Mr Hook's Big Black Box

Kris Alexandros: The New Boss

Author's Note: This chapter feels a little weak to me. I know that it needs a lot of editing, and I've made a note to take a look at it later. So please understand that this is still an early draft, and I hope it won't put you off. And if there's anyone who'd be willing to help with editing, please let me know!

Whenever violence breaks out, it's a massive shock. I'd just been thinking about how good it was to see Dwayne and Monty again. It had only been a couple of hours since we left Monty's house, but it seemed like forever. I'd been threatened and interrogated, Marco had possibly been the intended target of a shooting, and Ferrari's text message had said there were some problems on the way into campus. With all that, Monty was probably the friend I was most worried about. Dwayne had incredible reflexes when it came to video games, but had shown no interest in learning to actually defend himself, and neither of them were in particularly good shape physically. I guess I wasn't either, but I imagined I could take care of myself better than either of those two.

I was amazed when both turned up unharmed, and my heart was soaring. Dwayne was talking some nonsense about opening the Box, though, and I wondered if it was genuinely home to the monster Rasputin had described. What could it have offered him? I had no idea, but I didn't think he was foolish enough to keep on asking for the key once he knew the true nature of the beast. I started to tell him, getting my thoughts back from blissful relief to rational debate, and then I screamed and panicked as the window beside us shattered.

I could have sworn I saw a single bullet hole appear, just inches in front of my face, a moment before the air turned into a rain of glass fragments. I screamed, I'll admit that, just from the shock. A lot of bystanders screamed too. Others dived to the floor or tried to get under tables, or behind some form of cover. The conversation a minute before had all been about a crazed gunman on campus, so as soon as there was a bang and a crash everyone jumped to the same conclusion. Only a few brave or foolish souls ran towards the shattered window, wanting to see what was happening or to check if we were safe.

I had some scratches to my arm, but whatever high-tech material the window was made from yielded shards that weren't as sharp as regular glass. Monty had vanished beneath the table, out of harm's way, and Dwayne was just sitting there, staring in shock. I scanned the room, trying to see where the shot had come from and if anyone was injured. The source of the attack was clear enough.

A tall man with a shaved head was walking through from the kitchens, holding a handgun decked out with more accessories than could ever be practical. The thing was a black metal brick, and he probably couldn't even have lifted it if he hadn't spent so much time in the gym. His muscles were impressive, and he liked to show them off. He was only wearing a white vest over brown-tanned rippling muscles, but gleaming so much I had to wonder if he'd oiled his body to better show off that physique. He had a shaved head, square jaw, and would probably have been considered handsome if it weren't for a scar across his face, twisting his thin lips into a permanent sneer. He was wearing black leather trousers that were way too tight, and looked down at everyone in a way that just reminded us how good he thought he looked. He was followed by four others, one of whom felt it necessary to kick open the swinging door even though it had been open just a second before.

"Spenser's guys?" I intended it as a rhetorical question. It sounded like the most probable option to me, from the gangs I'd currently heard about, and I hoped that by giving Dwayne and Monty a heads up they might just be smart enough to get out of here.

"No," the leader swung his gun to point right at me, from a couple of feet away, "Spenser's been running this town too long, we think there's some fresh blood needed. We're not taking orders from the Greeks no more, now I'm the one making the rules. And my guys don't play gofer unless we know what the cargo is. So, what's this Box and why do you want it so bad? How much is it worth to you?"