Itching to test his creation out, he took a very small sample and experimented with it. The results were more than flattering. His sample was top notch quality, he could even go as far as calling it standard quality. Now that his experiment was complete, he could now proceed to the next stage.
Renting a second store was a little traumatic for Lucas. At every step along the way, he was plagued by memories of his most recent incident. He managed to look at it from a more optimistic perspective- now he would never get too attached to anything again. It kind of robbed him of intial drive to succeed, but he did not mind. Right now, Mike had gifted him something he did not have a while ago.
The new location was not bad at all. It was located in a very remote area. With no neigbors around, it was basically just them. When Lucas took the girls to the new location, they were not quite sure what to make of it. The location was not exactly right for business. So, Lolita asked the obvious question;
"Master, what's the new deal? What exactly are we going to sell here?"
"Why? We're going to keep selling what we're known for- yoghurt of course!"
The girls were a bit surprised, but they were nonetheless pleased. Even if it meant they had to start again, they did not mind doing it together with Lucas.
Despite it being in a low-traffic area, the business picked up really fast. Lucas' product already spoke for him. Yoghurt had a significant taste. It lingered long after, and stayed to remind the consumer that such a pleasurable drink existed out there. So even after the fire, people were still hot for the yoghurt.
Large number of customers trooped in, and the three girls were once again encapsulated in the busy day to day schedule of selling out the hottest drink of its time.
Unfortunately, Mike's shadow once more darkened their lives. Before the close of the day, he showed up at the store with the same arrogance. The young thug seemed to always time his entrances perfectly. For it was just when the last customer left that he announced himself loudly;
"Well, well, if it isn't the yoghurt weirdos doing well for themselves..." his heavy boots thudded on the floorboard with every step he took. The very presence of Mike in the store repulsed the girls. They absolutely destested him, and could barely contain their disdain. The only thing that kept them in check from tearing him apart was the mere fact that they were currently in a human territory.
"...You know, I am actually impressed." he grinned wickedly. "Don't look so surprised, I really am. I thought I had ended you back then when that 'accident' happened at your store. You're not the only merchant who stubbornly refused to pay for protection, but you're definitely the first to open up a second shop so quickly after losing the first to a fire! Ha!"
Lucas did not even bother to look him since he entered the store. Even as he kept rambling, Lucas continued to work as though no one was even there. Lolita and the others watched closely from a short distance away, watching with eyes open, waiting for Mike to give them a reason to mess him up.
Mike stopped circling around. "I see, you're playing the silent card huh? Well," he shrugged indifferently, "That's your business really. Since you've decided not to speak, maybe you will listen..." he lowered his voice, almost in a growl, "You can not be here twenty four hours a day. But we will."
He left.
Mike's warning hung heavy in the air. As always, Lolita was the first to comment; "Master do not worry. The three of us will take turns watching here so they won't have the chance they're actively seeking for."
Lucas shook his head. "No, that's too much of a risk to take. Life is way too precious to be put on the line for any business. Come on let's go."
Lolita wanted to protest. She could understand that her master was mysterious in his ways, but she could not understand why he had just allowed the Mike scum to go away after issuing a thinly veiled threat. But she submitted grudgingly, while silently praying that Mike would show his face one more time before they left.
But on the way out, Lucas arranged a very special gift for his friend Mike. It was a special one indeed, and he was hoping that Mike would come back as promised to act on his threat.
The foolish Mike did.
Mike was like a rat who had had his sights on the cheese. But he was even more dense than a rat because he lacked the foresight to scan for traps in the environment. Seething with pure glee, and trembling with excitement at the prospect of burning down another shop, Mike and his gang crept through the night until they arrived at the newly opened store.
For a set of people that were about to wreak severe havoc on someone else's property, there was not a single shred of reluctance in their hearts. If anything, they were eager to kindle another flame. The men of the night argued softly amongst themselves, each man wanted to be the one to light the first spark. It was a sick and perverse pleasure, they were consumed with their obsession with arson and it reflected in their eagerness.
"Quiet!" Mike barked in the darkness. "We've got a job to do! Anyone who does not fall in line will have me to contend with!!"
His eyes searched the darkness for any kind of movement whatsover, maybe some kind of watchman had been hired or something.
"Boss! There's no one here! Can't believe he actually left this place unguarded even after we paid him a visit today!"
"Aye, the damn fool. His arrogance will be the death of him."
Mikey secretly wished Lucas had actually left someone behind. Perhaps a watchman, or one of those girls from earlier on. He would have gladly taught them a lesson for laying hands on him. But it seemed like he was going to have to be satisfied with burning it all down again. He sat up straight and issued the order;
"Alright boys. It's time, let's make it burn."
Like a secret squad on a covert black ops mission, the group of six edged towards the lonely shop, and expertly broke in without any problems. Mike chuckled, it was like the yoghurt man wasn't even trying to stop them at all.
Within a couple of minutes, the first spark was lit. They surrounded the flames like a pack of hyenas and fed the hungry flames with fodder until it grew steadily. Completely enveloped with their nefarious intentions, they failed to pay attention to their immediate environment.
If they had been more observant, they would have realized that as they were stoking the fires, a faint cackling noise was building up beneath all the racket. The very foolish gang did not realize that Lucas had surrounded the shop with gun powder to welcome them.
Mike saw the flames rising up and he began to giggle. Like a contagious plague, the laughter spread through out the group until everyone of them was cackling with laughter. But their joy was shortlived.
They did not even have the time to realize what hit them.
The only thing they knew was that a huge explosion tore through the shop, sending bodies flying and leaving a terrible destruction in its wake. By the time they came around, the loud ringing noise in their ears did not allow them to hear a single thing. By the time the noise stoppped, their shock also passed and then the terrible pain took them unawares.
Asides from the fact that their backs were hurting from the force of the explosion that slammed them into the walls, multiple shards of wood were lodged in their bodies. A few bones were broken, definitely a lot of internal bleeding, and couple of head traumas. But asides from that, no lives were lost. It seemed like Lucas had left only a little amount of gunpowder to keep them alive and make them suffer.
Sprawled across the debacle, laying in a pool of their own blood and bruised bodies, they realized that the yoghurt man had played them. As the smoke cleared, so did the fog of their own foolishness. It was an utter shocker. But much later, they would come to realize that Lucas had actually been mild with them. If he had wanted them dead, they would have been blown to bits.