Atlantic City (United States)
Atlantic city, the casinos, the neon lights, the roulette, the slot machines, the noise of the plastic chips that represented money and the noise of the people who craved them.
TJ had had a lucky night. He exchanged his chips for cash in the front desk of one the casinos and was taking to the streets.
Feeling like a big winner, he left with all the money to the parking lot where he had his Harley Davidson motorcycle parked.
He revved his bike and left without knowing he was being followed……….
In one of the secondary streets he noticed that a black limo was following him. TJ frowned and kept driving calmly until he drove to a deserted street alley.
After shutting off the engine he stepped down slowly and waited for the limo to stop and so it did a few feet from where he was standing.
The doors of the limo opened, and out came four roughed men wearing tuxes and sunglasses.
- Boys!!! – said TJ in a festive way. – What can I do for you?
- Don't think this is funny TJ. We know about you tricks to pull money from our business and the boss really doesn't dig that……
- Ahhhhh come on…. It's just a little cash.
- When we finish here, you will wish you never stepped in a casino in your life. – said one of the men putting on his metal knuckles.
The men walked slowly toward TJ.
- Come on boys…… let's talk. – said TJ when suddenly the limo behind the men exploded into thousands of pieces with a blaze of fire.
The men pulled their guns out very surprised. They pointed them behind them but they saw no one. When they turned around once again they saw in front of them a weird looking animal all covered with orange scales. He had a long muzzle with a long file of sharp teeth. Despite his short stature, he was well built and he stood on his hind legs leaving the front legs hanging on the front making him look like a tyrannosaurus Rex. The claws coming from his front legs were long and sharp looking.
The men full of fear fired their weapons at the creature who received the bullet impacts without even wincing. Then, he opened up his jaws real wide and expelled a fire ball that flew past the group of men hitting the limo once again making it explode completely.
- Ok. Fine!!! TJ!!! You can keep your stinking money!!! – yelled the leader of the group of men running away with all his minions cowering behind him.
TJ was frozen in fear. But after a few seconds he noticed he was safe.
- Hey….thanks man!! – said TJ in gratitude.
- Don't thank me anything, you stinky human! – said the creature turning his sight to TJ. – You are still alive because I need you to do me a favor.- said the creature with a voice that was raspy but still was kid like.
- What?
- You heard me! I Know you're a cunning scumbag. That's why I need you to get into the computer in the bay casino.
- Why don't you go and set the place on fire? – asked TJ.
- No, that will attract the attention of other humans. After all this time I had tried to lay low to avoid them……. That would ruin my mission.
- What are you talking about? – asked TJ very puzzled.
- It's not of your business! - replied the creature approaching TJ in a threatening way.
- Ok, all right…….. ok ….. you win!! – said TJ holding his hands up trying to deal with the creature but then he lowered his arms and said – But first…. We have to do something about your external appearance.
Later, in front of the casino at the bay, a Harley Davidson bike was pulling over. From it, it stepped down a black man with a crew cut wearing bright golden jewelry around his neck. He was carrying someone in his arms. Nobody could tell who or what it was because it was wearing a black helmet and the rest of his body was covered with a small black fireproof jumpsuit.
- What's up brother!!! – greeted another man approaching TJ.
- Everything's cool man…- said TJ punching his fists against the fists of the other man.
- What do you got there?
- Its my…… my ……. My nephew……. Yes my nephew….
- Man!!! You know you can't bring children here!
- I know, but I couldn't leave him with anyone to look after him….. Come on…. It will be for a while only. – begged TJ.
- Ok…… Go on……..What are friends for anyway?
He walked very confident to the elevator that would took him to the second floor. The noise of the slot machines fainted as the elevator reached its destination.
The elevator door opened, and TJ kept walking on the red carpeted aisle until he got to a huge double door watched by a huge bodyguard.
- Hello. Is Manny there?
- The boss is busy with some clients. I don't think he wants to talk to you.
- Oh yes I think he would….- said TJ pulling some bills out of his pocket showing them to the huge man. – Look I got a debt to pay.
- Ok. Go in. – replied the guard with a sigh. – But don't touch anything! Got it!!
TJ went through the door and found himself in a luxury office. There were bear skins on the floor and on the wall, there hanged framed golden records next to pictures of many famous artists. The red carpet on the floor fashioned golden threads on the edges and the chairs inside looked antique. On the other side of the room, on the desk, there was a computer terminal.
- Stay here and keep you mouth shut! – said the creature wearing the helmet stepping down from TJ's lap and approaching the desk.
He drew out one of his claws out of the jumpsuit and touched the CPU. The computer programs on screen began to go haywire.
- What are you doing!??! My boss is gonna kill me! – whispered TJ at the creature rising from the chair and walking toward the desk.
The creature had finished but just in that moment a chubby man wearing a tux came into the office.
- TJ!! What the hell are you doing?!!!
- Manny! I can explain…….
- Oh yeah…..Kyle! – yelled the man – come here right now!
In that moment the creature raised the face shield of the helmet spitting a fire blaze at the time that 5 heavily armed men came into the office.
A wall of fire had formed between the men and TJ and the creature. The only way out for them was thru the window.
They struggled down to the first floor and boarded the motorcycle which emitted a screeching sound when it took off.
- I need you to take me north to join my friends!
- What! Are you out of your mind? You maggot. – yelled TJ looking at the creature sited behind him.
- Do it! …… or you're toast!!! – replied the creature raising the face shield of the helmet.
- Ok…..ok don't get tough on me man! – answered TJ driving to the exit freeway from Atlantic City at great speed.
10 minutes didn't elapse when a group of three motorcycles were following them. The passenger of each bike wielded a machine gun in their hand.
- They are gonna shoot us!!! – yelped TJ trying to dodge the traffic in front of him.
The creature stood behind TJ in the back part of the seat supporting himself on TJ's back and then he took off the helmet.
- What are you doing!!! You're gonna make us tip over!!!! – yelled TJ who was worried with this because he was not wearing a helmet. He was just wearing a pair of aviator goggles.
- Shut up and keep driving!!!! – answered the creature hurling fire balls at the approaching motorcycles. Upon impact the bikes toppled down sending driver and passenger to the ground.
- Hey! That was cool!! - screamed TJ. – So. Where are we going?
- I'll tell you where to stop. – said the creature putting the helmet back on.
" Excellent! Veemon is gonna be pleased……" thought the creature shaking one claw against the other in satisfaction.