The screen flashed with the name Storm Dragon in a big neon blue light.

-What a match ladies and gentlemen, this is the victory of the dragon.

-I've just been confirmed that this is an abandonment by Cyclops.

-At what point? You're delusional Storm Dragon has clearly won at the final blow.

Leaving the screen running Greg let out a big sigh.

-I won a bet today. It may not have gone as well as I thought, but with the game so close, I can't tell you how much money changed hands.

Willy was in a trance. Greg stopped talking to observe him, a smile on his lips he gave him a tap on the shoulder.

-Impressed?

Willy, his eyes riveted on the body of Cyclopoulpe. began to think.

-Greg, this is the first time that Cyclopoulpe has literally lost his pants?

Drinking his beer Greg pointed to the TV.

-On the screen, definitely. Most creatures are anthropomorphic. But Cyclopoulpe is clearly not, in my opinion, I mean in my opinion. The controller and his team didn't want to scare off possible sponsors. Who would want to put their money on an octopus. Especially against a dragon.

-He was going to win.

Greg looked at Willy who was still focused on the screen.

-How do you know that?

-I think the game is rigged. Storm Dragon was much worse than in the previous videos. Here? He was just in the beast world, nothing else. Charging headlong, he gave Cyclops everything he wanted, an opportunity.

-With his claws the dragon would have cut him in half, it's normal for him to hesitate.

-Look where they are, he could have lured him out of the water and onto dry land, but no, they stayed on the beach, the worst place to fight a clearly amphibian being.

-Caught in the heat of the moment.

-Now, you're the one talking about strategy, and how complex monster fights are, but looking at these two it looked like a bar fight. With the drunken dragon and the octopus a MMA fighter.

-You're imagining things.

-Maybe, or maybe the fighter controlling Storm Dragon had changed.

-No way.

-Why not?

-There is something called cerebral cortex attachment, CCA. That's fancy talk for the more you connect with a creature, the more compatible you are with it, but the harder it is for a new controller to use it. It's as if the creature not only has amnesia but also has two people giving it contradictory orders.

-Ok, so why did Cyclops give up?

-I have a theory, for that matter, the sea water. His legs with the pants there. He keeps seawater there to breathe on land.

Punctuating his statement with finger pointing, Greg's gaze turned to Willy who was holding his chin contemplatively. Greg continued the explanation.

-Having lost the pants Cyclopouple did what he had to do, a final. All for all.

-Remember what I said at the beginning of the game. The weird feeling.

-Yeah?

-Check out an old Octopus game. I think he switched the position of his limbs for the match.

Greg frowned before leaning in to see.

-Are you sure?

-Of course not, but clearly there was a difference with the strength he showed against the turtle, Cyclops should have easily gained the upper hand when he grabbed the tail.

The TV had just finished commenting on the match when the announcers started reacting to a news flash.

-We have just learned that the Storm Dragon team has just entered the interview.

On a podium a table had been set up with red black microphones ready for use, behind a windscreen with the logo of the monster fighting federation stood proudly on a pristine white background. Figures entered the room and already a flurry of cameras had flashed. Greg leaned back in his seat.

-Willy tomorrow you and I are opening a detective agency, no we are going to play the lottery.

-Why?

-Why? Look at this.

At the podium came Douglas Stifleur, the director of the Storm Dragon team, Hector Malim, the new Storm Dragon coach and finally an unknown person. Or rather as the screen presented him. Oscar Collins, Storm Dragon's controller. When he appeared, the flashbulbs exploded, lighting up the room, which was already overexcited and did not wait for the stars of the scene to be seated to start asking questions.

-Oscar Collins!

-Who's this?

-Ok Take Scotland and England. You take the previous controller and replace him with the new one.

-Oh.

-A little yes, Collins and Leo Flint the former Storm Dragon controller were like cats and dogs. The two had nothing to do with each other, Flint totally outclassed Collins and placed him in a permanent replacement position and after Flint's CCA went public making any other controller unable to effectively operate Storm Dragon. The fact that Flint isn't here means that he was either fired or dead.

-Mr. Stifleur, question about the change of controller for Storm Dragon, why?

-Because of an argument in the workplace. Mr.Flint Leo was fired from his services the day before the fight.

A flurry of questions continued as Lucas was brought back to reality by the phone in the room. Moving towards the old landline hanging on the wall. He picked up the phone.

-Young Willhope, your contract is up, come see me now at the club.

-Yes, Mr. Woodmill.

After hanging up, Greg turned to him.

-You'll be fine. You'll see.

-I wish I had your optimism.

-You want the secret? Simple, you find something that could make it worse and you fix it. You needed money, boom, you got a new job that pays. And then if it doesn't work out, you can always come back to the company. Woodmill never punishes failure when you're not responsible. At least not this kind. So stop thinking and take the time to enjoy your small successes, until they become big ones.

Greg had his arms raised to the sky mimicking a reward that was supposed to fall there.

-You're being ridiculous.

