The Cipher

It started pouring outside, the rain is furious, but in a minute, it calms. A bartender at the counter is talking to his regular customers.

"David, how's your sister?" The bearded man asked.

"She's doing well. And don't try to hook up with my sister, do you understand?" David said.

"Man, I'm just being nice," the bearded man insisted.

"I don't know, buddy. Last time you said that, you puked in front of her." David said.

The customers started laughing and teasing him. Meanwhile, at the billiards area, the people there are usually either drunk or relaxed. At the tables, the people are mostly wild and drunk folks all the time.

Four boys went inside the bar that caught the attention of the regular customers. They made a grand entrance, making others think they are the main characters about to save society.

"Mat, where have you been? There are so many customers here. Could you help me with the drinks at least?" David asked.

"I just have some business to do, bro." Mathew said.

"I don't want to hear about your business; just help me out here." David said.

"Bro, the reason why I came here is because of my important mission."

"Can you be more specific?" Vivienne ask.

"How you doing Viv? You look beautiful." Mathew said.

"I am and stop flirting with me. I'm twice of your age."

"I don't care. The most important is how I feel about you, Vivienne."

"David, can you fetch your little brother." Vivienne said.

"Mat, stop capping and get in here."

"Vivienne my love, if you just let me express myself to you." Mathew said.

"Oh my god, David!"

"Mat, don't drain Vivienne she's got have enough work to do."

"So long, my love." Mathew said.

Vivienne rolled her eyes, Mathew smirked, and went to the bartender's counter. His friends sat at the side of the counter.

"What's your plan bro?" Isaiah asked.

"After my shift, we will bring the Green Dream by midnight, aight?" Mathew said.

"I don't think this a good idea, bro." Klaus said.

"Come on, Klaus. That fucking gaming box setup collection has been our dream since we were kids." Paul said.

"We didn't know each other when we were kids." Klaus said.

"Just saying, we hit a jackpot. We're lucky they only want a kilo of pot." Paul said.

"Trust me bro, I got this. Like Paul said we don't have to waste this opportunity. We could be a pot dealers, you know." Mathew said.

"I'm outta here." Klaus said.

"Okay, okay. I'm just kidding bro. We're not gonna be a fucking dealers. We're just have to get this gaming setup asap." Mathew said.

After an hour, the other customers started to leave. It was past midnight when they closed the bar.

"What in the world have you been putting yourself into, Mat?" David asked.

"Just give me a big favor, bro. I promise I'll help you for a week straight here. We could use some renovation at the side of the bar, right?" Mathew said.

"I don't think so, we already renovated it. Besides it's going to cost money." Vivienne said.

"My love, even it costs a lot of money, it doesn't matter as long as I'm with you." Mathew said.

"You really need help." Vivienne said.

"Cut the shit, bro." Isaiah said.

"Bro, we really need a kilo of pot. Then I owe you that and I will help the bar stay neat." Mathew said.

"Why do you need a pot so bad?" Vivienne ask.

"As you can see, my love. You don't know how much I love for gaming but you always win." Mathew said.

"That's a good one. David, just give him a pot so they can leave the bar peacefully." Vivienne said.

"There's no way I can do that, what if it's an undercover police officer or detective? Don't be stupid, Mat." David said.

They were arguing for a few seconds, and Liz opened the door and went inside.

"What's the commotion, folks? Everyone okay?" Liz asked.

"Your brother is stubborn." Vivienne said.

"We all know that." Liz said.

"Liz, how are you doing, bud?" Isaiah asked.

"Good and not so good." Liz said.

"Likewise." Klaus said.

"What's the problem?" Liz asked.

"They need a kilo of pot in exchange for a gaming setup collection." Vivienne said.

"Thank you, my love. You put it so well." Mathew said.

"I know someone." Liz said.

"Really? You're a life saver, Liz." Paul said.

"Liz, don't tolerate your brother and don't make the same mistake again." David said.

"What mistake?" Klaus asked.

"Liz and her buddies were motherfucking Gs back in college. They were the source of pot, usually students and even professors bought from them. It didn't turn out well. They got caught. Put in jail for 30 days. That's how I met her." Vivienne explained.

"You sent to jail?" Isaiah asked.

"No, I bought a pot." Vivienne said.

"Damn, I didn't know you were such a baddie before, my love." Mathew said.

"How much you got?" Liz asked.

"Do you have a cheap one?" Mathew asked.

"Lemme just take a call." Liz said.

Liz called the first number on her phone.

"Ayo, Meg. What's up?" Liz asked.

"Nothing much, it's my fucking day off." Megan said.

"Yeah, it's Saturday! Meg, can we come over to your house? Need a pot." Liz said.

"Who needs it?" Megan asked.

"Mathew, he needs a pot to buy the gaming setup collection, he's desperate." Liz said.

"Aight, just come over." Megan said.

"We will, see ya Meg." Liz said.

Liz went to them.

"Problem solved, folks." Liz said.

"That's my sister." Mathew said.

They handshake sign together.

They hop in a silver van, and David drives to Cipher Street.

