An excuse to replace

Fernandez furrowed his brows, unable to fully grasp what had been said.

"You don't need guards. He, on the other hand, needs an ambulance," Sylvester spoke out, pointing at the man.

|Sir...| A deep voice responded to Fernandez's call.

"Be on the alert to lead paramedics here." He ordered.

Tu... tu!

Hanging up before more questions could be asked.

Getting to his feet, Lila tugged at the hem of Sylvester's pants.

Mouthing the words, 'I'm sorry'.

She could tell that because of her, their identity could be exposed to the rest of the customers watching them.

"Ohoho! You still got some spunk in you after that?!"

'Fucking idiot!' Sylvester sneered, glaring behind him.

Pushing her behind him, Sylvester's twisted smile had the man stagger back in shock.

Fernandez shouted at the customers to evacuate, ordering his employees to lead the way to the emergency exit.

On closer inspection of Sylvester's wounds healing, he could easily tell this young lad was an anomaly.

With a press of a button, all doors were closed, the windows automatically darkening and engulfing the room in darkness.

With a tap on his phone, Fernandez watched the lamps flicker to give a substantial amount of dim light to witness what was to transpire between the two.

Lila hid under the table, having her hand over her closed eyes.

Looking around him in confusion, the man pointed at Fernandez and barked. "This isn't how you treat your esteemed customers!"

Waving his phone by his side, Fernandez took a glance at a scared Lila under the table. "Just because your brother had aided me with some funds in the past, doesn't mean you treat the others as lower class, Pam!"

Sylvester looked over to Fernandez with the latter making a ziplock on his lips and throwing away the key.

Before Pam could speak, he felt a slash at his neck.

Touching his neck, he stared at the blood on his hand, then at Sylvester who still stood in the same position since he got up.

Fernandez's eyes doubled in size with a smile, awe-stricken by the display of an anomaly's ability.

Pam's heart thumped hard in fear, pointing at Sylvester, "Y-you are an anoma–"

"It's not nice to hit defenseless people..." Sylvester cut in, his voice monotonous and cold.

'Defenseless?' Fernandez switched glances between Sylvester and Pam.

Taking a step forward, Pam took an equal step back. "Stay away, you monster!"

'Again with the name calling.'

Grabbing a plate, Pam flung it at Sylvester in hopes of having success as he had done before.

Suspended a few inches away from his face, Sylvester picked it and flung it right back but above Pam's head.

Smash!

Crouching, Pam had his hand over his head, trembling in response as the shattered remains fell onto his body.

Squatting in front of Pam, Sylvester pats his shoulder, hoping to lock gazes with him.

"... what sort of pleasure can one derive from a weak target? Only cannon fodders deserve their end."

Feeling a sharp object poke at his side, he yelped, opening his eyes immediately.

Staring in horror at the knife's tip aimed at his side, he looked up at the glowing eyes of Sylvester.

"Don't fret, I won't kill you." He switched his grip on the tip instead, offering Pam a seeming fighting chance.

Skeptical about the offer, Pam shook his head, refusing to take the knife from Sylvester.

Sylvester looked at the knife on his palm, then at Pam. "It's not an option."

With trembling hands, he reluctantly took the knife. Hyperventilating and continuously cursing in his thoughts for picking on the wrong target.

Giving a clap, Sylvester nodded his head in approval.

Looking back at his sister, Fernandez ducked, thinking he might be caught in the dispute if it looked as though he was invested in the two.

"All you need to do is apologize, and be as convincing as you can be," Sylvester warned.

Bopping his head, Pam crawled towards Lila.

Lila let out a high pitched scream in fear.

"I said apologize, not scare her, you piece of shit!" Sylvester barked, forcing his head on the floor.

Fernandez had a jump scare from the flickering lights that resonated with Sylvester's rage.

"I didn't think of th... that!" Pam mumbled.

"I am here, no harm would be done to you," Sylvester assures with a smile.

"I'm sorry, I was in the wrong. Pardon this stupid uncle." Pam pleaded.

'Uncle?' Sylvester grimaced, disgusted he could elate himself in his sister's status quo.

Lila shook her head, not convinced by his words. "He called you monster, brother Sylve. Unacceptable!"

Sylvester was left stunned by her unexpected words. With his lips breaking into a grin, he understood what she meant.

Releasing his hold on Pam, Sylvester projected a traumatic dream into his head.

With the knife dropping to the floor, Pam held onto his hair, pulling on it as he shouted in pain, repeatedly calling out for it to stop.

Nee-nore!

Nee-nore!

The loud, high sound that comes from the continuous noise of an ambulance parked in front of the restaurant, had Fernandez look at Sylvester.

"They are here." He announced, uneasy and nervous.

Stepping on Pam's neck, Sylvester suggested. "A mental hospital should be nice."

Opening his arms, he awaited Lila's hug.

Rushing over, she intentionally used Pam's head as a stepping stone to jump into Sylvester's arms.

Fernandez's brows twitched at the display, he could only thank his goodwill to the two that had allowed him to be in their good books.

'What if I had shunned them when he asked for food?' Fernandez lowered his head as cold sweat trailed down his back at the thought.

"Come up with the best story to back up his current situation! We wouldn't want word getting out about what you just witnessed, right?"

Gulp!

Fernandez shook his head, determined to show his support for the siblings. "Please have this before leaving."

In his hand, a basket of various fruits and a variety of packed dishes.

Raising a brow at the repeat of a strange kind gesture from Fernandez, Sylvester hoped to get an explanation on why he was different from the rest.

"We might have just met, but I feel you've gone through a lot to leave your soul broken and vengeful." He explained, dropping the basket on the counter.

The corner of Sylvester's lips raised with a smirk.

Bam!

Kicking Pam across the room, he crashed into a few tables and chairs with utensils, tablecloths, and dishes falling onto him.

Making his way towards the counter, Sylvester gave one final nod in appreciation.

"Go!" He whispered, nodding his head toward the other exit. "I will handle the rest. Feel free to come by whenever you want to."

Knock!

Knock!

Shhk!

Trying on the handle of the metal door were the guards who had led the paramedics to the top floor.

"Mr. Fernandez, are you in there?" One of the guards called out in worry to his employer.

"You would want us back even though you saw all of that?" Sylvester whispered, nodding in the direction of the destruction he had caused while toying with Pam.

"I haven't had this much entertainment since my high school days," Fernandez whispered back.

Smiling as he stared at the destruction made, "at least I got an excuse to replace with new ones."

"Thank you uncle for the lovely dishes," Lila whispered with a bow of her head.

With a final wave of goodbye, Sylvester walked through the exit door.

Certain that they were out of sight, he exhaled, dropping to the ground from weak knees.

Bang!

Bang!

'Oh shit!' He exclaims, rushing toward a broken piece of a dish, making a slash on his palm to make his cooked-up story believable.

Hissing in pain, he used his right hand to support the bleeding one.

'This act better be worth it!'

Crawling towards the phone he had left on the floor, he made sure his blood smeared and formed a trail on it for added effect.

A double tap was made on the screen, which lifted locks on the main entrance and reverted the darkened windows.

Pushing his back against the counter, assisting himself to sit upright, and staring at the door handle shaking from the rigorous effort on the other end.

Click!

"Sir!" The guards burst in, guns aimed at Pam.

The paramedics rushed in from behind with their first aid kits and another wheeling in a stretcher.

"That... deranged... customer... tried... to... k... kill me." Fernandez accused with a ruse and hoarse voice.

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Author's note

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