Chapter 725

Chapter 725: Side Chapter: Bad Company

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

Shit just got real. Actually, shit was already real before, but now it was even realer than that, the rawest real.

He thought he knew the risks, double read the fine print he was signing his soul on-swindling shit, stealing bling-the worst he thought was just a brief detour to the police station, jingling the bars until they made bail. Maybe a radicalized scandal on social media that’d surely dwindle in a few days and after a ten-minute apology video.

But this... this was even worse, alright.

The dead of night, deserted snowy streets, and three sussy-looking peeps surrounding him and Amelia like a pack of arctic wolves he saw that one time on the Discovery Channel. A cell and a criminal record was not something he’d like looming over him, that being said, being dressed in the black and whites was a hell of a lot better than being covered head to toe in the black and blues.

One of the guys even had a tattoo on his neck, a fuckin tattoo! He probably lifts an easy 500 for breakfast. Lives, eats and breathes his protein shakes too. No way in hell was he gonna piss any of these folks off more than they already are tonight.

.....

Tyler laughed in spite of himself, raising both hands out in metaphorical surrender. “S-Stole? You think we stole-?”

“I KNOW you stole,” The biggest, baddest of the three bellowed at him in a cloud of white that smelled like rotten tobacco. “Don’t think you can try and play me, you hear me? I’ve seen enough to know enough. You really wanna piss me off more by trying to lie? Go ahead-try and fool me.”

“Alright, chill, relax! I don’t want any beef. None of us do, yeah? W-We’re cool, we’ll sort this shit out...”

Placations and pacifications were all he had to offer to be truthful. Tyler had no idea who the hell they were or what they were talking about. Nobody they’ve stolen from tonight looked to be the types to associate with these kinds of folks. So, what the hell...?

“Um, A-Amelia..?” mustering bravery and coolness, he glanced back at the snow-sheeted hood of his car, masking his confusion seeing her nonchalantly taking another sip of the bottle. “You happen to have something that belongs to these fine gentlemen here?”

Her cold black eyes flicked at him, looking more disgruntled than fearful.

“I would certainly hope not. Frankly, to be accused of being involved with miscreants such as these, I feel, is nothing but an insult to my character.”

Tyler got like roughly a quarter and a half of her response, but even he knew what she spouted wasn’t gonna bode well.

“Bullshit!” The tattooed thug roared again, wagging a knuckled fist at her that protruded bulging veins. “I fucking saw you! Two days ago! The night before! Think you’re fucking slick wearing the shit you’re wearing? Word of advice, you wanna blend in clubs-fucking look the part first.”

The man on Tyler’s right began to move, a glint of something silver tucked in the waistband of his trousers.

“How do you work this stint anyway, hm?” He asked, beady eyes sizing Tyler up like dinner. “What, you pick the joint, the target, then send your babe in to make out with the reward?”

“Fuckin’ amateurs...” The third one scoffed, kicking snow onto Tyler’s shoes.

“What? No, what? Guys, look! I ain’t about that life!” Tyler exclaimed, feeling his panic swell. “Neither is she! It was a mistake! She was just fooling around! Swear to God!”

“I’m well capable of speaking for myself, I shall thank you,” Amelia slid off from her seat, her feet landing in the snow with the slightest indent. “That said, yes... I do remember you now. A rather vocal ingrate, weren’t you? Pestering that unfortunate barkeeper for more beverages... so deluded in your own self-entitlement you insist on being provided to without payment. I ask, am I really to blame if you or your mistress were too intoxicated to have noticed if a few of your trinkets had gone astray?

“The fuck you say?”

The tattooed man hustled forward. Beady eyes trailed along. And the third began to crack his knuckles.

Quickly as he could, Tyler threw himself in front of them once more right before they could come down on Amelia.

“Guys, it’s cool! Let me handle... let me talk...” then frantically, he whirled back at Amelia, feeling all three of their stares piercing the back of his skull. “Amelia, enough. Just cough it up, won’t ya? Give back what you stole, and they’ll leave us alone.”

“Yes, that’d be nice, wouldn’t it?” Amelia sighed. “Assuming of course, I still have them.”

“No riddles, please. The hell do you mean?”

“I mean that I’ve disposed of those worthless trinkets myself.”

Tyler’s heart stopped. “You’ve... what?”

“Upon closer inspection, I’ve realized that whatever that insipid fool believed a treasured gift to his beloved was, in fact, not worth its weight in gold,” Amelia wearily explained, drifting unfeeling eyes to the glowering three over his shoulder. “Frankly, I believe he should be thanking me for ridding him of such rubbish.”

“You know, you’ve got quite the mouth on you, you little shit,” snarled the man in the middle, towering over the both of them. “Think just ’cause you got a pretty face, I’d think twice before breaking it?”

