I Want to Die, But I Am Immortal-Chapter 70: Friends 5

Eric and Joseph approached him directly. Like supplicants before a lord, they stood before the sofa. Adam joined them in standing. He surveyed the area. Men were standing on either side of the couch, their faces hard and unreadable, their arms crossed. He could tell they were skilled and tough fighters.

The wolves were them. And he was the lamb they had all been anticipating. However, they were unaware of this lamb’s ability to bite. And he was going to retaliate.

The atmosphere in the club was thick with unspoken tension. Adam stood before the man on the sofa flanked by his two friends. He was ready for anything. He was ready for a fight. But he was not ready for what came next.

Eric and Joseph spoke in unison their voices a practiced duet. "Look we did what you asked. Now give us the money you promised."

The man on the sofa smiled a slow predatory smile. Adam stared at his friends his mind struggling to process their words. "Are you two idiots?" he asked his voice a low incredulous whisper. "You really trust a man like this? You’re here to collect on a bet a gamble? What will your parents think when they find out about this?"

But then something unexpected happened. Something that shattered Adam’s world into a million tiny pieces. Eric and Joseph turned to look at him. And they were smiling. Not the nervous guilty smiles of before. These were genuine happy smiles.

"No Adam" Eric said his voice cheerful. "You’ve misunderstood. We didn’t gamble. We didn’t make any bets. We just did what this man asked us to do. He promised us a million dollars each if we delivered you to him."

Eric’s smile widened. "It’s a good deal isn’t it Adam? You’re our friend. You can do this one small thing for us."

Adam stared at them his face a mask of numb disbelief. He felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. The air was knocked from his lungs. He looked at Eric at Joseph at the two people he had considered his only connection to a normal life.

He thought of all the times they had laughed together all the stupid jokes they had shared all the small moments of friendship that had made his cursed life bearable. And he realized it was all a lie.

No he screamed in the silent prison of his own mind. Eric. Joseph. Please tell me this is a joke. Don’t take this away from me. Don’t take my last piece of a normal life.

But their smiles were unwavering. Their eyes were bright with greed. The regret the pressure the betrayal it all coalesced into a single searing point of pain in his chest.

Eric seemed to sense his emotional turmoil. He misread it completely. "Don’t be so upset Adam" he said his voice patronizing. "You were the one who told us you didn’t want to live anymore after your parents died. We’re just helping you. You should be thanking us."

The man on the sofa JokerX was thoroughly enjoying the show. He watched Adam’s world crumble with a detached amusement. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. "Pay them" he commanded.

A man came forward with two briefcases. He handed one to Eric and one to Joseph. Their faces lit up with pure avarice. They opened the cases. They were filled with stacks of hundred-dollar bills. Real money.

"You can count it here if you want" JokerX said.

"No sir" Eric said with a grin. "We trust you completely."

They turned to Adam their faces shining with a sickeningly sweet sincerity. "Alright Adam we’re leaving now. Thank you so much for being such a good friend in your final moments. We’ll never forget you our dear old friend."

They turned and walked away their footsteps a death knell on the polished floor. They didn’t look back.

Adam closed his eyes. The betrayal was a physical wound a deep bleeding gash in his soul.

"I don’t know how you’ve survived this long boy" JokerX said his voice a low menacing purr. "But this is your end."

As he spoke the men standing around the room began to close in. They formed a tight circle around Adam cutting off all his escape routes. They each held a short iron pipe a crude but effective weapon.

Adam let out a long slow breath. So this is how it is he thought. A strange smile touched his lips. It was a smile of pure nihilistic acceptance. The men surrounding him were taken aback by his reaction. They had expected fear begging tears. They had not expected a smile.

Eric and Joseph were gone. His last connection to a normal life had just sold him for a suitcase full of cash. He looked up at the ceiling of the club. "So you won’t let me have it" he whispered to the empty air. "The one thing I craved so much. A normal life. That’s fine. If this is what you want then this is what you’ll get. I don’t want a normal life anymore."

He lowered his head. His eyes were cold hard stones. Three men on his right side moved in. Two of them raised their iron pipes ready to smash his skull. The third one cocked back his fist aiming for his face.

Adam moved. He spun his body a fluid whirlwind of motion. His leg shot out in a powerful roundhouse kick. It connected with all three men at once a single devastating blow to their midsections. They grunted in pain and stumbled back. But they didn’t fall. They were professionals. Adam felt the impact of his kick reverberate up his leg. These were not street thugs. They were trained fighters.

The three men recovered quickly their faces contorted with rage. "You’re dead kid" one of them snarled.

Adam knew he couldn’t fight them all hand-to-hand. Not like this. He needed an equalizer. He summoned his inventory. A small blue light flickered in his hand. A silenced pistol appeared out of thin air.

The three men charged. They were fast. But Adam was faster. He raised the pistol. He fired three quick shots. Thump. Thump. Thump. The bullets struck each of them in the face. They dropped to the floor their bodies lifeless before they even hit the ground.

JokerX’s eyes went wide with shock. He jumped to his feet. "Get your weapons" he roared. He dove behind the sofa scrambling for his own gun which was stashed behind the DJ booth.

The other men in the room panicked. They ran for their own weapons which they had foolishly left scattered around the club. They had underestimated him.

They had thought this would be an easy job a simple execution of a helpless teenager. They hadn’t come prepared for a real fight. And that mistake was about to cost them everything. Adam now had the advantage. And he was going to make them pay.

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We are so grateful to each and every one of you for joining the adventure! Your assistance is greatly appreciated. I appreciate each and every one of your Power Stones, which are like mana potions that keep me writing if you are enjoying the story.

Let us have some fun now! I want YOU in this world. The new signature technique is about to be named by our hero. What ought it to be called?

Leave your most inventive suggestions in the comments section! I will choose my favorite, and it will be included in the story’s canon with a special mention for you.

I am eager to read your insightful recommendations!

Alphaboss

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