The Return of Alexander Knight

It was nine o'clock at night but the bustling streets of Veridian were still very much alive highlighting a very vibrant nightlife. The slums of Veridian was the place where night life in the city peaked as booze, sex, partying and the occasional robbing was a common sight at night."

Amidst the buzz, a delivery truck pulled over at a nightclub and the driver alighted from the vehicle. He circled to the back of the truck, carried crates of drinks and proceeded to enter the club. After navigating his way through the mesh of dancing bodies; he made his way to the bar with the crates in tow.

"Blake, I've got the drinks. Were you at?" The driver whose name was Alexander shouted, trying to call out the bar attendant.

"I'm here I'm here you can stop screaming already" Blake stumbled from the corner. Alexander only had to look at the man and he knew he was drunk.

"Drinking on the job Blake?" Alexander asked with a small smirk on his face.

"Shut up Knightdale. Take the crates to the back and get back here." Blake spat out and continued to indulge himself in liquor.

Alexander shook his head and took the drinks to the back of the bar. He went back to Blake and after collecting his tip, he started to hurry out of the club.

"Hold up Pretty face, we have unfinished business you're still owing me remember." Blake hollered at Alexander making him halt at his tracks.

Shit, Alexander thought as his mind began to race with possible excuses to come up with to stall the payment of his debt once again. If Alexander had his way, he wouldn't have even been at the club but He had a job to do and he could only hope Blake was in a good mood before he came. He was initially ecstatic when he saw Blake drunk and he planned to make a quick escape before he could become sober and remember the debt but it seemed fate had other plans.

"Well? Cat got your tongue Knightdale? Where is my money." Blaze asked with a dangerous undertone in his voice, Alexander gulped as he knew he wouldn't be getting out of this situation easily.

A few eyes gazed at the scene of the confrontation as people began to mumble.

"It's the pauper, he's owing someone money again." A man said with spite

"Seriously? This guy is just an annoying brat. He barely pays up his debts yet he keeps borrowing." another gossiped about Alexander

"Can't believe a handsome hunk like him would be so dirt poor. What a waste of good looks." A woman ridiculed

"Just look at his clothes, he can't even afford decent clothes, so sad" A man cackled

Alexander heard all the comments being directed at him and he gritted his teeth in frustration. He however didn't respond as he had no way of denying any of the insults directed at him. He was wildly known as a pauper and a debtor in the slums of Veridian, he was 26 years old, tall at 193 cm, and was very handsome with long blonde hair that was soft to touch and deep blue eyes that seemed to stare at your soul when you looked at it. Unfortunately, his good looks were completely overshadowed by his poverty and even though he worked as a delivery man in the Ale factory. His pay was barely enough to cater for his needs and so he became a well-known pauper with a knack for accumulating debts.

Blake began to make his way to Alexander with an empty bottle of alcohol in his hands when Alexander failed to reply to him.

"Blake, hey man, please I just need more time. Come on, cut me some slack." Alexander took a step back trying to plead with Blake.

"How much time do you need you wretched pauper?" Blake threatened as he made his way towards Alexander

"Just give me until next week, I'll get you your money stat." Alexander continued to back away as he raised his hand in self defense, in case Blake decided to move mad.

"How do you expect me to believe that you'll be able to come up with one thousand dollars within the week, Knightdale?" Blake raised an eyebrow as he questioned Alexander.

"Just trust me Blake, I'll think of something." Alexander pleaded trying to buy more time for himself.

Blake paused and after a moment of contemplation he nodded.

"Five days, Knightdale, you have five days. If you don't have my money in five days then I'll take my debt by breaking you from limb to limb." Blake threatened with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I'll get you your money in 5 days Blake. Drop the bottle please." Alexander said with relief on his face.

"Actually Knightdale, I feel you actually need a small example of what I'll do to you once you fail to give me my money." Blake moved suddenly, swiftly breaking the bottle on Alexander's head. The pieces of the bottle broke Alexander's skin causing him injuries.

"Get me my money Knightdale or else" With a final threat, Blake turned and made his way back to the bar.

Alexander pressed the wound on his head trying to stop the bleeding but it wasn't working. Gritting his teeth and swallowing his anger, he made his way out of the club with mocking gazes and cruel comments trailing him as he made his way back to his truck.

Retrieving a bandage from the truck's trunk, he bandaged the wound and sat inside the truck sipping on some alcohol he stole from the crates he was ordered to deliver.

He clenched his fist in anger as the embarrassment he was subjected to at the club was still fresh in his mind. The thought that he couldn't even do anything infuriated him even more and he threw his drink out of the window in frustration.

He began to dial his girlfriend's number as he needed to calm down but she didn't answer the call. After trying her number multiple times, Alexander gave up. He noticed for a long time that his girlfriend Bianca had begun to act a little weird, acting cold, nonchalant and distant. Alexander thought she was just in her period but when she persisted, he began to feel bothered. He decided to call his best friend Ethan to discuss the issue with him and cool down in the process.

He picked up the phone and dialed Ethan's number and after two rings, Ethan picked the call.

