Chapter One: New Investment

Knees reluctantly made contact with the ashen hardwood surface-sealed floors below. A hand unwillingly reached into the mildly sized bucket nearby and grasped the overused and soaked cloth within. Hearing the splashing of soap filled water hit as the towel was slammed down and aggressively pushed forward by a fueling anger that has yet to be calmed. Pale fingers gripped the cleaning utensil tightly, teeth promptly clenched furiously and nostrils flared. Short pants escaped animalistically as his chest heaved with each rough scrub against the innocent flooring.

I hate this.

I hate him.

He was seething head to toe and the incident that caused this inner tempest had only just occurred the day before. Too much to intake, to process and handle with acceptance. How could anyone adapt to this kind of situation effortlessly without blowing a gasket? An urge of defiance twisted ever so passionately within his veins. An insult waited at the tip of his tongue if anyone addressed him while in his fit of embedded rage at this predicament.

He moved along the patterns seeing the particles of sand and grime kick up with the help of the cleaner he had sprayed within the water beforehand. He inched surely yet slowly across the designated washing area pondering on how much more trouble he could get into if he called it quits, threw the bucket down and made an absolute mess instead of doing what he was told. The confrontation still fresh on his mind, the agony of the outcome and the twinge of regret seated astronomically upon his heart.

He only looked decent.

His fingers intertwined patiently together against the polished office table. The atmosphere thick and strangulating yet held a rather familiar smell that lingered in hospitals: sterile. It made anyone elicit an unpleasant shiver. Shoulders hitched slightly against the material of his freshly pressed business suit, ensuring a speech was definitely about to be given. His expression appearing understanding yet something untamed and dark flickered just beneath the surface. Everything about this man radiated dangerous even with his 'calm and collect' composure. It made Jack's skin break out in unwanted goosebumps which didn't aid the nervousness churning in the depths on his stomach. His father stationed beside him in similar posture, just as unsettled and for good reason.

"Your time is up and I must say, Thomas, that I'm not nearly as impressed as I should be. You seem to be missing a dire part of this equation. The answer is clearly absent from the table as I see you dismayingly here with nothing in return at our date of agreement. Care to explain this little conundrum?"

The delivery of his words were smooth yet to the point. It clarified he spent little to no time beating around the bush. If there was any indication of vexation he hid it with ease. Thomas placed his hands flatly upon the tabletop, his mouth opened in pause while momentarily brainstorming some suitable explanation. His eyes glanced toward Jack as if his son held the desperately needed answer. They barely talked before this all happened. His dad coming to him in wild panic pleading to him for help, that he had done something impeccably selfish and he didn't know what to do next.

Jack attempted to comprehend his father's actions-not understanding the situation at hand. When the problem finally tumbled out of his mouth it was far too late-jerking frightened and confused when hearing the door being broken down. Anyone could imagine the frozen dread they both felt from seeing two massive looking and unfriendly men standing in the doorway of their home.

Jack could see the forming sweat coming into play upon his father's brow.

Keep it together dad.

"I..." Thomas hesitated before frowning immensely, his expression sinking into one of resolved grief. Jack himself swallowed thickly in a silent spell hoping a certain individual across the table was a forgiving sort of fellow. I highly doubt that possibility. "I was blinded by greed. I was so focused on what I wanted to accomplish that...I didn't consider the consequences of my actions and now I can only say that I don't have the money I owe you, Mr. Black."

That's what Jack had feared when his father told him he took a loan from someone with money and decided to gamble with it in their short conversation before gruelingly ending up here. He felt a pooling disappointment in his father for committing such an act yet he couldn't find it in himself to be astoundingly angry with him. He surprisingly found himself worried for him.

This isn't good.

"As honorable as your honesty may uphold that doesn't excuse you from what has already been established. Your greed is none of my concern, yet my worries now sit upon your shoulders on just what am I to do with you, Thomas? It's clear you can't be trusted with a simple uncomplicated loan. You're inadequate as a holder and the only option I have left is to silence you."

No.

Jack inhaled sharply; terrified that he would even consider that. He can't do that! His father seemed to instantly agree with the extreme paling of his skin and eyes wide with pure and utter horror. Everything was moving much too fast. A panicked dread fueled his limbs, his heart thundering within his chest. His legs sprang up instantaneously, his chair scraping against the marble floor while slamming his hands down hard upon the table.

The glare of disdain undeniable.

"You can't do that! That's murdering someone!"

Those interlocked fingers twitched as cold and calculating eyes landed on Jack. As if seeing him for the first time since he entered the office and Jack knew this man didn't bother acknowledging his existence since it was clear his business wasn't with him but with his father. It sent a sharp shiver of unease down his spine yet he held his ground. He simply couldn't sit there and keep silent knowing a death threat was thrown at his parent.

A thin smile etched its way across his seemingly calm and angular features. It reminded Jack of a grinning snake which didn't help the anxious stirring of pins and needles across his skin.

"Jack-" Thomas interjected attempting to hush his son before the situation got any worse. He didn't get far with the look of warning shot in his direction.

It shut him up immediately.

"Do please tell me, Jack-what exactly it is you plan on doing to fix this little dilemma, hmm? Do you have the money your irresponsible parent owes me? No? Then perhaps he should have thought twice about coming to me for money. My policy is simple ignorant boy. You take from me you give back immediately at our designated due date. If one fails to fill the terms then obviously I'm not left with many options now am I?" His voice lower, dry-hinting something dangerous if Jack kept going.

