"Where do you think you're going?" Marcus spoke menacingly as he walked over to Shaun who he dwarfed with his stature. Causing Shaun to gingerly backstep from the door until he bumped into the counter clumsily breaking a plate, which fell on the ground below.
"Hey man, I'm just a Christian kid from the country. All I know is my bible, church, and school, I don't want any kind of trouble", Shaun blurted while putting on an innocent demeanor, seeing it wasn't helping his cause he pointed to Nick saying, " I don't even know the guy, he offered me ten bucks to walk up while he was talking to your friend's girl. I admit it was my bad but to show I am sincere here is the ten bucks".
He didn't even second guess selling out Nick who was lost for words. What Nick didn't know was this was all a stalling tactic for Shaun who was having a conversation with himself in his mind. One voice was panicking while the other was calm and subconsciously he made it Jamie's.
""What would you do, Jamie?" He questioned but Jamie simply chuckled, "You already know the answer little bro, you've been in a far worse situation and came out unscathed. A calm mind allows you a thousand possibilities. You got this". Jamie smiled before vanishing. "
It was then that Shaun remembered everything that happened in the Gut Wrencher. Jamie was right, they have been through a far more trying situation. What were three muscle brain thugs in comparison? Still, unlike the Gut Wrencher, these three had a personal vendetta against him and would simply allow him to escape.
He then tried to calm himself, taking a deep breath before exhaling. There was a technique he wanted to try, perhaps he was only lucky on the Gut Wrencher but he felt something telling had occurred. He then took in every inch of the restaurant layout trying to engrave it all in his mind. This if successful would be his means of carving a way out of this mess he was dragged into.
`"You are the master of your mind", he subconsciously reaffirmed and when closing his eyes slowly he saw the etching of the restaurant's layout form in his mind, it was a perfect replica. Even something as minuscule as bread crumbs etched underneath one of the stools was seen. On the back of one bill, he saw, "Call me, Michelle +1246547234". This must have been written by the waitress who carried the bill to the guy who was sitting behind him at the time. He didn't recall seeing this before but now there wasn't anything that escaped his eyes. It was as though he gained the ability to hold a microscope, dissecting every single detail.
'Holy shit! I actually did it', If he could jump for joy he would. Could this be his superpower, a detailed photographic memory? Honestly, It wouldn't be his first choice if he had the option of choosing, however it did arrive earlier than he thought. Still, now was not the time to ponder upon this; there were far more pressing matters to attend to. He needed to use this to his advantage, but how?
Everything happened in a mere moment, so when he returned to the actual restaurant he heard Carlos replying to his previous comment saying, "You can keep your ten bucks". He didn't even look at Shaun while he spoke.
"I knew you were a kind, generous man. As the good book says, Do good upon thy neighbor and see thy blessings compound a thousand times over, second Corinthians 2 verse 5", Nick wasn't wrong when saying Shaun was one of the best people to weasel himself out of a sticky situation. He further continued, "I'll be on my way". He tried once more to sneak through the door but again his pathway was blocked.
"Hey man, can you tell 'Protein Bars' to stop blocking my way? I mean damn!" Annoyed by the burly man's continuous hindrance Shaun complained to Nomi's boyfriend.
"You didn't let me finish, I was going to say keep the ten bucks and place it in a jar. It will be the first to go towards your saving for a new set of teeth", Carlos smirked while his two minions cracked their knuckles as Nick whimpered underneath one of the tables begging forgiveness.
"By the way, you misquoted, '2 Corinthians 2:5 - Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure to all of you'", He paused before giving the cue to the other two to make their move. "And you, my friend, will know all about pain when we are through. I came for your friend but now I truly despise you! There is nothing more that I hate than being taken for a fool".
after those words, Shaun knew his time to scheme had ended but he had a plan in mind. He then outwardly panicked, dressing backward and nearly carelessly toppling over to the amusement of the burly man Marcus, who menacingly stalked him.
He watched Shaun's feet tremble forcing him to catch his footing, resting against a metal stool. He couldn't help but taunt, "I usually use knives, but for a wimp like you, these knuckles will do". It was then however he heard a snide remark from his prey, "Wow you can talk, are you even allowed to do that. Do us a favour, leave the bantering to a pro".
It was then that Shaun grabbed the metal stool and swung it with all his might, smashing it against the man's right knee cap before he could react.
Wack! - His knee jerked as he bellowed like a pig at the slaughterhouse, clattering to the ground screaming for bloody murder. His friends were in shock. What the hell just happened? How did this twerp get the upper hand on Marcus? While they were stunned by his actions, Shaun showed no mercy once more swinging the stool hitting the defenseless Marcus in his abdomen causing him to spit blood all over the restaurant floor.
Nick who trembled like a coward under the table couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Was this really Shaun? He knew about his ability to sell water to a drowning man but actual fighting was not a part of the script.
"Hey idiot, this is the part where you run!" He heard Shaun say and it was then he saw that the door was free. He might have been terrified but instinctively he bolted for the door barely missing the desperate lunge of the second burly fellow who seemed stumped as to what to do. Should he chase Nick or stay and seek revenge for his fallen comrade.
Seeing his hesitation Carlos whacked him on the head, "What the fuck are you waiting for? Chase down the bastard. Can you imagine what will happen if word gets out about this shit. Find him and fuck him up. I got this kid, I'll carve him up real good".
It was then that he chased after Nick, who Shaun wasn't too worried about. Back in Frankfield, he was a part of the track team, there was no way with that head start and adrenaline he was getting caught.
Back in the restaurant, Marcus's whimpers became louder. Now there was no smirk from Carlos, he had even pushed Nomi aside who like all the rest was shocked by how things unfolded. This was a normal ruse used by her and Carlos. Identify some rich kid, lure them in with the prospect of sex and then extort them for all they were worth. It just so happened that they thought Nick would be that big score only to discover it was all a lie. His father wasn't wealthy, he was simply a lousy Mayor of a washed-up town they have never heard of.
"That was really dumb", Carlos stated, with murderous intentions he brandished a pocket knife, he was going to bleed Shaun dry. Seeing the long unsheathed knife Shaun hurriedly jumped behind the counter, then further pissed off Carlos when he retorted, "I'm known for doing dumb shit, this is nothing new".
"Carlos, remember you're on parole, it isn't worth it", Nomi cautioned when she saw the crowds beginning to form. She knew the cops would show soon. But Carlos would have none of it before he could walk away but now his street cred would be in question. How would he garner any form of respect whenever one knew one of his crew got beat by some lanky fifteen-year-old?
"Shut up and stop saying my name bitch! I'll handle this", he shouted, silencing Nomi.
"I'd listen to your girl Carlos, what I got planned next won't be pleasant. Just walk away and let bygones be bygones", Shaun went further behind the counter before using his backheel to stamp open the kitchen door as the chef made herself scarce.
"I don't care if they give me the chair, your fucking dead!" Carlos then jumped over the counter fully intent on carving Shaun into pieces. How could Shaun stand still knowing this lunatic wanted his life. He ran into the kitchen and the enraged Carlos followed suit. All Nomi saw was the door swing behind the two. She knew the likely outcome of a fully enraged Carlos, Shaun was a deadman.
She then heard a gut-wrenching scream, "AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! IT BURNS!"