Nighttime was drawing near, the sun had hidden recently, and thus there were people on the street and buildings around; the echo of cars coming and going could be heard. The bustling traffic, people leaving work, going to dine or hitting the bars. With the sun gone, like a school bell indicating the start of classes in the morning, it was a signal that the nightlife was beginning.
Just a few dozen meters away from the commotion, lights, and billboards, among the buildings that wove a rather complex web of alleyways through which everything of sufficient value was mobilized here.
The ground was uneven and covered in a layer of dust and pockets of litter here and there, making it difficult to walk without stumbling. This was uncharted territory for the district's cleaning robots. The only light came scarcely spaced and dim flickering bulbs at the end of every few alleys and on top of the occasional back door, casting long shadows across the ground. The air was thick with the smell of stale cigarette smoke, giving the alley a musty, unpleasant odor. Despite the noise and bustle of the city outside, the alley felt eerily quiet and abandoned, as if it was a forgotten corner of the city that no one ever visited. No one lawful at the very least.
There, in that web hidden from everyone's view in the center of the city, beneath what were mainly offices and all sorts of commercial buildings, a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old was discussing with two older men.
Both were tall, the first robust, rather muscular, with casual and simple clothing; a shirt with a generic print, a size smaller than it should be, to show off his muscles, and some faded jeans. The second one gave the impression of being quick-witted. He was wearing a nice purple shirt, dark pants, and wore a striking watch, but nothing excessive, as if he planned to go to a club to try his luck after this situation was over.
—We have what you're looking for, boy. Take it and don't worry, it's like you have the real thing. With this, you have access to the world of light, you can leave this back alley without care. When you show this to them, nobody will ask questions, not even those annoying machines notice the difference. Believe us, there are many like you, that's how good our services are.
The sound was distorted by the long and narrow alleyways, bouncing all around. So, it was common sense to talk at a low volume; otherwise, if you raised your voice too much it gave the sensation of being bombarded by a megaphone in your ear.
—Great. Thank you very much, that's all I need. Oh, and well, what are your names? —the boy said with a polite smile. He was about to announce his name, but was interrupted by the well-dressed man, who looked at him with disapproval when he heard the innocent question.
—That doesn't matter to you —claimed the thinner man, and proceeded to show the screen of his phone—. The price for that is this. Quite economical, right?
He then emphasized the number with his hand, causing the customer to take a step back and clearly show his dissatisfaction with the new information.
—Come on, guys, that's not the price we agreed on —the boy said, pleading with the thugs—. Don't you have a conscience? You can't change your mind with a deal right at the end. Let's discuss this civilly.
Nervousness could be heard in his voice, but his conviction was noticeable. He had made calculations, asking here and there to get an idea of the correct price. He wasn't looking for trouble, he wanted to be fair and pay for his ordered goods, and similarly, he did not appreciate being abused, so he remained firm about not been swindled here. Five minutes went by like this and the boy wouldn't give in, it was visible in the men that they had reached their limit a long time ago.
Certainly, it was surprising, because besides appearing to be in good physical shape, that boy didn't look particularly remarkable in any aspect. He reached the chin of the ruffian with the stamp shirt, approximately 170-75. His complexion wasn't on the buffed end, but he was quite defined; had brown hair covering half of his ears, and the tips were somewhat neglected. He wore a brown sports fabric jacket with black borders with certain stylistic decorations on the pockets and collar, a plain white shirt, pants, and black sneakers. His cold eyes framed by thin eyebrows and fine features. He wasn't particularly handsome, but not unpleasant to look at by any means.
The buff ruffian, certainly the most intimidating of the two, decided he had had enough. He raised his voice, ordering him to be quiet, while stretching his arm, with the intent of holding his client by the collar of his jacket. The result, however, was one that was completely opposite to his expectations. For some reason, he found himself on the ground with a perplexed, pained and confused expression written over his face.
With a skilled and quick movement on the boy's part, reminiscent of some judo move, the ruffian was momentarily incapacitated. The blow was such that the air had been expelled from his lungs.
The other man shared the confusion on his face, it was so fast that he couldn't process it in time. What had happened? He kept wondering.
—Are you a martial artist!? —He exclaimed with palpable fear in his voice and in panic for some reason.
The ruffian demanded an explanation, but perhaps the most surprised of all was the boy himself.
—No… I don't know, maybe I learned it from a movie? —He said, astounded. He had acted on pure reflex, not even he was sure of what had happened.
—Take it! I don't want any problems. Just take it and leave us in peace —the slim ruffian threw the bag with the object inside and quickly helped his partner get up. While the boy was distracted, both fled through another adjutant alley.