-Maybe, but at least I don't see the glass as half empty.

----------------------------------------

******

In the city center of Liverpool it's fast, the world is moving, people are coming and going, they have to eat quickly to get back to work quickly. In fast food restaurants people come and go, waiters and waitresses have to be fast. They move and move between the tables to get the food to the customers. Whether it's in the dining room or at the stove.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

-Order CB 45 ready!

-Sending it out.

In the kitchen, a cook making the fries heard a commotion behind her. Leaving the fryers to her teammate, she turned to the manager and one of the waitresses. Seeing her, the latter motioned for her to come closer.

-Emma, I need your help. We have trouble. Marie won't go near them. Can you handle it?

-Which table with which order.

After a short exposure. Marie received comments and a hand grazing her from a group of men at a table. With the rest of their order ready, Emma took the tray with her manager behind her serving another customer. Arriving at the table, six guys were sitting at a table for four, the other two having taken two seats from other tables without permission. Seeing an opening she was about to put the trays down when one of them saw her and moved the trays to force her to walk past the two extra seats and bend over to put them on the table. Not wanting to play the game. Emma smiled at them before coming closer.

-Oh, excuse me, I thought your order was not complete. I'll pass on that your order is complete and leave you alone.

The group that had been smiling in anticipation was shocked when Emma turned around with the order, not realizing it immediately one of them called out to Emma but she continued and went behind the counter to drop off the dishes.

Two of the men were now at the counter calling out to the other employees for their orders. The manager arrived and with a big smile began the following conversation.

-What can I do for you?

-Your waitress didn't serve us our order.

-Oh are you sure it was yours?

-Yeah, kind of, yeah, she even said she thought our order was complete when it wasn't.

-But I went by your table and there was no easel left for your order.

-The first waitress took it. But look, I have the paper with the list.

-Indeed, but I can't be sure that you have already eaten part of your meal. Would you like me to look at the surveillance video so we can be sure?

The two young men looked at the clearly confused manager before the second pulled his shoulder.

-No, I'm fine.

Gritting their teeth, they walked back to their buddies who exchanged several insults and a slap in the face for one of them. Clearly they were not happy to have had their meal paid for in vain. All because of a hand to the ass. One of them finally got up to go to the counter taking one of the boys with him. Gaining the attention of the manager.

-We would like to apologize for earlier. He acted without thinking.

-Oh I don't think I'm the one to apologize to, young man, what you did was pathetic.

-Sir, we paid for the food, we would like to apologize and settle this incident.

For a second the manager judged the two and called Marie. After a pathetic apology. Emma took out the food and gave it to them. The incident could have ended there if the guy had not looked at Emma that way.

The service continued until finally Mary and Emma were able to change. Stretching in the coolness of the outside air, she called her brother and spoke very quickly.

-Will, I'm going to spend the evening in town with Marie, I'll call you if there's a problem.

-Did he really understand what you said?

-Answering machine, he never looks at his phone. So, store or disco?

-After today. A movie.

-Ok

Starting to leave, Emma noticed a group zoning in next to one of the exits. Waving to Marie. The two of them went in another direction.

-What did you see?

-The guy from earlier.

Without further explanation the two went towards the public transport without looking back. Seeing a cab they got in. The driver. Turned around in surprise.

-Are you girls in a hurry?

-Some weird guys are following us, can you drop us off two blocks away?

Emma turned around and saw three of the men looking around. Marie turned to her.

-When did it get so bad here?

The cab driver answered.

-Since the train station and the other places they were hanging out were patrolled by more than just police officers.

-Like what?

-Other gangs, I advise you girls to be careful, more and more people are getting mugged lately, it's bad for everyone.

After a short ride, the driver dropped them off and offered them a ride. Thanking him, the girls decided that it was enough excitement for one day and decided to go home. Separating at an intersection. Emma continued on her way alone, strolling through the streets. The weather was beautiful, but it was cool, and she continued on her way with a smile, stopping to look at the stores and even going into one of them. To see the clothes she finally passed in front of a mirror to admire herself. Dark circles under the eyes, no make-up, her face was well and quite refined, her horse's tail let see her badly coiffed hair. Her outfit was bland. dress shoes with jeans and a Queen t-shirt, her coat was the only "new" thing and it was her brother who bought it for her. a nice black coat.

She was about to get her first paycheck. She decided that instead of getting a gift she would give it. She left the stores witout taking anything and went back home.

She thought about many things on the way, especially about her brother, Will, about his accident, about how one man's generosity changed everything. The present too, now that she was noticed, she had to decide what to do, changing jobs was an option. The walk was long but she preferred it to passing by the zoners. At least she had hoped so.

-Hey, what a nice surprise, if it isn't Emma. How are you?

At the top of a staircase a group of young people in overalls and caps were waiting for her. One of them, a tall, unshaven white man, about 6 feet tall, came up to her with his arms spread out as if to hug her. She immediately took out a pepper spray from his bag. He stopped dead in his tracks, his smile frozen, full of discomfort. Raising his arms as if to surrender.

