." Misery nodded and everyone went back to what they were doing before.
A month went by and no word on Honey. Misery didn't see or heard from Aximili. Far was starting to get annoyed by the way everyone was acting but he kept his mouth shut. Right now, Misery, Ellis, Fat, Spot, and Specs were on their way to the lodging house when Mecca came running towards them.
"What's wrong?" Misery asked when Mecca got to them.
"Here." She gave him a note.
"What's it says?" Fat asked.
"Go to the docks and you'll find something." Misery read.
Misery ran towards the docks with the other five behind him. When they got there, there were three bodies hanging from the railings. Misery knew wheo they were even though they were beat beyond recogntion. They were Aximili, Mali, and Geo. There was a note pinned to one of the ropes. Misery took it and read it. No one talked. After he read the note, he went over to a dock house not that far away. Inside, in the middle of the room, tied up and blind folded, was Honey. Misery ran over to her and untied her and took the blind fold off. She hugged him and wouldn't let go. He carried her out to the others where he handed her over to Fat. They all went back to the lodging house. No one talked. After a few days, it was all over. No more notes, no more being watched and Honey forgot the whole thing, which was good.