It all happened too fast for Zoey or Peter to react. Coin swiftly got up from his chair, picked Zoey up and delivered a knee straight to Zoey's stomach. The sound of his kick echoed through the room.
Strangely enough, it seemed as if he simply fazed through the table in front of them. As if it had not been there at all.
Zoey reeled back and clenched his stomach. He let out a stifled groan as he took shaky steps backwards.
Zoey proceeded to hunch and throw up all over the soft carpet floor. He gagged on his own barf as he swayed from side to side. Then, he threw up even more.
He growled as he looked up at the melting figure of Coin through his teary eyes.
"Y-you... fucker..."
As he said that, Zoey fell backwards onto the floor, still looking up at the menacing figure of Coin with pure rage in his eyes.
All the while, Peter's mind started to run at lightspeed, processing every little detail in a fraction of a millisecond.
Currently, he was assessing the situation, while calculating the probability of either attacking the man, to deescalate the situation, or making a mad dash for it with Zoey the moment the opportunity reveals itself. Listed in order of the possibility of success, of course. Even though each and every one seemed more than likely to be impossible.
Coin wasn't paying much attention to him though, if any at all. He was currently gazing at the small chunks of... Zoey's retch... that he spewed out from his mouth. Some of them seemed to glisten on the floor while some didn't.
Even though Zoey's mind was hazy, he could still somewhat hear the loud incoherent voice of Peter beside him.
At that moment though, Zoey forgot about all of his worries. He just couldn't help but be grateful. He was over the moon really. In fact, he was so happy that he would have laughed and complimented himself for a job well done, if he could. An ugly smile appeared on his disgusting face.
'Have fun sifting through all that shitface. Try and find all of your precious jewelery... Ah... this is too much fun.'
Zoey was happy that he took time to thoroughly chew all of his molded bread properly before meeting Coin today. The absolutely pungent smell on the floor rising up was like the sweetest fragrance Zoey had ever been graced with the opportunity to smell in his small, but memorably lived life.
Zoey didn't care about the consequences of his action at the current moment. You see, Zoey is a really, really hateful person. He firmly believed in the saying "an eye for an eye".
Well, if Zoey couldn't really take an eye, he would do anything in his power to take whatever small amount he could with his own two hands.
Even such a thing as a small inconvenience to his oh so great and powerful assailant. So, affirming his way of life, Zoey might as well die happy living in this moment. The only regret he had really... was not being able to drive a knife straight through the man's skull for everything he did to not just Zoey, but so much more people.
But... if there really was something else.
'...right. Pete would probably be disappointed in me if I kick the bucket just like this.'
The sudden thought of his dear friend seemed to have brought back a semblance of consciousness to the now debilitated Zoey.
"...out of it, Zoey! I said snap out of it!"
Peter was gripping Zoey's shoulder while glaring at the menacing figure of Coin.
Gritting his teeth, he picked up Zoey, as Zoey started coming back to his senses. Zoey then proceeded to gag some more and cough out whatever was left in his mouth, along with some of his own blood.
'Ah... so bitter.'
Zoey then looked at Coin with a hint of fear, but also unbending resolve in his sharp eyes. The man sighed heavily and slowly sat back on his chair.
Zoey was visibly surprised. He assumed that the man would get up from his chair again just to rip his throat right out in the next moment.
With a bit of hesitation, Zoey spoke up to the man.
"... You're not gonna kill us?"
The man just stared back at him. After a small pause, he replied to Zoey.
"Us, huh?... Well, why would I kill my precious child with my own two hands?"
It looked like Coin was feeling merciful today.
Zoey was confused for a different reason, though.
What's so confusing about referring to us as 'us'? Did the man really expect Zoey to say just "himself"? Did he really think that Zoey would be callous enough to disregard his one and only dear friend?
Zoey was no good person. That, he could admit himself, but he was still human. Unlike the reptile of a man in front of them, he wasn't inhumane enough to abandon his trusted companion.
Peter was the one to speak up now, losing all sense of his calculated approach. He had enough of the man's games. His anger seemed to have reached a boiling point, and his veins on his forehead wanted to pop out. He snarled back at the man in pure outrage.
"Cut the bullshit! We know what kind of man you are..."
Seemingly remembering who Peter was talking to, his voice trailed off. He decided that he did not want to ruin their already slim chances of returning alive. He somewhat regained composure.
Noticing this sudden change of posture, the man leaned his head back and laughed.
His laugh, this time, was way more sinister and eerie. He stared at Zoey with a neutral expression.
"You have disappointed me today, Zoey. But I am a fair person, so I shall not deprive you of your commissions just because of your boldness. But, do remember to show some restraint next time around. Even my generosity has limits."
The man then turned his chair around and waved his hand dismissively, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that Zoey was still practically grovelling on his own mouth discharge on the floor. His attention was now focused back on the multiple monitors in front of him now.
"Leave, now. You are dismissed. And before you ask, the reason why I haven't gotten rid of you is because I still have a lot of work for you to do and it's too much of a hassle to get rid of corpses around here."
Zoey and Peter lingered for a moment. Did he mean that the both of them were allowed to go or just Zoey. In the end, they decided not to push their luck any further and just leave.
'Just you wait... I'll rip your heart when the time comes.'
With that, their job here was done. Peter picked Zoey off the ground and they both scrambled off the room.
Li didn't seem to be present outside of the doors... thankfully. The last Zoey wanted was to give the smirky brat the satisfaction of seeing Zoey in this dire state.
In Li's stead though. There were two men waiting for them at the front of the door. They both had their arms crossed, as if they knew exactly when the two would come out of Coin's room.
One of the men whistled lightly, while the other sneered as they both stared at the boys who had come out of the room.
"Well well well, if it isn't the mad boy Zoey. Coin ordered us to escort you out of his premises so that you can reach back to your compartment safely."
'Nevermind, I take it back. Li would've been a way better escort. There couldn't possibly be a worse person to be an escort for us!'
Zoey sighed heavily.
Defeated, Zoey and Peter reluctantly walked towards the men in resignation.