-M, do you remember me? That's Dan, we used to play together with your brother, we were buddies.

-That's right. Was, past tense that gives you no right to talk to me like we were friends. Because if you were, you would have shown up in the last few years, instead of accosting me in the street like I was a hooker to be picked up and thrown away.

His friends, shocked as well as amused, snickered and laughed at the reply. Emma continued to try to walk around the men, then realized it wasn't worth it and turned back. Dan, wounded in his self-esteem, tried to hide his displeasure before trying to resume the conversation.

-We don't want to hurt you.

Emma didn't even listen to him as she made her way down the stairs. She did hear one of his friends laughing at him.

-She doesn't give a shit about you.

Emma continued on and took another route, she had started to run when she was lost from sight when she finally stopped and was out of breath. No one was following her, but she looked around to see if anyone was passing by. It was he and the others who had pushed her brother off the path, and the accident. She would never forgive them.

-What a fucking crappy day. Couldn't I just be quiet for once?

When she finally arrived at the house. The shed was open, the big steel doors had been ajar, and she rushed inside in fear. All she found was Greg and his brother moving weight machines.

Taking a deep breath at the two caught in the act. Greg gave her the thumbs up and she asked him what was going on.

-We're going to open the other shed.

-Condemn it? It's condemning for a reason. We can't afford to get rid of and maintain all that crap in there.

-That's why I have to explain it to you. Don't be mad.

-What did you do?

-A perfectly legal employment contract. The other shed will be used for storage. All the storage repair costs will be taken care of, even the electricity and water. We'll be able to change the boiler for the showers can you believe it?

Emma hated it, but the more it went on, the harder it got. A legal way to pay off our debts, she thought.

-In one week we'll make more than a month's salary. We'll have to unlock the other shed, so we'll move the machines or open the side door.

-Do you realize the task? It's collapsed, we have a part of the roof that is no longer there or rather on the ground in a mess.

-Listen, you give us a hand to see how to do it, if we clear the other shed we can reopen the room. Once the deal is done and all the stuff is gone, we'll turn it into a parking lot or something, but it'll be better than throwing away all the equipment in the room for a week. Okay?

-Okay. That's fine.

Letting go she helped to move the last objects blocking the iron door camouflaged behind a mirror. The door opened on what looked like an office, there was nothing left but dusty shelves, the windows had many small squares and revealed the emptiness of the room. Another rusty iron door opened on the remains of the building. A small portion of the roof had blown off and garbage had fallen in, pigeons, many pigeons had come here. Willy stepped inside, but Emma could see her brother thinking. Greg put his glasses back on and hissed his surprise.

-Wow. This is much better preserved than I thought.

-There's a lot of work to do in a few days.

-Nothing that can't be fixed with money.

-Will, Greg, we, don't, have, any, money.

-Emma we got an advance.

Emma looked at William, not understanding.

-Enough, enough to get everything up and running again.

-But how? Why? It's too good to be true.

Will reached over and took Emma's hands in his.

-Yes, I know, but this is the chance of a lifetime. We'll rent the Hangar and get some work done. We'll fix the boiler so clients can take hot showers again. Once the room reopens, in addition to the rent, we'll be able to make a small margin.

-We're talking about Mr. Woodmill. He still has another goal.

-We'll figure it out, we always have. But now we have money. We'll do whatever it takes to make sure it's legal and we don't owe anybody anything. Not even Mr. Woodmill. The only reason we were chosen is because we're the only legit ones. He won't try anything against us once we start paying him back without working for him. Because we'll make him more money without getting involved in his business.

-But you know what he does?

-Yes I know, that's why I immediately contacted Madame Louisa, do you remember her?

-Yes, she's the one who helped us when we needed a lawyer.

-She promised to take a look at Mr.Woodmill's papers for free.

Emma was confused and scared, but her brother reassured her. As she contemplated the situation, trying to take in everything that was happening, Greg returned from his neighborhood tour. Greg returned from his neighborhood tour.

-Well besides the obvious hole in the ceiling. Your moisture everywhere, pigeons in every corner. The big shed door is completely sealed with steel beams. The small door seems to work. But the ramp to get in looks passable for large equipment. It's a truck delivery ramp that goes behind it, it's the one that goes down there, but we're going to have to get rid of the trash containers that are outside and test if it opens, that's the only door I'd advise you to open right now. As you can see in addition to the ceiling, there are at least 5 other broken windows and one of the ventilation shafts is busted.

Willy chuckled.

-Anything else, building inspector?

-I'm not going to do all that, but I know some pros who don't mind a little quick cash.

-No Greg, I want safe guys.

-Okay... That's the plan. They have two types of rates if you know what I mean. I'll slip in that it has to do with Mr. Woodmill. It'll go through like clockwork. They'll do it quickly, but charge you like any construction site.

-That's fine with me as long as everything is fair and the prices are what they should be.

-I don't know where you two are taking me, but I'm hoping I won't regret it.