Ace's moment of peace vanished like smoke. The warm feeling from sharing food with Evelyn disappeared, replaced by a cold jolt of fear. The System's urgent warning screamed inside his head: Trouble near Room 7! Danger from Deke's men!
He didn't stop to explain. Ace jumped up from Evelyn's table, knocking his chair back. "Trouble at my room!" he said quickly, his voice tight with worry. He grabbed his toolbox. "Thanks for the food and the window fix!" He was already heading for the door before Evelyn could ask more questions.
"Ace? What kind of trouble?" Evelyn called after him, her voice filled with concern. But Ace was already running down the hall, the heavy toolbox banging against his leg as he moved. The System's red alert felt like pressure pushing against his skull. The safety he had started to feel was gone. Deke hadn't forgotten him.
Ace burst out of the stairwell exit into the alley behind the Nite Owl Motel. He skidded to a stop, breathing hard, and scanned the dim space. His eyes found the problem right away.
Two men stood near the door to Room 7. One man, tall and skinny with a shaved head, was roughly shaking the doorknob, trying to force it open. The other man, shorter but thicker and wearing a denim jacket, stood watch nearby, holding a heavy metal crowbar. They looked tough and mean. They were definitely sent by Deke. This was a message: We found you. You're not safe here.
Ace's Neural-Interface instantly gave him information: [Man 1: Tall, Thin. Possible Weapon: Crowbar. Man 2: Shorter, Stronger. Trying to break in. Best Plan: Cause a distraction.] It wasn't telling him he could win a fight, just how to survive this.
He couldn't let them break into his room. Everything he owned – his money, his precious tools, his small sense of security – was inside. Fear mixed with anger gave him a burst of energy. He deliberately dropped his toolbox near a large metal dumpster. It hit the ground with a loud CLANG! that echoed off the brick walls.
Both men snapped their heads towards the sudden noise.
"Looking for someone?" Ace called out, forcing his voice to sound calm. He stepped further into the alley, away from the stairs. This forced the two men to turn away from his room door to face him. He kept his hands open and visible. The man with the crowbar grinned, a nasty smile spreading across his face.
"Well, well," Crowbar Man sneered, taking a step towards Ace. He swung the crowbar lightly. "Look who it is. Deke's little project. We were just gonna leave you a welcome present." He tapped the crowbar against his palm.
The tall, skinny one stopped trying the doorknob and turned fully. He pulled out a switchblade knife, flicking the blade open with a sharp snick. "Deke says you owe him money. A lot of money. And the bill's due now." He took a step forward, the knife pointed towards Ace.
Ace didn't back down. His mind raced, helped by the System highlighting things around him. The crowbar was the biggest danger right now. He noticed the flickering security light above Crowbar Man's head – an old bulb in a metal cage. [Option: Mess with the light. Good distraction.]
"Owe him?" Ace shot back, trying to buy a few seconds. "Tell Deke his math is as bad as his pawn shop deals." Ace shifted his weight slightly. Now! He focused his mind through the Neural-Interface, not on the men, but on the old, faulty wires connected to the light above Crowbar Man.
The light didn't just flicker; it went crazy. It flashed on and off rapidly like a strobe light, right in Crowbar Man's eyes. The man yelled, flinching and throwing up a hand to block the blinding flashes. "Hey! What's wrong with this light?!"
Ace used the distraction. He didn't attack. Instead, he lunged sideways to the big metal dumpster. Grabbing its heavy lid, he used all his strength, helped by the System's repair bonus, and slammed it down hard onto the dumpster's metal rim.
BANG!
The noise was incredibly loud in the narrow alley, like a gunshot. Both thugs jumped, startled. Knife Man stumbled backwards, eyes wide.
"Enough!" Crowbar Man roared, blinking hard as the light stopped strobing. He turned towards the noise, looking confused for a second, then focused on Ace. He raised the crowbar high, ready to swing it down hard. Ace braced himself. His wrench was in his belt, but he couldn't grab it fast enough. The System flashed warnings about the crowbar's path.
Suddenly, a huge shadow filled the alley entrance. A deep, rumbling voice cut through the tension. "That's MY dumpster you're bangin' on."
