December 22nd, 2020

"50%"

"95%"

"55%"

"95%..."

"That's too much, the most I'm doing is 60."

"90% take it or leave it."

"Leave it." A knife was stabbed in his leg. What scared him the most was that it felt like nothing.

"95!"

"Fine okay, 90%."

"Deal." Something was hit across his head and the world went black.

***

Two weeks later...

***

"Remember, you speak a word of this and we bury your friends. Understand?" Jimmy lightly nodded, feeling too weak to do anything else. "SPEAK UP!" A gun was shoved to his face by the driver, waking him up from his daze. 

"Yes, yes, goddamn yes!"

"Good." He heard the click of the door unlocking. "You know where to send the cash!" Getting out of the car as fast as possible, he began making his way to the warehouse as the car drove off. It pained him not to see any of these people get what they deserve in legal action. Not like he didn't have the cash to go through with it. But his friend's safety came first. He could live off 10% of his revenue, right? About a 1,000 dollars per video is what he calculated to keep. People live on minimum wage. If people can do that, he could do this. Jimmy decided he'd take this in stride. The wounds were healing and he could fake a smile until he made it. Just needed to act natural. 

Being kidnapped for three weeks is NOT a big deal. The wounds inside and out will heal. 

He was ok. 

At least that's what he told himself.

The walk was 10 minutes between where the driver parked and the warehouse so he recapped, making sure he had all his details straight so he didn't mess up. T-Series got the Indian Mafia group D-Company to kidnap him in order to get 90% of his ad revenue. That he knew. Why they wouldn't just kidnap PewDiePie is beyond him. Maybe they thought he was weaker. He laughed to himself.

They were probably right. 

D-Company got something out of it to. Get him to stop talking bad online about there take over of the Indian Government. He was an active advocate on his Twiter about the issue. Jimmy was fine without being to talk about that. It was really just getting the ad revenue to T-Series without being noticed. That was when he remembered something. He also needed to pay his employees. Would he have enough money to sustain himself then? Maybe he could get another job but then people might notice him and ask questions and a million scenarios started swirling through his mind and he almost felt dizzy with the need to sit down but he couldn't think he couldn't afford to think or else it's all gonna come crashing down and then people are going to find out and get hurt and... and he realized he was at the door already. Composing himself, part of him wondered if it was a good idea. Maybe if he disappeared forever they'd forget about him and then he wouldn't have to worry about ever putting them in danger ever again. Part of him was selfish though. He wanted to stay and keep doing videos, he wanted happiness he couldn't get far from home. That selfishness took over his entire body as he twisted the doorknob. 

"Hello?" Going down the hall of offices, he looked into each room. No one was inside. They probably all went home but it's worth checking while he's here just in case. "Anyone...?" Faintly, he could hear voices down in the main studio. Quietly, he opened the door. Jimmy didn't really know what he'd see, but a makeshift funeral certainly wasn't it. "Um am I late for something? I never gave permission to sell the studio to anyone quite yet." Everyone turned around. His friends and family and associates... "Did you guys seriously think I was dead?" Chris bolted out of his seat first, giving him a tight hug all to fast. "You realize I need oxygen to breathe..." But he didn't let go. When he finally did, the two met eyes, tears threatening to spill from Chris.

"It's you... it's really you?"

"Yes yes, it is... I wasn't gone that long I don't see the big deal."

"You were gone for three weeks! We thought... Goddamnit don't scare me like that." Grabbing his shoulders, Jimmy painted a facade over his face.

"I promise, I'll never leave you again... Um, no one was filming then right, I don't want to give fangirls any ideas." But his attempt to lighten the mood was in vain as people rushed over to see him again. Making his rounds, he indulged in the brief moments where he just forgot about his worries. Once everyone got over the fact that he was still alive, what felt like thousands of questions were thrown at him. 

"Where have you been?"

"What happened to you?"

"Did you fake your own death?"

"Please quiet down, I'll answer all your questions just one at a time." His voice ended up becoming lost in the rumbling sea surrounding him. Backing away, he hit Chandler who gave him a confused look. "I'm tired... can I just go home, maybe watch a movie?"

"Are you trying to dodge the questions?"

"No... I just have had a long day." Dragging Chris over to help, they managed to quiet them while he ran out back the way he came. Chandler and Chris followed. "A funeral is pretty lame without a purpose, wanna ditch?"

"Sure... wanna watch something back at your place?" Jimmy nodded and offered to drive, least he could do. On the way back to his house, they asked questions which he answered with the help of the lie Bhushan Kumar, head of T-Series so 'kindly' gave him; he needed a break from YouTube. Ok maybe it was garbage but he was good at spinning the slightest thread into a complex web that any truth seeker could never navigate. Besides even if he couldn't he would have to. They weren't allowed to find out. When they arrived, Chris went to check for popcorn while Chandler and Jimmy looked through the movie selections. 

"Ooh, what about a Star Wars movie?"

"Seen it a million times," Chris yelled from the kitchen.

"Ok... maybe something new, how about Space Jam 2?"

"That's not on Demand yet Chan." 

"Really, that was so good!"

"It came out last week."

"SO-"

"How about something old?" Jimmy began, looking through the movies of the '40s.

"Can't be in black and white."

"The '40s weren't all black and white."

"Can't be dull." 

"Easy then, Rope."

"Rope?"

"Alfred Hitchcock's murder mystery film. Very colorful and the suspense is far from dull."

"Sure." Chandler sighed. The buttery smell of popcorn filled the room as Jimmy got up to get blankets and pillows. 

"Chan-Chan get some sodas!"

"On it, what do you have Jim?"

"Really, you know I hate being called Jim."

"Don't dodge the question JIM."

"We got like... Pepsi... or something."

"And 7-Up apparently. Plastic or glass cups?"

"Glass, I'll take a Pepsi with ice."  Going to his room, he grabbed the big king-sized blanket, as many pillows as he could fit in his arms, and a pair of warm socks for himself, he ran out quickly before it dropped on the floor.

"Sure we need that much stuff?" Chris asked, pouring the popcorn into one big bowl.

"Yes, in case if one of us falls asleep." With everything ready he collapsed on the couch and opened up the blanket. Chris on his right and Chandler on his left, he pressed play and began munching on popcorn. As he got lost in the plot and dialogue, Jimmy felt at peace for the first time in what seems like forever. At some point, the other two fell asleep, and thankfully when he closed his eyes, sleep came just as easily...

~~~

Original Publication Date: December 11th, 2019