He couldn't stop himself.

Venom was spat.

"Then maybe if you found my father as a 'inadequate holder' you shouldn't have given him the deal in the first place!" His words filled with strong accusation. His brow narrowed in searing spite. "You could have avoided the whole thing! Yet you choose to accept the deal. I wonder who really is at fault here. Yeah, I get it-my father did something stupid but that shouldn't cost him his life!" Jack was going to come to his father's defense if he could. He refused to just sit there and do nothing.

However, it appeared his efforts were in vain.

Thomas yanked him down shortly by the upper arm while slapping a hand promptly across his mouth and holding firm. Jack jerked in his grip, blue eyes glancing at his father in wild befuddlement.

Why did you do that-?

"You'll have to forgive him, Mr. Black. He's a short-fuse who doesn't know when to shut up." He hissed into his son's ear demandingly. Jack translated it as a fierce warning. What don't I understand? It left him thoroughly puzzled since he thought he was doing the right thing. "You are absolutely right. I owe you money I don't have and you have been very patient with me. I ask that we continue our conversation with my son outside the room and away from all of this. He clearly isn't a part of what's next." Jack gave a noise of protest from behind his father's hand. Thomas only answered it with a small squeeze. Jack realized then that he was shaking; he was terrified yet held it so desperately beneath the surface.

It made Jack's heart ache.

This shouldn't be happening.

A deafening silence made itself known when the man across the polished office table hadn't spoken since Jack's outburst. The expression of deep contemplation sculpted onto his features with such an intensity Jack thought where he was staring could physically catch fire. A second later a wicked smile spread across his lips. As if something genius struck him.

"I don't think that's necessary at all since this next 'little' part includes your son quite astronomically and I'm delighted to say," His attention fully on Jack now, unyielding and thorough. It made the boy across the way unimaginably vulnerable. "-That I, will extend to you, a generous deal that I would recommend to take." His joyous outlook drastically changing into one of ruthless and unfriendly promise.

"Then again, you don't have much of a choice in the matter. You, coming into my office with such a haughty and disrespectful attitude, not to mention preaching to me what's right and wrong." He leaned back in his chair, as if to give pause for the next handful of words. However, this time his words were laced with sinister amusement. "Do you feel like a hero, Jack? Attempting to save your dear old dad from an unforgiving fate that he brought upon himself? Do you think your righteous perspective will shine any light on this situation? Well, then I have some news for you, foolish boy."

By now Jack felt a thrumming dread deep within his chest. His father moved long ago, his knuckles white against the fierce holding of his chair's arm rests.

Jack swallowed thickly.

A finger pointed in his direction eagerly yet firm.

"You win. The debt is cleared and gone! No harm done! However, I'm making you my new investment. You want to play this game with me? You want to prove something to me from your pitiful deposition? You will surely lose this battle, Jack. And I will have the privilege of seeing you break underneath the pressure. You will stay here and your father goes free, grieving and feeling undoubtedly guilty over how he let his poor innocent son fall so easily into the hands of someone so cruel and evil as I."

Jack was speechless yet the look of utter distressful turmoil reflected strongly within his expression. His mouth parted open in icy apprehension. His thoughts splintered sharply with no way. He could tell the devil across the way was practically relishing in his reaction.

"You can't do that." Thomas growled, a fire in his eyes that promised pain. His will to protect his son stronger than his fear to die. "This doesn't concern him, Black! He isn't some toy you can play with!"

"How adorable, you think you actually matter now? That your words have meaning to me? A few seconds ago you were willing to die for a selfish cause. You and I are nowhere near equals, Thomas. And you are mistaken to attempt to be so familiar with me. I'm in the middle of making a deal. It's simple, your son is in my care until I see fit and in return you live. If he truly wishes to get out then he'll have to pay back what you could not."

His words were final and as if on cue the doors opened up behind them. The same two massive and unfriendly looking men stepped in on a silent command. One instantly grabbing Jack by the upper arms and lifting him up without much effort, the other immediately restraining his father down in his seat. The process occurred so fast Jack jerked within the grasp still attempting to register what just happened. His father was spitting words angrily yet they fall on deaf ears as Mr. Black addressed him.

"Do we have a deal, Jack?"

He blinked a few times then as if that would deliver some kind of clarity upon the situation. As if this feeling of searing anxiety would somehow simmer down and vanish. That he would be back home doing simple things, back to the normality he was used to and not about to agree to some unthinkable deal he barely could touch the concept of. He was entering a snake hole and the exit just collapsed behind him.

He was trapped here with no choice but to fumble forward within the foreboding darkness.

"Yes."

Note: Any feedback is appreciated as this is kind of a writing practice for me after dropping story-writing for four years. I'm trying to get back into it and I figured the fic corner would be the best place to get the gears turning again. However, I do warn the fact I lose motivation easily and updates could take some time so I make no solid promises. Another point I should place here is that this kind of story will be a slow burn meaning you will be sorely disappointed if you were expecting instant fornication. This will not happen for quite a while since I'm attempting to make this realistic as possible in my own standards of developing relationships.

Thank you for reading and see you in the next one!