The Formidable Stranger (Trilogy)

A Step Backwards

Ring-Ring-Ring, the sound of Casper's phone blazing off in the hour of 5AM, it was Katherine calling. Casper jumped out of his deep sleep and checked it to see what was the matter, "Crap" he said softly as he had just remembered he didn't call home.

"Casper! Where are you?? Are you okay son??" - A worried mother shouting like crazy into the ear of her son as he wiped his eyes.

"Mom... mom... calm down, I'm at Drew's I fell asleep earlier I'm sorry I didn't call" he said

Kat gave off a quick sigh of relief; "You want to give your mother a heart attack don't you"

"Sorry Ma, I'll be over soon"

"mhm" Kat replied as she hung up.

He put his phone down and looked at his arms, admiring the bandages wrapped around them like sleeves; Tammy had treated his wounds just before going to bed. Casper then stayed up until 6 thinking about everything he had recently unraveled, the secret elevator he was so anxious about led to his father's criminal organization and even now there were still some things he didn't quite understand. He called to remembrance what Jasper said when he was fighting him "what organization are you from?" "What could this mean?" Casper wondered; all he knew was his father was supplying guns to someone or maybe even a few people at that, and purchasing something that cost him a lot of dirty money. It was a little after 6AM now, Drew and Tammy were still asleep but Cas let himself out and made his way home before his mother caught a stroke. Casper made no thought as to how he'd account for the bruises and cuts on his body nor did he even think about going to work that day, he only wanted to get home.

Finally, he had arrived; Kat heard his motorcycle entering the yard and came outside to give him another cursing or two, as he saw her approaching with that look on her face he knew it was about to go down, although she was Caucasian, Casper knew she could throw down like a black woman; maybe because she had years of experience raising a black son.

"Casper Lee! Mr. Big Man"

"Ma.."

"Don't Ma me boy, no! I'm not having it, you know I get worried when you're out late much less sleeping out without letting me know, you fell asleep, fell asleep my ass"

Katherine went off at her son like a machine gun; Casper leaned back on his bike listening and waiting, knowing she'd go on for at least another five minutes, but suddenly she was quiet.

"Cas, what the.." Katherine said as she grabbed his hands, "what happened to you?!" it then came to his realization that he had a few bandages to explain

"OH! Uhm, yeah mom I had a motorcycle accident last night"

She looked into his eyes and then looked at his bike, "Casper, your motorcycle is in perfect condition, what did it fall on cushions and you got all these cuts from falling through razor sharp air??"

Cas bit his lips as he thought what to say next

"no, I was riding Drew's bike"

"Don't lie to me boy, I swear to God I'll whoop your grown ass" she said with an unshakable and intimidating stature.

"Ughhh, okay, I'm gonna tell you what happened last night but you may not like what I have to say, especially about dad"

"Your father? What are you talking about?"

"Okay, you remember the other morning at breakfast I asked him about a conversation he had with a Mr. Wong and he said they were talking on the phone, now, don't be mad, I'm the one who broke into the company that night.."

"You what?!" She shouted with rage and surprise

"Mom! Be mad after, just let me finish will ya"