The Business of Time Travel Tourism

Chapter 37: The Most Evil Way

In a small island of bushes, which July loved to trim, two men were going at it. A black-caped figure with a mask of a cock jumped on the back of an angry masculine guard and knit his hands on the thick neck. The guard swung to the sides wildly, then spun around with his back bent, but the dark figure held firm. He only managed to get rid of the annoyance by falling backward onto a red bush cut in the shape of an apple. The guard took his time rolling around. Watching the bruised cultist moan underneath him, he lifted his hands to the air and shouted a loud, "Yeah!" and after threatening to punch the victim with his fist, he added, "That's what you get when you mess with the best!"

But the guard's joy did not last long. An invisible nail stabbed his back and induced a nerve cracking pain. It was unbearable. He fell on the cultist jerking, cursing in stutter whenever he managed to open his mouth.

Holding the magic control stick, wearing three car batteries on his back, Leopold passed the couple. Wearing a white sweaty sleeveless shirt, with his hairy chest exposed, he looked over the messy battlefield. People were fighting all over the place, two against one, three against one. Most of the cultists were in the distinguishing black robes and animal masks. Others could be easily recognized by their not very fit builds, short statures, and wide age variance. The guards of the mansion fought with power while the demon worshipers, used dirty tricks to gain an advantage. A pack of ice men was holding a tight formation. They would beat up one or two guards at a time and run away when the numbers would be not in their favor.

Leopold noticed four men in clean black trousers, black suits, wearing black ties and black glasses, wiping the ground with any resistance they met in the path. They made sure no one who they met would get up anytime soon. The group was approaching a dozen of Chester's followers fighting an identical number of guards. Leopold figured it would be best to intervene and went to intercept the group of four men.

Never did he imagine that the life would come to this. There was a time when he was bumming around, doing nothing, hanging out with Chester, dreaming about better times, and thinking of ways to get rich fast and easy. Never had they thought that they would do anything for others, and especially put their hides on the line. Initially, the role-playing game they started was a way to make easy money and not their hometown a better place.

Staying for years in their roles made an impact on the both men. Even if he did not openly accept it and often pretended to be a rich phony, deep in his heart Leopold had become a better man. Being a leader of the good side brought goodness and kindness into him and taught him to care for others.

Chester changed too. Before they started the con, he had been a calm and calculating, shy man with many unfulfilled desires. He went a little crazy, a little wicked, got himself a tattoo and a few earrings, changed his looks and became the person he had dreamed of being. For him, it was all about having fun, and making sure, his followers had it too. He perfectly knew the boundaries between fun and stupidity, between a prank and a crime. Never did he drift into the dark side, or slipped into the sights of the local police.

No longer were they two bums loitering Crossroad streets. They were two adults who had duties and responsibilities. And it was their responsibility to help George save their beloved city and the world.

"Who do we have here?" said the first man in black stopping in front of Leopold, the name 'Quebec' on his pin.

"A ghost buster?" shot the second one, whose name was Papa.

"A fool," added a man, the word 'Nine' on his pin.

"Waiting to get his butt kicked," spit the fourth man, cracking his knuckles, his name 'Golf'.

They all stopped in a line, at a five-meter distance from Leopold. All men had an almost identical appearance. They were all built like brick walls two meters in width and height, their faces, and silhouettes covered in black. Leopold noticed only minor differences in their facial features.