"No" Tyler growled. "I can't do that to her"
"Tyler, I'm trying to be reasonable with you" Machine said. Maverick 'Machine' Maxwell fingered the knife in his pocket.
"Tobin isn't just a girl. She's not just a soccer player. She's more than that....at least..to me she is" Tyler stared into the eyes of Machine. He really was built like a Machine.
Machine had dark eyes, almost like pits. His dark skin didn't help the fact that he was hard to see in the dark, especially when he wore his black sunglasses and his black bandana around his mouth. Without those, he's a spook. Machine was built up by the two years in maximum security prison, for starting riots, and attacking many people. Some call him Machine in the west, but in the east, his name is Drug Lord.
"Bro, how long have we been friends? How long man?" Machine asked. He really didn't want to hurt Tyler, but if Tyler didn't oblige to his conditions, he would have to hurt him.
"Many years Maverick. Many, many years. But now, I don't even recognize you" Tyler spit.
"That cut deep bro, real deep" Machine sighed, and pulled out the knife. "Now, if I were you, I'd listen" Machine began to walk towards Tyler.
"Maverick. Hey, come on. You wouldn't hurt me, would you?"
"Nigga, I didn't want to fuckin do this shit, but you gave me no choice" Machine stopped two feet in front of him, put away the knife, and walked away.
Tyler had a sigh of relief.
"Nigga you shouldn't have made boss mad like that" Someone said, stepping out of the shadows and into the streetlight. It was midnight.
"Yea bruh, not a smart move" Another one stepped out.
Two more stepped out.
"Boys, don't kill him, but knock his lights out" Machine called.
"Aight boss" The first guy said, displaying a yellow toothy grin.
In Alex and Tobin's Apartment seven hours later...
"Tyler wants us to meet him in front of the gift shop down the road. He says its urgent" Tobin said.
"This early?" Alex groaned.
"Alex, he says its urgent" Tobin said.
"Fine" Alex whined, getting her jacket and boots on.
Tobin and Alex quickly made their way to the gift shop. Then, Tobin stopped short.
"Maverick...how-how'd you find me?" Tyler asked, shrinking back against the brick wall of the shop.
"Bro, its my business to know where all my customers are" Machine said.
"P-Please. Leave me alone! I said I didn't want any part in this!" Tyler said, almost tripping over his injured leg, which was wrapped up.
"I'm giving you one last chance nigga. One last chance. Its either you or me" Machine said.
"You better not touch her" Tyler growled, suddenly angry and feeling bigger than he was.
"Nigga, who said I was gonna touch your girl? Its my bros that will. I aint that cruel man, you still ma bro" Machine handed Tyler his crutches he dropped.
"She's actually not my girl..she has someone else" Tyler whispered.
"Who's her nigga?" Machine asked.
Tobin grabbed Alex and dragged her into a clothes store.
"What the hell did we just see" Alex asked, face white.
"Okay, so Maverick. Tyler. Maverick is some big black guy that is intimidating and scary, going to hurt Tyler's girl. Tyler gets something from this Maverick guy, because he called him his customer" Tobin rambled on about what they knew.
Tobin stepped outside again, to see Machine laughing, and Tyler red as a stop sign.
"Tell me. Tell me it again" Machine laughed, wiping away a tear from laughing. Tyler whispered something, and Machine laughed even harder.
Tobin frowned. Tyler wasn't really a funny guy. Sure, he had moments where you could chuckle, but Tobin was mostly the comedian back then.
"You put me in a good mood nigga. I'll give ya 'till tonight to figure it out. After tonight, its whoever gets there first. Call me at eight with your answer. Remember bro, we know everywhere she goes" Machine laughed, walking away.
Two other black guys appeared from the other side of the shop, and grabbed Tyler's arms, beginning to drag him.
"Tyler, we're escorting you back to your place. We don't want anything bad happening" Machine laughed.
"Tyler!" Tobin yelled, and Tyler dug his heels in the ground, searching for Tobin. The two black guys pushed him onward. Machine turned around, searching the crowd.
"TOBIN!" Tyler yelled, whipping his head around.
Machine took two steps toward Tyler, seemingly about to hit him, but then thought against it, looking at all the people here.
"Tobin" Whispered Alex, grabbing Tobin's hand.
"TOBIN!" Tyler yelled again.
Then, just as fast as they got there, Tyler disappeared. Not even the sound of his voice remained.
"Alex..did you just see that? We have to do something" Tobin said, pulling Alex in the direction Machine took Tyler. Alex stopped completely, making Tobin stop too.
"Tobin. Maybe we shouldn't" Alex said.
"What do you mean? Tyler is in danger! We have to help, we can't just sit here and do nothing" Tobin pulled Alex, but Alex didn't budge.
"Tobin, maybe its safer not to. I don't want to put you in danger" Alex said.
"But what about Tyler?" Tobin asked.
"Stay here. Don't go. Who knows what those big guys will do if they find us?" Alex said, shivering.
"Alex, we can't just stand here and watch him be taken away!" Tobin raised her voice.
"But what about us? We could get killed!" Alex met Tobin's voice level.
"But what about Tyler?" Tobin yelled. Alex winced, eyes watering ever so slightly.
"Go then. Find Tyler if he's so important to you" Alex said, releasing Tobin's hand and backing away.
"I will" Tobin said, aggravated. Why couldn't she understand that Tyler wasn't just a person?
As Tobin ran off, Alex buried her face in her hands, stifling a sob. Three days until Christmas. She might just be spending Christmas alone.
