Genius Proposal

As soon as the meaning behind those words surfaced, Tom uttered a quiet gasp behind his hands clutching at his mouth. What Lord Nova was practically saying is that, Detective Jerry should go to the town of Malia on his own and find Lord Yael to bring him back home.

“that way, the lead to the whereabouts of Yael stays in between us five and there will be no concern about any rat any longer” Nova explained further.

The proposal was genius in Nova’s opinion but he failed to notice that he suggested the idea without considering DJ’s desire. Whether the boy agreed or not, Nova felt like the decision was best in everyone’s interest.

The man has said that like it wasn’t a big deal, or that it didn’t involve an innocent life completely at risk.

Tom had intended to earn some cash outside his monthly salary so he could hit a few clubs for leisure time but the turn of events didn’t seem in his favour at all. This wasn’t what he had expected before he decided to accompany his dear friend to the land of Lords.

Almost instantly the boy felt himself caught up in a scenario he would probably ignore against anything in his life.

The detective was no different than his friend. With wide doe eyes complaining as they travelled from one lord to another, the boy felt miserable. He couldn’t dare open his mouth to tell the others no. Scared of the daring stunt and afraid of the consequences that might follow, he opted to remain quiet.

Nova stood waiting for his proposal to showcase any of the results but nothing came in return. He observed how the young detective felt conflicted and how his eyes were roaming between the others, a strange emotion swirling in his dark orbs.

The detective was clearly uncomfortable.

Ezekiel stared at DJ and felt his heart pierce with pain when he saw how traumatized the detective looked. The boy was so young and innocent. He didn’t deserve such adventures which could take his life at one unfortunate moment but Ezekiel, a hopeful father, didn’t have a choice that was as suitable as this.

He wouldn’t want the boy to suffer just because he wants his son back but the idea proposed by Nova made sense in the best way.

The old man found the thought, suggested by his younger brother, relieving. If only the detective is ready to comply with the demands of the Lords, with his will, and the other things remain in their best interest unlike previous times, then the matter of Yael’s rescue is as simple as solved.

Lord Ezekiel observed DJ from his seat, he discerned the constrained state of the young boy regarding the matter as he balanced every nook and cranny of the proposed idea in his mind.

The room went silent with all eyes waiting for the oldest to speak. Ezekiel was to give the final directions, the lord was the one who would decide any further action which made both Tom and Jerry squirm in unease.

Ezekiel stood up from his exclusive seat and sauntered towards the detective slowly. While Tom prayed to the powers above to show some magical mercy, Jerry held his breath as he watched the lord approaching him and finally standing tall in front of him.

The quietness that followed wasn’t a good sign, Jerry knew it wasn’t.

Ezekiel didn’t utter a breath, he bore his eyes on the small, squirmy form of the detective as he contemplated many things in his sharp wit altogether.

The wait was long and the anticipation was killing Jerry inside.

“lo-lo-ord…” he whispered with a whimper, silently begging through his eyes and trying to convey his dilemma. But it all seemed to be falling on deaf’s ears when Ezekiel started.

“what do you think about what Nova said, my dear?” he asked authoritatively, voice laced with command and aura broad and daunting.

Jerry shrunk right where he was as he lowered his shaking gaze from Ezekiel. The detective was already disturbed by the discussion the brothers were holding about him, hell he was ready to forget his emolument just to get out of this mind-racking scenario.

But still, he couldn’t encourage himself enough to speak his mind.

 Tom eyed his friend, who stood like a student in punishment, as he caught up to the pressure building in DJ’s mind. Tom knew his friend like the back of his hand, he was well aware of the painful and hurtful fact that the detective tends to agree on remarkable things if the pressure is more than bearable.

The fact was hurtful yet a scary one since he had accompanied his friend to the den of lions himself. And if anything that goes against their well-being, Tom has to suffer at least a small part if not the whole deal.

He didn’t sign up for this.

Well actually, the detective didn’t sign up for it. The strong gaze of Ezekiel, like a Hawk, was piercing through his soul making his mind go hazy, a small tremble with fidgeting fell over him and Leo watched the younger in concern.

“you can do it, right? You can bring my son back to me right?” Ezekiel questioned in a neutral voice time but the factor regarding command was still very much observable.    

