Chapter 18.5

The Crooked Man

It was supposed to be a simple mission. Go into sewers, check and see if the gate to the old sewer has been breach than report back to the supervisor. Plain and simple. Yet somehow, this mission became much, much worse.

“Theo, Theo! Can you hear me?!” A panicked voice call pulled Theo out from the darkness of unconsciousness. The moment his sense came back to him, he was greeted with a throbbing pain in his head and a smell so foul he almost wishes he didn’t wake up. A solid steel wall stood in front, which stood out from damp molding walls with rusted pipes that surrounded him.

“Where am I?”

“Theo?! Thank god you’re alive. I thought you were dead!” After a few agonizing seconds, Theo’s eyes adjusted to the darkness. A young boy his age sat right beside him. Both his arms and leg were tightly bound to the chair with thick rope. Theo tried to move, but he quickly realizes that his legs and arms were tied to his chair.

“Jack, what the hell going on?!”

“We were ambushed. Fucking cowards attacked us before we could even draw our weapons.” Jack grinded his teeth in frustration. He wiggles around in his chair in a futile effort to break free. “I swear when I get free, I’ll make them regret picking a fight with us!”

“Jack, you need to calm down.”

“How the hell am I supposed to stay calm?!” Jack snapped. “They’re going to kill us!”

“Not if we stay calm and use our head!” Theo snapped back, shutting Jack up. Silently glared at Theo, as if he were the one that tied him up.

“Looked at you, acting at all calm and mature. Did your girlfriend turn you into a man?”

“What the hell you talking about? I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Don’t lie. Everyone knows you're going out with that cat girl.”

“Huh?!” Theo shouted unintentionally. “Catherine and I aren’t dating.”

“Is that so?” A sadistic smile form on Jack’s face. “Then I suppose you don’t mind if I take my chance with her?”

“Go ahead.” Theo shrugs his shoulders, calmly brushing away Jack’s malicious attempt to anger him. “I don’t think it’ll work out, though.”

Theo didn't know that much about Catherine, but he knew that she didn’t have an easy life, and the last thing on her mind is love and romance.

“Tch.” Jack clicked his tongue, annoyed that he couldn’t get under Theo’s skin. “She isn’t my type anyway; I prefer women with more curve and busts,” Jack said with a filthy smile

“Ugh, do I really have to listen to kids talk about women?” Both Theo and Jack froze when they heard the other voice.

“Your voices haven’t even deepened. What do you know about the touch of a woman?”

A pale skinny man stepped in front of Theo and Jack. The man toyed with a knife while wearing a sinister grin showing off his yellow teeth.

“What’s the matter? You guys were talking with such vigor a moment ago. Why are you quiet now?”

Theo silently curses himself for letting Jack distract from the real danger.

“Well, since you guys don’t wanna talk, I guess I’ll have to make you sing.” The man drew closer to Theo while brandishing his knife. Theo leans backward in a futile attempt to put some distance between.

“That’s enough, Brick.” The man stopped and pointed his knife at the approaching voice.

“And why should I, scar?”

“Because you’re going against The Crooked Man’s order.” A man with multiple scars on his step closer to the one wielding the knife. His eyes were empty, unfazed by the sharp object in the man’s hand.

“These are kids are soldiers if we don’t take care of them now, more soldiers will be coming down here to mess with our operation.

“I’ll only say this once, Brick.” The scarred man stopped and looked down at the other man; the tip of the knife was now touching the scarred man’s stomach. “Do not go against The Crooked Man’s orders.”

The man holding the knife hand tremble. All it’ll take is a slight movement for his knife to impale Scar. After a few seconds of tense silence. Brick clicked his tongue and withdrew his knife.

“Fine, but you’re watching the kids. I’m tired of babysitting them.”

“Alright.” The Scarred man lean on one of the damp walls, while the guy with the knife left angrily mumbling to himself. Realizing his life isn’t in immediate danger, Theo began thinking about how to escape.

While keeping his eyes on Scar, Theo slightly wiggles around in the chair. The ropes dug deeper into his skin as he tried to slip free from his bondage.

“Whoever tied me to this chair did a superb job.” Theo whisper to himself. “But I should be able to break free. The problem comes after I escape. Scar’s eyes were closed, but Theo knew that he’d be attacked the moment he escapes from his bondage.

