The Summoner Series - Book One - DUALITY

Chapter 2: Bruce

I hated this job. There was never anything exciting happening in the Crooked Crow. It was always some guy who got a little too handsy with one of the waitresses or some idiot who thought they could get away with cheating. They never put up a good enough fight to give me a rush of adrenaline. When I accepted the job as a security officer at a casino, I expected at least some variety with my clients, but they were either drunk off their ass or too scrawny that if I breathed on them heavy they might fall over. The Zapper that tried to short circuit the slot machine was the most excitement he'd seen in over a week at the Crooked Crow. That's why I always watched the clock through my wrap around sunglasses. While it looked like I was watching the ground floor, I was actually waiting for my shift to end.

When the time finally came, I let the other guard step into my position and I made his way to the bathroom. I reached the sink, took off my sunglasses and splashed my face with some cold water to keep me awake. I had to keep himself alert until I made it to the Arena. I lifted my head to meet my own gaze in the mirror and assess the damage of my left eye. It was still a little swollen, but the bruising seemed to have subsided. That was a souvenir I got from the last time I was at the Arena when I accidentally bump some guy in a gang and spilled his drink.

I tried to apologize the the gang member, but as he got up, the other four guys in his gang got up as well. I tried to explain I didn't want any trouble, but it was no use.

"You should have thought of that before pissing off Gregorio, the leader of the Siege." The Siege, a sub-par gang that walks around String City. They act like they're hot shit, even though The Crows are more intimidating. But no one can compete with The Maelstrom. They were the biggest gang in all of String City, but some say that they were only so powerful because they had backing from the mafia. But no one questioned it, since if they were, no one would be able to live to spread the news. 

Gregorio was tall and looked strong, but he was still in my shadow. The only thing that gave him confidence was the other, similarly built members of the Siege. He had put his faith in the wrong people.

"Come on, guy, let me buy you another drink." I bargained with him, trying to make a look of kindness appear in my eyes, but the argument had drawn a crowd already. Gregorio looked like the cool guy at school who needed to prove how tough he was.

"Too late for that, Copper Giant. It's time to pay." I hated when people pointed out my darker skin. Gregorio lunged forward and threw his right hand at my face. It connected with my left eye, but I wasn't dazed in the slightest. My head barely moved in reaction. I slowly moved my head back to look directly at Gregorio, kindness absent from my stony eyes. I started to crack my neck, then my knuckles, preparing to brawl with these fools. As I was doing this, the other four members started to surround me, one on each side of Gregorio and two behind me.

"Ya know, Gregorio," I started, assessing the situation, "If you keep hanging around these gang members, they might start being a bad influence on you."

"Shut it, you creep. It's time you learned your lesson."

As soon he was finished, I felt the air in the room change. I felt the floorboards underneath my feet creak, and I knew the guy behind me was to the left and was starting to charge. I kicked my left leg back as I leaned forward, giving me enough momentum to connect directly beneath the rib cage of the sorry thug, sending him backwards. I didn't see him get up, so I assumed either the wind was knocked out of him or he was dead. I hoped he was just left breathless.

I put my left foot down behind me, so to right myself and regain balance I threw a right punch across my body to the left which connected to the thug's jaw on my left. He looked a hair more resilient than last guy I kicked, so I followed up with a left uppercut to the stomach that sent him flying through the air behind the bar.