CHAPTER 29

The past few days had been uneventful for me, I just continued my normal day life in a repeating sequence. If I wasn't at home lazing on the couch and watching TV, I would be at the study watching educational internet videos and reading books I had purchased or borrowed from the City's library or I would be at school attending lectures. The year would be ending in a month's time and we already wrote our midterms. It was only logical I came out top of the class at midterms and now exams weren't too far behind. 

Sometimes I go to the gym and get some workouts in, other times I would be at work, I meant my job as a bartender not the other two which made me seem like a freelancer. Word about my app had been spreading slowly and I have been getting clients but business was as slow as could be. 

The other day a man asked me for help on how he could successfully steal a customized diamond ring from a jewelry store so he could propose to his girlfriend. Of course I had to take his mind off that route because if that ring was seen on her finger by chance, she would be tagged as the thief and arrested for a crime she knew nothing about. 

Then I gave him better advice, a route which wouldn't be so obvious to the public eye. It was to steal another diamond ring of high quality but it could be found at a few other jewelry stores. 

I had him scout the store to be robbed and provided him with a foolproof plan which he executed without issues. The positive reviews kept growing and more people in need of my assistance kept pouring in. 

I even had a client who was a cop and was stumped in the middle of a case where he had hit a deadend. He worked for the CCPD and if he successfully solved that case he would be promoted to detective. It was an easy job which just needed him to be at the right place and at the right time, he caught the person involved in the case before they could get their next victim then locked him behind bars and now he had been promoted to detective. Another sweet review to rail in the potential clients. 

… 

It seemed just like any other day in the streets of Central City, Gary had me cleaning the tables in wait for the evening rush. It was the last day of the working week, a friday, and that was the particular day of the week when the everyday working men who worked a nine to five job came in to drink away the week's fatigue as they awaited the relaxing weekend. 

Why do I still work at Gary's pub you might ask, considering I get a nice amount of bread as Ghost and also my website 'The Architect.' Well that is because if shit ever went down and somehow the authorities traced it back to me, then my bartending job would be my alias. No one would actually suspect everyone's favorite bartender to be a criminal mastermind who just happened to juggle multiple jobs. 

As the architect, my jobs are legal because I'm just helping people out with problematic issues where they need my intellect for a suitable solution and not getting into any illegal activities. Even if I helped a villian on a plan to steal priceless jewelry there's no way they could tag me on it, I'm like a consultant for all. The chats were private after all, and I always made sure to reverse track the IP from the client just in case. 

It was after hours and the evening rush had started pouring in, as they took their seats they each placed an order for the kind of drinks they wanted for the night. Cooking up cocktails was fun for me and my mixtures had Gary happy with me. I could mix up a cocktail that'll knock out a man after three to four shots and that meant saving money while earning more money for Gary. 

Because of this, most people had the guts to take this cocktail and make it their regular each time they had one heck of a day but usually take just one shot then continue drinking off their sorrows with whiskey or vodka. According to Gary, since I started working at the bar the demand for beer dropped a little because I opened their eyes to a whole new world of alcohol. 

In my previous life I learnt a thing or two from my uncle when it came to mixing drinks, so I knew exactly which drink would hit the right spot depending on a person's mood or state of mind. 

The night was lively and the bar buzzed till it was closing time. The drunk fellows carried themselves as they stumbled out of the bar and into the night, we cleaned up before closing for the night and I walked home in anticipation of spending the remaining night in my soft and cozy bed.

Not everything went as I had imagined that night. I was home and already asleep when my sweet slumber was disturbed by a few gunshots which came from the neighborhood. 

"Those fuckers." I grumbled to myself as I wore something more appropriate to match the cold night. I don't need anything disturbing my serenity. 

On getting to the source of the gunshots I saw a man in his early thirties with a gun robbing a younger man as everyone who saw him ran due to fear for their lives as they were minding their own business and did not want to interfere with the shakedown. I guess they couldn't call the cops because even the police were tired of that neighborhood as the petty crimes there never seemed to stop, even with their own intervention. 

Sigh! "Not again." I said to myself as the incident reminded me of the previous night when I took down two miscreants and now there was another bully in urgent need of proper schooling. Normally I couldn't care less about what these people do but this was way too close to my place and I wouldn't want it to turn into a regular spot for hoodlums. I don't need anyone disturbing my peace at night, and I guess not even the heroes could be available all the time. 

"Hey, let him go already, you've taken everything he had on him. What more do you want, his clothes?" I said to him as I shook my head to show the level of disappointment I had in him, not that I expected any less. Yes some hobos would steal the clothes off a man's back but after taking all his money it would be on a higher level of evil to let him walk home on that cold night in shame,regret, sadness, loss of confidence and with freezing balls. 

"You've got some balls, kid. You think you are some kind of hero? Walk away before someone gets hurt, and by someone I mean you." He averted his gaze from me and continued the shakedown he was giving the man. 

"Nah, I'm no hero. Neither would I want to interfere with something that has nothing to do with me. Why don't you and your people go terrorize some other neighborhood and leave this one alone, sounds good right?" I asked him despite knowing what his probable cliché answer would be but I just had to take the chance to avoid the brimming violence. 

"Come on kid, you know walking around here at this hour is like you just begging to be robbed" He turned his gaze to me again then he pointed his gun at me as he gestured for me to come closer. 

"Last warning man, return what you've stolen from him then walk away. No one has to get hurt tonight, I already had a long and exhausting day so all I can think about right now is my sweet bubble bath and my extremely comfy bed." I drifted away into my thoughts for a while as I thought of how I intended to spend my night. 

Also what's wrong with the street robbers of this verse? None of them wears a mask when they rob people on the streets, aren't they bothered by the thought of their victim remembering their faces. Well it's none of my concern, I've already wasted enough time here already and it's time to wrap this up then go get me some me time.

"Are you deaf or something? I said hand over every penny you've got on you." He cocked his gun in an attempt to scare me. 

I looked around and noticed everyone who passed by were all turning a blind eye to what was happening. 

"I guess you would have to shoot me then" now I began to ask myself why I decided to interfere when I could just ignore what was happening outside. 

"Oh, you are a cocky one aye?" He shot at me as the sound of the smoking gun made the streets as quiet as a graveyard. 

The bullet went straight for my chest and just deflected back at him. Luckily for him the bullet missed him. 

"Ugh, they never learn." Still in shock, he stood there trying to process what had happened but I used my telekinesis and flinged the gun from his hand and to a corner. The young man who was being robbed before I got there took flight as he ran like hell in the opposite direction. 

"You are… " before he could finish his statement I stretched out my hand and adjusted my palm like I was about to grab the air but stopped half way, he held his neck like he was being choked and slowly rose a few centimeters off the ground. 

I sighed as I slammed him against a car by the road and he passed out immediately. If that man had stayed a little longer and not ran in fear, then he could have had his money back and even more. 

"Well that happened, now for the rest of my relaxing night." I rolled my arm as I massaged my right shoulder a little. 

POWOO POWOO! 

The sound of the incoming police vehicles permeated the air as I walked away from the crime scene.