Chapter 11: I’m Home

Thirty minutes after Theo and Shirley left the street.

The house party was still going strong, but a few people were already starting to leave. Amidst the flashing lights and booming music, the front door of the three-story house suddenly flew open. A handsome youth with slicked black hair walked out into the cold night air.

Sharp, cat-like eyes and a lean, athletic frame. He wore a pale-yellow, button-up cardigan. The cardigan looked rather expensive, but right now, it was stained with various splotches of beer, sweat, and other unknown liquids.

The sound of clicking leather echoed through the wind. The man laughed uproariously, his flushed face contorting into a hazy smile. His laughter was followed by a fit of giggling, the latter of which originated from the two women clinging to both his arms.

As they made their way down the front steps, the man suddenly frowned. It felt as if there was an itch in the back of his head that he simply could not scratch. He looked around the surroundings. Something was off, but he couldn’t quite tell what.

After a few seconds, he realized everything was too quiet.

Where is that buffoon, Mattie? Shouldn’t he be guarding the front entrance?

He guided his girls and continued walking for a while. Eventually, he stopped in the middle of the driveway. Almost at the same time, another group of men exited the house.

They were not as handsome, nor as nicely dressed as the man in yellow. Instead, they sported rough appearances, with arms riddled in tattoos and faces covered in scars. Naturally, they were the guys working for the man in yellow; his underlings.

“Boss!” A short youth with a crewcut waved at the man. With his beady eyes and slightly hunched posture, he somewhat resembled a weasel. Despite his shifty appearance, the short youth was actually the leader of these group of men. “You haven’t left yet, let me take you home.” He happily offered, while at the same time, he pulled out an unlit cigarette from his back pocket. With a snap of his finger, another subordinate handed him a lighter. “Here Boss, a smoke.”

The weasel-like youth thought himself quite good at his job. He was thorough in his research and even better at sucking up to people. For instance, he knew for a fact that this boss of his enjoyed smoking cigarettes after drinking alcohol. That was why he came prepared.

It was with this sort of devotion that he managed to rise up in rank, despite being physically weaker than any of the men that he commanded.

“Shut up for a second.” Contrary to his expectations, the man in yellow harshly rejected. He ignored the weasel-like youth’s distraught expression and instead, concentrated on the rest of his surroundings. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness of the night, he scanned the street for anything that might calm the uneasiness in his heart. Half a second later, his face darkened.

He had spotted his men. They were knocked out cold, their bodies sprawled all over the concrete.

He shook off the girls that previously clung to his arms and hurriedly walked over towards the scene of the crime. The weasel-like youth also noticed the change in his boss’s countenance and did not dare to delay any longer. He quickly led his guys and followed after the boss.

What they saw caused their eyes to widen in shock.

“What the fuck happened?”

“All of them are unconscious…”

“Was it a rival gang?”

“Are any of them dead?”

“Who did this?”

One of the men walked up to the largest body, before he suddenly jumped back in fright. “What the hell, who is this guy!? His face is all deformed and mushed together. He looks no different from a pig!”

“Dude, I think that’s Mattie.”

“Mattie? No way!”

“They fucked him up real good, man.”

The weasel-like youth ran up to his boss, a worried expression scribbled all over his face. Seeing the chilling light in his boss’s eyes, he knew that he had been truly angered. He hesitated for a moment, but before he could say anything, the man in yellow suddenly spoke up.

“Was it the guys from East Alley?” He asked. East Alley was the name of an upstart gang based somewhere around Oceanview District. Despite its infancy, it had already managed to carve itself a sizable portion of Harwick’s criminal underworld. Compared to the real overlords of the city, they were still relatively weak, but what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in individual strength and recklessness. Lately, they’ve been giving his gang a fair bit of trouble.

The weasel-like youth shook his head. “I got the boys to check the bodies. No one’s dead, but everyone’s been knocked out. We can’t confirm or deny it’s them, but… I don’t think it's them.”

“Why?” The man in yellow asked.

“Because those guys from the south don’t really have the capital yet to fight with us in our own turf. Maybe in a few months, if we’re going by their current growth, but not now at least.” He hesitated for a moment, before he continued, “Their courage comes from their familiarity with the streets that they control. Without them, they wouldn’t dare rear their heads against our Pit Cobra gang. Plus, I’ve been keeping tabs on their actions. Up until now, there’s been no signs of movement. If it really was them, then they sent a damn good assassin.”

The man in yellow slightly nodded his head. He sank into silence for a few seconds, before he asked, “If it wasn’t them, then who was it?”

“That… we really can’t tell, Boss.” The youth was helpless. He really didn’t know what to do in this sort of situation. Just as he was worrying, something happened within the group previously inspecting the bodies.

“Boss, someone’s waking up!” someone called out.

The duo stared at each other for a moment, before they quickly made their way to the source of the commotion.

There, they watched as a skinny man with a blonde mohawk slowly regained his conscious. The weasel-like youth recognized him. He was the guy that was supposed to be in charge of the group that watched over the front yard.

