Page 29 of Crimson Heart

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Ransom entered the dining room, where breakfast was set up as usual. Francisco was the only other person sitting at the table, eating a hearty breakfast of eggs and sausages, while staring at the TV.

“Morning, Francisco,” he said and walked to the buffet to load up his plate.

“Can you believe this?” Francisco asked, pointing to the TV, where a news program was running.

“Believe what?”

“They’re still kidnapping people off the streets. And they’re still masked! Despite the new law!”

Francisco looked heated.

Ransom looked at the video that was clearly shot by somebody’s cell phone camera, showing a Latino man being dragged out of his car by masked men wearing signs that identified them as ICE.

Francisco turned up the volume, just as the Latino yelled, “I’m a citizen!”

“Fucking assholes,” Francisco grunted, furious. “This could happen to anybody. Even to me.”

Ransom nodded. His friend would easily be identified as Latino, and while he was born and raised in the United States, and was therefore an American citizen, ICE’s racial profiling would put him in danger of being snatched and put in detention until he could prove that he was a citizen.

“There’s no due process,” Ransom commented.

“Exactly! For all we know, those guys aren’t even ICE! They could be the Proud Boys, or some other neo-Nazi-fascist assholes playing army!” He pointed to the screen again. “That poor guy is gonna sit in detention being mistreated until somebody from his family can bring him papers that show he’s a US citizen. It’s disgusting what’s happening in this country.”

“I agree.”

“At least you’re lucky! ICE won’t target you. You’re Asian!”

Ransom placed his full plate on the table next to Francisco and sat down.

“That means nothing. Every ethnic group is vulnerable now. Or don’t you remember what happened during COVID? People were attacking innocent Asian people in the street, blaming them for the China-Virus.” He made air quotes and huffed. “Don’t you remember that old Chinese woman who was attacked in San Francisco? And that wasn’t the only hate-crime against Asians in the wake of COVID-19.”

Ransom shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth and chewed.

His friend nodded. “I remember that. It was awful. I’ll never understand why people have the need to hate one ethnic group or another.”

“It’s been going on forever, and neither you nor I will ever be able to stop it. If certain people want others to suffer, they will find a way to do it. And right now, the Latinos are on the chopping block. Nobody’s safe.”

Parker entered the dining room. “Safe from what?”

“Safe from being picked up by masked goons from ICE,” Francisco said, pointing at the TV. “That is if they’re even ICE and not just some racists who got their clothes from an army surplus store and their guns from Walmart.”

“Yeah, sucks,” Parker said and walked toward the buffet.

“Not that you’ll have to worry about that,” Ransom said and pointed at Parker. “With your blond hair and blue eyes, they have no reason to target you. You look more American than apple pie.”

“Yeah, well, being blond and stunningly handsome has its drawbacks too,” Parker claimed.

Ransom jabbed Francisco with his elbow. “Did you hear that? Stunningly handsome?”

“Yeah, not sure who he’s talking about,” Francisco replied with a smirk. “I don’t see anybody here who’s blond and stunningly handsome. Only dark-haired and handsome.”

Parker turned and sat down at the table, placing his plate in front of him, then reached for the coffee and poured himself a cup.

“I’m not even gonna dignify that insult with a reply.”

He dug into his food, his facial expression relaxed. Parker wasn’t easily insulted. The lighthearted banter between them was standard. They had known each other since childhood, and their bond was strong. They had each other’s backs, and a joke here or there was good for them. Their lives were filled with service and duty, and sometimes they had to remind themselves that they were just young men still finding their way, still uncertain about what their future would hold.