Chapter 2: The Centipede's Shadow 🕷️
Hawk and Sonic were crammed into a back desk during History, pretending to study the "Stroke Family Atrocities." Sonic was whispering about how to bypass the school's old archive security when the desk chair next to Hawk scraped back.
It was Murg, No. 6 of the Mosquito Group. His face was set to "bully."
"You think you're tough, Stroke?" Murg growled, trying to look intimidating.
Hawk didn't even look up from his notes. He just shifted his weight slightly and delivered a quick, precise jab to Murg's solar plexus. It wasn't a fight; it was a flick. Murg gasped, doubled over, and stumbled back into the aisle, eyes watering.
"Sit down, Murg," Hawk said flatly. "You're wasting my time."
Murg didn't report him. Instead, he started showing up near Hawk, acting like a silent, slightly confused bodyguard. Hawk decided to use him—a Mosquito defector was a perfect tool to mess with the group.
*
Meanwhile, in a hidden room off the infirmary, Golgo was pressing an ice pack to his ribs. His eyes were bloodshot with pain and rage.
Rahale Afsani, No. 4 of the Mosquito Group, watched him with cold patience. She was clean, sharp, and looked like she could calculate the exact trajectory of a punch.
"Max is furious," Rahale said, handing Golgo a fresh pack. "You let a Stroke embarrass the group in front of the whole school."
"He's fast," Golgo spat. "I'll get him. I swear."
"You will," Rahale agreed, her voice chilling. "But next time, don't fight him in the open. We need to remind everyone why the Stroke name is poison."
*
Later that day, Hawk was exploring the dusty, forgotten storeroom near the old gym. He was looking for any old school files from 2024 that might mention Hank's movements.
He was interrupted by a new voice.
"Looking for something you lost, Stroke?"
Hawk turned. Standing in the doorway was Thor Belfrin. He was tall, quiet, and wore the insignia of a different, more dangerous group: The Black Centipede. Thor was No. 4.
Murg, who had followed Hawk, immediately stepped forward, ready to defend his new boss.
Thor didn't react to Murg. He just looked straight at Hawk, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "You look just like him," Thor murmured, almost to himself. "The same stupid fire."
Before Hawk could ask what he meant, Thor shifted his gaze to Murg. He didn't even raise his hand—he just reached out and lightly tapped Murg's shoulder.
Murg froze mid-step. His eyes widened, but he couldn't move or speak. His body was completely locked.
Thor looked back at Hawk, the power radiating off him heavy and cold.
"Why the hell are you here?"