Big Mike stood there, blocking the light from the street. He looked enormous and very angry. He held a large, heavy flashlight, tapping it against his palm like a club. His face was like a thundercloud.
Crowbar Man froze, the crowbar held awkwardly above his head. Knife Man quickly tried to hide the knife behind his back. "Mike! Hey, man!" Crowbar Man stammered, trying to sound friendly but failing. "We were just... talkin' to the new guy here."
Mike took two slow, heavy steps forward. His size alone made the air feel thick with danger. His cold eyes moved between the two men. "Talkin'? With a crowbar and a knife? Interestin' chat." His voice dropped lower, sounding even more threatening. "Deke send you puppies to cause trouble on my property?"
Knife Man swallowed nervously. "Deke just wants his money, Mike. It's business."
"Business?" Mike's voice was dangerously quiet. "My business is people payin' rent. My business is no one breakin' things or scarin' my tenants." He pointed the flashlight at Crowbar Man, then Knife Man. "You tell Deke his business ain't welcome here. Tell him if he wants money, he comes himself. And he brings cash to pay for the door he messed up last time." Mike took another step, forcing the thugs to shuffle backwards. "Now. Get off my lot. Before I decide you owe me somethin' for the trouble."
The threat hung in the air. Crowbar Man slowly lowered the crowbar, his tough-guy act completely gone. Knife Man was already edging towards the street exit. They looked terrified. Messing with Ace was one thing; facing Big Mike on his own property was stupid.
"Yeah, okay, Mike. Sorry," Crowbar Man mumbled, backing away fast. "We'll tell him." They turned and practically ran out of the alley, disappearing around the corner onto the street.
Silence fell, broken only by Ace's fast breathing and the distant sounds of the city. The rush of fear left him feeling shaky and weak. He leaned against the cool brick wall, watching Mike.
Mike turned his glare on Ace. "You," he grunted. "Trouble finds you." He nodded towards the dumpster lid. "I have to admit, that was a clever move. It was risky, but it paid off." He walked over to Room 7's door, examining the fresh scratches around the lock. "Bastards. They caused more damage." He sounded annoyed.
Ace pushed himself off the wall. "Thanks, Mike. They would have broken in."
Mike just grunted. "Don't thank me yet. Deke doesn't give up. He controls streets like this. He'll send bigger guys next time. Or come himself." He fixed Ace with a hard stare. "You fix this. For good. Or you leave. My motel isn't a war zone. Fix it, or find somewhere else to live." He didn't wait for Ace to answer. He turned and walked heavily back towards the motel office, still tapping the flashlight against his palm.
Ace stood alone in the alley. Mike's warning echoed in his ears, mixing with the fading panic inside him. The flickering light cast long, scary shadows. He looked at his damaged door – a reminder his safety was an illusion. He looked at his toolbox – a symbol of the new life he was trying to build. He thought of his money: $207 cash, $411 in the System. Fixing faucets and dryers earned money slowly. Too slowly. Deke wanted money fast, and he used violence to get it.
The Neural-Interface chimed softly. The red alert disappeared, replaced by clear white words:
[Immediate Threat Stopped (For Now)]
[NEW TASK: Stop Deke Permanently]
[Time: 14 Days]
[Goal: Make sure Darius "Deke" Vance can NEVER threaten you or your things again.]
[Reward: Skill - "Info Finder" (Automatically gathers useful public information for you)]
[PENALTY: PERMANENT -20% Strength & Coordination in Arms and Legs]
Ace stared at the words. Permanent loss of strength and coordination. The System didn't make empty threats. It had erased his memory; it would cripple his body. Fourteen days. He needed more than just fixing things. He needed a way to fight back. He needed real money. Fast.
He picked up his toolbox. It felt familiar in his hand, but suddenly it wasn't enough. The quiet life of a handyman was over. Mike was right. He needed to end this Deke problem for good. To do that, he needed power. He needed to use the Neural-Interface for more than just finding broken parts. He needed to fight smarter.
The alley felt colder now. The memory of Evelyn's falafel wrap seemed like it happened long ago. Ace unlocked Room 7, the damaged lock scraping loudly. He stepped inside, closed the door, and leaned his back against it. The only sound was the drip from the leaky faucet. He had fourteen days. The rules had changed. It was time to stop hiding. It was time to fight back.