Chapter 6: Timothy's Former Employer
Timothy woke up in a cold sweat, the remnants of a nightmare clinging to him like a heavy fog. The memories of his time in the seedy underworld of macho dancing and the grip of Keno, the gay mafia leader, haunted him. He had hoped to leave that life behind, but he knew it was not going to be that easy.
The ringing of his phone jolted him back to the present. He glanced at the caller ID and saw an unfamiliar number. Hesitantly, he answered.
"Hello?" Timothy's voice was wary.
"Timothy, it's been a while," a familiar, menacing voice said. It was Keno.
Timothy's heart sank.
"What do you want, Keno?"
"We need to talk. Meet me at the usual place. Noon. Don't be late," Keno said before hanging up abruptly.
Timothy sat on the edge of his bed, his mind racing. He had no intention of going back to that life, but he knew Keno wouldn't take no for an answer. He needed to be careful and think this through.
---
Later that morning, Kimberly was busy in her dressmaking shop, working on a new client's dress. The shop was a sanctuary for her, a place where she could immerse herself in creativity and craftsmanship. But she noticed Timothy seemed distracted and distant.
"Timothy, is everything okay?" Kimberly asked, concern etched on her face.
Timothy forced a smile.
"Yeah, just a lot on my mind. How's the dress coming along?"
Kimberly saw through his attempt to deflect but decided to let it go for now.
"It's coming along nicely. I should have it ready for the first fitting by tomorrow."
Timothy nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling of dread about his meeting with Keno.
"Kimberly, I need to go out for a bit. There's something I need to take care of," Timothy said, trying to sound casual.
Kimberly looked at him, worry deepening in her eyes.
"Is everything really alright? You seem off today."
Timothy took a deep breath.
"I promise I'll explain everything later. I just need to handle something first."
Kimberly nodded reluctantly.
"Okay. Just be careful."
Timothy kissed her on the forehead.
"I will. I'll be back soon."
---
Timothy arrived at the old, dingy nightclub where he used to work. The place brought back memories he would rather forget. He walked inside, the smell of stale beer and sweat hitting him immediately. In the dim light, he saw Keno sitting in a corner booth, flanked by two burly bodyguards.
"Timothy, sit," Keno said, gesturing to the seat opposite him.
Timothy sat down, his body tense.
"What do you want, Keno?"
Keno leaned back, a sly smile on his face. "You disappeared on me, Timothy. You know I don't like loose ends."
"I told you, I'm done with this life. I want out," Timothy said firmly.
Keno's smile vanished, replaced by a steely glare.
"You don't get to decide when you're done. You owe me."
Timothy clenched his fists under the table.
"I don't owe you anything. I've paid my dues."
Keno laughed, a cold, mirthless sound.
"You think you can just walk away? I've invested a lot in you, Timothy. You're one of my best earners."
"I'm not coming back, Keno. Find someone else," Timothy said, standing up.
One of Keno's bodyguards grabbed Timothy's arm, pulling him back down. Keno leaned in, his eyes boring into Timothy's.
"You forget, I know everything about you. I know about your little girlfriend. What was her name? Kimberly?" Keno said with a smirk.
Timothy's blood ran cold.
"Leave her out of this."
Keno shrugged.
"I could, if you come back. Do one last job for me, and then maybe I'll consider letting you go."
Timothy's mind raced. He couldn't let Kimberly get dragged into this. He needed to protect her.
"What's the job?"
Keno smiled, sensing his victory.
"There's a shipment coming in tonight. I need you to oversee the delivery. Make sure everything goes smoothly."
Timothy knew he had no choice.
"Fine. But this is the last time."
Keno nodded.
"Of course. After tonight, you're free to go. But remember, Timothy, I have eyes everywhere."
Timothy stood up, his heart heavy with the weight of the agreement. "I'll be there."
---
Timothy returned to the dressmaking shop, his mind spinning with the events of the day. Kimberly looked up as he entered, relief flooding her face.
"Timothy, you're back. I was starting to get worried," Kimberly said, walking over to him.
Timothy pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Kimberly. There's something I need to tell you."
Kimberly pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes.
"What is it?"
Timothy took a deep breath.
"I met with Keno. He wants me to do one last job for him. After that, he says he'll let me go."
Kimberly's eyes widened with concern. "Timothy, this sounds dangerous. What if he doesn't let you go?"
"I don't have a choice, Kimberly. He threatened you. I can't let anything happen to you," Timothy said, his voice filled with determination.
Kimberly's heart ached for him.
"We'll get through this together. But you have to be careful."
Timothy nodded.
"I will. I promise."
---
That night, Timothy arrived at the docks where the shipment was coming in. The air was thick with tension, and the shadows seemed to dance menacingly in the dim light. Timothy scanned the area, his senses on high alert.
As the shipment was unloaded, Timothy kept a close eye on everything, making sure there were no hiccups. He knew Keno's reputation for ruthlessness, and he couldn't afford any mistakes.
Just as he thought everything was going smoothly, a group of men appeared, armed and looking ready for trouble. Timothy's heart pounded in his chest. He recognized them as a rival gang, intent on hijacking the shipment.
"Stay back!" Timothy shouted, trying to assert control.
The leader of the rival gang sneered. "This shipment is ours now. Get out of the way if you know what's good for you."
Timothy stood his ground, but he was outnumbered and outgunned. He needed to think fast. He spotted a stack of crates nearby and quickly formulated a plan.
As the rival gang advanced, Timothy used the crates for cover, moving quickly and strategically. He managed to take down a few of the gang members, but the odds were still against him.
Just when he thought it was over, a car screeched to a halt nearby, and Janeth, Kimberly's sister and a police officer, emerged, her gun drawn.
"Drop your weapons! This is the police!" Janeth shouted, her voice commanding and fierce.
The rival gang hesitated, and Timothy seized the opportunity to disarm their leader. With Janeth's backup, they managed to subdue the rest of the gang.
"Timothy, are you okay?" Janeth asked, her eyes filled with concern.
Timothy nodded, breathing heavily. "Yeah, thanks to you. How did you know?"
"Kimberly called me. She was worried about you. I couldn't just sit by and do nothing," Janeth said, her voice softening.
Timothy felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you, Janeth. I owe you one."
Janeth smiled. "Just doing my job. Now let's get out of here."
---
Back at the dressmaking shop, Kimberly paced anxiously, waiting for news. When the door finally opened, and Timothy walked in, she ran to him, relief flooding her.
"Timothy! You're okay!" Kimberly exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Timothy held her close. "Thanks to Janeth. She showed up just in time."
Kimberly looked over at her sister, tears of gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Janeth."
Janeth smiled warmly. "I'm just glad everyone is safe."
Timothy took Kimberly's hands in his, looking into her eyes. "It's over, Kimberly. I'm done with that life. We can finally move forward."
Kimberly smiled, her heart filled with hope. "Together."
As they stood there, surrounded by the warmth of the dressmaking shop and the promise of a future free from the shadows of Timothy's past, they knew that they had faced their greatest challenge and come out stronger on the other side.