24 Opportunity or misfortune?

"Ugh" opening my eyes, I slightly rubbed them as I rose from the bed.

What's the time already?

Turning towards the clock besides my bed, I can see it's already 9am in the morning.

Withdrawing my gaze from the clock, I stared at the ceiling above me for a moment, with my thoughts running wildly inside my mind, recent and foggy memories appeared one after another.

It's already been a day after we got our new racket.

And I feel so tired....

Pulling myself up, I began to slowly make my way towards the nearest shelf.

Arriving, I grabbed a pack of cigarettes placed on the top, picked one and placed it on my lips.

I then reached out for a lighter that was sitting besides a pile of papers and books and lighted my cigarette.

Sucking the smoke, I withdrew the cigarette from my mouth before exhaling my breath, making me refreshed and satisfied for a moment.

Now this is good...

Walking towards the door, I took another puff of smoke before twisting the handle and opening it.

Stepping outside, I did not feel anyone present in my apartment room except for myself.

Sister must have been in school...

Taking another puff of smoke, I began to make my way towards the kitchen, with my footsteps being the only audible sound you can hear in the whole quiet room.

After arriving, I went to the refrigerator and opened it...

Examining the contents inside, I see there were only one box of cereal, two bottles of milk, half a tray of eggs, and a single can of beer.

Puffing another smoke, I carefully placed my still lit cigarette on the counter, making sure it does not fall or drop.

Turning towards the inside of the refrigerator once again, I reached out and grabbed a single egg from the tray, cracked and opened it, before sipping all the fresh yolk inside my mouth.

Feeling the cold sensation of the fresh yolk sliding down inside my throat, I threw the cracked shells on the floor before reaching out towards the box of cereals...

Making my way towards a nearby tray shelf, I grabbed a small bowl and a spoon and immediately poured 1/3 of the cereal box contents inside.

Walking back towards the refrigerator, I placed the cereal box inside and grabbed a bottle of milk in turn, before pouring the milk on the bowl and mixing the two contents using my spoon.

After it was done, I placed the bottle of milk inside, closed the refrigerator, and immediately made my way towards the dining table.

Upon arriving, I immediately began to dig in the food...

*crunch* crunch* crunch*

Mm~ I hope this will satisfy my hunger since I have not eaten for dinner yesterday.

As I ate the bowl full of cereal, I did not hear the apartment's door creaking and the sound of someone's footsteps getting closer and closer due to my chewing of the food.

It was until a few seconds has passed by that I finally noticed someone besides me which I immediately responded by quickly turning around and throwing the bowl of cereal into... her face?

"Agh!" the girl in front of me staggers back as she defensively swat the flying bowl of cereal, causing it's contents to spill over her.

Taking advantage of the situation, I immediately pulled out the pistol tucked in my pants and pointed it directly at her.

"What the f*ck are you doing inside my home, b*tch?!" I yelled at the girl in front of me.

"D-Dude, chill the... shit out." she stutteringly said as she slowly wiped the milk off her face.

Only when the milk was gone did I finally recognized her.

She was the gal from the club!

"Y-You..." I began to lower my gun as I stared at the girl in front of me with confusion.

"Yes it is me, although I do not really know you yet, I still wish to meet you."

Staring at her messy face for a moment, I began to ponder at her words.

"Why are you here? How do you know that I am... here?" I began to ask questions.

Seeing her gulp, I waited for her answers.

"I need your help, and as for how I knew where you are living right now, I've been following you for days now." she nervously said with her head lowered down.

B*tch was stalking me all this time?!

"You were stalking...-"

"I know" she nods her head before continuing, "And I also know that I am desperate for your help."

Desperate?

"What do you need helping for?" I asked her.

She began to fiddle her fingers as she thinks of a way to respond to my question.

"I supposed we could begin with an introduction... my name is Alexa." she reached out for a handshake.

Well, that was out of the blue...

"Name's Albert, not so much nice to meet you." I took her hand and shook it.

"Likewise" she scoffed while staring at me.

"So... back to the main topic." I folded my arms, waiting for her answer.

Hearing my words, she clicked her tongue in frustration and embarassment.

"M-My brother, he was held by loan sharks..."

I was about to say something when she quickly interrupted me.

"Listen to me, I know you're slowly starting to own the Fellund heights, street by street, block by block... I know you have the power." she began to explain.

Watching her trying her best to flatter me, I scoffed at her again.

"Hmm, start a war and risk the lives of my boys for a... stranger?"

"It will benefit both of us, I swear!"

"How?"

She kept quiet while staring at me for a moment, before finally speaking up.

"My brother and I, we uh... own a fencing business down at Sprun park."

My ears immediately perked up at this.

"A.. fencing business?" I tried to clarify.

"Yeah, we act as middlemen for thieves and buyers." she explained.

"Then what?" I asked once again,

"You rescue my brother, and we will be yours, including our business." she said with pleading eyes.

Staring at her for a moment, I began to feel excitement and restlessness welling up inside of me.

More business, more money... and more power.

"I trust you won't go back on your word?"

"Promise, we had little men of our own to oppose you." her eyes began to gleam with hope.

"And what if you had more?"

"It won't come to that." she shook her head.

"I really hope so."

"Then will you accept?"

I can't miss a big opportunity.

"Tell me how much do you earn from this business?" I asked her curiously.

She began to ponder for a moment before finally answering.

"580 dollars every week." she reluctantly said.

"Then you will share 180 to us... every week."

She immediately turned her head towards me in surprise and amusement.

"Will you agree or not?" I asked her once again.

After a few more minutes of pondering and silence, she finally nodded her head in agreement.

"So tell me about these... loan sharks." I said as I walked towards the counter where I've put my still lit cigarette and took a puff on it.

"Y-Yes" she clears her throat before finally speaking, "The loan sharks, they work for Abok the healer, he runs his businesses down on Waterside square, just north of Fellund heights." she explained.

"What an unusual nickname, the healer." I laughed at the word.

"Yep, due to his native American origins."

"Does he heal people?"

"As much as I know, he gives suffering instead of medication." Alexa spat out in disgust.

"We may not be different." I told her.

"He's much more worst."

"I see, can you tell me about the businesses he runs?"

She smiled at my words before speaking, seemingly eager to answer me... or is it that she just wants me to favor her or something, I do not know.

"He owns a small clinic down at Ricky's street, but it only serves as cover for the real secret he is hiding inside."

"What secrets?"

"He deals with organ trafficking." my eyes immediately went wide in surprise at the words she just said... but luckily I managed to calm myself down quickly after a few seconds of silence and shock.

I suppose you will witness and hear about these kinds of things once you enter this 'world', the secret world that operates behind the shadows, invincible to the eyes of the many.

"He kidnaps people and sell their organs for cash." she continued.

"His patients?" I asked, slightly confused.

"No, that would be too suspicious, he just takes random people from all over the whole city." Alexa explained.

"And the loansharking?"

"Just a side business... extra cash."

But the question is....

"How did your brother ended up in their 'care', not only that, there's already a chance that he's already... de-"

Alexa immediately cuts me off.

"No that will not happen, they swore to return him back once I gather all the money he owed to them."

"You have a fence that gives you both stable income."

She clicked her tongue in frustration before responding to me.

"Yes we do, until he got cocky and decides to bet 3/4 of our entire savings to gambling."

Staring at her for a moment, I could not help but pity the two bastards.

.

.

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CHAPTER DONE!