STAKED:
At a well brightened and brown-walled huge basket ball court, with orange colored flooring and sunlight cutting through large windows in sport wears, Gloria and a few other girls with random body features chatted at one of the seats as Watcher and other males wearing red sat on the opposite end of the huge room, as their voices fleeted.
"So I heard Gloria may or may not be into Farouk much… I've had a few hopes for him, but still, he's such a nerd."
A fair-skinned guy chuckled with closed eyes. "This looks like a time to 'take your shot, my guy.'" He nudged. "Dude, I don't really care about this player stuff cuz we are looking at it, that girl is loaded."
Watcher laughed a bit, then smiled smoothly. "Why not...? She doesn't need some 'vigilante' risking it all for some 'rival gang' or taskforce, right?"
From then, they maintained stares at Gloria's end as they talked.
"Oh my gosh, Watcher's here, what do you think!" She blushed with her hand on her mouth. "I think he's checking you out."
With that, Gloria gazed at Watcher.
The man then smiled, as if anticipating his target.
Finding the perfect score.
***
As orange glowing sunlight set on the huge asphalt coated area filled with cars of all designs in rows. The pitch black aura it had must have spelt evening time. Amidst the setting, young looking and tall people, fully grown, strode in masses across the place, chatting fervently in moderate tones.
Among the populace was Gloria, along with a few other girls with different heights, skins and hair colours. They smiled as they uttered words.
"Damn, girls." Gloria beamed. "I don't know how else to thank you all for your help, lately… I don't know for that Farouk guy." She then pouted, as if visioning him. "I wonder if he ever stops to think about what this is doing to me."
"Please, don't remind us of him." One of the groups closed eyes waving." One way you can thank us though is asking out our man Watcher over there."
She pointed down a stone throw away, grinning as a few group of males in casual clothes, including Watcher, walked up to them.
Gloria eyed the gang, smiling shyly as they stepped to her front.
Watcher flashed his teeth. "The name's Watcher… I figured that's what the next line in your script asked for."
"Oh please." She chuckled lightly, "Why don't we continue this down at your place?"
"Aight, bet." He nodded. "We'll catch you guys later, I suppose."
At this the duo walked away while the guys and girls made cheerful noises at low tones.
Although, we could still be worried about his intentions though. What could Watcher's plan be, really?
With Gloria's mouth dry, she must have wondered what price would be paid if she refused.
Who knows?
***
Much later, in a medium sized orange walled room with big dark-oak wood cupboards with glass faces and framed photos, Gloria sat on one of them in the chandelier lit place on one of the large red foam-covered chair. Watching a lit and wide television screen ahead.
Elsewhere, in a small and white ceramic tiles-walled area with drawers and hung knives aroud, Watcher spoke with a dark-skinned woman; tall with an athletic build and long brown curly hair. He green eyes stared as her and Watcher's whispers we audible.
"Yes, yes, but keep it down." He pushed his hand down. "I know what it seems like but we can still hadle the betrothal and everything concerning Gloria's dad.
"Ya'll are still talking about Gloria's betrothal?" A high-pitched male voice spoke from a barbed wire wooden door from behind them, as a short and fair-skinned boy with a smooth face walked in a jersey. "I thought Gloria's dad already settled it?"
"SHUSH!" The woman and Watcher chorused with fingers on their mouth.
At that, Gloria perked her head up, staring at a small birch-wood door down a corner. Her dad, hmm?
She then paced her way down to the place, opening that entrance to the same room the trio were.
"Okay," Gloria aired, folding her arms. "What's this our fine boy has loudly stated about me being betrothed to you because of my dad?"
The trio stared at each other, then with straight faces. Watcher heaved.
"Our family business is down to one investor which is your dad's company."
He stepped forth to Gloria. "He had a vision of our companies merging together and always wanted a son to take over his because he couldn't get any other child but you."
He then stared into her eyes. "If you are not betrothed to me in the next 2 hours, your dad may not invest in our company, but I'm the only literal son of one he can find fit enough for this deal, so that's what's up."
At this Gloria raised her brows as Walker pursed his lips, the rest stood still, gazing she simply shook her head. No, no… no.
First Farouk and now him…? This cycle has to stop.
What is she going to do?
***
"KA-POW!"
Atop a massive, wide and flat grey rooftop with the reddish orange glow of the evening sun, Farouk tumbled black iron box a few stone throws away.
Laying on the ground, In a second, a human sized and bright flash of lightning came before Farouk, who groaned. Dissipating, the person revealed to be Segun, with white eyes and bolts, simmering to nothing on him.
He wore grim face, sighing mutely. "You know what?" He coolly spoke. "After what Watcher told me, I guess I have to stop being like his dad and follow in his dirty work."
"And then what?" Captain Loyal laid down by the left, about a mile away, bruised. "Finish Lillian Gold's work…? She means nothing while I mean the best for you, you ungrateful-."
"I've read about her in books, and no matter how she looked like in them, at least she's better than you!" Segun barked, facing him. "Yeah, she's someone who actually plans to change the world."
"Hey."
Footsteps strode as the angry man turned to his right with one of his eyebrows raised. They were Stella's, who simply stepped gracefully towards him, with her chin up and a smile.
Segun then gritted calmly. "What are you doing here?"
Without her stopping, he bent his head. "Wait, why are you walking slowly now..? and what are you-."
"SMOOCH."
In a blink of an eye, Stella's lips planted on his, as his eyes closed. Uhmmm, what the heck?
After their light bodily embrace, Stella softly smiled at Farouk, now sitting with wounds.
She stepped forth. "What a day really?" the girl giggled. "First you help Colonel Edeagwu with your water powers to break into an aqua prison… retrieve a portal relic key to the other multiverse hand it over to him so he can finally do his wishes."
Stella inched her body to Farouk. "I'm now hanging with the winning team, Farouk… see you later, loser."
She walked away from the defeated. His red eyes quivered. Could this really be it though?
What's the fate of everything, really?