“Uughh…” A throaty groan leaked out from Blond Mohawk’s lips.

Without hesitation, the weasel-like youth ran up to him and suddenly kicked out. A steel-toed boot sank into his stomach. A guttural scream echoed through the air.

“Get the fuck up!” The weasel-like youth roared. “Explain what the fuck happened here!”

The man in yellow watched all this from the sidelines. His eyes narrowed, while a suppressive atmosphere leaked out from his body.

“Ah, don’t blame me, Boss! It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, it really wasn’t me!” Despite the pain, Blonde Mohawk instantly groveled for forgiveness, even going as far as kissing the boot that had just kicked him in the stomach.

“You…” The weasel-like youth was angered by his display. Just as he was about to send out another kick, a hand suddenly grabbed onto his shoulder. It was the man in yellow.

“Alright, that’s enough.” He coldly spoke. “Tell me what happened.”

“Ah, thank you Big Boss, thank you!” Blonde Mohawk breathed out a sigh of relief. He was just about to start another round of ass kissing, when the Big Boss suddenly frowned. “Ah no, wait. I’ll tell, I’ll tell, Big Boss I’ll tell, so don’t…”

“On with it already.”

“Yes, yes, it was… it was…” Blonde Mohawk hesitated for a moment. He briefly debated whether or not he should lie, but upon seeing the Big Boss’s chilling expression, he ultimately squashed that thought. He gritted his teeth and ‘truthfully’ explained what happened, “The situation was as follows…”

After Mohawk finished his explanation, he looked up at the Big Boss with an aggrieved expression. He tried emphasizing just how brutish and cunning Theo had been, while also maximizing his own favor by exaggerating his own deeds. Of course, The man in yellow saw through all of it.

His face darkened. He stood in silence for a long while, before he suddenly asked in a low voice, “So, you’re telling me that all of you lost to some high-school punk?”

“Well, technically yes, but that’s not quite right either.” Mohawk awkwardly explained. “He… he really was vicious! He possessed the strength of five, no, ten men! The only reason why I got knocked out was because he took me by surprise. If it had been a fair fight, then I would have skewered him by now! And also, he—he wasn’t alone… someone, there was someone with him.”

“And that someone is the chick you were trying to pick up?” The man in yellow furrowed his brow. He did not care for his excuses.

“… um… yes…”

His face was expressionless. After a short pause, he asked, “What did they look like?”

“I, the girl had her face covered the entire time, so I don’t know.” Mohawk carefully explained. “But she… she was ugly! Like really ugly, like a pig in the body of a woman! Well, probably…”

“And what about the guy?” This time, it was the weasel-like youth who urged him on.

“Well, about him… he was wearing a tracksuit. His face, I can’t really explain it. It was sort of plain, like unnoticeable… with, with eyes and a nose.”

“With eyes and a nose…” The man in yellow’s eye twitched. “Are you fucking with me?”

“No, Big Boss.” Mohawk was lost in his own little world. He did not notice his big boss’s darkening expression and instead, began what he considered to be a very thorough explanation. “He really did have eyes and a nose, also a mouth too.”

For a moment, silence, before the man in yellow nodded. “Alright, that’s enough, I think I got it.”

Mohawk’s face brightened. He looked up with a hopeful expression. “Then… you get it, right boss? It wasn’t my fault at all!”

Instead of answering, the man in yellow simply waved his hand. Seeing this, the weasel-like youth shouted towards his group of men. “Fuck this dumbass up! How dare he cause our Pit Cobras to suffer such a loss!”

“Yes, Boss!” The men screamed in unison before they rushed towards the clueless Mohawk. Before he could even process what was happening, the men pushed him to the ground and immediately started kicking. After half a minute, a puddle of blood slowly formed on the concrete pavement.

“Playing games with me like that, piece of shit!” The man in yellow spat out as he stalked back over towards the driveway. He was heading in the direction of a certain silver sports car. Just then, the weasel-like youth hurriedly ran up to him.

“Boss, what should we do about this?” He worriedly asked.

He was silent for a moment, before he responded, “When the rest of the guys wake up, ask them about the attacker. For now, notify those we have stationed at the schools. Quicken the plan. Recruit more able-bodied men. We need fresh blood if we’re going to settle things with those buffoons from the south. Also, crack down on the students. Extortion isn’t enough anymore. Grab a few girls to sell. Don’t avoid the teachers either. If they get in the way, then deal with them too.”

“But, is that really such a good idea?” The weasel-like youth worriedly asked. “We’re already causing a lot of attention as is. What about the police? If we really do that much, no matter how many cops we pay off, even they’ll be forced to deal with us.”

“Don’t worry about that. The Boss is already working on it. If anything, the more mess we cause, the better it will be for him.”

“The Boss…” The weasel-like youth’s eyes sparkled. To his underlings, he was the boss, and his boss was their big boss. Boss’s boss, in other words, his big boss… to guys like Blonde Mohawk, he was their big big boss. It was a bit confusing, but essentially, the big boss was the true leader of the gang.

