After bidding farewell to the captivating woman who had shared his evening, Arslan found himself alone in the room granted by Elijah, the previous night's excitement lingering in his thoughts. Seated in contemplation, he busied himself by exchanging messages with his friend Ryder, making plans for their shared day off from their usual day job.
As Arslan set his phone aside, the abrupt sound of knocking at the door drew his attention. Anticipating the visitor, he welcomed Mia who came with his reward for his good job that he made the other night.
With a sense of familiarity, Mia entered, holding two envelopes in her grasp, her presence commanding the room as she approached Arslan, who remained perched on the bed.
"Here is the envelope you entrusted to me before," Mia offered, extending the familiar envelope for Arslan to inspect at his discretion. Without hesitation, Arslan accepted it, tucking it away without a second glance, a silent display of trust in Mia's role.
"Such faith in me," Mia said jokingly, prompting a smile from Arslan and a shrug before he shifted his focus to the second, more substantial envelope in her possession.
As Mia presented the new and thicker envelope, a glimmer of anticipation flickered in Arslan's eyes, recognizing the weightiness of its contents. With a sense of satisfaction, he accepted the envelope, knowing that this time, the reward awaiting him was a testament to the value of his efforts.
Arslan swiftly counted the bills in the envelope, his intuition confirming the substantial sum of over 20 thousand. Securing the money in his front pocket, he rose from his seat, indicating his readiness to depart, as there was nothing more keeping him here.
"Thank you. Here's the keys to the room," Arslan offered, extending the keys to Mia, who declined the return, relaying Elijah's message instead.
"The Boss said you can keep it for free as your own. also, he asks about when would you like to return for your next fight," Mia conveyed, prompting Arslan to stow away the keys without hesitation as he was more than happy to accept it before responding with unwavering confidence to her question.
"'I'm ready to fight at any time he wants. Just make sure the opponent is worthy," Arslan declared, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
Anticipating his next challenge, Mia revealed the details. "That's good, because You will face 'The Bulldozer,' Franky, in seven days."
"Who's that?" Arslan immediately said as he had never heard of that name before as he was familiar with everyone that fought under the roof of Elijah's fight club.
"He's from the Bronx" Mia quickly responded, "He fights in Don Vito's fighting circle, he wants a match with you after hearing about your win over Voragor in your last match," she explained, unveiling the origins of Arslan's upcoming opponent.
Surprised by the unfamiliar name, Arslan expressed his readiness for the upcoming bout, intrigued by the newfound recognition his name had garnered in distant territories outside his usual realm.
"Is there anything else?" Arslan asked Mia who shook her head "Tell Elijah thanks for everything" he continued.
After bidding Mia farewell and collecting his belongings, Arslan expressed gratitude to Elijah through her, acknowledging the opportunities bestowed upon him. As he exited the room.
As Mia lingered in the room, a faint smile gracing her lips, a moment of perplexity washed over her with a question lingering in her mind. "Strange... there weren't any dirty words coming out of his mouth this time" she mused softly under her breath.
With a thoughtful tilt of her head, Mia allowed that thought to linger briefly before she decisively flicked off the light, casting the room into darkness. As she closed the door behind her.
=======================
After departing from the allure of the strip club, Arslan hastened to his humble apartment to secure his hard-earned earnings before meeting Ryder, his friend and fellow resident of their weathered neighborhood who has been waiting for him for almost an hour now.
Spotting Ryder standing by the corner store, Arslan swiftly approached, greeted by the sight of his friend bearing the remnants of the recent fight, bruises marking his rugged features.
"Where were you last night? I was expecting you to watch my fight," Ryder inquired, a tinge of curiosity coloring his expression, familiar with Arslan's steadfast support during his fights.
"Got caught up with some business for the old man," Arslan replied, hinting at the last night task he had undertaken for Elijah, piquing Ryder's interest in the dark dealings of their shared benefactor.
Intrigued, Ryder probed further, seeking insight into Arslan's recent endeavors. "What type of work was it?" he pressed, eager to delve deeper into the intricacies of Elijah's world, a world that enticed him to join the fight club in pursuit of recognition and validation.
