Journey to The Other Side

Aoki is grabbed roughly by Ivan's 6 foot 7 bodyguard and taken to the back a sleek black tinted Cadillac Escalade.

You look starved. He said with surprising politeness as he handed a packet of half eaten KFC chicken and chips to Aoki. As much as he normally would have fussed at being handed left over, this was far from normal times. He had not put something in his belly for 3 days now and would kill for anything that looked like food.

"If I am about to die I might as well do it on a full stomach" Aoki muttered as he reached out for the food. He half regretted having said that as he suddenly feared the burly man would withdraw his offer of kindness.

Instead the burly man turned to face Aoki directly with a look of amusement and smirked.

"Haha, die this soon? That would be kindness. What awaits you is a fate worse than death" he said with a laugh as he passed Aoki some half taken Coca-Cola cup, the sort that come with fast food.

"A fate worse than death" Aoki repeated the phrase in his mind, trying not to let it get to him. The line had been repeated so many times that it was beginning to ring true.

"But surely, what could be worse than death?" He thought..

"As long as I am still breathing, I still have a fighting chance"

Aoki and the burly man sat in silence for another 20 minutes. Only occasionally glancing at each other through the drivers rear view mirror. The burly man had a scar across his face cutting from his forehead right through his left cheek.

"Battle scars" Aoki thought. He must be a toughened mafia street enforcer, likely one of Ivan's infamous debt collector. It was rumored that those people could rip your kidney right out of your body and leave you breathing just to settle a debt and make a point to anyone else having wet dreams about crossing their master.

"Escape" Aoki did not notice as the he accidentally thought out loud. Drawing a direct stare from the burly man. The burly man studied Aokis face for a few minutes before saying.

"Don't even think about it. I will rip your backbone out and whip you with it before you can even dream about it"

Aoki recoiled in fear, but he could feel the spirit of defiance rising in him now. "Escape" the word rang between his ears again. And again.

Moments later 5 figures were seen walking briskly out of the Quiver Lounge basement exit towards the car they were in. The burly man started the car on cue as one of the men got into the passenger front seat beside him. Seconds later 3 other cars started their engines and all four cars started pulling out of the parking. Aoki prayed something would happen to interrupt his journey to the other side. But deep down he knew no such thing would happen. Ivan was too meticulous a planner for that to happen. Ivan was known in the mafia circles for being an evil genius, he made no mistakes.

The drive to Ivan's residence was uneventful. No one spoke in the car except for an occasional curse from the driver aimed at other drivers on the road.

"Do these people know I can bite their head off and feed it to my pigs there is nothing they will do about it?" the burly man muttered at some point. With that he shot Aoki a glance through the rear view mirror. The message was passed.

They then pulled up to a massive gate leading into a compound hidden behind a heavily fortified residence. It felt like they were heading into a military barracks as the guard in full combat gear visually inspected the cars before pressing a remote that got the massive gate automatically opening.

They parked in front of large villa after driving for another 200 meters or so. Clearly no cost had been spared designing and constructing this marvel of architecture. Even his current predicament Aoki could not help but admire this work of art with all the lighting in and around it. The Christmas decorations were still on it, making it even more marvelous.

"What a glorious prison" Aoki let out a comment, now having regained some energy from the chicken and coke left overs he had gobbled down minutes earlier.

The man in the passenger front seat turned sharply to face Aoki. He had above average facial features, and although he lacked the scar on the other man's face, Aoki immediately knew this was not an enemy he wanted. The man looked fierce and intimidating by nature. Like he was born for this.

"Boy you better keep your food hole shut." He said coldly with a tinge of anger in his voice. "You are here to be seen. Not to be heard." With that he got out and walked over to Aokis door and yanked open.

"Out!" he barked as he reached in and grabbed Aoki by the back of his neck, the same way cops handle hardened criminals as they heard them to their jail cells.

"Get your hands off me!" Aoki snapped.

The man raised his arm as if to smack him right across the face but then his hand was stopped midair before it could connect with the flesh of his cheeks.

"Easy there Rigor" Ivan beloved. Before turning to Aoki.

"You will behave. Or there will be consequences for your actions. And you Rigor, don't kill my animal. Not just yet."

"Show it to its room" he added.

"Victor, follow me to my office" he added as the burly man with a scarface followed him inside.

"Victor and Rigor" Aoki took note of the names as he wondered why Ivan had saved him from the smack.

"Maybe he isn't as terrible as he thought to be. Maybe deep down he is a good guy. Maybe…"

"Aaaahhhh!!! Uuuiii!! Oh no Ivan!!" a scream from deeper inside the followed the pop of a gunshot with silencer startled Aoki out of thought train.

Ivan then stormed out from deeper inside the vila with blood droplets on his shirt and face headed directly towards them.

"Fuck!" Rigor exclaimed with fear written on his face.