Chapter 139: Don''t Judge


    Novis and others had just entered the south side of town. It was a bad neighbourhood and they had been through this part before, only this time the whole team hade along with him.


    Scarlett started to rub her shoulders up and down. "This ce, it''s bringing back memories."


    "Oh yeah wasn''t this part of town where you go takenst time?" Ashley said.


    "Please don''t remind me."


    "What, it was here?! I just wonder what Dan is doing here?" Alex said.


    Alex while walking was making sure he hid behind Novis. As the kids walked through, they were getting strange looks from the people around them. Not because of their age, there were other kids the same age as them out and about on the street but they were the only ones in their uniform, which was a strange sight to see here.


    "You can''t me them." Frank said, "Some of them never chose this life but had no choice toe here." Frank then pointed at an old man who was rocking backwards and forwards sat on the floor.


    "Like take him, maybe his work had a massiveyoff of their employees, he struggled and struggled to get a new job but nothing worked out for him. In the end, his wife decided to leave him. She had always wanted a life with kids but he just wasn''t able to give it to her, and support her financially. The thing was, his wife was his childhood sweetheart, he couldn''t imagine a life without her, what little money he had left he decided to go towards drinking to forget all the pain. Finally, no money left to pay for rent and now he''s here."


    The group had stopped to aplete standstill while Frank had managed to ramble on.


    "What the hell are you on about?" Novis said.


    "With your imagination maybe you should be a writer," Ashley saidughing.


    Frank''s face started to go bright red.


    "Anyway, my point was that everyone has a story, if Dan is here most likely he has one as well. So whatever we see him doing let''s not be too quick to judge, okay?"


    What Frank had said had actually worked in calming the others down. They were worried about their friend. If he really was here why? The orphanage was located in a different location, it wasn''t part of the bad neighbourhood but somehow Frank''s story had made them think that maybe Dan had his own troubles he hadn''t shared with them.


    Finally, the group had arrived at the harbour. It was an old ce that was no longer used so there were just the odd ships that were being used now and then but there were still several warehouses that had been abandoned a long time ago.


    "Did Mac say where to go once we reached the harbour?" Scarlett asked.


    "No, he just said toe here at this time," Novis replied.


    Then arge voice was heard from behind.


    "It looks like you came after all."


    As the group turned around, they could see Mac with two of his friends standing by.


    "Damn it, it was an ambush," Alex said with his legs shaking like crazy.


    "Don''t worry we can take him on," Ashley said as she took out her kendo sword from her back.


    Mac then cleared his throat and spat on the ground just in front of Novis missing his foot by an inch.


    "Although I would love to rough you guys up, this isn''t our territory, besides were just here for the show."


    "The show?" The group said as they looked at each other.


    With Mac iming piece the group decided to follow him and his two friends around the harbour. They walked around for a while until they had eventually stopped outside of arge warehouse.


    "Hey, do you think maybe there''s like a group of people inside there waiting to jump out at us?" Alex whispered.


    "Arthur, George, you guys can travel a little away from my body while in spirit form right?"


    "Yeah as long as it''s not too far, it takes up a lot of energy," Gorge replied.


    "Do you mind checking inside the warehouse before we go in?"


    George then broke free form Novis''s mind and started to glide through the air. He reached therge two metal shutters and passed through, then a few momentster returned.


    "Well, is it an ambush?"


    George shook his head and had a worried look on his face.


    "It seems Mac was telling the truth, Dan is inside but I warn you. You are not going to like what you are about to see."


    As Mac walked up to the entrance of the warehouse the two guards let them through and Mac turned to face the others.


    "Well, are you guysing?" Mac asked.


    "What should we do?" Ashley said.


    "We go in, don''t worry I don''t think it''s an ambush."


    As the group walked through the doors and into the warehouse loud cheers could be heard. The room was packed with people. On the second floor above the railing people were cheering their heart out and below a crowd was forming around something.


    "Is it just me or does everyone here look like a criminal?" Alex said.


    "Would you stop stereotyping," Frank replied, but even he had to admit that everyone around looked like some mobster of a sort or a high school dropout.


    "Come on. let''s go see what''s happening," Novis said.


    As the son of the Head of the Ruman family, the gangs that were associated with the Ruman family cleared a path allowing Mac toe towards the front to watch the fight. At the same time, Mac signalled the others toe and join him.


    Mac wanted to see their faces as they saw their friend.


    When the group had finally arrived at the front of the crowd they looked into the ring in disbelief. Dan was inside the ring, his face all bruised and his nose and ears bloody, his opponent was Tony who the others had seen once before as well.


    "What is all this!" Scarlett shouted.


    "This is what your friend is really like. He''s just like me, a gang member."


    ****


    When Tony had entered the ring, it was a huge surprise for Dan, he paused and felt like his whole life hade crashing down. It was obvious when he thought about it. Dan knew that Tony worked for the Ruman family and was an incredible fighter, so this was always a possibility.


    On the other hand, Tony was even more surprised, but he did everything he could to not show it on his face. He knew Dan was in a gang member but didn''t know it was the one that the Ruman family had disputes with over the years.


    The two of them looked into each other''s eyes and then Tony took a fighting stance.


    "I''m going to be giving it everything I got so I expect you to do the same," Tony said.


    The fight had begun and Tony came dashing forward, his mind had switched and he was in battle mode. He was in the ring just like all the other fights he had before.


    Dan was still struck and unfocused, a kick came towards his stomach pushing him back and into the crowd. As he stumbled into the people the crowd immediately pushed him back into the arena forcing him to fight.


    Tony came forward once again this time a kick to the head, but Dan was ready and lifted his forearm covering the side of his head. However, the kick was powerful and still knocked Dan''s arm to the side and into his own ear.


    Suddenly, the whole room was swirling around him, this was bad. When getting hit just under the ear it caused the liquid inside your head to spin and now Dan''s bnce was all over the ce.


    Tony charged in once again this time delivering an uppercut to his face. Dan''s head flew back and blood started spurting out of his nose and from his mouth.


    "He''s serious." Dan thought, "I need to fight back!"


    Dan managed to stay on is feet and moved back a few steps now circling around the ring. He needed to recover, there was no chance he could go in like this while his head was still spinning.


    Tony came forward but Dan made sure to keep distance avoiding the strikes. The crowd seeing Dan running around the ring started to get frustrated and the room was being filled with boos.


    "We have to do something?" Scarlett cried. "He''s hurt so bad."


    "Are you crazy?" Alex said, "Can you not see everyone around here, just by looking you can tell this is an illegal fighting ring. Most likely some people have betted thousands on a winner. If we stopped something like this, we would be dead, targeted for the rest of our lives."


    "Novis what should we do?" Scarlett asked.


    Novis looked at the worn-out and beaten down Dan, but his eyes were still lit with fire but it was also clear the fight wasn''t going his way.


    "I don''t know." Novis answered.