A Hidden Queen

Chapter 86

Albert grins sheepishly; the chair scattered about the floor. He squeaks nervously as his longtime friend snatched the front of his shirt, dragging him closer and twisting his fingers within the fabric. Baits gingerly touches the side of his head, a dark expression clouding his face as he examines the blood on his fingers.

"Albert." He hisses, leaning away as a glass bottle whizzes between them.

"Sorry?" Albert offers timidly, patting Jethro's hand. "You shouldn't have shoved me into the chair and thrown your drink in my face. My eyes are still burning from the assault. What the hell was that thing, Jethro?"

"It was a Snack Bit. I asked the 'keep to make it extra strong just for you, my friend." Jethro answers, loosening his grip and shoving Al into an empty chair. "Well, you got what you wanted, complete and utter chaos. I still do not understand your methods, Al, but my work here is done. Happy hunting, hope you get the answers you want."

Albert huffs dramatically, rubbing at the sore spot, "Fine. Don't stay for all the fun. See if I invite you again."

"Please feel free to lose my invitation." Jethro grins, slithering his way out of the back exit.

Albert sighs heavily. The bar was in complete chaos from their actions. Most of the men bunched themselves in the center of the room, throwing punching and any object they could get their hands on. Albert scanned the crowd in search of Mr. Austin, but it was so thick he was unable to pierce through. He tentatively climbs up onto the table; the brown eyes widening as they catch a brute of a man charging towards him.

The pirate king frantically scrambles off seconds before the man slams another poor soul onto the surface. The sheer weight snaps it in half, drowning them in wood splinters. The low growl deepens with the face-paced twist of his broad shoulders. Albert's heart skips a beat as their eyes meet, a ravenous rage clouding the man's. He stares at the former king for a mere second; the fight quickly ebbing away. The brute releases the tension within his body, fisting his chest to bow slightly. With such a respectful pose, he never saw the roundhouse kick from YuWon who drove the much bigger man to the floor.

Albert stands dazed before shaking off the near-death experience and continuing his search for Charles. The deep brown eyes finally land on the broad lad just a few feet away in the mist of the fray. He solidly stood his ground, dodging and weaving through the chaos while never throwing a punch. Albert watches in fascination. Most young men, jumped into the chaos, throwing punches and taking a brutal beating themselves. But not Austin. The boy was agile, avoiding the marks and displaying a remarkable amount of self-control for his age.

Albert's brows furrow as one of the server boys' rushes at Charlie with an exaggerated battle cry. The size difference was laughable; and Charlie appears utterly board with the lad as he easily side steps him. The boy, unable to stop his momentum, cartwheeled into an unsuspecting soul directly behind Charlie. He bounces off the unmovable mass, entangling his limbs in several chairs.

Albert inwardly grinches as the unsuspecting, brute of a man raises his head. Kevin "Stoney" Stone was a man built for hard work. He stood right at six feet with a mop of black straight hair and a brutal scar that mangled his ear. His hands were large morphing into thick wrists that showed the sheer strength the man possessed. Nobody messed with Stoney, not even Albert as the former king. And this poor chap just happened to disturb his drinking in the middle of a bar fight.

The kid scrambles backwards, tears leaking from the corner of his eyes as he is unable to make it to his feet. Stoney towers over him, pushing men aside like rag dolls. The uproar lowers as some of the men go quite unable to take their eyes off Charlie who just stepped in-between the two men with uncaring ease. He grabs the boy by the collar, lifting him from the ground and taking a step backwards.