After suffering through intensive training, Theo became quite decent at judging a person's strength, and he knew the moment he looked at the Scarred man he could never beat him.

“What would Dante do?” Theo closed his eyes and imagined himself as Dante.

Dante easily breaks free from the chair using nothing but the strength he gains from decades of training and battle. Then, he takes down Scar before he has a chance to react. Afterward, he frees Jack then escapes the sewers while taking down anyone that stands in his way.

“No way I’m pulling that off. So, what would Catherine do? She isn’t that strong, so she wouldn’t try to brute force her way out of this situation. Knowing her, she’ll use everything at her disposal, but what do I have?”

Theo carefully looked around for anything he could use, but these thugs aren’t fools. The young soldiers were stripped of both of their equipment and place in an empty room. The only thing Theo had at his disposal was the chair he’s sitting on.

“No way, I’m beating that Scar guy with a chair, but maybe I don’t have to beat him. If I used the chair as a shield, It’ll but enough time for Jack to break out of his bondage.” Theo glances over at Jack, who was mumbling to himself. The anger in his eyes was gone, and despair was slowly taking over.

“Jack’s spirit should rise when he sees me fighting.” Theo took a breath to prepare himself. “’ Okay, I’m ready.”

“Oh, what you ready for?” Theo’s heart froze. Slowly, he turns to the owner of the voice. A somewhat pale man with messy black hair. The dark rings under his eyes, the slouch shoulders, and the wrinkled clothes would fool most people into thinking he was just another vagabond, but Theo immediately knew who he was. The Crooked Man, the leader of the largest gang in Horizon, and the person that’s been tormenting Catherine for years.

“I’m sorry, did I interrupted your guys' escape plans?”

“Huh, I didn’t plan anything, I swear!” Jack screams in fear.

“Relax, I’m not mad. Truth be told, I came here to apologize. My men that attacked you have been promptly punished, and I’ll be releasing you guys shortly.”

“Really?!” Jack’s face instantly brightened.

“But!” The Crooked lifted a finger and smiled. “You need to join my gang.”

“Huh?!” Jack’s expression switches between confusion and despair.

“Why, are you so surprised? If I just let you leave, you’ll tell everyone about my base.”

“We won’t tell anyone! I promise!” Jack cried.”

“Promise?” The Crooked Man chuckled. “Sorry, kid, how can I trust a sheep that blindly listens to every lie their masters tell them?” The Crooked Man places his hand on the steel wall. “Do you even know what’s behind this gate?”

“A Demon.” Theo gritted his teeth. The military kept the Demon in the sewers a secret to ensure no one would try to free it.

“Correct! Do you know how they manage to capture it?”

“Of course. The brave soldiers of Morningstar lured the Demon inside the sewer and trapped themselves with it.”

“Incorrect.” The Crooked Man wag his finger at Theo. “You were close, though. You see, when the military realizes they couldn’t kill the creature. They sent civilians and injured soldiers into sewers, promising them safety. But they knew, oh, they knew.” A devious smile spread formed on The Crooked Man’s face.

“They knew that the Demon had the ability to sense life and that it would come for them, and when it did, they seal it inside with all the innocent souls. Didn’t know that did you? Of course, you don’t. They never teach you this shit in history class.”

“What exactly are you after? Are you trying to free the Demon?”

“Now, why would I do that?” The Crooked Man looked down at Theo as if he went insane.

“Because that what scum like you always do. You use whatever you can to make a profit even if it destroys other people's lives.

“Shut the hell up, Theo,” Jack whisper under his breath.

“No, no. Let the kid talk. He’s saying some interesting things.” The Crooked Man gently rubbed his hand on the steel wall. “I never thought about using the demon. If I found a way to control it, I can easily take control of these streets, hell this entire kingdom!”

The Crooked Man lets out and then turns to Theo, who was trembling in fear.

“It’s interesting, but you don’t need to worry. I have no intention of freeing the Demon. I’ve already got a far stronger weapon at my disposal.”

Theo’s mind froze. He couldn’t understand what The Crooked Man was saying. Majins were such a threat that every country had to come together to stand even a remote chance against the demonic threat. What weapon does The Crooked Man possess that surpasses the terrifying might of a Demon?