"Hey Alex, what's up man. Are you good?" Ethan asked

"I'm pretty banged up man but I'm still breathing at least." Alexander replied with a tired tone

"Are you sure you're alright Alex? Do you need help?" Ethan's concern was evident which made Alexander smile in gratitude.

"Are you home? I think I could use a break man." Alexander asked.

"Sure, come on over, you're a lucky man though. I just ordered pizza, so bring in some booze on your end." Ethan said

"Alright, no problem. Thanks man." Alexander replied

Alexander cut the call, started the car and began to drive to Ethan's crib.

***

After 20 minutes of driving, Alexander pulled up at Ethan's home eager to unwind and relax after the events of the day. Just as he was about to get down from the car, he noticed the front door of Ethan's home wide open. His eyes went wild with panic as he remembered Ethan had never been one to be this careless. He immediately began to dial Ethan's number and it rang with no response.

Instincts kicked in, Alexander took another bottle of alcohol, wielded it like a weapon and began to make his way into the house. He stealthily entered the house and he began to hear the sounds of commotion upstairs.

Making his way upstairs, he stayed hidden as he traced the sound of the commotion to a room and he was immediately overcome with panic by the scene before him.

Three men were standing in the room with weapons; Ethan was tied to a chair with his hands tied behind him and he was injured severely throughout his body with blood gushing out of his wounds like a broken dam. One of the men held Ethan's daughter and prevented her from screaming by gagging her in the mouth.

"You're completely useless. It seems this heist was a waste of time." One of the thugs said exasperatedly while hitting Ethan on the head to vent out his frustrations.

"Still, this heist hasn't been completely useless, this little brat can be a big enough incentive." The leader of the thugs pointed at the little girl his man was holding.

Alexander was frozen on the spot as he watched the spectacle. He wanted to rush in and save them but he bided his time waiting for an opportunity.

"Listen here idiot. Since we couldn't get any money from you, we're going to be taking your little daughter here. If you don't come up with the sum of fifteen thousand dollars before the month ends. You can say goodbye to your princess." The leader of the thugs said while pointing a gun at his daughter's head.

Ethan struggled violently but he was hit again and he slumped making the kidnappers erupt in laughter. Suddenly the thugs heard the sound of something breaking in the living room. The leader gestured for the other two to go downstairs and investigate. As they went down, the leader continued to taunt Ethan and then Alexander struck.

Alexander sprinted from his hiding spot and broke the bottle he was holding on the head of the thug; temporarily blinded by the alcohol, the thug screamed and thrashed around. Alexander used the broken bottle and pierced the jagged pieces into the back of the thug. Alexander switched his attention to his friend and his daughter and he immediately untied them.

"Uncle you came to save us, please help daddy he's hurt," the little girl named Eli cried as she hugged Alexander tightly.

"Take Eli and leave Alex, with my condition I'll only slow you down. Save her." Ethan pleaded while coughing out blood.

"I can't leave you here Ethan, we're leaving here together, besides I'd make a terrible father." Alexander said determinedly as he tried to carry Ethan on his back and leave the house.

"You still have time to make jokes, you idiot." Ethan smiled.

At point the other two thugs arrived back into the room and they stared at Alexander shocked, they quickly regained their composure and tried to attack Alexander. Alexander managed to continue fending them off. Alexander had been involved in a number of fights over the years and so he had experience fighting and together with his physically fit and stunning body, handling two thugs was something he could manage.

In the middle of the skirmish, the thug's leader cleared his eyes from the alcohol and in a moment of rage; he took out his gun and pointed it as Alexander.

"NOOO!" Alexander heard Ethan scream out loud and he abruptly turned only to witness Ethan lying on the floor with a gunshot wound on his stomach. Ethan had taken the bullet meant for him.

"Take the girl and let's leave." The leader of the thugs shouted and he immediately seized little Eli who was screaming at the top of her voice. The other two thugs followed suit and they swiftly made their way out of the house.

Alexander was torn between going after the thugs to save Eli and staying behind to save his best friend. In the end he stayed behind to take his best friend to the hospital.

"Please, Alex save Eli" Ethan kept murmuring as Alexander carried him to the car.

"You can't die Ethan, I'll save you then I'll save Eli. I swear it" Alexander swore as he started the car's engine speeding off as fast as possible until he reached the nearest hospital.

He jumped off the car, carried Ethan and rushed into the hospital screaming for help. The nurses immediately took Ethan from his hands and laid him in a stretcher, taking him to the intensive care unit.

Alexander waited outside pacing about while sweating profusely as he waited for Ethan's condition to stabilize.

Finally the door swung open and the doctor walked out removing his bloodstained gloves.

"Doctor, how is he? Is he going to be ok?" Alexander asked nervously.

"We have been able to stabilize his condition for now, but he needs immediate surgery to remove the bullet and repair the damage." The doctor said to Alexander with a serious expression on his face.

"How much will the operation cost doctor?" Alexander asked

"The operation would cost the sum of three hundred thousand dollars" The doctor immediately replied and Alexander gasped out in horror at the figure the doctor called out.

"WHAT!" Alexander gasped in horror