Barbed Lives ☑️

29. Penultimate

"James, you got a call."
Neil called me while I unwrapped the bandage from my hands.

"Who's it?"
I asked casually.

"Calls himself Boss. What's up with your people? One day there's Tail. Now there's Boss?"
He said uninterested and I stunned for a second.

"Damnit!"
I left the bandage hanging loose on my wrist and ran to take the call.

Guessing that it's something important as my life, Neil moved the speaker back at the last moment.
"What the hell?"
I mouthed, warning him to give me the phone.

Kelly sniggered behind me and I ignored him this once. I'll deal with him later.

Neil pushed me away with one hand and started talking to the person on other end.
"James says he's busy. Can you call back later?"

My eyes went four times bigger.
"Neil!"
I shouted and struggled to snatch the speaker from him.

We had a little fight where he was laughing and I was struggling to get the speaker from him.
Somehow after using violence, I snatched it from his hand and brought it to my ear.

"Boss.."
I said but boss cut the call by saying "....go to hell."

Fuck!
FUCK!

"What have you done!"
I yelled at Neil.
"What? I was just joking. He said he'll call back."

"He won't! He's my Boss!"
"Doesn't he have a name? Who is he, a mafia or what?"

"Sir Kelvin Hudson."
"What's with this Boss thing, sir?"
Kelly asked carefully.

"He pretty much owns me."
"Kindly elaborate."
Neil commanded crossing his arms on his chest.
Rascal just dug a grave for me, and instead of apologising, he's asking me to elaborate!

"A boss is a senior cadet who choses a junior cadet as his dog. They have a special brotherly bond that stays for life. A dog gives his boss his loyalty and gets trust in return. Since it all starts within KMA, the bosses are bound to go hard on their dogs."
"Can anyone be a boss?"
Neil was intrigued.

"No. Only a dog can be a boss. It's like a hierarchy. A lineage."
"I see. And what is the importance of this lineage?"
Never knew Charles was interested in the conversation too.

"This channel is separate from all other channels of passing information and giving jobs. We're servants of the men above us and owners of the boys below. It's the quickest path of execution of an order given informally. For booking hotels, arranging guest rooms, lending vehicles, completing paperwork in their absence - Boss calls his dog with complete authority, and the dog delivers without fail, no excuses. Basically we're a family of assholes filtered from every batch."
I chuckled realising I was talking about myself too. Neil smacked on my head. Can't say didn't see that coming. I knew he'd strike.

"Look. I can't use anything other than asshole to describe us. So bear with it."
Kelly laughed this time.

"So what's the fuss?"
Kelly asked.

I got angry again and turned to Neil.
"What's the fuss? He literally insulted my lifetime ass owner by saying that I don't have time for him. Do you even know how big of a disrespectful gesture that is? I'm supposed to attend his call even if I'm dying!"

"Looks like I did a lot of damage here."
Neil said laughing apologetically.

"So kind of you to realise that!"
I scolded him sarcastically.

Before I could do anything else, the phone rang again.
I didn't want to take a chance this time so I picked it up quickly and placed it on my ear tightly.