“Anyway,” The Crooked Man claps his hands together, snapping both Jack and Theo out of their thoughts. “The reason I told you kids about Demon is because the superiors you follow continuously lied and break the very laws they created. So why can’t you?” The Crooked Man extended his hand towards the two youth.

“I’ll admit you really don’t have much of choice. If you don’t join me, I’ll have to kill you, but if you do, I can assure you won’t ever have to go through this hell again. So, what do you say?”

“I-I accept.”

“Jack!”

“Shut up!” Jack snapped at Theo. “You really think I’m going to let myself die because of something as stupid as honor!”

“Smart man. Cut him loose, Scar.” Scar pulled out a knife and cut the rope that bound Jack.

“So, what about you, young man? Will you join me?”

Theo looked The Crooked Man dead in the eyes and said, “No, I’ll never join you.”

“Is that so.” The Crooked Man raised his hand, stopping Scar, who was approaching Theo. “Leave. I’ll handle this.”

Scar nodded and escorted Jack out of the room. Leaving Crook and Theo alone.

“I have to say you have balls, kid. But you’re kind of stupid. You see, if you were smart, you would’ve lie to me. And when I let you go, you could’ve told your superiors everything you learn from our encounter. Of course, I would’ve stopped before you could blow the whistle, but still, it’s far better than sitting here and looking at my ugly face, right?”

“No. Even if it is a lie, I would be betraying all my comrades if I join you.”

“Oh man, you’re something else.” Crook chuckle to himself. “What’s your name, kid?”

“…” Theo didn’t respond. He silent glare at Crook, who sighed as he grabs Theo’s dog tags dangling from his neck.

“Theo, huh? Do you have a family, Theo?”

“…” Once again, Theo didn’t respond.

“Going by the innocent look in your eyes, I can safely say yes. You’re one of the lucky ones that have never lost anything or had to make any hard decision in your life. That’s why you're staring at me like I’m some sort of inhumane monster. But believe it or not, kid, we’re quite similar. The only thing different about us is that I’m lying to myself. I’m aware that I’m a piece of shit.”

“Are you trying to say I’m scumbag like you?”

“Everyone’s a scumbag kid,” Crooked said as he flops down in the chair next to Theo while pulling a cigar and box of matches out of his pocket. “Most people are either lying to themselves. Or have yet to face the cruel reality of our world.”

Crook struck the match against the box, ignited it. Theo tilted his head as he watches the fire twist and bend until it transforms into a halo that hovers over the match.

“I supposed you’re the latter,” Crook said as he moves his cigar towards the floating fire. “But one day you will have to face reality, and when that happens, you’ll realize you’re not so different from all the criminals you look down on.

“What about Catherine? You think she a scumbag too?”

“Hm?” Crooked eyes widened when he heard that name. Theo wanted to smile, but the surprise on Crook’s face quickly faded before Theo could enjoy it.

“Interesting, so you know about kiddo.? How is she doing?”

“Better, now that she isn’t in your gang anymore.” Crook suddenly burst out laughing, startling Theo.

“She will always be part of my crew. No matter how hard she tried to deny it. I did raise her, after all.”

“Like hell, you did!” Theo tried to lunge forward, but the ropes around his arms and legs held him in place. "All you did was make her life worse!”

“I made her life worse? I saved her, kid. She was nothing but skin and bones when we first met.” Crook took a puff from his cigar and blew smoke into Theo’s face. “I fed her, shelter her, and taught her how to survive in this world. In every way, I was a better father than her real dad ever was.”

The small ring of fire vanishes as Crook got up from his chair. “Earlier, you asked me if I thought Catherine was a scumbag, right?” Crook looked down at Theo as if he were staring at a rat. “And you especially know nothing about Catherine.” No, I think she far worse than us.”

Crook raised his right hand and pulled off the black glove. Theo shudders at what he saw. There wasn’t any flesh and bones on his hand, only metal.

“She did this me,” Crook said as he waves around his prosthetic hand. “It still gives me nightmares to this day. She tore my men apart and ripped my hand off with nothing but her own strength.”

“No, that isn’t true.” Theo tried looked, but Crook grab his face and force him to look in his eyes.

“And yet it is. That girl is nothing more than a beast that I fully intend to control.”

Crook tightens his grip with a twisted grin until Theo begins to fear that his face was about to be crushed.

“Since I’ve been so busy lately, you’re going to tell me what my little pet been up to.”