The Journal [A Sequel To Maya's Diary]

Chapter Twenty

Edward's POV

I went over to my very close acquaintance who was also a tattoo artist. I needed him to draw the statue of liberty on my right arm, and estrange the other on my other arm to something more oblique. I had numerous drawings all over my left arm and back, but I cherished their representations nevertheless. I made up my mind to take off to New York City that night, I had plans of starting off from there. TJ as he was fondly referred to, had his face cap turned backwards and had a black mass of thick beard dropping from his jaw. He had a single ring on his right ear, that jumped about whenever he moved in response to the music that played from the video player.

He announced that he was done, and I looked at it by staring at its reflection on the mirror. He did a great job. I heard movements from behind the door, and asked if he expected anyone, but he replied in the negative. The movements ceased and I looked away to squeeze in some dollar notes into his fingers and leave, but the door opened wide and I saw yet again Manuel, with company this time around.

"Brought your friends to convince me?" I asked suddenly irritated.

"Let's not be rude shall we? I also brought someone else," he smiled extending his hands and the closest to the door, pulled someone in with a duck tape over her lips and a rope tied on her wrists. It took seconds to realize that it was Maya.

"What's going on here?" TJ asked confused.

"TJ, run. Now!" I ordered and he tried escaping through the window, but not fast enough as Manuel withdrew a loaded gun and shot him directly on his perfect body symmetry line. He jerked a bit then fell backwards with a loud thud. I ran towards him and tried removing the bullet, but he was gone. The last I caught of his remains, were blood filling the spaces of his teeth and him letting out a smile then shutting his eye lids.

I dropped him at the corner and saw Maya groan on the floor in pain. I noticed she screamed at the sight, but her words were swallowed back in by the duck tape. I looked back at Manuel who returned a smile. I wondered why he always did that.

"You've made your point. Let Maya go."

"Not without a fight. If you can take down all my men and join us, she's yours."

"The last time I checked, you were the one begging me to join."

"Plans have changed Edward. Now you will have to fight. Let's see what you got. If you can't take down all of them, we will take her with us."

"Do you really think you can take me down with this?" I mocked, pointing at the roughly seven men he had accompanying him.

"No, but I think I can with this," he replied and a dozen and half others joined in, "Get him!" he ordered and they came towards me in group of threes.

I bent backward just in time to dodge an angry fist targeted towards my jaw. A punch landed on my stomach and I growled in discomfort and elbowed one with my other hand, still soothing the pain on my stomach. Another set of five came at me and I did same. This continued for an hour and at the end of it all, I successfully killed a lot of them. The few that narrowly escaped death, growled in pained agony. I moved close to them and put their agony to bed by strangling what remained of life out of them.

"Very well," he started pulling off his suit jacket and dropping it across the old sofa in the room, "you still have me to fight with."

"I took down twenty-five of your men. Do you really think you want to fight me?" I asked panting.

"Bring it on."

I moved towards him with a thirst for revenge and he hit me across the face. I stood right up again and the punches grew. He was quite strong for the acts he pulled, were clearly out of mastery. All my punches were shielded and those that weren't, didn't have any painful impact on him whatsoever. We ended the fight when he bent my wrist backwards and wouldn't stop till he was satisfied with my groans.