The smell of burning oil and warm piss became too much and I finally pulled over. I looked through the bags in the trunk while the kid tried to clean himself up. I found some oil and topped off the car. There were three gas cans, but they were empty. Maybe I could trade the kid for a case of oil and some gas. He looked younger than I first thought, but healthy. He’d be worth at least that much. By the time the kid finally slid back into the passenger seat, the sun was going down. He started rambling on about Danny and how they were supposed to meet back at Merridew’s if they separated. Danny’s his brother, that much I could guess. And whoever Merridew was, he supposedly had a safe place with food and a pool. It sounded like a lie. Mom would’ve said he was lying and left him on the side of the road. But I was calling the shots now, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been swimming. Kid better hope they lay out the red carpet.