No one even thought about calling the cops, despite the many witnesses outside.
They all knew it was pointless. The police wouldn't be much of a help, if the local gang targeted them.
Fear had that effect. It didn't need direct threat , only enough pressure to keep people in line.
While his mind wandered, footsteps echoed behind them.
First three.
Then five.
By the time they passed the noodle cart, at least ten men were tailing them.
No one else noticed. They were too busy laughing, already planning which prostitute to hit.
Shane could've warned them. But tonight, he didn't see the point.
They turned a corner and found a dozen men waiting.
Bats. Pipes. Rusted metal rods.
Most wore caps pulled low or blue bandannas over their faces, but their eyes said it all.
They weren't here for a friendly talk.
Looking back, he noticed that every exit were blocked.
Leon dropped his cigarette. "...Shit."
Niko drew a knife.
Erick let out a laugh, but his hand shook. "Fuck. A rumble already."
Meanwhile, Shane stayed calm, breathing steady as he sized up the ambushers.
One of the rival gang members stepped forward. Taller than the rest, he wore a black tank top stretched tight over thick arms. Just below his ear was a tattoo: a fang inside a snake's open mouth, marking him as a member of the Cobra Gang.
Rumors were floating for weeks about a group moving into the area.
Everyone expected it to stay small for a few months—nothing more than street scuffles and, at worst, a few stabbing incidents. But this was different.
Leon acted tough. "You messing with the wrong crew, man. This block, this market is our turf. Always has been. If you ain't paying, then get the fuck outta our way."
The guy sneered. "Your turf? Didn't you get the memo? From now on, this is our territory. We'll make sure everyone knows it tonight. Kill them!"
From both sides, they rushed forward.
Leon ducked as a bat swung past his head. He tackled the attacker and threw wild punches, but that left his back exposed.
The enemies pounced on him, hitting him nonstop.
Thud!
Thud!
Just hearing the cracks was enough to make anyone flinch. It didn't take long before he coughed up blood.
Next was Niko. He drew a small knife, ready to strike, but a machete hacked into his shoulder first before he could move.
"Please! Stop… I surrender.."
He screamed in pain, but they didn't stop. They laughed and kept hacking at him like he was a pig at the butcher's block.
Erick was still alive—but barely.
Every time he tried to rise, another blow knocked him back down. He couldn't even lift his arms to defend himself. They were toying with him, beating him within an inch of his life—and it didn't look good at all.
From the way they attacked, it was obvious that they did their research, striking the weaker targets first before going after the real deal.
Finally, a bald man came at Shane with a wooden bat with nails on it.
He sidestepped, caught his opponent's wrist, and drove a knee into the ribs.
A younger one rushed in, quicker than the last. Shane dropped low and countered with an uppercut, snapping the attacker head back.
Another charged in wild. He let the guy overextend, then counter punched, which created a gap.
That was his signal. Without a second to lose, he sprinted toward a wall, bounced off it, and slammed the nearest thug's head into the ground, giving him more space.
Another opponent lunged for his waist, but instead of dodging, he jumped and used the attacker's back as a springboard to reach the fire exit ladder.
"Get him!"
"Don't let him escape! The boss will kill us!"
Shane didn't pause and kept climbing, avoiding the stones and other objects thrown at him.
He saw a few thugs working together to climb the ladder. They were hellbent on taking him down.
However, despite his current condition, he was more worried that this attack wasn't isolated. He feared Nathalie might get caught up in an all out gang war.
The last time this happened, Robert's first wife was murdered and thrown into the river.
'I need to get home fast.'