Mrs. Benson's arcade had a CCTV camera. One above the counter, just one, which I didn't really know worked or not.
With the helmet on, and with gloves that I had grabbed from my back, I made my way to the front of the store. There, facing the glass windows and the doors of the shop, I took in another deep breath.
It took about 15 minutes to drive from Genge to here. That was enough.
—CRASH!
A loud sound broke out as I kicked the door of the shop. The glass windows shattered, but the frame and the lock were still in place. I reached my hand carefully from the glass and unlocked the door from inside.
7 minutes had passed since the call.
As a creak echoed, I entered the shop.
It was afternoon. This neighborhood anyway didn't attract many people, there was no one who would come here anytime soon.
I made my way inside the shop and looked around. The counter was in front of me, the CCTV camera right above it. My feet kicked off the ground as I leaped over the counter and to the other side. Next, I reached into my bag once more and pulled out a screwdriver.
The head of the screwdriver wrenched inside the cash register and I pulled it open. Dragging the metal frame out. With quick movements, I put the bag in front and started stuffing the cash inside, whatever little bit there was, in the bag.
12 minutes had passed since the call.
I looked around, and decided to knock the register down before making my way to the back of the shop. I broke that door open with my shoulder too, the CCTV's frame would probably capture just a bit of this.
I found the fuse box on the other side of the door. And quickly turned them all up, lights turned on in the arcade and the place was vibrant once more.
14 minutes passed.
That was when the thrum of an engine echoed in my ears.
And the skid of tyres followed.
I looked at the door of the shop. There, a familiar face stood in front. It was Adrian, the bastard I had beat up yesterday.
And behind him were 15 other people.
They looked at me.
I stared back, the helmet hiding my entire face.
"Who are you?" Asked Adrian.
Instead of saying anything, I pointed at him, and beckoned him over with my fingers.
"Haah. Every other person thinks they are the shit these days! What is going on!?" Adrian yelled. He pointed the others toward me, and running they came.
***
Frustration had piled over Adrian's head for a few days, and it all peaked today. The brat he was looking for was not here, neither was the woman he hoped to just scare and take over the shop from, but instead a cheeky fucking thief had greeted them.
"Get this motherfucker! Grind his bones if you want!"
Adrian's shout echoed in the arcade as the people from the HQ ran towards the thief. They were all armed with metal rods and wooden bats, and this was just one man. It would end in moments, or so Adrian had thought.
But something completely different was unfolding in front of his eyes. The first of his men reached over and swung a bat at him. Without flinching for a second, the thief turned around and threw his bag at the man. It hit his face and turned the swing into a mere flail of the bat.
In that instant, the thief ran over to the side and hopped over the counter. Another of his men reached out with a metal rod, swinging it down. The thief leaned back and avoided the hit, the man swung it once more.
The thief leaned in through the gap and grabbed the man's collar. He pulled him down and smashed his face in the cash register.
"ARGH!"
Without a word, the thief smashed the pulled-out drawer into the face of Adrian's man. Thud thud it went for two seconds before another came by and tried to grab the thief.
Two more followed, and the caught him. The thief's body was pulled up from the counter, and again without hesitating for a second, the thief kicked off the counter and completely fell on them.
"Gwah!"
"Damn it!"
The two of them fell. So did the thief.
Another swung a bat.
He rolled and got back on his feet. Lifting off the counter once more, the thief pushed himself up and jumped on the bike-racing machines.
"Follow that man!"
"Get him!"
The group of them ran behind him as he danced over the bike racing games. Wordless, emotionless, as if everything was just another 'thing,' he reached the end and jumped once more. This time on the claw machines.
Adrian's men hit the claw-machine, kicking it down and trying to reach it over, but the thief was a step further. He jumped up and grabbed the fire-pipes, knocking the claw machine as he swung behind his men. The claw machine fell on them, and he hit the back of their heads by smashing his own helmet-clad head on them.
"What the fuck are you!? Jackie Chan?" Adrian screamed and ran ahead too.
What in the fuck had suddenly happened?
Who the fuck was this guy?
As Adrian circled from the other side, he pulled out a knife from his pockets.