Hollywood Zenith

Chapter 589 Understanding one another-1

* growl * Hamza stomach made some more noise, he hid his embarrassed face while Steve watched his child like innocence. Despite their differences, it was good to see a young man that wasn't far gone like he was in the past.

" Dig in." Steve asked as soon as their food arrived. Hamza nodded but was still hesitant because Steve was looking too closely at his movements.

" It's not poisoned right?" Hamza had been taught from a young age not to trust any strangers especially foreigners that employed these kinds of methods to trick them. Even during the war, when he was just a child he had heard how other countries would support the rival forces behind the back but also didn't forget to keep up appearances in front of Black Swans.

When he grew older he came to realize that it was solely for squeezing more money out of both parties. Instead of sending their own people, they would use the natives as their proxy armies, providing guns for their resources.

 There were only few places like the one where they were in that stood the test of time because of their loyalty and transparency forming a respectable force in the region. But even then they couldn't grow too big to threaten the actual overloads of the region, if they did it would cause another large conflict ultimately harming the civilian population.

" A sharp young man. You don't have to worry about that, if I want someone dead I will always look them in the eye before finishing the job. That way I can remember their face more clearly." Steve said jokingly but Hamza felt there was a tinge of sadness when he said it.

" You sound like someone I know."

" Who? Your father?"

" So you know? Is that why you are not harming me and my friend because you fear my father?" Steve just laughed out loud hearing his question. Him, afraid? That was something he didn't thought about in a long time.

" What's funny? If you know my father, you know what he is capable off!" Hamza didn't like his sarcastical laughter.

" No, no, I am not laughing at your father. It's just that no one asked me if I was afraid after looking at me." Steve twisted his arms showing his bulging muscles. Even from an outsider's perspective, Hamza was barely half his size so him asking about fear was indeed funny.

" Oh yeah? There are plenty of people like you in my village." Hamza replied to Steve who was busy showing off.

" It's not how big someone is, it's how they use it. Never forget about it especially when dealing with girls." Steve smirked at Hamza who looked at him with clueless expression. Steve knew his preaching went over his head so he changed the subject.

" Forget about it. What should I call you? You have a name right?"

" Hamza Elezovic."

" Cool name, you can call me Steve."

" Steve? What about your family name?" Steve was a little taken aback, no one really care about his surname which helped him a lot because it was something that he clearly wanted to forget.

" It's alright if you don't want to tell me." Hamza was perceptive to notice his hesitation.

" It's not that I don't want to, it's was so long ago that I forgot about it. Beside an orphan like me doesn't need surnames."

" Liar."

" Alright, you got me but let's not dwell on it. Hamza, let's move on to some important topic." Steve who was shrugging a moment ago completely changed his demeanor. His calm eyes turned fiery emitting some kind of mysterious pressure when Hamza looked at him directly.

He folded his arms and asked in a monotonous tone," Why did you attack my men? Are you working for them?" Steve was indirect because he knew suspects would often fumble giving out details potentially incriminating themselves.

Hamza had trouble breathing feeling the blunt of Steve's murderous aura. He had felt similar interacting with other veterans but they probably wouldn't go all out against him which was why he was having a hard time.

Steve also noticed it but he didn't want to go inside an enemy compound when there was Hamza sitting right in front of him to give him valuable information. He knew it would be dangerous to prolong the exposure which was why he was ready to stop at any moment.

" I-i" Hamza was about to say something when someone hit Steve on the back of his head.

" What the fuck are you doing to the kid? Didn't we discussed not to do such things before?" It was Syiara who came to stop him. It was because his aura was leaking outside making many people that were sitting on other benches uncomfortable. 

" What? I was only trying-"

" Cut it out right now or you have to sleep in the woods! Can't you hear the kids crying because of that disgusting thing?" Steve looked around to see parents trying to console their kids while angrily staring at him. No one knew what he did but the aura worked on instinct of fear. It's not like it didn't make them scared but their kids took priority!

" Fine, fine. Sorry, sorry." He apologized to the surrounding people properly before sitting down again.

" And you! Don't think you are some hotshot because of your father's reputation! You know how hard I tried to dissuade them from resorting to 'those' methods? Can't you just answer few of his questions honestly?" She turned to Hamza and scolded him too. 

After saying her piece she snorted and left. Steve seemed to be reminded about Jane looking at her back. It's like she was right with them which made him chuckle.

" I didn't do anything! Why is she yelling at me?" Hamza shouted but seeing that his tone was low meant he was afraid of the mad woman.

" She is like that sometimes."

" Is she your woman? I can never understand why people like such brass woman, on top of that she also looks like a soldier."

" No, no. I already have a wife beside she is involved with my friend over there, Drac. I don't know what to call their relationship but it somewhere between friendship and married." Steve quickly corrected himself.

" So what? Can't you have multiple wives?" Hamza asked cluelessly. Steve almost forgot where he was because there was a practice of polygamy in this region but not recognized by the government.

" It seems like despite being smart you don't have much knowledge of the outside world." He decided it was feasible for him to approach from a more friendly angle, it's not like he had better things to do.