“Oh, Divines, no,” She replied dryly. “In fact, I’d like for you to try.”

“No, no, no! No one’s trying anyone!” Tyler wedged himself further in between them again, attempting in vain to mediate. “Look, boys, forgot the necklace or ring or whatever the hell she took! I’ll pay, alright? Give you cash for it, I’ll throw in some extra too! Consider it as our apology, hm? Waddaya say? Willing to forgive?”

Hundreds, thousands, Tyler couldn’t care any less how much he has to compensate so long as it meant this dilemma would go bye-bye. Hearing his heart exploding in his ears, he eyed the three of them closely, crossing his stiff fingers until they cramped hoping they’d consider.

For all intents and purposes, it was an offer they couldn’t refuse.

And yet...

“Ah, I get it now,” The tattooed man chuckled, his large mouth revealing a single tooth sparkling gold. “Pampered little rich boy, aren’t you? You don’t look like you got the balls to be smooching off with other people’s shit.”

“Umm...”

“So what are you doing here, huh?” He asked, speaking in a friendly yet obviously mocking tone. “No, let me guess. You trying to impress the chick? Wanting to score big tonight? Play the knight in shining armor?”

“She’s my friend, alright?” Tyler said. “I’m just trying to sort out this problem, and-”

A large, burly hand clasping down on his shoulder shut Tyler up almost immediately. He felt his toes curl, his stomach plunge, feeling a shiver that had little to do with the cold.

“Let me ask you then, pretty little rich boy...” The man quietly spoke. “You really believe this shit would go away if you just throw enough money at it?”

Tyler gulped.

“Guys, c’mon, please-”

But they’ve heard enough from him already. In a disorienting blur of white and darkness, Tyler suddenly found himself submerged in cold, landing face-first into the snow off to the side.

“Stay out of this!” The beady-eyed one barked at him as he began scrambling to his feet. “We ain’t got beef with you, alright? It’s your girlfriend here that needs to be learning a lesson.”

“No, no!” Tyler spat out a mouthful of snow, feeling his panic reach a peak. “Leave her alone! C’mon! I said I’ll pay! Whatever you want! Just let her go!”

“Tyler!” Amelia snapped causing him to freeze. She was glaring at him, somehow looking more irritated than she was intimidated. “You’ve been warned once. Keep out of this.”

“But-”

“But what? What shall you do? You offer words, reimbursements. Propositions that they clearly hold no interest in entertaining. So just simply stay back. I shall handle this.”

“Handle this, huh?” The third one snorted, striding forward at her first. “Confidence like that, all the more satisfying when it breaks.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Amelia replied. “Oh, and how you’ll break indeed.”

“You know, this would have been a whole lot easier on you if you didn’t have a mouth like yours,” The big, tattooed one spoke, rounding at her with a gaze of barely restrained rage. “If you just apologized, made nice-but no, be the asshole, why don’t you? Now you’re about to get what you deserve.”

“Oh, please...” the final straw, Amelia rolled her eyes. “...spare me.”

Tyler glimpsed it again, from where he laid, a bright flash of silver streaking in the dark of night, and before he knew it, he felt his instincts completely take over. He barely even understood what was happening next. All he knew was that he was moving again, lunging again-getting in between them again.

The next instant, he heard a cracking sound, the hard thud of metal resounding in the silence... and without really knowing why... he felt his legs give out from under him, his vision smudging, collapsing... something, somewhere was hurting.

“Oh, for fucks sake!” He heard a furious voice roar far in the distance. “What did we say?! What did we tell you?! Can’t you just listen?! Huh?!”

Growls and snarls shot out from way above him, encircling him, the shuffle feet nearing all over him.

“Alright, fine! Have it your way! Wanna play hero, right?! Well look out above, you fucking prick!”

Tyler felt the air escape out from his lungs as something heavy and large collided with his stomach. Then another-a blow to his chest expelled a wheezing gasp he didn’t realize until too late was coming from his gaping lips.

He was staring up at the skies, then three murky outlines loomed to obstruct the view of it. He felt something warm seeping out from the back of his head. Tyler blinked, or he felt like he did. Then he spoke, or it felt like he spoke.

“Leave her... leave her alone...”

“Wow, you’re really down bad for her, aren’t you?” A taunting voice echoed from everywhere, then laughter, ridicule, exploding in his ears. “It’s too bad you’ve kinda bitten off more than you can chew.”

Then, with another blow, an implosion of pain rippling across his face, everything went dark, everything went black.

“Don’t...” He slurred. “Don’t touch...”

But his words trailed as the world around him began to fall away, like he was sleeping, tucked warmly in his bed... yet strangely enough, as much as he struggled trying to remember... Tyler couldn’t recall ever going to sleep.