02-13-2018, 10:38 PM
Jet was someone who constantly had to pretend to be something that he wasn't. Worldly, suave, arrogant. It was how he survived the suffocation that came so unceremoniously with fame - it was the price he paid to do what he loved - the cost of which he hadn't realized until it was too late.
Jet understood what it was like to have to be someone he was not. And he sensed that same drift in personality in Beto, yet for far different reasons. Jet buried the person he really was for self preservation, while Beto ... the image of a barracuda came to mind and a slight smile formed on Jet's lips as he watched his cousin. He knew that was not fair. Beto was not a predator, but he certainly took care of himself and was really not a person anyone in their right mind would want to cross.
Jet didn't know how much of Beto's behavior was calculated and how much was exactly who he was. It didn't matter to Jet. What did matter was that he knew the benefits and the limitations of their relationship. Since they were kids, Jet knew that if Beto wanted something, he would get it. If Jet was a means to that end, Jet could count on his cousin to get him what he wanted as well. Being necessary was far more advantageous than being familiar when it came to Beto. And so Jet watched Beto read the letter the second time with very little idea which way this would go. When his cousin answered that he would be willing to help, and that he would be coming along to Moscow, a great relief washed over Jet. He honestly didn't feel all that comfortable with his cousin all the time. He wasn't sure if Beto would have his back if it compromised his own ends in any way, but he knew that if Beto wanted this that it was going to happen. He had no idea why Beto would want to go to Moscow, but it didn't matter. He would get them there.
"Heh. That's it? Yes? And you'll come along?Seriously."
Jet didn't appear to expect or need an answer to his questions. He shook his head and smiled, not even sure why he himself was doing this for a little kid he'd known only briefly a very long time ago.
""Okay, so how hard is this going to be? How much will it cost? And how long before we can go.
Jet finally sat down in the chair across from his cousin,
a little of his nervous energy dispersing now that he could see things moving forward. "I mean, I just quit my job in a very public way. I literally don't have anything to do for the first time in 15 years. Tell me what we're up against and what I need to do.
Jet understood what it was like to have to be someone he was not. And he sensed that same drift in personality in Beto, yet for far different reasons. Jet buried the person he really was for self preservation, while Beto ... the image of a barracuda came to mind and a slight smile formed on Jet's lips as he watched his cousin. He knew that was not fair. Beto was not a predator, but he certainly took care of himself and was really not a person anyone in their right mind would want to cross.
Jet didn't know how much of Beto's behavior was calculated and how much was exactly who he was. It didn't matter to Jet. What did matter was that he knew the benefits and the limitations of their relationship. Since they were kids, Jet knew that if Beto wanted something, he would get it. If Jet was a means to that end, Jet could count on his cousin to get him what he wanted as well. Being necessary was far more advantageous than being familiar when it came to Beto. And so Jet watched Beto read the letter the second time with very little idea which way this would go. When his cousin answered that he would be willing to help, and that he would be coming along to Moscow, a great relief washed over Jet. He honestly didn't feel all that comfortable with his cousin all the time. He wasn't sure if Beto would have his back if it compromised his own ends in any way, but he knew that if Beto wanted this that it was going to happen. He had no idea why Beto would want to go to Moscow, but it didn't matter. He would get them there.
"Heh. That's it? Yes? And you'll come along?Seriously."
Jet didn't appear to expect or need an answer to his questions. He shook his head and smiled, not even sure why he himself was doing this for a little kid he'd known only briefly a very long time ago.
""Okay, so how hard is this going to be? How much will it cost? And how long before we can go.
Jet finally sat down in the chair across from his cousin,
a little of his nervous energy dispersing now that he could see things moving forward. "I mean, I just quit my job in a very public way. I literally don't have anything to do for the first time in 15 years. Tell me what we're up against and what I need to do.