Chapter 10 Unpayable Debts

Will looked at his friend, blinked, and took a breath as they walked to the library. He looked at his friend and wondered if he could tell him the truth.

Worry etched into Bryan's perfectly molded face. His light brown eyes held a question. "Dude, is everything okay at home? You have been zoning out all day."

Will smiled, "I'm fine." His blue eyes sparkled with mischief. "There's this girl who's been driving me nuts all day."

"Girl? You have been zoning out over a girl? Since when? I-" Bryan looked at Will mid-laughter and froze. His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "She's-" He began in a shout, then looking around at the seniors putting their library tags across the security door's checkpoint.

His voice was barely audible as he said his next words, "Man, she's a married teacher! You don't want to mess with her."

Will nodded. "I know. I just need to-" frowning as his head began to ache, he placed a finger at his temple. "Damn headache is about to start. Can you drive me home? We'll research for the assignment tomorrow."

Ever since the accident Will had been having migraine headaches that developed within minutes and left him blind and sensitive to light and sounds. Having extended hearing and heightened senses didn't help at all. Last time he'd barely made it home before passing out on the porch steps.

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"Hey, Ronnie!" Two hot, curvaceous girls called out to Ron as he walked towards the steps of the administration block. He flashed them his sexiest smile and waved. He trotted up the stairs with the ease of an athlete.

Word was that the results of the last semester's final exams were finally out. He zipped past the Admissions staff's offices and walked into the Registrar's secretary's office. He knocked on the office door and waited.

A squeaky voice called for him to come in. He smiled and walked through the door. Behind the desk was a homely woman with a blonde weave and light skin. Her face lit up when she saw him.

"Ronnie!" Her accent rolled the "r" and vernacularized the "o" of his name. She pouted, which didn't add any beauty to her homely face, "You don't love me anymo'".

Her light complexion did nothing for her. Her thin lips and wide nose were in contrast to one another and the dark pigment spots on her face took away the flawless texture of her skin.

Ronnie flashed her a smile and promised her the world in his smile. He took her hand from across the desk and stroked. "Of course I love you, I was just resting. The exams took a lot out of me."

She beamed under his gaze. Then she recalled she was angry with him. She pulled her hand away from him.

Ronnie acted upset. "What babe?"

"Don't 'babe' me! You borrowed R10,000 from me and you know it was my savings! I want my money." She scowled

Ron sighed. If only she was hot, this would be so much easier. He took her hand and kissed the back of it and her wrist. She melted, slightly. He pulled out his phone and transferred R15,000 into her account.

Her phone loudly played the latest house mix by a popular house DJ and she glanced at it. She read the message and looked up at him in shock. She squealed and hugged him. With a hug, he promised to call her and go out with her.

Ronnie waited until he was far down the hall to scowl and curse. What a waste of easily earned money. He needed her to get his results before others got theirs.

He wished his university had hired more attractive staff. But, she was handy when he needed cash. Two girls smiled at him.

They looked hot. He smiled back. His mind went back to an old stand-up comedy act he saw where the comedian spoke of Indian girls having nice hair and funny legs.

So true, but some of them had it going on in the bedroom. Karma Sutra baby, that is some good shit, right there. Not that he dated a lot of them but a few club encounters had proved well worth it.

"Ronnie!" A male voice called out to him. Shit, he thought. Outwardly he smiled, casually.

"Zenzo! Howzit?" Ronnie gave a man hug that was accepted.

Zenzo looked at him. This kid had nerve. He grinned. This was going to be fun. "We got a game for you this weekend. You have to win."

Ronnie frowned. He was supposed to be going home this weekend; the Queen's orders. Just as he was about to decline Zenzo pulled him in for a hug.

"You don't have a choice in this one. I have orders to bring you in alive or dead." His voice was barely above a whisper and it sent chills down Ron's spine. Ron nodded and made up a lie that his mom would buy. He would call her later.

Half an hour later in a different part of town, Zenzo walked into a luxury club. Two men sat at a table jovially laughing over some matter. Zenzo didn't like Dimitri but Dimitri could be very persuasive. A raised eyebrow and hand were all Zenzo got from Dimitri.

"He'll be there, Boss."

"Good. This will be fun. After all, it is just a little debt for our young protégé." His heavy Russian accent was accented by his deep voice.

The other man laughed. Zenzo didn't get the joke. All he knew was that something was about to go down; something big. Seconds later Mr. Dube walked in. He was wearing designer everything from fragrance to shoes.

"Right boys, have you secured my personnel?" Mr. Dube didn't sit with the two men. Dimitri nodded. "Good. I want employees for life. Make sure he has no option but to work for me. As for her, make it a mission of mercy. She will be willing as long as she thinks she is doing the right thing."

Zenzo observed from the empty bar. He looked relaxed but one of the main reasons he was on Dimitri's team was because he missed nothing. If anything went down Dimitri would live. The same couldn't be said for anyone else in the room.

After long consideration, Ron decided to just go home. This wasn't worth it. Sure, he owed Dimitri R50,000 but that was chump change.

He could win that back in a round. Besides, his girl was hitting him up for some good loving and he wasn't going to pass that up. He packed his bags like all the other kids heading for semester break.

Just as he finished packing there was a knock on his door. He opened the door. Zenzo grinned at him

"Game time little nigga!" He grabbed Ronnie in a playful but firm headlock.

Ron laughed and nodded. They walked down the passage speaking of the latest on the soccer scene. Zenzo drove Ronnie to a warehouse somewhere near the coast. He parked about 20 meters from the warehouse.

They got out of the car and walked to the only open door. You could almost taste the salt from the water. Zenzo nodded to the slightly ajar door on their right. Ronnie's target was a million Rand by the end of the night. Too much or too little would be penalized, heavily. If he made more than that, he could keep the difference, if they agreed on it beforehand.

When he got in the usual players were at the table. Ron nodded and sat down. A glass of water was set by his side.

He smiled at the waitress. This one was new. The empty warehouse was extremely well-lit.

The bareness of the floor unsettled Ronnie. It was cement but it was clean. By the end of the night, he had made R1.5 million. Shit, he was over the target by half a million.

It had been a good game. Ronnie stood up and stumbled. He frowned.

He felt drunk. His cell phone vibrated. He cursed.

That was money in the bank. His opponents congratulated him and they all headed out. When he walked out the door he saw the lithe Russian waiting for him where Zenzo had parked the car.

Dimitri was grinning. Ronnie had a feeling that he wasn't going to enjoy this conversation. The sun was about to rise and he had a flight home to catch.

"Congratulations. You could not have made that any easier had I handed you the cash." The Russian laughed.

Ronnie shrugged. He knew the rules of the game. You win or lose as dictated or you became in debt as much as you had won or lost to The Corporation.

How would he explain half a million in his account as a student? That is where Dimitri came in. He cleaned the paper trail up and made illegitimate transactions legitimate.

The Corporation was a generous entity that sponsored many philanthropic activities. Ronnie had just signed himself up for a grant from the worst kind of corporation. He became alarmed when the car headed to the airport.

Dimitri smiled. He could tell the young man was disturbed. He chuckled.