KILLJOY

Chapter 7: The Rogue Rider

He merely looked to the insuing confrontation. What was so important to him that Eli would go out of his way to work with people like this?
"Hey, can't we talk this out, we didn't do anything to you!" Liv said, looking at Ryder, a bit worried. He looked her way for a moment, a bit disinterested.
"That's cuz it's between me and him, chick."
Ryder turned back to Eli, the excitement returning to his face.
"So, I'm guessing that the blabbermouth is your woman, then?"
Eli's face quickly contorted into an expression of disgust at his language. One of the many things that he hated about his old boss.
"She isn't my 'woman' you prick. She's my friend, so you better keep your damn word about this being between us."

— — —

He never thought he'd see his old boss again after he ditched them that night. He still remembered it clearly.
February 14th. It was another day with the Reds— their little inside name. Biking along another strip of dense road, he had already been plotting his way out of this gang for weeks. He needed cash, and these guys just wouldn't do shit for him, even though he helped them rob a bank already, just a couple weeks into his membership. So, he hung back at the entrance of their latest heist— a simple gas station, telling them that he would be keeping an eye out for the cops. Once everyone went in, however, he quickly got back onto his bike, and rode off, far away from them. They all treated him like shit for being new, despite him doing what many took months to accomplish in the span of weeks. They were jealous, he believed. A bunch of jealous assholes. He tossed their black leather jacket behind him as he rode off, making the decision that he needed to find some new people to work with. Ones that wouldn't treat him like shit.

Ryder looked at him smugly as he seemed lost in thought for a moment. He yelled at him to get out of his daze, "Hey, attention on me, asshole! Didn't I tell you to keep your eyes on your opponent?"
He snapped out of his thoughts as he looked on the man he loathed. He could remember that black jacket all too clearly, and that greasy black hair, combined with that god awful smirk that made his blood boil. He took one last glance at the others before he began walking towards Ryder. Ryder did the same, eventually meeting in the middle, staring each other down, faces a foot apart. As they stared down, Ryder just causally began pulling up the sleeves of his jacket.
"Real leather like this is hard to come by nowadays you know! I don't want to get this covered in too much blood, real pain to clean out!"

That cocky attitude finally sent him over the edge as he aimed a right hook at his jaw. Ryder simply ducked down, as he kicked one his legs out from under him, before punching him square in the gut, knocking him backwards unnaturally far. Eli didn't know anything about TICKs back during his time with the Riders, but his assessment from the damage he took— enough to make his whole body shudder a bit— made him believe that there wasn't any possible way that Ryder didn't possess one. He was just too damn strong. And too fast. He was already getting close to him again by the time he got to his feet, so it was clear that going offensive with him would end quickly. As another punch was aimed at his side, he quickly jumped out of the way, managing to barely keep his footing as he skidded to the side a bit. And that's when the strategy of his hit full effect. Because he bumped his back to the wall. Of course, he wouldn't be playing this kinda game if he didn't have an advantage. There wasn't a ton of room to avoid him in one of the smaller streets, only about fifteen feet or so in width. And as his back touched the wall, he felt a fist touch the front of his body, as his gut got hit again. The force of the hit, augmented by a now harder impact to the wall, had him reeling. He managed to keep on his feet, but he was wavering, and now he was cornered. Ryder began to laugh at him as he saw his sorry state.
"I gotta feel bad for you man, you tried messing with us and now you can't do anything but accept your punishment! Then again, I guess pounding you to the dirt won't stop ya. So what if I do something... extreme."
Ryder lifted his hand up, and at once, his goons stationed on either side of the street pulled out pistols, pointing them at Liam and Liv.
He scowled as he looked at Ryder, furious.
"The fuck are you doing!? You said this was just between us!"
Ryder's laugh ceased as he caught his breath, amused by his outburst.
"We're a gang, of course we won't play fair! That's just how it is in these streets, you of all people should know that! I want you back with us, since I see you actually got some damn potential now. How bout this, we take the girlie to the ol' warehouse that we shacked up in a couple nights back when you joined up. You come back in a week, and try and save your little girlfriend. You fail, then you're mine. You don't come, then we kill her. I'd say you'd have to accept right now, right?"

His words cut into him like a freshly sharpened knife, as he eventually stopped scowling at him, looking up at him. He really had no other choice here, else he'd probably just shoot them here and now.
"Fine. You have a deal."