Safe Harbor - 35

This may not have been the brightest idea I ever had. How do I find five kids in a city this size? Where do I even start looking?

Those thoughts and more went through Kurt’s mind while he stood on a street corner several blocks from the shelter. As he considered turning back he saw one of the older boys who occasionally came by the shelter to get a free meal. The boy, King was his street name, saw him at the same time, glanced around then scurried across the intersection.

"How come you’re dressed like us?"

Kurt gave him a tight smile. "Because I don’t want to stand out at this hour of the night?"

The boy grinned. "Sorry, Father, but trust you won’t pass inspection. You’re too clean."

"I’ll remember that for next time. I don’t suppose you’ve seen Prizm."

"Depends why you want to know."

Kurt cocked an eyebrow but understood his basic distrust. "You know about the men who are targeting street kids."

"Fuck yeah. And?"

"Prizm and a couple of others are looking for them, which is not a really smart move."

"No shit. So yeah I saw them about twenty ago."

"Where?"

"Come on, I’ll show you." As King started down the street with Kurt beside him he muttered, "And quit walking like you own the world. It’s a dead giveaway you’re posing."

Kurt resisted chuckling as he slouched some and shuffled along.

"Now you’re going too far the other way. You’re not some alkie looking for a place to crash. Just…walk but not like you’re the boss of me."

"Got it, I think." Kurt did his best to mimic the boy, realizing that for all that he knew about street kids, he had never really watched them when they were in their own environment, for lack of a better word.

They went three blocks before King stopped. "Last seen they were over there, or at least the girls were." He pointed to a street light on the corner of the block. "Prizm was in the doorway and two other guys were across the street. Looks like they moved on. Hang on a min."

Kurt moved into the shadows by one of the buildings when the boy took off. He returned a minute later with another, much younger kid.