Leo wanted to interrupt, he felt the need to say that his father had proposed the most unfair idea and his uncle was considering it without thinking of the young, uncomfortable, innocent boy who did not have anything to do with the Lords and mafia.

But he kept his quiet and listened to the unfolding events with an unreadable expression on his handsome face.

“you will be provided with everything that is needed for this mission. Money, security, your travelling to Malia, you name it and it will be granted in no time.” Nova interrupted when he saw DJ trying to open his mouth and wanting to say something.

Afraid that the boy might disagree, the man jumped to add more facilities.

DJ went quiet once again, he lowered his gaze as his doe eyes filled with tears.

This wasn’t what he had planned after all. With the money he was going to get against his services, the detective had planned to leave his dump of a living to find an affordable and a bit better place for his business.

Alas!! He was regretting. For what exactly, the boy didn’t know.

“do it son, do it for the father who longs to see his son alive. Do it for me, my dear, bring back my son” Ezekiel supported his brother’s suggestion as he placed his hand over the tiny, already distressed shoulder of the detective.

DJ flinched at the sudden contact and gulped audibly.

Once again there seems to be an imbalance merge of plea and command in the Lord’s voice, making it difficult for both friends to decipher its true meaning.

What exactly does Ezekiel desire from the detective?

DJ wanted to think about it for a minute, he wanted to breathe for a minute and he wanted to deny the new nerve-wracking task, that was imposed on him, with all his might but all the eyes fixed over his small, vulnerable form, his friend breathing a silent no at his back and Ezekiel’s heavy hand over his shoulder made him choose otherwise.

As if he had any choice from the start.

The boy was under the eyes of the most feared empire’s Lord. He couldn’t get away as easily as he thought. The Lords knew how to make things work according to them and if anything that isn’t bendable according to their wish, then unfortunately, that thing has to break right from the middle.

That is how simply cruel they were.

Helplessness started to fog his mind, being stuck in a situation he could no longer avoid, the detective found himself nodding his head as a tear slipped his eyes, landing softly on his blushy red cheek.

Tom was restless, standing behind his friend. The older feared his friend agreeing to an undoubtedly risky job, and to his worst fear coming true, DJ was agreeing to find their Lord Yael.

Ezekiel smiled in triumph, pulling the boy to hug him sideways, making DJ close his eyes on instinct.

“b-but, Lord…..Malia is a free and notorious town, how can Jerry----….” Tom blurted out his concern for his friend and almost instantly regretted it when all three lords darted their gaze towards him.

He has spoken without any permission in front of sadistically cruel Lords, the act could turn out fatal or worse than fatal.

“then I suppose, you could accompany your dear friend to Malia. That way, you would be less worried and would be able to defend your friend in any harmful circumstances” Nova suggested with a smile. A smile that was nowhere friendly; it was pure sarcasm that proved that lord Nova didn’t like what Tom had said.

Tom felt like he was drowned with a bucket of cold water. He stood frozen on his spot, regretting and beating his own ass from blurting out nonsense that could bring nothing but his own demise.

He was fucked.

“L-Lord, I….I have a job here. I can’t go with him” Tom muttered as he glanced at Jerry who was already staring at him with a slightly complaining frown.

‘Why do you have to open your mouth?’ is what Jerry was supporting on his face.

“you can come here with him unnecessarily but can’t go with him to Malia?” this time it was Leo who stepped up making Jerry take a step back and Tom regret even more.

Ezekiel glared at Tom with something close to pissed making the other lower his eyes.

“Answer him…my child” Ezekiel commanded with a low daunting voice.

“I….uh….I…” Tom stuttered badly while Jerry Face Palmed himself with his friend’s stupidity.

“if you can’t go with him, then you have to be in my custody” Leo started again, boring his eyes into Tom’s scared one, and telling him his dislike for Tom’s personality.

The boy has irked his mind since he has seen him with the detective.

“just like Father has said, the information regarding Brother Yael can’t be out. So either you go with the detective to Malia or you stay here, in my personal torture room” Jerry gasped softly as he darted his big curious eyes towards Leo. The man felt his knees getting weak with the way the young detective stared at him with dewy, beautiful eyes.

Oh! how would he love to see those eyes all day, every day.

Tom looked at Leo dumbfounded when the lord mentioned his personal torture room. He hastily nodded his head, agreeing to what he didn’t want in the slightest.

