The Calm Before The Storm

31: Doom

There was a fight going on, the pounding of fist against flesh battling against the roar of the cheering from the spectators. Slade was at the outskirts of the fighting ring, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in on his fighter who had taken a heavy hit from his opponent. The hit to the face left him stunned for a few seconds as he quickly gathered himself up and started blocking the incoming attacks that rained down on him.

Julian slid through the crowd, weaving around the multitude of sweaty bodies, until he was close enough to Slade, who had noticed his approach. His arms fell to his side, a cocky smirk hanging on his lips. "How's the girl doing?" Julian's jaw ticked with anger, trying hard not to right hook his uncle and draw unneeded attention to himself. "We need to talk". Slade chuckles, but it was devoid of any humor. "Do we now?"

"That's if you rather I blow your whole operation sky high by calling in the cops. I think you wouldn't want that". The cocky smirk fell for a fraction of a second before it returned, paired with a malicious glint in his eyes. "You wouldn't be so stupid Julian. Partly because you have no dirt on me that'll stick, and for the sake of your little play thing." He shifts his body, gesturing to the far section of the underground lot where it was partioned off as a makeshift office, grimy plywood that rose up in a small square structure, with  a faded frazzled tarpaulin as a door.

The tarpaulin crinkled as they pushed it aside to enter the small area. It was poorly lit by a single bulb in the ceiling. Pushed up against the wall was an office chair, facing an equally battered looking table, with papers scattered on the top, empty beer bottles populating the surface area.

The air inside was stifling and hot, and paired with the possibility of their plan going sideways had Julian sweating like a cornered prey. Slade looks him over assessingly, taking note of his crystal clear nervousness, how his eyes darted around the room, the twitching of his hands towards his chest, where he undoubtedly was wearing a wire.

Slade stood up from his relaxed stance against the single file cabinet in the room. "You've worked for me a while now Julian. I'm pretty sure it's apparent what I do to snitches". Julian froze, gulping down the fear that rose within him. "All this time you've just been a scared little boy, pretending to be someone he isn't. I could have you subdued in a split second. Have you killed just as easily". He took slow steps towards Julian, ripping his button down shirt right down the middle, buttons catapulting around the room. "You thought you could catch me in on some shitty confession?" He ripped off the wire, stomping it under his boots.

"Now that's taken care of". He murmurs to himself. "You were one of my best fighters Julian. It's a shame to be frank, but I can't have you snooping where you don't belong".

Julian finally spoke.  "At one point we were all family. The kind that had family dinners on the weekends, played secret Santa at Christmas. You were my role model growing up, you and my father. What changed? Why did you change?" Slade scoffs. "Life did kid, the sooner you realise how messed up the world truly is, the faster you can join the side that will prosper. Your dad had it all, the wife and kid, the white picket fence shit to hide who he truly was, but that didn't matter, you know his true face, what he's capable of. I don't see the point in hiding from who I am. I'm embracing it". Slade chuckles darkly. 

"I'm a king here Julian, and I'll bring down an army to whosoever tries to take my throne."

The crinkling of the tarpaulin indicated another entrance as the guy who was previously fighting in the ring stood at the doorway, a small gash above his forehead, arms crossed, eyes focused on Julian's every move. Julian had no idea how Slade had signaled his arrival, but it didn't matter now.  The only exit to this death box and been completely cut off. He was one of the older fighters, his body littered with scars from past fights, a big hulking frame that blocked the entire doorway. Julian had watched him fight before and was glad that he wasn't ever put up against him. He was only now as Jay, nothing flashy like the names the other fighters had for themselves.

Jay was a monster in the ring, and had sent more than his fair share of opponents home in a body bag, but that was nothing new in this scenario. This was a part of the life they had cultivated that it was nothing out of the norm for a fight to end in a literal blood bath. Julian looked away from Jay and to Slade was revelling in his fear, no matter how hard he tried he hide it. "You're family so I'll give you a chance to join me...or a chance to back out if you wish". Julian's brows pulled together in skeptism. No one got the chance to back out, once in, you never leave....apart from death.

"I'll tell you what kid." Slade began, lifting a blunt from the table and lighting it up. He took a long drag, closing his eyes. When he spoke again, small puffs of smoke came from his mouth and nose, soon the tiny area was canvassed in the scent of weed. He gestures the blunt towards Jay. "You win a fight in the ring with Jay, I'll look over your betrayal...don't, well then I guess you have an idea of what happens then". He stomps out the blunt under his shoe. "Well then? What will it be?"