Preferring discretion, Arslan offered a cryptic response, hinting at a significant development. "Let's just say Jon won't be stepping into the ring anymore," he disclosed, prompting Ryder to connect the dots, realization dawning on him as he broached a more direct question.
"Were you the one who did it?" Ryder inquired, his gaze searching for confirmation of his suspicions regarding Jon's sudden absence, contemplating the possibility of Arslan's involvement in the covert resolution of the situation.
Arslan's laughter rang out, dispelling any notions of personal retribution. "Nah, wasn't my beef to settle," he clarified, dismissing Ryder's assumption with a nonchalant demeanor before their attention was diverted by something unfolding across the street, hinting at the unpredictable currents of their gritty urban landscape.
"Isn't that Marco?" Arslan's gaze lingered on a young man bedecked in opulent attire, accompanied by two peers clad in matching brown jackets, a glint of recognition sparking within him.
"Yeah, seems like they're up to something over there," Ryder observed, the atmosphere shifting as Marco's eyes locked with theirs, prompting his approach towards them.
"Is this fool coming toward us ?" Ryder queried, a sense of wariness edging his tone, met with Arslan's silent acknowledgment as Marco strode across the street towards them.
"Hey, I knew I'd find you two here, you ugly Fuckers," Marco greeted, extending a familiar gesture towards Arslan and Ryder, their displeasure evident at his intrusion. "What's with the long faces? Just dropping by to catch up and see how my favorite burger flippers are doing."
Arslan surveyed their surroundings to make sure no one would creep up on them before meeting Marco's gaze, maintaining a casual demeanor to shield their true sentiments from the cunning observer before them. "Nothing much, just taking each day as it comes. And you?" he responded nonchalantly, wary of revealing too much to an individual harboring ulterior motives beneath his veneer of congeniality.
"I'm doing well bro. Got a fresh chain, a new ride, and I'm gearing up to expand soon," Marco boasted, his tone laced with a hint of swagger and self-assurance.
"It seems like things are looking up for you," Ryder acknowledged, his response tinged with a touch of neutrality, betraying no hint of envy or admiration for Marco's apparent success.
"Yeah, my offer still stands if you're tired of flipping burgers and want to join my crew and make some real money under me," Marco persisted, extending an invitation laced with promises of higher pay and potential advancement. Despite his persuasive efforts, Arslan and Ryder remained steadfast as they rebuffed his proposition with a simple, "Nah, we good, bro."
"Whatever you say, just know that this train is leaving this shithole anytime now, you better be on it," Marco said as he took a few steps back with his arms spread wide open as he talked, before he turned around and walked back to his corner with his other men who started looking at Arslan and Ryder before they started laughing slightly.
"You want to go and take his shit right now?" Ryder who was mad at the interaction they just had with Marco floated the idea of stealing Marco's corner and whatever he had on him to teach him a lesson for they way he just acted with them.
Arslan felt the tug of temptation, itching to dive in as he was a little mad as well. Yet, a practical realization dawned on him, they lacked the manpower to hold down the fort around the clock, or the resources to gain anything from it.
Instead, a different idea began to form in his mind, inspired by Marco's recent display of bravado.
"Let's put his spot on the back burner for now. How about we go after his stash?" Arslan suggested, flashing Ryder a knowing smirk, the gears of his plan already turning.
Ryder, intrigued by the prospect of hitting the jackpot, couldn't help but voice his concerns. "hitting that stash would be a major come up, but do we even have a clue where it's at?" he pondered, a flicker of uncertainty in his voice.
With a casual shrug, Arslan confessed, "Not a clue." Then, a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes, he added, "But hey, we've got three idiots right in front of us who knows exactly where it's." Their gazes turned back to Marco and his crew on the opposite side of the street.
"We're switching things up for tonight, bro," Arslan informed Ryder, who bobbed his head in agreement. "Get ready and bring a heater if you have one, meet me in the back alley in 30 minutes," Arslan instructed before they parted ways, each heading off to change into their stealthier attire and gather their necessary tools for the job ahead.