Chereads / On The Run / Chapter 3 - Business and Competitiveness

Chapter 3 - Business and Competitiveness

Mrid was on the phone with Mike, who was speaking overnight. They were talking about basic shit like when are they going to reunite, however Mrid did bring up one question question that stood out to Mike.

"How's your friendship with Carlos? Are you working together on something?"

Mike replied, "We're getting somewhere, he's still a bit pissed at me for basically fucking over his business, even though we're, honestly "friends." But, hey. Can't have TOO many rivalries."

"You sure? Because, and I'm not lying, you have a rivalry with at least one person in pretty much every state you've visited. Resulting in Shootouts, physical combat, and in some cases, accidental language barriers." Mrid said.

"That last one isn't true, though, right?" Mike asked.

"Well..." Mrid said as she explained a few years back, where Mike and a Russian person got in a heated argument.

"Listen, I don't speak your language, so I need you to listen through these earbuds which translate shit, can you do that without being a fucking asshole, and a big pussy about it?" Mike said.

Which, to Russians, said, "Listen, I don't speak your language, so I need you to listen to these headphones that translate shit, can you do it without being a damn asshole, and not get a big pussy, damn dirty face."

The Russian nearly shot Mike for saying that.

Returning to the present,

"Don't even, we got this, ok?" Mike said.

"No, YOU got this, I'm back in America." Mrid said.

Mike hung up and went to bed, not before Carlos chewed his ass over not going to sleep at the time provided.

"Why are you up at, 2 in the fucking morning, speaking to some chick that I don't give a shit about?"

"OKAY, dude, listen its 8:07 PM in America right now, we're many hours behind them, 5:36 AM to be exact. I'm not going to wait until morning here, to speak with Mrid, again." Mike said.

"Do I look like I give a shit about Mrid? Except that one time where I got punched in the face for speaking Indian, she seriously needs to sometimes stop overreacting to everything." Carlos said.

"Damn right." Mike said.

"Look, just go to bed at 11, okay? I can hear you upstairs talking." Carlos said before walking off, about to open his business.

"Fuck it, I want to know a little more about your world. And I'm finding out one way or another." Mike thought.

Mike walked outside where he saw Carlos selling, Tacos.

"Okay, there are a few things wrong with this taco selling business, Carlos." Mike said.

"Oh, really? Do tell." Carlos asked.

"Firstly, You aren't advertising enough, your plopped in an area that isn't really populated, so getting good sales aren't really enough." Mike said.

"Where do you think I can go then, asshole?" Carlos said.

"I'm not being an asshole, I'm just trying to tell you. Anyway, second, you aren't really being Excited or, as I like to call it, Exclaimable. It's where you are Exclaming proudly about your product. Not just waiting for business to come." Mike said.

"I'm doing the best I can." Carlos said.

"Well your best isn't enough, lastly, and this is most important, why are you advertising here, when there's a Taco place miles away in a mall area?" Mike said.

"That's what they all say." Carlos replied.

"They all say the same thing, "Why are you near a goddamn taco place and trying to sell tacos near your home, is your home an Airbnb or something?" Well, guess what, my place ISN'T, and will never be, a FUCKING AIRBNB. I shit you not, I get that comment, every damn day! And I'm fucking sick of it. But, you know what, don't really have anything to do, so, Fuck it, I'm doing exactly what you said, and if it doesn't work, I'm kicking you out of my damn home, got it?"

"Jezz, don't get pissed because your business isn't working because of your own stupidity." Mike said.

Carlos took out a knife, and cut Mike on his arm, "You bet your ass I'm not helping you clean or heal that."

"I'll be right back." Mike said as he walked off to a hospital where he's in a waiting room.

Carlos moved his business to Mumbai. Where he received more popularity for his business after Exclaming it.

Mike, meanwhile, was speaking to a doctor.

"So how did this cut form?" The Doctor asked.

"Someone cut me, accidentally. The Cut, doesn't look that big, until you realize it nearly started from the top of my arm and went down to the bottom." Mike explained.

"That's a pretty big cut." Doctor Zach said.

"Listen, we'll clean it, and bandage it up. Meantime, can you tell me who did this, and if you we're, in any way, the attacker?"

"I got the cut accidentally from Carlos Jefferson. He cut me with a knife, a hunting knife, I suppose, and then said he wasn't helping me heal it, I wasn't the attacker and all I was doing was helping her man with a taco business that, in my perspective, is going nowhere."

Zach raised his finger, and said, "Be back in a minute."

Zach left the room and came back with water in a bottle, "Stand Still." He said as he poured the water down Mike's arm, then getting a cast to put around Mike's arm.

"Stay off that arm, okay. It needs time to heal."

Mike nods, then leaves, pays the bill, then leaves.

"Carlos?" Mike called out to Carlos, however he wasn't there.

After hours of looking, Mike eventually finds Carlos in Mumbai, placing his right hand, on his hip.

"So, how's that business going?" Mike asked.

"It's good! The Tacos are selling, and are selling well! Thanks for the idea of moving my business." Carlos said.

"So, you done being an asshole to me?" Mike asked.

"Ugh, fine. I guess I won't be such an asshole to you." Carlos groaned.

"By the way, what's with the cast? You hurt your arm?"

"Fuck off with your bullshit. You know what you did." Mike said.

Meanwhile in America, Sam was talking to the group.

"Where is Mike? He hasn't been back for a week?"

"I don't know, neither do I know where is part of our team." Pento said.

"*Sigh* This is madness. Hopefully we'll find him before its too late. Maybe Mrid's hiding something." Sam said.

"You think? Every time she talks to me, I get slapped." Pento said.

"Oh, really. I wonder why." Sam Said.

"We'll deal with it later." Pento said.