The little group that he led around only consisted of a small group of drop-outs and students, while the man in yellow merely controlled the surrounding area. As for the Big Boss, he was the one that actually owned the real gang. If this was really a part of the big boss’s plan, then he could only try his hardest.

Just as he was about to leave, he stopped and turned back around to the man in yellow. “And what about the assailant?”

“I’ll leave that matter to you, Weasel.” The weasel-like youth’s nickname was actually Weasel. “Don’t recklessly pursue though. For now, just monitor the situation. We don’t have enough clues yet. Gather intel first.”

“But where should I start?” Weasel asked.

He thought about it for a moment. “Wasn’t he wearing a tracksuit? Find out if it belongs to a certain school, then go from there.” The man in yellow coldly looked at the mess of people still sprawled on the street. “Anyone who dares to mess with me won’t have a good ending.”

****

“Make sure to call me later tonight, okay?” Shirley reminded him for what felt like the umpteenth time.

“Alright, alright. I already agreed, didn’t I?” Theo replied. “No matter how many times you repeat it, nothing will change.”

They stood in front of a gated two-story house. Shirley was one step past the gates, yet she was reluctant to leave. She bit her bottom lip for a moment, before she suddenly said, “No, never mind. I’ll be the one to call, so make sure you pick up, got it?”

“In the first place, I don’t even have a phone. How will you call?” He helplessly said.

“Doesn’t your house have a landline! If that doesn’t work, there’s always Aunt Lynn. Hmph, don’t make up so many excuses!” She grumpily scolded him

“Alright, I get it. Sorry. You’ll call me, and I’ll pick up, okay?”

“Seriously, Theo. You better respond!” She continued. “If you don’t, I’ll, I’ll… I’ll sneak into your room at night and make sure you’re still there myself!”

An odd smile floated to his lips. He played with the idea of inviting this girl into his bedroom, but ultimately shook his head. It was a tempting offer, but something like that required time and care, it couldn’t just be done on a whim. Still, he secretly reminded himself to keep the windows unlocked tonight.

“Okay, I get it. No need to make threats that tempting.” He chuckled out loud. “Go already, I can’t leave until I see you walk through those doors.”

With his reminder, Shirley eventually left. She opened her front door and disappeared inside. After the door finally closed shut, Theo let out a sigh. He looked up at the night sky for a moment, before he continued walking. His place was only a few houses down from Shirley’s. After a while, he spotted a certain house.

The third building down from the street. A neatly trimmed yard, a cobblestone walkway, and a red tiled roof. It was all there. It was all identical to his memories. It was his home.

Theo felt nervous. His shoulders slightly trembled, while his breathing quickened. What would it be like? Who would answer the door? Would she still be there? Even after Shirley’s confirmation, doubt still colored his heart. All these thoughts and more buzzed through his head.

He must have blacked out or something, because before he even realized what had happened, Theo was already standing in front of the door. He took a deep breath, and forcibly calmed his nerves. After a few seconds of silence, he rang the doorbell.

He waited in anticipation. Thirty seconds passed, before he rang the bell again. This time, he heard noises. Someone was making their way towards the door. A slow shuffling. Through the stained-glass window on the door’s surface, he could barely make out a person’s blurry silhouette. It looked somewhat familiar, but Theo did not dare to guess who it was.

Shortly after, the door opened.

In that moment, time froze.

“Who are—” Her words abruptly ended, as her eyes widened. “…Theo?” Despite his disheveled appearance, she had instantly recognized him.

Still, her words did not even register in his mind. Theo was in a state of shock. He absentmindedly stared at the beautiful woman before him.

She hasn’t changed at all. She looks the same as when I first left.

An oval-shaped face and a head of unkempt black hair tied into a sloppy ponytail. A mole right beneath her left eye, almost identical to his own. Pale skin and vibrant emerald eyes. She did not have any makeup on. In the first place, she didn’t need any. She wasn’t the type to put in any extra effort towards her appearance, yet that did not impede on her beauty.

A thin waist and shapely hips. Her greatest assets were the ones on her chest, although her butt wasn’t bad either. He knew from experience that not only was she gifted with good genetics, she was also a part of the rare few who actually enjoyed exercise, which greatly helped maintain her current figure.

Strands of loose hair fell and covered a portion of her forehead. A laced black choker was wrapped around her slim neck. It was intricately designed and parts of it were semi-transparent.

Theo briefly recalled her fondness for chokers. In fact, he had a bit of a weak spot for girls in chokers, and most of that was because of her.

The one she currently wore was actually something that he had given her for her birthday over a year ago. Originally, he gave her a dog collar as a sort of gag gift, and although seeing her pissed off expression was nice, it did not beat the genuine smile she showed him after she had received her real present.

The two stared at each other for what felt like eternity. After a while, the woman by the door snapped out of her daze. She parted her lips to say something. At that moment, her eyes suddenly twitched. Her nose wrinkled, while her face paled.

She vomited all over the front porch.

Seeing such an all too familiar scene, Theo unconsciously smiled.

“I’m home.” He finally spoke out the words that he had not spoken in over twenty-five years.