When they arrive, it's like a ghost town but in a neat neighbourhood. Almost no one there sees each other leaving or greeting.

They are busy with their own lives, which is good. No drama. No gossip. Just living in the moment.

David parks the van in front of a vintage house. They ring the bell and Megan opens it.

"Yo, Meg! How you doing?" David asked.

"Same old. That's interesting, y'all here." Megan said.

"I'm here because I want a brownies with a pot, Meg." Vivienne said.

"Right on it." Megan said.

They all went inside the house. Vivienne took the opportunity to go to the kitchen area. The setup on the inside is very distinctive. The kitchen is at the top right side in front of the living room. On the left side, there is a wall leading to a hallway that goes to the bedroom. Through the glass window, there is a small greenhouse with many plants.

"Who's the seller?" Megan ask.

"Actually, Meg. We don't really know them, we all just met at the club." Mathew said.

"So you don't know who you dealing with." Megan said.

"There's a tall guy, he was the one who will receive the pot and gave us the gaming setup." Paul said.

"Where y'all plan meeting?" Megan ask.

"At the club, we all have access in VIP room." Isaiah said.

"Isaiah, you could just ask me for a gaming PC or whatever you want." Megan said.

"I don't wanna bother you, Sis. You're kinda busy and don't even respond to a call." Isaiah said.

"And we don't want to be a burden." Klaus said.

"Does your sister know about what you doing?" Megan asked.

"Nope. Please don't tell her. She will sabotage the whole plan." Klaus said.

"How about you, Paul? How's your father?" Megan asked.

"He's still in the hospital and mom is taking care of him." Paul said.

"Exactly. Don't cause anything that could worry them. They have enough problems to deal with. But as a former troublemaker of yours, used to be..." Megan said.

"And a bad influence and scary." Vivienne said.

"You're welcome, Viv." Megan said.

"We should go too." Liz said.

"No. That's not the plan. Besides, we are the ones with a pass, and we are the ones they know." Mathew said.

"We will wait outside if that's the case." David said.

"Guys, don't be clingy. We got this. We will get back tomorrow afternoon at the bar." Isaiah said.

"We're not clingy, Isaiah. We care." Vivienne said.

"Coming from you, Viv." Isaiah said.

"Megan, can you tell your half brother that he is stupid." Vivienne said.

"Jesus, Viv." Paul said.

"That unnecessary." Klaus said.

"You don't have to say that, sweetheart." Mathew said.

"He started it. Great, so I'm the bad guy now." Vivienne said.

"Alright, let's settle this down." Megan said.

Megan went to the green house with them. She opened a door that is hard to see because of the invisibility attached to the wall.

"Holy shit!" Paul said.

"There's so many!" Mathew said.

"I can't believe what I see." Klaus said.

"Indeed." Isaiah said.

"Is this all yours, Meg?" Mathew ask.

"Nah, some of it." Megan said.

"Wait, why you guys didn't have any reaction? Aren't you amazed?" Mathew ask.

"We've been here a lot of times, Mat." Vivienne said.

"That's awesome. You guys are so cool. So can we have the kilo?" Mathew said.

"There you go, disguise it. In case there's a patrollers at the road." Megan said.

"Thank you. Thank you very much Meg." Mathew said.

"Meg, where's the paper?" Vivienne ask.

"Top right of the drawer. There's already a roll there, Viv." Megan said.

"You smoking a pot?" Isaiah ask.

"Why not?" Vivienne said.

"Gimme one too." Isaiah said.

"If Megan allows it. I'd love too." Vivienne said.

Mathew and Isaiah, along with Klaus and Paul, left to deal with their gaming setup shit. Vivienne went outside to walk with David.

"Ever heard about a tower in the middle of the ocean?" Liz asked.

"That's random. Nah, never heard of it." Megan said.

"They believe that it is a portal to another universe." Liz said.

"That's interesting. Do you believe in it?" Megan asked.

"I'm into kinda stuff, you know. I'm a sci-fi fan." Liz said.

"Is there someone living in the tower?" Megan ask.

"No one knows 'cause people never been there inside." Liz said.

"Why would they know that there is a portal?" Megan asked.

"They send a chopper. Up the sky you will see down that there is something magnificent is going on, like crystal on the edge and it's black." Liz said.

"Like a black hole." Megan said.

"Exactly like that." Liz said.

After a few minutes of talking about the portal, Liz finally felt satisfied and even found a VHS tape containing a record information about science and astronomy in the drawer.

"I'll borrow this Meg. All of this. You have so many here and didn't even touch it." Liz said.

"That's not mine. It's Lany." Megan said.

"Tell her. Lany really has a good taste." Liz said.

"Copy that." Megan said.

"Yo Meg, where's the remote?" Liz asked.

"Top of the shelf." Megan said.

"Nothing is here." Liz said.

"I placed that there." Megan said.

"Nevermind, I'll just snatch David's." Liz said.

"Make sure you get caught." Megan said.

"I will and he'll be pissed off." Liz said.

Liz left. Megan found the remote in the kitchen near the faucet.