JUST A SMALL FAVOR

2

WHILE FOLLOWING THE RUGGED MAN, TONI FOUND THEM GOING TOWARDS THE DOOR THAT READ “AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY” IN BOLD RED LETTERS. THEY WENT THROUGH THE DOOR AND DOWN A HALL; NOTHING SUSPICIOUS, JUST AN AVERAGE STORE CORRIDOR. TONI RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE STORE OWNER WHEN HE ABRUPTLY STOPPED AT A STRANGE DOOR LABLED “DO NOT ENTER”. TONI NOTICED THAT THE DOOR WAS METAL AND HAD A DEADBOLT ON THE OUTSIDE. DEFINITELY STRANGE…

STRANGE, TONI THOUGHT, BUT MAYBE IT'S A RENOVATED FRIDGE FROM WHEN THIS PLACE WAS A RESTAURANT BEFORE THIS PLACE BECAME THE ONLY CONVENIENCE STORE IN TOWN.

HE SHRUGGED IT OFF AND WAITED FOR THE OWNER TO UNLOCK IT, NOT KNOWING WHAT LIES BEHIND THE GRATING METAL DOOR.

ONCE THE DOOR WAS UNLOCKED WITH A HEAVY KA-THUNK, TONI STEPPED INTO THE ROOM WITH THE OWNER DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM. IT LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL MANAGEMENT OFFICE WITH A METAL DESK, A DESK CHAIR, A COMPUTER (ALTHOUGH THAT LOOKED TO BE FROM THE 90S), CONCRETE FLOORING AND WALLS, AND A SECURITY CAMERA, ALL TIED TOGETHER WITH A DIM FLICKERING FLUORESCENT CEILING LIGHT.

THE OWNER WALKED TO THE METAL DESK, PULLED OUT A TOOLBOX, AND SET IT ON THE FLOOR. IT WAS ONLY THEN TONI HEARD WHIMPERING FROM SOMEWHERE BEHIND HIM. HE TURNED TOWARDS THE SOUND AND GASPED. THERE NESTLED BETWEEN THE STOCK SHELVES WAS A MAN WHO WAS BLINDFOLDED AND BOUND TO A CHAIR, NAKED.

“THIS IS MY LITTLE FAVOR”, THE OWNER SAID QUIETLY, ALMOST TENDERLY AS IF SPEAKING ABOUT AN EXPENSIVE JEWEL. HE WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE MAN NOW; HE LIGHTLY GRAZED HIS CHEEK AND THE MAN FLINCHED.

TONI DIDN’T UNDERSTAND. HE JUST LOOKED AT THE OWNER SLACK-JAWED, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR SAY. “W-WHAT DO YOU MEAN? W-WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT YOU WANT ME TO DO?”, TONI FINALLY FUMBLED.

THE OWNER PUT HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS AND STARTED TO WALK TOWARDS TONI. “WELL…IT'S EITHER HIM” POINTING AT THE BOUND MAN, “OR YOU”, POKING TONI ON THE FOREHEAD WITH HIS THICK SAUSAGE FINGER. “IT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE”. WITH THAT LAST STATEMENT, THE OWNER TURNED HEEL, LEAVING THROUGH THE METAL DOOR, AND BOLTING IT SHUT; NOW LEAVING THE BOUND MAN AND TONI ALONE.