Chapter 31
The Deal
At lunch, Leo spotted Brick and his cronies picking on Jason.
“I'm giving you your third quest, Leo,” Imp said. “Defend the defenseless, again. Stand up for the boy who's being picked on. The reward is 10 demon tears.”
“About time you gave me another quest,” Leo grumbled. He'd improved since the last time they fought, but he still wasn't loving his chances against Brick and his friends. Besides, he'd just come out of the principal's office and had no desire to go back.
Fortunately, he had a plan.
“Hey Brick! Old friend. How's things?” Leo put on a big smile and headed for the three boys.
Brick glared at him. “I heard you decked Evan Peterson this morning.”
“That is what they call fake news, my friend. It was a misunderstanding. He bumped into my fist by accident. At least that's what I've spent the last three hours telling everyone in the principal's office.” It was kind of funny. When the principal started asking Evan why Leo might have wanted to punch him, it eventually came out that the other boy had punched Leo in the back of the head and tripped up Leo's friend. People became less sympathetic toward the big crybaby after that and they finally told Leo to go back to class.
“I don't care,” Brick said. “You owe me forty-five dollars and thirteen cents for a new shirt.”
“How did you come up with that amount?” Leo asked.
“It's actually forty-five dollars and thirteen point three cents,” Jason responded, studying his cellphone from where he stood against the cafeteria wall. “I wanted to tell Brick that ten percent interest compounded daily was unreasonable, but I was afraid he'd hit me. Nice of Brick to take the point three cents off the total.”
“What can I say? I'm a kind and generous guy,” Brick said. “The point is one of you had better pay up, or I pound you.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Well,” Leo said, still wearing a big smile. “I don't have the money, but I will in a month. If the three of you leave me and my friend alone until October 17th, I'll pay you then.”
Jason tapped his cellphone, face tense from concentration. “By October 17th, the amount in question will be over five hundred dollars.”
Leo shrugged. “Let's make it an even thousand. If Brick and his friends here leave us alone for the next month, I will pay them a thousand dollars.”
The three bullies looked dubious. “Where are you going to get a thousand dollars?” Left Crony asked, cellphone out, with its camera facing Leo.
“That's my concern,” Leo answered.
Brick stepped forward, using his size to glare down at Leo. “Let's say we wait a month, and you are unable to come up with the money. What then?”
“I'll have the money. But if I don't, I'll come to you guys and let you do whatever you want to me. I won't try to stop you, protest, report you, or anything.”
Right Crony went up to Brick and whispered something in his ear. Brick burst out laughing. “Oh, that would be awesome, then we post it online...” He laughed some more. “Okay, Leo, I think we can live with those terms. October 17th you'd better be here. You try anything or back out of the deal, and we'll spend the rest of the year hunting you down and making you suffer.”
“Great.” Leo, still smiling, held out his right hand to shake. Brick's response was to give him the finger and walk away.
From what he remembered, Brick and his two friends would become Afflicted after the change, or be eaten. Either way, they wouldn't be a problem. If they did somehow survive, he'd seen hundred-dollar bills blowing down Main Street, post-Change, and nobody bothering to pick them up. Finding a thousand dollars under those conditions would be a piece of cake.
As soon as they left, Jason ran over to Leo. “Are you crazy? I lipread that guy saying miniskirt and diaper to Brick. If the world doesn't end and you don't have the money, you're dead.”
“Who cares? I'll burn that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, Brick is off our backs, so we can focus on saving the world.”
“Congratulations,” said Imp, “though your methods were unorthodox, you completed your quest and defended the defenseless. You have also leveled up in negotiation skills and gained twelve Demon Tears.”
“I wish I could do more gaming with you this afternoon, but I'm supposed to come home for some family dinner thing,” Leo said. “I don't dare miss it. My parents are worried about me as it is.”
“Yeah. Pork chop night. Too bad,” Jason looked disappointed. “But help me out. Where do I get a 'plant?” He said the last in a furtive whisper.
“Like I said. If you see an old man looking for someone to carry his groceries, help him out and he might give you one. Other than that, I don't know. If I find one, I'll give it to you. Promise.” Leo felt bad for not telling his friend that he was growing an implant inside him. But that was for someone else, and telling Jason would only upset the guy.
Leo pulled out his lunch, suddenly starving. “I got a PB and PB sandwich. Want to trade? Just kidding, I like PB.”