"Ah! My nose!"
The gangster cried in pain. Blood ran out of his nose. It was obviously broken. For a moment the gangster seemed to struggle before a wave of anger clouded his thoughts.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!"
The man raised the pipe in his hands, spewing threats. But right then Benhamin already appeared in front of him. His knee found the gangster's stomach, almost causing the man's eyes to pop out as his upper body bent widely.
"Die!"
Suddenly the other gangster had closed the distance to Benjamin. He raised a wooden plank and tried to crash it against Benjamin's back. However, while the gangster thought he was performing a surprise attack, everything moved extremely slow in Benjamin's perception. He easily took a step to the side, causing the wooden plank to miss.
Simultaneously Benjamin's fist was already aiming for the pipe-wielding gangster's temples. His knuckles delivered a powerful blow to the head. The gangster's head snapped around and he tumbled back, dazed, likely suffering a heavy concussion.
Benjamin turned towards the other gangster. But before he could deal with them, the characteristic noise of a laser blaster sounded out. The gangster screamed in pain as a hole was burned through his legs. He instantly dropped to the ground.
A figure moved past Benjamin and a thud could be heard. One of his bodyguards took out the dazed gangster. Benjamin breathed deeply and looked around. All the other gangsters including the boss had been dealt with by his bodyguards.
One of them walked up to Benjamin, offering him a clean cloth. Benjamin looked down on his hand, noticing some blood on his knuckles.
"We have to apologise, Sir. It was our lack of protection which got you involved in a fight."
"Hmpf."
Benjamin only snorted as he took the cloth away. His bodyguard had a point, but Benjamin knew that it was his own oversight as well. If he knew that more than a dozen gangsters, one even armed with a laser rifle, would attack them, Benjamin would have hired more than just two bodyguards.
He took the cloth from his bodyguard and wiped the blood from his hands. His body was still in a state full of energy, his heart beating wildly. It would take a while until he could calm down. Benjamin already dreaded that moment. His body would feel extremely tired and moving a single muscle would be akin to a workout session. When he was younger Benjamin could use enhancing drugs like water, entirely without side effect. But now…
Benjamin shook his head not willing to think about it. He walked past the gangsters lying on the ground, groaning or unconscious. When he reached the boss, he stopped briefly. Benjamin kept the man's face in mind. Perhaps it would prove useful some time.
However, what really caught his attention was the laser rifle. Benjamin picked it up carefully, turning it left and right, admiring the smooth, long muzzle and white and red painting. At the bottom of the handle there was a socket which could be connected to phones or computers to get all the information on the weapon.
But considering the dubious origin of the weapon Benjamin didn't dare to do so. He would look for some professionals later. Benjamin planned on keeping the weapon and doing his own investigation. Perhaps he would stumble on an opportunity. The weapon could be used as blackmail material or perhaps to get access to certain social circles. Who knows?
Benjamin was not the type of person to ignore possible opportunities. He wrapped the weapon up and handed it to one of this bodyguards for safekeeping.
After all of that, the trio didn't care for the gangsters lying on the ground. They had no fear of any repercussions. Benjamin led his bodyguards down the road. All the peeking heads hid immediately, and the street was as if deserted. Benjamin didn't care. A few seconds later he stopped in front of a dilapidated building at a certain corner.
It was an old drug store. A sign barely clung to the wall saying 'corner drugs'. The building appeared abandoned. The windows were closed with metal plates and the walls were spray painted with various 'artworks'. As Benjamin scrutinized the drug store with a frown he heard a low squeak. A rat tunnelled out from below the door and scurried of into the distance.
"Could I be wrong?"
Benjamin couldn't help but feel doubtful. He took out the invitation again and compared the address. 3112 Posmatra Road. There was no mistake. Benjamin carefully took a few glances at his surroundings. He considered whether whoever led him here might be hiding and observing him. Perhaps it was some sort of test.
