I was tied up in a wooden chair by rope restraining my arms behind my back and my feet tied together. "So you're the little shit that saw us outside Valarie's?" Said an intimidating voice, I couldn't see the bastard of course, I was blindfolded. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble sir-"
"SIR? WHO ARE YOU CALLING SIR YOU FUCKER?!" Interrupted an angry female voice. "Calm it Val, he cant us after all".

My first day in New York and I'm already gonna die, great.

"Listen here kid, we don't know who you are...yet" the same intimidating voice spoke, I could hear them lean in close and whisper in my ear-" But I swear to God if you're another one of those black bird spy's I'll cut your throat and leave you here to die in this shit hole"

How the fuck did I end up here?!

14 hours earlier- Queens, New York City

I had just arrived in New York via train and I already had somewhere to be. My name is Hisuru Jackson, I'm 22 years young and I'm 5'8, average height and nothing special.I pushed my dark brown hair out of my face and fixed my cotton white shirt as I made my way through the sea of people blocking my way. "Jesus Christ New Yorkers love to make a crowd" I thought to myself as I finally found my destination, The Crown Hotel, the big wooden sign read outside of the huge white pained building which stood in front of me. I took a deep breath and entered the moving door transporting me to a world of diamonds and luxury.

Wow, this place was amazing it looked like somewhere the Queen of England would stay. "When you're done gawking brown eyes, you can tell me what the fuck you're doing here?" And there's the reminder of what I am, a mixed race asian man who looks like someone who could easily get the shit beaten out of them. "Sorry, I'm here for a job interview , a Mr Crown said to meet him here?" The women at the desk who commented on me earlier typed on the expensive looking computer as she glared at me.

"Ah yes, Mr Jackson ,you applied for the waiter job at the restaurant, He's been expecting you..." the women clearly didn't like me. She walked over to me from the desk, wearing a green and white blazer with a name tag "Karen" it read. Oh god here we go. " I still don't understand how your people are allowed in this once proud country" Karen hissed in my face, she adjusted her grey bob hair in the mirror and told me to follow her to meet my new employer. I had no doubt that I wasn't gonna get the job, I'd worked at hotels before back in California but none as extravagant as this.

Karen escorted me to the elevator near the grand stairs at tech centre of the room, " top floor, first door on your right." "Thank you." I said plainly not wanting to trigger another comment from her, I walked to the door of Mr Crowns office and took another deep breath, "Hisuru Jackson, you've got this". I knocked on the door and waited anxiously "Come in!" A surprisingly optimistic man chimed, I entered the room and as I expected the mans office was just as extravagant as the lobby.

"Mr Jackson, I've been expecting you! Where's Karen?" " the receptionist?" I asked, "yes, did she not... oh never mind," the large mans words seemed to trail off, maybe he knows that he receptionist is a racist? " Please have a seat".

The interview felt like it went on for hours, questions on my skills, past jobs and what I can offer to the hotel. "And finally, Hisuru, I want to ask you why you want to work at the hotel?" Mr Crown pored himself a glass of whiskey his stomach almost shaking from the movement. " I like being a waiter, I worked as waiter at my sisters cafe back in California since I was 10." I began to reminisce in my mind of the time when I worked at Blue fire with Lotis, my older sister, before being snapped out of the memory by Mr. Crown saying " You just moved to New York today I understand?". "Oh, um yes sir, I got off the train just this morning." "If you can, perhaps you would like to stat your first shift tonight?" I couldn't believe it. "Wait I'm hired?!" Mr Crown nodded and laughed telling me to start at six tonight. I thanked him and began to walk out the office when Mr Crown stopped me saying "Be careful son, these parts of Queens are full of gangs. If you see something, say nothing, understood?" I paused hearing this. But then I simply turned and said with a smile on my face "crystal sir".

I entered my new apartment which was conveniently only a few blocks away from the Crown Hotel. It wasn't as bad as I thought for the price the rent was, sure there was only a fridge which was on the blink and a small bed which looked... well used to put it lightly. But it could work! I spent the next few hours setting out the stuff I'd brought with me in a small suitcase and before I knew it, it was time for work.

"Excuse me sir but my steak is medium rare when I asked for well done?" I apologised to the wealthy man in front of and took his steak back to the kitchen. The night was going pretty well but I was drenched in sweat and tired out of my mind. "You good mate?" Asked one of the older members of staff, " yeah, I just need a drink that's all" " why don't ya come with us to Valarie's? It's a pretty sweet place! And your one of us now man." I thought for a minute but decided to decline his offer. I finished my shift after what felt like years, I decided not to change out of the green and white uniform the hotel gave me as I knew it would be easier to change at home.

I had been walking for about half an hour and what was my luck? I got fucking lost. It was cold, raining, or as some of the New Yorker call it " your average autumn night in NYC" I spotted the bar club that my colleagues invited me to earlier. I was about to go in and find them since I really needed that drink, when I heard someone yell- "SOMEONE FUCKING HELP ME!" Followed by someone telling the person to shut up. I followed the sounds to a shady alleyway, and my god I wished I didn't.

"You betrayed us Nick, you didn't give us the fucking money you bastard" a masked stranger said before brutally punching the pleading man in the face. 'And this is what happens when you don't pay you debts". Said a women in a teasing tone before taking out a box cutter.I spotted that both men wore clown masks am dressed in all black, it was horrifying. Next thing I knew they were carving out the poor mans face! I grabbed my phone out of my pocket ,shaking, I was about to call the cops when suddenly-"not so fast you little shit". A large hand covered my mouth and I felt a sharp pain in my head as everything went black.

Present time- in a warehouse in Brooklyn

"Don't lie kid, my people saw you calling the cops. Now tell me WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!" The voice roared in my face. "I don't work for anyone! I told you I was just passing by, I won't say anything I promise!" I knew I was gonna die, I started praying in my head and accepting fate when all of a sudden -" he's right, we got a report on him boss" a different person? Who the hell idps this and what's going on?! " they work for the Crown Hotel. His names Hisuru Jackson, 22, likes cats...' "WAIT HOW DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW ALL OF THIS?!" I was shocked confused and on the verge of fucking tears. I just wanted to go home.

"Wait the Crown did you say? Well then kid, you could be of help to us." At this point I assumed the person currently talking to me was their leader. " I'll keep it simple, My name is Eva Gloss, and I'm the leader of a gang formally known as the Clowns of Queens."