CHAPTER FOUR

Logan got onto the road as he resumed his long trek to his workplace. He would have to figure out a way around all of this and maybe ask his boss for an upfront since he had been robbed dry. He made his way there rapidly.

As he came around the corner to his office, he saw that Carter and his cronies were all around the area on their motorbikes and the car they patrolled around with. He would have to pass around them to get to the canteen but there was no way he could do this without them noticing him.

To think that whatever it was that had possessed his mind had asked him to confront Carter. Could it not see that the guy was scary and he was no more than a coward? How could he ever do that without getting beaten up?

It had to be his alter ego. There was no power system and he was merely the weakling he would always be.

He took a deep breath as he noticed now that Eleanor was nowhere in sight. That would lessen his embarrassment as he briskly walked around.

"Oh, someone seems to have nine lives," Carter said and his cronies started laughing.

Logan started to move away again.

"You take one step forward and I would have your skin torn from your back." Carter went on to say.

Logan was horrified. Knowing Carter, he would even do worse than that. He turned now to look at the guy.

"Listen, Carter. I don't want any trouble. You have Eleanor now, you can keep her." He said to him. "You don't even need to pay anything."

He had to add that in hopes that would score him some favor in Carter's eyes. However, the guy was not one to be pleased easily. He was looking at Logan now like he was actually paying attention and the moment Logan ceased to say anything, he broke into a horrible laugh that was so demeaning.

"Hold on a second, you actually thought I had intentions of paying you? Now why would I do that, dear friend?" Logan asked him.

"Well, I thought... I was hoping... Carter, please. I need to get to work." Logan said instead.

"Now the puppy begs. I thought you'd gone rogue. But you see, princess. You and I have unfinished business." Carter said to him.

"Unfinished business? We never had a business." Logan said to him.

"Oh, but we do. Sadly, by getting into my wanted list and to crown it all, you have been discovered to have been shagging with my girl. That's a lifetime commitment to my court." Carter said to him.

Logan blinked. Perhaps, he should just summon courage and confront this big, bad bully. Not just for the sake of what the system had asked him but for the sake of his humanity. He could not keep living this way. He had to do something now and really fast before things went really bad.

"You can keep her, Carter. I'm never going to bug you." Logan said to him fearfully.

"Bug? Now how does a bug get to bug if he's not a bug?" Carter asked, looking at his men and they all started to laugh as they synced with his rhymes.

Logan could see that the guy was distracted now. Two options on his mind are to confront Carter or stick to the latter. He decided on the latter as he suddenly broke into a run. He dashed as he ran with his heart in his mouth. He heard them hail and then started laughing as they pretended to want to come after him.

"We'll wait, Logan bear," Carter screamed after him.

Oh, sure as hell, Logan knew within him the guy was actually going to wait. He would have to figure out a way to get around all of this.

He had just gotten to the entrance to the canteen...

"Eight hours left until the completion of a task." The system suddenly says.

"Make it six. I'm late to work." Logan muttered and entered the canteen.

"Again, Logan?" His manager asked the moment he entered, wearing a frown on his face.

"I'm sorry," Logan said to him.

"Keep it up and we'll see to it that your apologies pay you." The manager said angrily and walked away.

That was it then. He had successfully provoked his manager which could only mean that he would not be allowed to get an upfront. This was the second week of the month too, he had too much time for his next payment date.

Logan had to keep quiet and get to work instead as he resumed his duties. He took to his stand and started taking orders.

"Dude, you look so bad." His partner said to him.

"I know right? Too bad thanks to my very own people that could not even save me." He said with a forced smile.

"Save you from Carter? No one is so dumb as to get in his way and you know that. Or do you seem to forget how you got into his bad books recently?" The guy asked him.

"I know. I'm just kidding." Logan said but he knew that deep down within him, he was actually serious about what he was saying. He wished so badly within him that he could have someone that would at the very least stand up for him at certain times of his life. It was getting really lonely at this point and not at all easy.

Logan went on with his shift and the system was so kind enough as to live up to expectations and let him know how much time he had left still. He decided to think nothing about it and continued his work as he anticipated his break in about a long hour.

He knew by then, the system count would be well over and he would have to see what else would be thrown at him. He was so uneasy all through his job time that his colleague noticed and was asking him if he was alright.

Logan was just done giving out the order to someone when it happened.

"Unfortunately, at the end of twenty-four hours, the host has failed to complete the assigned task. However, with consideration to instigating a conversation with the bully, a host would be given 50 percent of the prize money. Five hundred thousand dollars has been credited to the host's account." The system rattled on.

Logan was confused and then he looked at his coworker.

"Can you cover for me, Daniel? I really need to pee." Logan said to him.

"Do not be late or I'll tell," Daniel said to him.

Without hesitation, Logan dashed off to the locker room area where his phone was. He opened the phone and indeed there was a notification there. He was amazed when he saw it was a credit alert from an unknown source.

Logan did a double count of the zeros three times before he came to terms with the reality of what was before him. Excitement washed all over him as he came to terms with the reality that he was not actually crazy.

Logan tried to hide his excitement as he quickly hid away his phone and made his way back to his stand. He was just about to get into his stand when he noticed Carter and his cronies right outside the canteen. Logan smirked at him and then gave him the middle finger raised.

A bright thought crossed his mind now as he wondered as to what would happen if he should actually go after him now and confront him.

He very much as well might actually get the other bit of the money.

Logan started off towards the exit. His mind was running wildly but what would he care? Better to be beaten up and get the complete money, right?

"Logan, I think you're going the wrong way." Daniel, who noticed him going out, called out to him.

"I'll be back, Daniel." He said.

"Logan, you dare to step out of this place and I would deduct half your paycheck!" His manager calls out to him.

What does it matter if he gets deducted half his paycheck? Right now, he had way above that sitting casually in his account, and no way would he stick to that and not hunger for more.

Logan paid less heed to him as he stepped out.

"There's our princess!" Carter calls out excitedly as he notices Logan approaching.

"Intercepting current risk, to get the next prize and a 200 percent profit reward that the initial amount, the host must punch the bully right the left eye." The system said to him and for a short second, Logan froze.

No way would he be able to do that, he would be killed where he stands. But then, a 200 percent profit reward was too great a temptation to overlook.

Logan stood, petrified now.

"Come on then, princess. Too scared now to make a move? Come to Papa!!!" Carter taunted him.

Well, guess what? With Carter's behavior, it was totally worth the risk. Logan started off for the guy now, frowning deeply as he tried to look totally bold.

He walked up to him with his fists clenched to his sides until he came to stand face to face with Carter who was in front of the others as he too had been walking up to meet with Logan.

"Hi, Carter." Logan greeted him.

"Hello, princess." Carter continued demeaning him.

Logan smiled.