The Badboy is an Omega

Chapter 02 - The Ring

Jay saw the pouring employees dressed in expensive suits and dresses with their heels clicking on the tiles in a fast pace. Due to his uniform, no one paid attention to him. These elite workers would occasionally see the cleaners in a corner of the building or in the hallway with their cart.

Jay abandoned his cart the moment he had reached the back exit of the building. Taking off his uniform on his way. Fortunately, he had not encountered Chris, only his colleagues, whom he had not much in contact with. He remained expressionless even after he boarded the bus. He took his phone out of his back pocket and called Tony. The only blood relative he had. He might have to sleep at the old man’s pub for the time being.

However, he had already dialed three times but the same automatic voice mail had kept on answering him. Jay only grimaced and tucked away his phone. He was used to Tony’s seemingly busy schedule. It’s not the first time he has neglected his phone. After an hour, he might get a call back from him.

He tried not to think about that f*****g creep. He furiously rubbed his lips until he felt a stinging pain. The wound from that bastard’s bite had started bleeding again. He let it flow and collected inside his mouth. When he got off at his stop and had entered a rundown alley where his small apartment was. He spat the blood from his mouth into the canal as if by doing that he could get rid of that foul taste of that pervert.

He opened his thirty meter apartment that he turned into a studio. He went straight to his closet and grabbed his travelling bag and took whatever clothes his hand could get on. Newspapers with patches of paint on them littered the whole room. He sighed as he stared at his unfinished artwork on the half-empty canvass. Luck can only tell if he manages to finish this one someday.

Jay snatched his blanket lying on the floor and covered the canvass with much regret. After confirming he had everything he needed, Jay headed to the door. His phone rang and, sure enough, Tony’s name flashed.

“Hey, Tony, I’m heading to the pub right now. Uh, I got a little emergency.”

“No, no! Don’t fuckin’ come to the pub right now.” Tony’s raspy voice, due to years of smoking, came. His breathing was a little short and Jay something had happened in an instant.

“Did you get in trouble again?”

There was a pause. Then he heard from the phone a female voice, the one that is usually heard in an airport. “Are you going somewhere?”

“s**t, kid,” Tony said instead of answering his question. His strength seemed to have been lost. “Joe is dead… they killed him.”

Jay let go of his back. He sat down with his back leaning on the door.

This is so f****d up. He knitted his brows. Joe was Tony’s best bud and the guy, though, was troublesome. Joe was hooked on gambling and women. His life was never peace every day. Jay’s only good impression of him was his loyalty to Tony. He even had a thought ever since he went to high school that Joe would probably end up somewhere on the street with his dead body.

“What happened? Who killed Joe?”

“The Vouvali.”

Jay frowned. The Vouvali were known as a business mogul family together with Stavros. Vouvali owns several casinos that Joe loves to visit.

“And they are after me next,” he continued.

Jay wiped his face with his free hand. ”s**t, Tony. What have you gotten yourself into?”

His own problem was totally wiped out of his mind.

Tony re-counted what Joe told him last week that led to his death.

Joe, as usual, went to a Vouvali casino, taking up his usual spot among the others. However, at that time, he got a little drunk and went to the bathroom. He was washing his hands when he noticed a golden band ring on the sink. He saw no one. He snatched the ring with a greedy hand and put it inside his pocket. The golden ring was small but must have somewhat of a value. Tomorrow, he’ll come to a pawnshop first thing in the morning.

He was happy whistling away when sounds of smashing and fighting were heard just outside the bathroom. Joe had the guts to gamble everything he had, but when it came to the actual fight, his body would tremble and he would hide behind his friends.

A terrifying roar came from outside, almost inhumane. When the word ‘ring’ came from those sounds outside, he shivered. His immediate thought was he'd be dead if he were to come out. He quickly hid inside a cubicle with a shivering body. Those who were outside made their way inside the bathroom. mirrors shattering and bodies slamming everywhere. Joe held his breath and prayed to whoever he could think of that they wouldn’t make it to his cubicle.

The fight continued on for a full ten minutes and he swore that he heard the growling of animals. There was snarling and tearing of skin which made him almost pissed at his pants. He thought those outside were sick psychos, bringing their dogs to fight inside a bathroom.

A low whimper had signified the end of the fight, as if a dog had breathed his last. Silence followed. Joe was about to reach for the lock when a huge shadow came through the gap below his feet. He quickly shrank inside and held his breath. But the shadow suddenly retreated and was gone in a second. It took him a while to gather his wits. He slowly came down from the toilet bowl and opened the door.

The scene before almost made his knees weak. Blood was splattered everywhere. One body had lain unmoving in a pool of blood. His mind went blank, the first thing he could think of was to get the hell out of there. So, he just did that. He bolted out of the room. Pushing people out of his way.

The next day, Tony found him in his apartment, hiding in his blanket. Tony thought that Joe had another all-night gamble. He kicked his friend out of his bed, wanting to get his money back. A blood shot and shivering Joe came into view. His friend, when he saw him, clung to his leg like his life depended on it.

Joe then tells him about what happened with the ring on the table, lying there like the one in the movie where it caused disaster to everyone. Tony sighed at his friend’s moronic deed. With what he thought was the best idea, he proposed to take the ring and return it to the Vouvali. Anonymously, of course. The Vouvalis were not someone you could meet up with easily.

With the ring in his hand, Joe became relieved and even had the guts to order him to buy medicine for his headache because of his lack of sleep. Tony sent another kick to the shameless bastard but in the end he complied.

And that’s when the disaster strikes them. When he came back, Joe’s apartment was open and his friend was hanging on the ceiling with the same blanket he covered himself with. The room was in chaos, like a storm had been there.

Tony knew right there and then, he wasn’t safe. He threw the feeling of losing a friend into the back of his mind and fled for his life.

“They’re looking for the ring, they’ll kill anyone who has it.” Tony finished recounting the tragedy of his friend.

Jay knew, despite the calmness in Tony’s voice, he despaired the loss of his buddy.

“I’m sorry…” was all he could say to him.

Tony gave a dry laugh. “What are you saying sorry for? We always knew that moron would hit the bucket some of these days… My only regret was not beating him enough for getting me involved with his stupidity.”

“And one more thing, apparently, the guy who was killed that night was a Stavros. The ring belongs to him.” Tony added, which made Jay stiffen when he heard that name.

“Stavros? Are you sure?”

“Yes, the Stavros are also tracking the ring. I wanted to give it to them but the Vouvalis are waiting to ambush me. I must flee the country.”

Jay threw his head back on the wall. s**t. Two forces were coming at him. And maybe, he will have to join Tony in fleeing the country.

“Tony – “ He started to say to wait for him when he got cut.

“Ah, before I forgot. I sent a parcel for you. There should be one lying on your doorstep.”

Jay bolted. An ominous feeling came to him. “You didn’t…”

The solemn atmosphere vanished. Jay abruptly stood up. He pulled open his door. And there it was, a small parcel just beside his door.

“I’m sorry, Jay. Think of this as saving your uncle who had raised you all alone for over twenty years.”

He pursed his lips. “Tony…” He warned him.

“I knew you worked in the Stavros building. You could sneak into one of the big bosses and leave the ring with a note. This could save my life, you know.”