Maxwell could not ignore the pounding in his head when he finally came to consciousness. It seemed to overwhelm his senses at first before eventually fading to a mild annoyance. Why did his head hurt so much? He couldn’t remember, that was until he opened his eyes and found himself in a room that was not familiar to him. Oh right…Some rival gang had knocked him over the head after he had attempted to escape. His green eyes scanned the room he was in. The room was void of most things, it only contained the cot he was currently laying in a chair and a desk. Though it was clearly meant to be a bedroom it was empty. He glanced over to the window which was barred. If he didn’t know better he would have thought this room was meant to be an inn room.
Maxwell moved his hand to tentatively rub the bump on his head, at least he wasn’t restrained. The pressure he was about to administer relieved some of the pounding in his head, but not all of it. Just enough that he managed to get his vision to stop being so damn blurry.
“Brutos is going to kill me.” Maxwell muttered as he stood and walked toward the window, he had to get a message to Paul or Hendricks. The sooner he did the sooner they would come get him, at least he thought. He still had no clue that this was likely Hendrick’s fault.
Peering through the barred window helped little to reveal his location, he could only tell he was definitely above some sort of bar, no the building was too big to be a bar, small casino maybe? Though it seemed to be the less rowdy kind of place than what Brutos and his men seemed to frequent. Maxwell knew there were decent establishments across the island but none of them resided in Brutos’ territory. He racked his brain for anything on the neighboring territory leaders. There were only three who seemed brave enough, or stupid enough, to border Brutos.
Anton, Leith, and Madam Gigi. Madam Gigi only employed women; she was all for proving women could be just as brutal and cunning as any man so she was out. Leith and their members were almost never on the island. They generally only turned up once a year to celebrate another year of their bounty slowly climbing. Though Max knew little about what they did off island, whatever it was, it was enough that the Muckrakers maintained the territory for them. They only left Anton, who was just as bad as, if not worse than Brutos. Anton had a rather prevalent black market auction, he was known to breed, train, and trade various rare or outlawed species of animal. Something Maxwell was both fascinated and appalled by due to his own relationship with various creatures.
Maxwell sat back down on the cot and groaned, Anton was going to be an issue. He and Brutos had a long standing rivalry that had only not come to blows due to the rules of the island, if Max didn’t get out before Brutos got back, he was sure the fishman would throw caution to the wind. The rampage the shark would go on to get Maxwell back would be one Pol Stictid hadn’t seen in a long time. Underhanded tactics were not Brutos’ forte, it has always been and will always be, brute force. Max debated even trying to get a message to his “babysitters” but he knew if he didn’t the carnage would be much worse than if Brutos at least had a target to go after.
Before he could start coming up with a plan the door opened. Max hadn’t realized how dark the room he was in actually was until the door was fully open and the light from the hall hit his eyes, causing his head to pound harder. When his eyes finally adjusted to the light he was greeted by three people. Two of the men who he had encountered on his way home, and another man who Max quickly identified as Anton himself. A tall, slender, dark haired, middle aged man with a faded scar that crossed over his face from his left eye to his right jawline. He stood staring at Maxwell seemingly unimpressed with what he saw.
“This is what the great Riptide Brutos marks as his greatest asset. A mere child, pathetic. At least that’s what I would have said, if I didn’t know exactly what this small boy can do.” Anton’s voice started monotone but quickly the true excitement began to take over. He entered the room fully strutting up to Maxwell with a wide grin now plastered on his face.
“You will suit my needs just fine. Come, let’s get that knot on your head checked out. I am told my idiot men were not at all gentle with you.” Before Max could even respond Anton grabbed his wrist and pulled him up with more strength than he looked like he should possess. This man didn’t seem like the merciless beast tamer he had been made out to be. Though he supposed getting his information from the perspective of animals had its flaws.
The brunette put up little fight as Anton led him down the halls to Max could only guess where.
“What’s your name kid. Honestly I never paid attention to it when the rumors about you started swirling. I just heard can speak with animals and Brutos’s greatest asset.” He looked down at Max expectantly but there was little to no malice in his facial expressions. Was this an act to get Max to trust him? He couldn’t be sure but he figured it was best to answer the man’s questions. Better to not piss him off.
“Maxwell.” He responded doing his best to avoid eye contact. Though he couldn’t stop the question he had from exiting his mouth as he thought about it.
“Rumors? About me? How?” He tightened his lips after he realized he had asked that outloud.
Anton opened a door to a room that smelled similar to a hospital ushering Maxwell inside as he chuckled.
“Ah, yes, seems like someone wasn’t too happy with you remaining the Shark’s best kept secret. Started talking to the wrong people, seems like it only took a few days for more than your fair share of territory leaders and Muckrakers to know about you. You, my dear boy, seem to have a price on your head. Good thing my boys got to you before a more…unsavory fellow nabbed ya. Sit.” He pointed to a stool and Maxwell did as he was told.
“Brutos won’t be happy when he gets back and he finds out where I am…” Maxwell muttered, he was sure Anton already knew this fact, even more so when the pleased smile only got bigger on the man’s face.
“That is what makes this oh so satisfying, you see, as I am sure you know The Fish and I don’t have the best history. I am sure he will lose his shit when he finds out you are gone. Even more so when he finds out it’s me who has you. Perhaps he will even go ballistic. Break some island rules. Get himself booted or demoted and then yours truly can move in on his territory.” Anton fiddled with a couple things on a table nearby before returning to Maxwell who was pointedly not looking at the older man.
“Hold still.” He ordered as he began examining the bump on Maxwell’s head. There were several minutes of silence before a cold, wet bag was placed on Max’s head.
“Might wanna hold that there. Should stop your head from hurting as much. Seems fine other than a small bump, you will be okay by tomorrow I am sure.” He stepped back and gestured for Max to get up and head out.
“I hope you understand I can’t let you leave. So either you work with me willingly, or I employ more…unsavory tactics to force you to work with me.” Anton’s face darkened during the last part of the statement but his expression just as quickly changed.
“But I will let you sleep on the decision.” Maxwell was led back to the room he had woken in and as soon as he entered the door shut behind him.
“Hope you make the correct decision.” He heard Anton say from the other side as there was a clicking sound. Locked in, of course. Maxwell stood there staring at the door for several minutes holding his newly acquired ice pack to his head. He was dumbfounded. He really only had one choice and Anton knew it. With all this information to process Maxwell eventually flopped down on the cot groaning. He already knew his decision, but he supposed it would have to wait until tomorrow. There was nothing he could do right now anyway.
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