I sighed, the fact that he listened in on me once was bad enough, but I was certain he would be listening again. I lit a cigarette and leaned back in my chair, looking at the ceiling. "Hunting dogs are a lot safer than this bunch." I mumbled. I stood up and looked down at the girl unapologetically. "Have to do what he says." I said, feeling sorry for her, "I suppose I should consider you unlucky." I finished my cigarette and tossed it down, just to stamp out the remaining ashes. I did a quick and painless jab to the side of her head, knocking her out. I then carefully inflicted a few bruises, and a few cuts in non-vital areas. By the time I finished, she looked terribly beaten, but she would not have felt anything, at least until she woke up. I lit a cigarette and began smoking again, it was my last one.<br/><br/>I hoisted her over my shoulder and began to walk out. Linus was leaning against the door, a wicked smile spread across his lips when he saw her. "She ain't dead right?" He sai, pulling her head up by her hair to look at her bruised face.<br/><br/>"She will probably wish she was." I said, "I beat her so much she passed out from the pain."<br/><br/>"You're a real monster boy." He said, lighting a cigarette of his own, "What's your name?"<br/><br/>"Khalil." I replied respectfully, "I joined a few months ago."<br/><br/>He looked me over and nodded, "Name sounds familiar, you a good fighter right?" His glare was aggressive, though I was stoic and unmoved.<br/><br/>"I've lost very few street fights if any."<br/><br/>"Good to hear." He blew smoke in my face, "Her father owes me quite a bit." He seemed to be growing angrier the more he thought about it.<br/><br/>"If I may suggest sir." I said.<br/><br/>"Yea?"<br/><br/>"Why don't you let me have her until the debt gets paid off." I explained, "I like the way she looks, and I won't let her get away."<br/><br/>The man looked me in the eyes, and then laughed, "Damn, you kids get feisty real young don't ya." He looked at the girl, "Do whatever ya want with her. As long as she don't go anywhere I'll allow it."<br/><br/>"Thank you sir." I said gratefully.<br/><br/>"There's some conditions though!" He growled, "She don't leave your side, she ain't a human, she's a dog as far as you and I are concerned. Additionally, you will be working directly from me for now on. I like people like you, ballsy and with a lot of fight."<br/><br/>"Absolutely sir."<br/><br/>"From now on, you are working as my underling." He threw his cigarette on the ground and leaned into my face, "If you do anything funny though, I will simply kill you as slow as possible." He began to walk away, "No interrogations either."<br/><br/>I nodded and he walked away. I walked to my car and tossed the girl in the back seat. I got in the front and began driving to the building I lived in. It took me five minutes to pull in front of the old and abandoned apartment building. I parked in the back so nobody would see my car, and carried the girl inside and up a flight of stairs to the room I stayed in.<br/><br/>Nobody else was in the building, mostly because it was illegal to go inside, and considered hazardous to be in. Holes in the walls and peeling walpaper made the entire building look terrible, though I found the building to be structurally sound, and safe to live in. It lacked electricity and plumbing though, which was a bit of an inconvenience. The building's owner was some bank who did not want to spend money or time dealing with this building, and had been left abandoned for nearly twenty years.<br/><br/>My apartment was filled with various books. From novels to college textbooks, I had a mini library, and I had read it all. It only had two rooms, one for the kitchen and dining, and one for sleeping, but the doors were gone before I got here, probably scavenged by drug addicts years ago. It was a disgusting place, but all I had. I placed her on my sleeping mat and went to get rubbing alcohol for her cuts. I cleaned them up and wrapped her in my last bandages. I then sat next to her patiently until she woke up.