The Beginning
Sin backstory, Emilio POV
Originally released 1/10/07, written by Sonny
He'd liked the idea of being a hero. The notion of rescuing a child from the evil clutches of insane prostitutes had appealed to him, but now that the child was actually in his hands, he had no idea what to do. He had no idea what the child had been through but he imagined the worst considering the condition he'd been found in. The cellar hadn't been fit for the rats, let alone an eight year old boy. Irate indignation flared through him and he lit a cigarette with a shaking hand.
He looked at the child and tried to figure out what he would do. He was not fit to raise children. He despised them for their helplessness and he knew that this one would be no different. He didn't like people to depend on him. He did not like people to need him. He was good at one thing and being a father was not it. It was obvious that the child had to go. "Hey."
The boy looked up at him. "Yes?" His voice was soft and had a distinctive Chinese accent.
"I'm Emilio."
"Okay."
The child went back to his book and he went back to his cigarette. He raked a hand through his spiky, black hair and crossed one leather clad leg over the other. He wanted to tell himself that the boy was not of his seed but it would be a lie and a bad one at that. They shared the same olive complexion and although the child's eyes had a decidedly Asian tilt, they were the same pale green. He was a beautiful boy, almost feminine in a way, and had an unnerving quality about him.
Emilio watched his son from under half closed eyelids and tried to determine exactly what was off about the kid. He was quiet yes, but that wasn't particularly striking. It was the way he looked at people, the careful way he chose his words, the almost calculating way he looked directly into your eyes. He'd obviously had an abnormal childhood and it had affected his looks and mannerisms. He appeared far older than eight years old and he acted even older than that. Emilio pictured this child in a group home with post-war orphans and couldn't imagine a scenario that did not involve a degradation of incredible potential.
He ran his tongue over his upper lip and flicked the ashes of his cigarette on the marble floor of his loft. There was a muffled buzzing sound emanating from his brief case but he ignored it and continued to examine the boy. It was out of the question. There was no way he could bring a child with him on assignments. It was too risky, especially as the boy grew older. The Agency would never allow it. Connors would never allow it.
He inhaled deeply from his cigarette and ignored the buzzing in his brief case. "Hey."
Piercing green eyes flicked up at him from the large book. "Yes?"
"What's your name, anyway?"
"Hsin."
They maintained eye contact for almost a full minute and then the raptor like gaze dropped to the book once again. The buzzing stopped and Emilio put his cigarette out. "Hey." His lips curled into a smile at the almost inaudible sigh.
Hsin didn't even bother looking up this time.
"Yes?" The tone was impatient; Hsin was clearly tired of the question and answer game.
"Have you ever held a gun?"
There was a stretch of silence and the boy marked his page, closing the book softly. Pale, green eyes considered Emilio for a long time before he answered. "No."
Emilio stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. The buzzing began again, but he paid it no mind.
"Do you want to?"
The end.