However, as no one came to speak to him Benjamin grew more uncertain. Eventually he decided to go in. He turned towards his bodyguard, telling them to wait outside. The two men naturally protested but as Benjamin persisted, they had no choice but to listen to their client.
Next, Benjamin took a deep breath and put on an indifferent expression. He took the cloth from earlier and used it to turn the doorknob. Who even still had doorknobs?
As a doubt flashed through Benjamin's mind, a click could be heard. The door opened and Benjamin froze in place.
There was no empty room housing a few drug addicts. Nor was there a secret passage leading to the hideout of some organization. No, there was a pure black. Like an endless shadow. Low whispers reached Benjamin's ears. The darkness slowly receded.
"Sir?"
"Sir?!"
The bodyguards were worried watching Benjamin's strange reaction. They looked at each other and quickly decided to check up on their client although he told them to stay away. Just as one of the bodyguards walked towards Benjamin, the latter stepped forward. The door closed behind his back.
The bodyguard instinctively felt that something was wrong. He sped up and tore open the door. A simple hallway revealed itself to him. There were a few old shelves. A sound could be heard as if someone was trying to hide. But there were no signs of Benjamin…
Stepping through the slowly receding shadows Benjamin suddenly found himself in a quaint little café. The lower part of the walls was decorated with old wooden panels, the upper parts covered with flowery wallpaper. There were no windows in the room. Only an old chandelier hanging from the ceiling spent some light. It swayed lightly, causing the shadows to sway as if dancing to the melody coming from an old gramophone.
"Hiding emotions behind a polite façade, our heart doused in a darkening shade. Greed, morale, righteousness, which shall it be? I couldn't care less, why can't you see?"
The melodic voice of a woman wafted around Benjamin's ears. Goosebumps ran down his arms. He studied his surroundings and found a counter to his right. A young man with pale skin was standing behind it. He wore a fine black tailcoat although its style didn't fit in with the current time. Well, perhaps in this environment it was rather Benjamin's modern suit which didn't fit in.
As Benjamin scrutinized the young man, their eyes met. Benjamin suddenly froze in place. The pair of eyes, one hazel brown and the other a striking blue like the wings of a beautiful butterfly, seemed to see right through his soul. Benjamin felt as if no secret could be hidden from them. Used to being in a position of power this was the first time Benjamin felt this insecure. Even Marlene Garner couldn't evoke such feelings in him.
It took Benjamin a few seconds to snap out of it. From then on, he was certain that he found the right place. The rumours he found online were correct. The Café of Dreams was not some regular organization. Something incomprehensible was going on. And Benjamin realised that he now had a chance to become a part of it!
Benjamin's breath quickened. His thoughts raced as he pondered what to do now. Glancing at the man behind the counter and the lazy black cat lying on top of it, Benjamin decided to just play his role. If this was a café then he was the customer.
Benjamin composed himself and slowly sat down on one of the pristinely white chairs. He coughed lightly before saying:
"One coffee, please."
"Of course."
The young man nodded calmly and went to work. Benjamin couldn't quite comprehend this place yet. The man, perhaps a barista, didn't ask him how he wanted his coffee. Maybe the bitter, black drink didn't play as large a role as Benjamin would have thought. However, as Benjamin watched the young man working, he noticed that his expression was earnest, and every step was done dutifully.
The barista chose some coffee beans from a package hidden behind the counter. He placed them in a mill and slowly began to turn the handle. Crunching sounds harmoniously mixed into the melody coming from the gramophone. The barista seemed to struggle a bit. Turning a coffee mill demanded strength and patience.
A few minutes later the barista seemed satisfied. He grabbed a small can from a shelf behind him and put a filter on top of it, carefully filling it with the powdered coffee beans. For the last step the barista took a can of hot water he had already prepared, pouring it slowly onto the coffee powder.
A mellifluous smell spread through the small room. Light steam rose from the can of coffee, watering the mouth. The barista stepped out from behind the counter and walked towards Benjamin.