The late afternoon sun seeped through the gaps in the fabric of the window and landed directly on Ian's closed eyelids as he slept face down. He groaned, disturbed by the intrusion on his slumber. He didn't want to let go of the soft bed and the warm room.
Wait.
Bed... Soft and...
Warm room?
His brain immediately went on alert, and he woke up abruptly from the messy bed, piled with clothes. His eyes scanned the square-shaped room, not too spacious. Leftover food wrappers and scattered cans cluttered the space.
The foul odor emanating from some of the food, now covered in mold, didn't bother him much as his sense of smell had grown accustomed to the same scent. He suspected this was the flat Bartwin had given him—how stingy.
Furniture in disarray, layers of dust gathering. This apartment had been abandoned by its owner.
"Hurriedly vacate, I suppose," Ian thought, brushing off the thick dust with his fingertips.
"Or maybe the owner knew they wouldn't return here, so they didn't bother cleaning up? Bartwin is the owner of this flat, and I've imagined all sorts of evil scenarios that could have befallen him. On the bright side, this is our place—mine, Roe's, and Josh's. We'll finally be out of that wretched sewer!!"
His stomach growled loudly, indicating that he had slept too long, awakened by the late afternoon sun shining through the west-facing window.
"Roe must be worried. I should find him first before thinking about food."
Ian decided to leave the flat, but his hand paused when reaching for the doorknob, noticing a key hanging there.
"Hey, is this what it feels like to have a house key? Very strange..."
With caution, he closed and locked the door of the flat.
Click.
"Who knew the sound of a key turning could be so beautiful? Ugh, I'm such a dork. But I guess it's only true for those who never knew what a home is."
He pocketed the key in his right pants pocket. He wouldn't be surprised if people thought he was limping because when he walked, his right leg felt heavier.
"Wait, why am I so stupid? This building looks familiar." Ian paused briefly on the staircase. Then, this time, he descended carefully.
He recognized the wallpaper in the lower room. The neatly displayed assortment of antiques in the first-floor display cases, the cashier's desk where someone would usually sit...
"Fuuuu*k... Bartwin is truly insane!!!"
Just as he had felt joy, reality slapped him in the face, now realizing he was occupying the upper floor, Ted's living space.
Of course. Bartwin's sense of humor was cruel.
Taking a deep breath, Ian tried to ignore his suddenly disheveled mood, despite having just felt grateful.
Arriving at Mayhem Road alley, Ian made a sharp turn and headed towards the sewer that had been his and his friends' home. Making sure no one was watching was his habit before opening the manhole.
Well, you probably know why. Because they didn't have a key, people shouldn't know they left their valuables here while they went to work.
The heavy manhole cover was lifted, and Ian slipped inside.
"Who?!!" Someone bellowed harshly from below. Even though he had only been gone for two days, their reaction seemed exaggerated.
"Calm down, Josh, it's me."
"Iaaan!!!" It was Roe who shouted and welcomed him.
The sewer was pitch-black.
"Why didn't you turn on the lights?"
"Oh, Ian, you have no idea what happened last night after you didn't come home," Roe responded.
"What?"
"A group of unknown people came looking for you last night. They barged in and ransacked our dwelling. I don't know what they were after. Did you get into trouble with the wrong people, Ian? I was waiting for you to come home triumphant, but you just disappeared!"
"Bartwin's people?" Ian asked.
"No! I would recognize if it was Bartwin. But these people seemed professional and organized. By the way, they asked for you to come once we meet you."
Josh's voice, heavy from the smoke he often inhaled, said, "What have you done, Ian? You've violated our code of ethics. Our place is no longer our secret."
"I swear I never uttered a word about our dwelling. But they found out on their own."
"Who are these 'they' you're referring to?"
"Bartwin's people."
"With your short answers, you're not explaining anything, Ian."
*Sigh*
"So, Roe, can I talk to Josh about the money?"
"Mm, it's up to you."
"What money?! You guys have money but keep it hidden, yet when there's trouble, we all have to bear the burden together?!! What kind of friends are you!?" Josh felt angry being treated as an outsider, especially since among them, he was the oldest.
