The headlights stayed on.
Blinding.
Trapping.
Making sure Dre saw everything clearly.
Cars blocked both ends of the street.
Engines still running.
Doors open.
Men stepping out slowly.
No rush.
No panic.
They knew he wasn't going anywhere.
Dre didn't move.
Didn't reach.
Didn't run.
Just stood there—
Eyes scanning everything.
Counting.
Positions.
Distance.
"Three on the left… two on the right…"
A pause.
"…more inside the cars."
Too many.
From the middle car—
The leader stepped forward.
Calm as always.
Hands relaxed.
Like this wasn't anything serious.
"You made this difficult."
"You made it personal."
For a second—
No one spoke.
The leader smiled slightly.
"You think you mattered enough for that?"
But Dre didn't react.
Didn't show it.
"You sent me to set him up," Dre said.
"You knew how it was gonna end."
"And you knew too," the leader replied.
"You just didn't like your part in it."
The men around them tightened their circle.
Closer now.
Less space.
"Drop it," one of them said.
Nodding toward Dre's waistband.
Dre didn't reach for anything.
Didn't comply.
"You should've finished it when you had the chance."
The leader's expression changed slightly.
Not angry.
Worse.
Cold.
He lifted his hand slightly.
They rushed him.
All at once.
Dre moved fast.
First one—
Dodged.
Countered—
Elbow straight to the jaw.
Came from the side—
Dre turned—
Blocked—
Struck low—
Dropped him.
Another grabbed him from behind—
Locked his arms—
Dre fought it.
Hard.
Breaking loose—
But not clean.
A punch landed.
Heavy.
Straight to his ribs.
He staggered.
Just slightly.
Another hit.
Then another.
They weren't trying to be clean.
They were trying to end it.
He pushed forward—
Aggressive now—
Not holding back.
Grabbed one—
Slammed him into the car—
Turned—
Swung again—
For a second—
He had space.
Run?
Fight?
A gun pressed to his back.
"Don't."
Everything stopped.
Just like that.
Chest rising.
Falling.
Fast.
The leader walked up slowly.
Close now.
"You had one job.
"And you had one chance."
They stared at each other.
No fear.
No backing down.
The leader stepped closer.
Right next to him.
"You think this ends with you?"
"What you mean?"
"It doesn't stop here."
A pause.
Then—
"It spreads."
Jayden.
"You touch him—"
"Too late," the leader said.
He stepped back slightly.
Then nodded.
Something hard—
Fast—
Connected with Dre's head.
Everything went black.
Because in this game—
Survival wasn't enough anymore…
Now it was about who they chose to break next.