If he didn’t promise Jerry to never account him for the Lord’s reaction, he would be shouting and cursing the younger boy with everything in his being.  

In his demise, he didn’t want to consider how much deeper the shit was the boy in.

…………

He paced around the small room while biting his nails in anxiety. Tom was enraged beside him as he cursed the living shit out of the detective, not caring about his promise anymore. Jerry didn’t know what to do, he did not have a say in whatever was coming but still, the boy was blamed.

Life is unfair.

“I can’t go babe, you gotta understand this shit. My manager will bite my ass off” Tom slumped on the destroyed green couch and sighed tiredly after lashing out at his dear friend.

“J-Jus-st say y-you ar-are s-scar-red and d-don’t w-wa-wanna a-accompany me T-Tom,” Jerry muttered looking down on his beaten-up snickers.

What can he do anyway?

“I don’t wanna accompany you, okay? Are you happy, you shit!?” Tom shouted suddenly, feeling exposed and a betrayer by the way Jerry mentioned his thoughts.

DJ flinched where he was.

The boy was already worried for his life and his so-called friend was being nothing but a pain in the ass. Jerry wanted to counter back saying that he had warned the other about the lords, but the detective found it best to not argue and make Tom come after him again.

He was stuck in it too, wasn’t he?

Dejectedly, the boy went towards his single-door closet and started to pack for the undesirable trip. His eyes were bleary with tears and his nose was red due to constant wiping.

Tom felt bad for what he did but he couldn’t help his anger when he was stuck in a situation substituting death.    

“I am sorry babe, forgive me, darling…. I didn’t mean to take it out on you” The older of them both said as he wrapped his arms around DJ. The boy sniffled and shook his head dismissively.

“d-don’t wo-worry Tom, it's--its n-not yo-your fa-fault. I--I can ma-manage on--on my o-own.” The younger said pulling away from his friend. Tom looked at Jerry and smiled at him while patting his shoulder.

“We are in this together. I will see you at the Lords Tomorrow yeah?” he said assuring his presence and Jerry smiled through his tears. The Lords had asked the boys to show up at their mansion at nine in the morning, the friends were going to be escorted under the management of Lords towards Malia.

But DJ had his own doubts.

Somehow, the boy knew that Tom was lying and he wouldn’t be meeting him Tomorrow at any cost, but still he nodded his head.

Tom left the building after bidding goodbye, leaving the young detective with his thoughts.

After his friend was gone, Jerry cried openly. The boy hiccupped helplessly as he packed whatever he could in his yellow duffle bag.

Invested in his task and disturbing thoughts, the boy jumped when his handphone started to blare at the small table in the room.

He stumbled closer to take a look at the caller ID but couldn’t decipher the contact since it showed ‘Private Number’. Reluctantly, he received the call and placed it against his ear as he wiped his nose once again.

“he-hello?” the boy stammered.

“Detective Jerry?” the other side asked.

“y-yes?” the boy answered thinking that it might be a new client on the other side, he prepared his mind to decline any new assignment at the moment.

“Listen to me carefully” the voice said making DJ frown at the unknown caller and his suspicious behaviour.

“your life is in danger little boy…….leave your place before dawn and don’t go to the land of Doukas Tomorrow” the voice said straight away, draining every ounce of courage from the detective’s body.

“wh-who is t-th-this?” he asked terrified at the revelation.

“that’s not important right now. Just know that you are going to be killed if you are not cautious enough.” The caller revealed more, scaring the detective.

“b-but…”

“I don’t have much time. Believe me when I say that you are in danger, people are coming after you and you have to leave before the sunrise” the man said in a hushed voice, adding anxiety to DJ’s mind.

The boy sighed helplessly, looking around the room to check for any concerns.

“leave for Malia right away and avoid contact with anyone. I will call you again and will guide you on your way” That said the phone was cut leaving the boy with an astonished yet worried mind.

Who the hell was he and why was he saying all that and above all, why should Jerry believe him?

…………..

Alright babies and gentlemen, the chapter ends here.

Thank you for reading the story and appreciating a ‘wandering through creativity’ writer.

Your attention means so much to us.

I love you people

See you next time.

Sayonara~~~~~~   

   follow us for more on Mago and DJ novel 

   thank you