There was a sense of guilt entering Ian and Roe's hearts, but they also felt that telling Josh, who had a penchant for spending money on drugs, wasn't the right decision.
"Calm down, Josh. We just don't want you to spend it all on your illegal substances."
"But it's okay if it's lost on your gambling table?"
"Is that true, Ian? Is the money gone?" A voice of desperation came out from Roe.
"Hey, don't jump to conclusions before I have a chance to tell the whole story."
"Fine. But you have to tell it from the beginning to the end. If there's anything you're hiding again, we don't want to sink into the mud with you."
"Josh, don't be like that! Have some compassion for Ian. He must have gone through something tough to be absent for two days." Roe defended Ian, making him touched.
Then Ian began recounting the crazy events that happened to him since the night he took Roe's money and left. His eyes, which initially couldn't see much in the dark sewer, gradually adapted and allowed him to make out the faint faces of Roe and Josh.
After Ian finished his story, he observed their expressions. Roe still had a gaping expression, finding Ian's story beyond belief. Meanwhile, Josh folded his hands across his chest, displaying an expression of disbelief.
"Are you making up this story so that Roe won't ask for his money back? If so, your tale is incredibly convincing," Josh remarked.
"No, Josh! I swear! Oh, luckily, I brought the proof in case you don't believe me," Ian said as he pulled out the chain with Ted's flat key.
"Wow!! Is this what the house key looks like?" Roe eagerly grabbed the object from Ian's hand.
"Yes, and to further convince you, we can move there tonight. Even my coming here was to invite you both. Oh, and I'm hungry. Let's find something to eat. My treat!"
Roe and Josh exchanged glances and then shouted in unison, "Let's go!"
Roe enthusiastically packed his belongings, which weren't much, and put them all in a large black garbage bag. Josh, who had fewer belongings, entrusted them to Roe's plastic bag.
Josh then carried the belongings with one hand.
Upon reaching the manhole, they bid farewell to the putrid place and walked to find their dinner at their favourite Chinese food establishment. The food there wasn't particularly delicious, but the owner was incredibly friendly and always welcomed them with open arms. Unlike other establishments that looked down on them.
Even though they always paid for their meals just like any other customers.
Mr. Cheng greeted them warmly as usual, squinting briefly at the large bundle Josh was carrying.
"You didn't bring a dismembered body inside that, did you?" Mr. Cheng joked, making them awkwardly laugh.
"Of course, Sir, isn't that the true purpose of your establishment? To get rid of evidence?" Josh interjected, jokingly, but Mr. Cheng didn't smile at all.
"Ahem! We're actually moving, Sir, and we came here to celebrate a step towards a better life. What's the special menu tonight?" Ian chimed in, and Mr. Cheng's eyes lit up again.
"Oh, I'm thrilled about your achievement! Let me prepare the most comfortable spot for you!! Tonight's special is fresh octopus stir-fry! Or would you like fried noodles? In China, fried noodles are a must-have when celebrating something!"
Imagining the shape of an octopus, the three of them vigorously shook their heads and opted for the fried noodles instead.
There weren't many customers in Mr. Cheng's restaurant, only one person who entered after they arrived. A man in a reddish-purple suit sat calmly, reading an old magazine provided by Mr. Cheng. Ian observed the man's movements out of the corner of his eye and concluded that he wasn't a regular customer at Mr. Cheng's establishment. There was only a glass of untouched water in front of him.
Why didn't Mr. Cheng offer him any food? And there was no sign of any activity from the kitchen.
"Roe, Josh. Let's get out of here," Ian whispered.
"Why, Ian? Did you just realize your money is missing?" Roe replied.
"Pssst! No, but I think we're being targeted."
Roe's face showed surprise, but he couldn't help noticing Ian's eye twitching towards the suspicious man.
"Of course, you're too clever to be fooled, Ian Worth. I'm here just to talk," the man's voice echoed throughout the room. He politely folded the magazine in his hand and placed it back in its spot. Then he walked toward them, extending his hand beside Ian's seat, blocking his way.
If Bartwin's appearance alone could make people wary, it was different with this man in his early 40s. He had a handsome face and a charming smile.
But Ian's hair stood on end. One word rang in his head.
Predator.