AAOOOSC! #10

Chapter 30: "It's A Whole New World Out There."

The morning sun is bright with its rays raining down on John's house. Yet there is nothing bright in John's house. All there is is guilt and regret flooding the rooms and drowning John himself.

John is sitting on his sofa in his living room, attempting to immerse himself in a Greek newspaper. Not even Greece's news can lighten him up and make him forget about his atrocious doings.

He thrusts the newspaper against the almondade-littered coffee table, revealing his worn out, distressful facial expression. He yanks off his reading glasses, tosses them on top of the newspaper, then runs his fingers through his slightly, spiked-up hair.

"How am I going to apprise the League Leaders I don't hanker after this scheme anymore?" he mumbles to himself. His eyes are glued on the ceiling, like as if the answer is written up there.

Then the dreaded doorbell rings: Ding-dong!

John turns his head to the right, staring at the red door like as if it is a threat itself. "They're have arrived." He swallows hard, then forces out, "Enter."

The door opens and the three-membered League Leaders, Harry, Larry, and Gary hobble in, or glide in, in Gary's case. In Harry's hand is a briefcase.

"Oh good morning, Mr. Tavares!" Harry exclaims in his hoarse voice. He then settles himself next to him, placing the briefcase by his feet.

Larry sits next to Harry; Gary parks his bed next to the sofa.

"Good morning to you, too, Harry," John wrings out with a nod.

"Now--" Harry lifts the briefcase onto his lap. "--let's get down to business." Before he could snap open the bag, the doorbell rings again.

The three men perk up and eye the door in confusion.

"Who's here?" Harry barks at the door.

John shrugs. "I'm not expecting anyone else." He then cautiously gets up and makes his way to the door.

He opens it up slightly; his eyes immediately fly open.

On the other side is Toews himself in his NHL ruler attire. He does not look amused one bit.

"Kid--?"

"We need to talk," Toews cuts in sternly.

"I-I-I can't--"

"Now." With a swipe of his hand, Toews swings the door open fully, getting a good view of the living room and who is in it.

"Ah, hello, Mr. Toews!" Harry greets with an insidious tone.

Toews brushes by John, who is clearly bewildered, then spins on his heels to face him. "How could you do this?"

John snaps his eyes at Toews with a petrified look. "Kid--"

"I see I wasn't invited to the party...!" a familiar voice rings out from the open doorway.

All eyes go on the doorway to see who just intruded: Jimmy.

"What are you doing here?" Toews snaps.

John's eyes are as wide as hockey pucks when he turned around and caught sight of the goalie.

"What else?" Jimmy swaggers deeper into the house, adjusting the black gloves from John's negating machine. He faces Toews with a menacing look. "I'm here to finish my job."

He then pulls his arm back; his glove-covered palm begins to build up yellow, vibrant energy.

"No!" Toews immediately shoots his hand out and closes it in a fist.