“As I look at the photograph in my hand, all I can think about is what its worth to me. In this photo? I don’t see what Harold sees, I don’t see what the crowd sees.”
“I see somebody.”
“I see Joey.”
“You know, back when we were kids, Joey and I always wanted to do something great with our lives. We wanted to do anything in our power to help people, to be recognized for what we were. You could say we were obsessed with it, that the strive for recognition filled our hearts and souls.”
“But looking back? I don’t think the person people saw me as was as important to me as what Joey saw me as.”
“He didn’t just see me as his brother, you know?”
“He saw me as his best friend, as his hero. I would have fought tooth and nail against every last gang in the deepest pits of Arcadia just to make sure he was safe.”
“More than any other innocent life, more than any faceless nobody in the crowd.”
“He was somebody to me.”
“But Harold doesn’t understand that.”
“Because he’s nobody.”
“From the records of his past to the people in the crowd, Harold has existed his life as a ghost. No lasting connections, not a single person in his life to look at him as anything more than the nameless lapdog Zeus could sick on anyone who opposed his rule.”
“He wasn’t Harold, he wasn’t someone’s father, or brother, or friend. He w as just what he says he is. He’s fucking nobody and nobody is what he’ll stay.”
“His biggest strength his biggest weakness.”
“Because if you die, Harold? Nothing is lost, you wouldn’t be remembered by a God damned soul in Arcadia.”
“You have nothing to gain, nothing to lose. If you walked away the winner between us no one would cheer.”
“And if I were to put a bullet between your eyes not a tear would be shed.”
“I don’t want to admit it either, but if it came down to that?”
“If killing you saved Joey?”
“I would do it in a heartbeat.”
“Because I have everything to gain and every last thing to lose. I was told to forget him, that he was dead to me already. But Joey, alive or dead, means more to me than your life is worth to anyone in Arcadia.”
“I have my sidearm on my hip and I’m ready to storm that ring.”
“Nothing is going to stop me from getting what I want from you, Harold.”
“Nobody is going to stand in the way between my brother and I.”
“So sure, someone might get hurt.”
“Lives might get lost.”
“But as far as I’m concerned, Harold?”
“As much as I hate to say it.”
“They’re nobody to me.”
“And as you’ve seen, I’ll do anything to get him back.”
“Even if it means doing nothing by the book.”