Chapter 16

'Everything  makes sense now,' Warren thought. 'The confidence in Gary's words and his relentless onslaught while saying that I stole the necklace. He was the one who planned it all.' 

Although he realized the truth now, it was too late for him. The security guards brought him out to the parking lot on Gary's command. They kicked him violently until blood were flowing out through his nose and mouth. The pain he felt was something he will never forget. Not only was he wrongfully accused, even Cassidy believed that he was a thief. Warren didn't feel the need to defend himself anymore. He accepted the beating, although it hurt him excruciatingly. 

At that moment Gary stood in front of him. He followed the guards when they brought Warren out. He made sure that no one else followed them since he wanted to make Warren suffer in peace.

"Not so smug now anymore, are we?" he joked as he also kicked Warren. "Did you really think that you could be with Cassidy? She will never defend someone like you, even though I framed you. Now look at her. She even reprimanded you!" Gary laughed. He kept kicking non-stop. He wanted Warren to suffer.

"Did you really think that we were on the same level? At the end of the day the better guy won. You should have never angered me. Look at yourself now."

"Stop!" At that moment a voice shouted. The voice belonged to Cassidy. "Can't you see that he's had enough. Do you want to kill him?" 

Although she was angry at Warren for humiliating her like that, she couldn't watch Gary kill him. They were high school classmates once upon a time. It would haunt her forever if she just stood by and watch someone get killed. 

Hearing her say that, Gary kicked Warren one last time and spit at him. After that he shouted "Get out of here! I never want to see your face here ever again!"

Warren struggled to his feet as blood was still dripping from the corners of his mouth. He looked at Cassidy one last time and turned around to leave. The security guards allowed him to leave and Warren turned around one final time and looked into Cassidy's eyes.

"I didn't steal the necklace, but that doesn't matter anymore. I just want to tell you to take care of yourself. You shouldn't lose yourself because you are blinded by rage. You are an excellent judge of character. Don't ever let it be clouded."

After that Warren left. Looking at his back, Cassidy felt uneasy. Why would Warren say something like that? What was the implications of his words? Before she could say anything, Warren disappeared from her sight.

Gary smiled as he took Cassidy's hand and lead her back to the main hall. The party resumed as if nothing happened. However, Cassidy was now lost in thought. Warren's words kept replaying in her mind. What was he trying to say?

Warren, on the other hand, struggled as he was waving for a cab. However, no one stopped for him. He was covered in blood after all, so why would anyone want to bother with him. He walked a block or two until he arrived at a bridge. Near the bridge, there was a beggar lying under a cardboard box, which served as his blanket. Seeing how pitiful he looked, Warren approached him and put his jacket over him. Although it was covered in blood, he still felt that the jacket would provide more protection against the cold, than the cardboard box. 

The beggar looked at him and couldn't help smiling. He had a good impression of Warren, because although he was beaten up, he cared about the safety of other people more than his own.

He took the his own jacket and cut it into pieces. Warren was surprised at that, but before he could say anything, the beggar called him closer. Warren could only oblige. When he was close enough, the beggar signaled him to sit down. After Warren sat down the beggar used the little bit of alcohol he had left to disinfect Warren's wounds. Warren was too weak to resist and the burning sensation he felt, hurt him even more. 

After he disinfected Warren's wounds, he used the torn pieces of his jacket as bandages to cover Warren's wounds. Warren was touched at the beggar's generosity. He put his hand into his pocket and found the 100 dollars he wanted to use to pay for the cab, and gave it to the beggar. The beggar, however, only shook his head. He didn't want Warren's money. Warren was shocked at the beggar's refusal. It was a 100 dollars and he didn't want it?

Warren bowed to the beggar three times and thanked him repeatedly for taking care of him. The impression that the beggar had of Warren improved more at that gesture. He smiled, showing his crooked teeth, and pulled out a piece of paper from his shoe. He offered it to Warren. 

Seeing the location where the paper was, Warren declined immediately, but the beggar kept on insisting. At the end the beggar didn't take no for an answer and Warren accepted the piece of paper. He thanked the beggar and opened the piece of paper to start reading.  When he read the words on the paper something happened. 

After each word he read, the word disappeared immediately. Warren was left dumbfounded. It was in a language that he didn't understand, but somehow he felt that he understood the message it was conveying. He looked at the beggar. The beggar signaled to him to continue reading. Warren did just that. 

When the paper was finally blank and no more words appeared on the paper, the beggar touched Warren's hand. He could feel energy flowing into his body. Warren was left dumbfounded. What was happening to him? And where did he get this energy? His internal wounds were starting to heal and he felt even better than he did before. He looked at the beggar in shock! 

The beggar pointed towards his head, then his heart and after that he made a fist. He smiled again and signaled to Warren that he may leave now. 

Warren bowed one final time and turned around to leave.