"Greed changes a person. When money is involved, suddenly everyone wants to know you. Wants to be your friend. You become the most popular person around! So it's almost comedic that same greed can also make you the loneliest person in the world."
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♙Kai Hamilton♙
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The patrol car slowed to a stop before a half-constructed building stood. Outside was a large group of people divided into two groups. One was obvious;y the construction workers and Mr. Maro's people while the other was a group of poorly dressed citizens.
Kai's stomach flips around as sinking dread drops into his heart like a stone.
The crowd all turned upon seeing the patrol car pull up. Kai and his team exited the car with moved closer. A well-dressed man in a tapered suit with dark-colored shoes walked over with a smirk on his face. His dark-colored hair combed over to one side and equally dark eyes narrowed on Kai and his team as they approached him. Handa Maro, a rental tycoon, and brutal businessman. He has been aggressively buying up the large buildings and land in the slums and turning them into expensive high-rise apartments. This isn't the first time an incident has occurred due to his greed for more, he has been kicking out the poorer residents of old apartment buildings for years only to turn to richer prospects once the building is done.
He's a lier and a snake who will do whatever he wants to get his prize.
"Ah, it's about time you all got here!" Maro said with a tilt of his head.
Javion instantly put on his good-guy routine as he always does with the people.
"Mr. Maro, it's good to see you again! What seems to be the problem?"
Maro smiled, preening seemingly from the service or even the idea that the police are at his beck and call. A gnawing feeling built up in the back of Kai's mind but he tapered it down.
"Ah yes, these... people have been causing nothing but trouble for the past few days. Normally it's nothing too hard to handle but as you can see there's quite a crowd." He said motioning to the group of people to his left.
The group of citizens appears both unkept and anger. Kai hoped and prayed it wasn't a homeless group and more just a group who want to protest about another high-rise building but nothing for the rest of the slums. That would make this whole interaction a lot less painful.
"They are on privately owned property and I want them gone..." Maro said then time face the crowd with a mocking smile.
The rebuttal was almost instant.
"This building was our home you asshole!? Where the hell else do you think we can go!"
"Yeah! You've been clearing out all the apartments around. Soon there will be nothing left!"
"We barely even gotten noticed before we told to get out! What kind of fuck up business is that?!"
"Yeah, it has to be illegal!"
The angry shouts continued on and on. Maro's face grew dark and he let out a scoff.
"Enough!"
His yell echoed over the crowd causing a hush to fall. His dark eyes jumped between each person with a sneer.
"I bought the buildings, with my own money. What I do with the building is my damn business. However, you all are trespassing on private property. Right now, you all are criminals." Maro spoke, gesture with his hands at the crowd.
The anger in their eyes could light a fire.
"However, I'm feeling generous today. So I will propose a deal for you all today."
"Sir-" Kai started to interject.
Jaivon quickly shot him a look that instantly made his word die in this throat.
Stand back and shut up the look clearly said.
A murmur of confused questions flew around everyone looking between each other. Kai could barely resist the urge to roll his eyes. Maro just loved the sound of his own voice and act like he was a benevolent king. But then again, it wasn't just him.
All those of privilege in Briagas acted the exact same way.
"Work for me. And I will guarantee that pay and a possible spot at this new building once completed. Now isn't that proper justice?" Maro announces with a smile that had way too many teeth.
The crowd seems amendable to that as many faces turned from aggressive to calm.
"Ah, but there is one small catch."
Kai lets out a sigh as he knew this was coming.
"There are limited spots given there are already those who are looking to rent once this building is done. But I will allow you all to decide upon yourself who will take the remaining spots."
Without even know how many spots or what they would even have to do, the crowd developed into a yelling mass. Each trying to get one over the other. Like a pack of vultures over a fresh kill.
This is how the powerful operate. Dangle an opportunity in front of those less fortunate and then watch them dance to their tune.
Jaivon turns to Kai with a pointed look before going over to the crowd.
See? No matter how noble everyone paints themselves. Everyone will choose to play this game, even at the expense of others.
Kai could feel the sympathetic looks of Rafeeqa and Arthur. The sick feeling never left Kai, it grew and grew. Like an unchecked plague.
It was at that moment some of the protesting crowd noticed him. A few recognized him instantly.
"Oh, is-isn't that him?"
"The bloodhound of Briagas!"
"He'll help us!"
Suddenly parts of the crowd moved towards Kai, each eyeing him eagerly. Their voices were overlapping one another but it was just the same request. To help them get their home back or even worst, get a better standing with Maro of all people.
"Please, help us!"
"You're the Bloodhound of Briagas right? Make him give our home back."
"Nah, forget that. Make him hire us!"
Rafeeqa and Arthur were trying to disperse the crowd around Kai. While Jaivon just watched, the look in his eyes was unkind and with twisted glee.
He knew that Kai was powerless to do anything. Kai knew it too. And it made the sick feeling just wash over him in waves.
"I-I'm sorry" Was Kai's response to the crowd.
The expecting face all turned slowly one by one. Disappointment and a little bit of scorn.
"Ah, so he was useless after all..."
"Tch, what a waste of time!"
As quickly as they came, they moved away from him. No find no use and back with the rest of the crowd still trying to make their case towards Maro.
The rest of this world seems to bleed into white noise for Kai after that. It took a while to clear out the area after the crowd got a little out of hand. The drive back was even more of a blur, he was sure Rafeeqa and Arthur were talking to him but he just couldn't be bothered.
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