CHOICES.

CHAPTER 7: CHOICES.

Melanie and Stephanie were seated in the living room watching TV, snacking together. Their attention was drawn to the stairwell as they heard heavy footsteps, accompanied with the creaking sound of the wooden floor. 

From the footsteps, they could tell it was Kane. Soon enough, Kane emerged, as he made his way down to where they were. 

Stephanie looked away, facing the television again, but Melanie kept on looking as she noticed he was casually dressed, wearing a pair of jeans and a black sweatshirt that had a hoodie. 

She furrowed her brow, wondering. 

"Going somewhere?" Melanie enquired. 

"Yeah. I'll like to take a walk, that's all," he replied.

"At this time of the night?" Melanie asked, looking at the wall clock. 

Kane looked at the time in his mobile device and saw that it was already 8 pm. 

"Well," he shrugged, "I just need to clear my head. I won't be long. I promise."

"Okay sweety. Be careful out there," Melanie concurred. 

Kane nodded with a smile, and exited the house. 

Standing outside, he sighed and looked to his right and left, as though he was making sure the environ was safe for him to be out at that time.

Covering his head with the hoodie, he walked away from his house, putting his hands in the front pockets of the sweatshirt.

As he walked down the street, he met a couple of unruly folks, talking softly. They all turned and gave him a cold stare. 

From all indications, he could tell they were dope dealers. He ignored them and kept walking. 

The unruly folks also didn't bother approaching him, as they didn't know what sort of person he was, and the level of threat he posed. 

As Kane walked further, he also saw a couple of girls by the opposite side of the road, dressed seductively, calling on men, and women. They called out to him also, but he ignored them also, and kept on walking. 

Walking a little bit further, he arrived at a bus stop shelter and sat there. No one else sat there as most were afraid of being there at that time of the night.

After a little while, someone sat beside Kane, wearing a black leather jacket. 

"You came. I knew you wouldn't pass up such an opportunity," the person said.

"Let's just get this over with Johnny," Kane responded. 

"Sure," Johnny smiled and got up heading to his car. Kane sighed and followed him to his car, and they drove off. 

"Remember, it's a quick in and out. And you'll be heading home with ten grand," Johnny reiterated, smiling. But he noticed Kane's gloomy demeanor. 

"Are you alright buddy?" 

"Yeah," Kane replied uninterestedly, looking out the window beside him. 

"Okay," Johnny shrugged, pursing his lips. All that mattered to him was the money they would get by virtue of what they were about to pull off.

After a while, they got to a fancy hotel. Looking well, Kane saw that they were at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. 

Johnny parked his car and they both got out. A valet waved at Johnny, signalling him as he headed towards the side of the hotel. 

"Let's go," he said to Kane, and they both followed after the valet and met him.

"Got it?" Johnny asked. 

"Yeah. They should fit," he responded, handing Johnny two pair of uniforms that matched what he wore.

"Suit up," Johnny said to Kane as he handed a pair to Kane. 

Kane and Johnny quickly changed and followed the valet to the entrance of the hotel. 

"Get my car out of here. We'll rendezvous at the agreed point," Johnny said, handing the valet his car keys. 

He nodded and walked to the car with Kane's and Johnny's cloth, and drove off. 

Kane sighed, bracing himself for what they came for. 

As expected, a guest who came for the occasion that was going on at the hotel arrived, parking his car at the entrance. He came in a Ferrari. 

Alighting from the vehicle, he handed Johnny the car keys and walked into the hotel. 

Johnny bowed humbly with a smile, and got into the car, starting the engine. 

"See you soon buddy," Johnny winked at Kane, driving off, leaving the hotel premises. 

Kane looked at him blankly, saying nothing. He sighed, trying to calm his nerves, as he was uncomfortable with what they were doing. But at the same time, he felt he didn't have a choice. 

Soon after, another guest driving a Bugatti arrived at the hotel, parking right at the entrance where Kane stood. 

He alighted from the vehicle, and walked to the other side of the car, courteously helping a beautiful lady out of the car. 

"Do take care of the car, would you?" he said, handing Kane the keys. 

"Sure I will sir," Kane bowed slightly. 

Kane got into the car and was immediately in awe at the beauty and aesthetics of the car. He had never been in such a vehicle before. He could only imagine what it took for one to own such a car.

He started the ignition and drove off. He also headed away from the hotel premises, in accordance to the plan on ground. 

But as he drove, his heart troubled him terribly. 

"God damn it!" Kane exasperatedly hit his hand against the steering wheel and drifted, turning back, heading to the hotel.

He parked the car at the right spot, exiting the car. He took off the bow tie and walked away from the hotel. 

Shortly after, his phone buzzed as it rang. Without looking, he could tell it was Johnny who was calling. As he looked, he confirmed what he rightly thought, but he ignored the call.

He soon got another call from Johnny, and he ignored it again. 

By the third call, he reluctantly but angrily answered the call.

"Where the hell are you?" Johnny asked in an angry tone. 

"I didn't go through with it." 

"You're kidding right?" Johnny chuckled, but Kane remained silent. Johnny could tell Kane wasn't bluffing by the cold answer. 

"I knew you were going to chicken out, you punk! Aren't you tired of being broke? You're pathetic. Now you've made me lose good money!" 

"Don't you dare talk about loss! Don't you dare!" Kane yelled angrily, surprising Johnny. 

"You don't know what you've caused me to lose. I curse the day I met you. All you've brought me is pain and misery. Don't contact me, ever again!" Kane said resolutely, ending the call. 

Johnny was speechless for a moment, sulking, clenching his fist.

Kane walked for a while as he headed back home, fuming, not just at Johnny, but himself, and everything. 

"How the hell could I have even thought of stooping so low? Jeez!" 

Suddenly, he heard a chiming sound coming from his phone. He angrily pulled out his phone from his pocket, thinking it was Johnny who sent him a message. 

Looking at his phone, his mouth gaped, surprised to see the message he received.