“You cannot be serious, Khalif. The kid got lucky and barged in here, caught us all off guard, and falls off a roof almost immediately after. You don’t think that us maybe roughing him up a lil was enough to unbalance him? We probably left him concussed, little demon deserves it, no way I’m going to work for him.”
Khalif looked at his right hand man, and didn’t know what to say at first, but then the whole fight played through his head again as it had been for the entire morning.
“Say that and mean it, kiddo. We got rattled by a runt, and talking bad about whatever happened to him doesn’t change that. He’s been gone for what, like half a fort, and what? Can come in here and pretty much bully us? You don’t think that's what really happened, he could have come in here and done worse to us all, and you're trying to downplay it. At one point even after we bloodied him up a little, I saw him pull a punch aimed at Remy's throat and slap him across the face,” said Khalif, pacing in the Scapegrace's hideout on the orphanage grounds.
“Ha, that was hilarious. I caught that one myself,” cackled another of the gang members.
“What are you trying to get at here? The kid’s a psycho. Did you not see him eat fire like it was nothing? What kind of bloody weird things go on at the dump that could turn the literal bruise-eyed Arson into the sparking escape artist we just fought? I’m really not trying to sign up to lose my life like all the other dump or Junkyard workers I’ve heard about,” blurted another member.
“So you all would rather continue to break into houses and barely make it? Pick pocket and barely make it, rather than make it through a single night at the junkyard, something has got to tell you that there is nothing sensible about that, while you at the same time call Arson weak for something he must have already done successfully, all before handing us our own backsides. Come on, make it make sense!”
Many around Khalif looked at one another unsure, while some members began to nod at his words.
“We don’t even know what or who we’d be guarding really, he said his people or some rubbish like that, but what does that even mean if he is wanting us to join him, what kind of people could he really even have?”
“You’d never believe me if I told you. Sparks I didn’t believe it until I considered... we got beat on by the runt,” Khalif said chuckling.
“Who,” yelled Khalif’s right hand man in question, knowing that the information must truly be a shock if the near emotionless Khalif found it to be funny.
“He has Jasmine and the twins from laundry, Rob from the kitchen and a few of his people, Xani and any Bookish who join her, as well as Troy, who I might add we’ve been seeing win recently in the ManaWell, has been seen training with Arson constantly is what I gathered before I called you all here…”
“What!” The large group around him all bursted into their own conversations, confused by what could have made some of the most talented young adults from the orphanage all sign up to work for a young boy they saw to be nothing more than a future gang member like them all. Nothing but trouble and a path of consistent self-sabotage in the making.
“Didn’t Jazz work for Kim, no way she quit unless she’s really getting paid y’all, that girl is about her money for sure,” said a female member.
“I don’t even care if he hired Rob to cook drugs, bra, if man's involved, I’m involved. He’s made money long before some of us even knew what a credit was. Momma Almarine has been giving him all the money he’s won in competitions since he was little, he also has to be making some real money to have left the orphanage kitchen for any reason, he already runs that whole place!”
“All that is believable but Xani...? I wouldn’t believe that if you paid me to go and watch Xani work for Arson right before my eyes, well not for anything less than one of the suns above wrapped in a nice little box for her to experiment on,” said Khalif’s right hand man, unintentionally getting on Khalif’s nerves. The young man seemed to have it out for Arson, and Khalif couldn’t even remember Arson wronging him, unlike many others in the room.
“He was adopted by a Keeper, and not just any Keeper, but Jade of CloudLake, you bums. She’s a master chef, don’t matter what Rob is doing here, to be close to that alone is enough for him to work for Arson... for free. Same goes for Xani. Before she went straight and became a Jade, Arson’s mom is also notorious for having stolen more books of value in her career than any you lot can think of offhand. I’ll put money on that. Do I even have to keep going or will you all start thinking rather than running away like we have to do every night, from stronger gangs, Graveyard, sparks, even the rare strong Cultivator coming home from work early gives us the occasional issue!”
The room went silent and Khalif continued pacing. He’d had enough of street life, and he had to admit that even his dreams of corporate raiding and high paying assassinations had even been pushed to the back of his mind momentarily. His excitement at being offered a job, rather than begging for one was something Khalif felt worthy of, even if no one else felt he deserved it.
You picked me of all people Arson. I can’t see you making that decision for no reason.
Khalif had been one to step in many times in the past when other orphans had taken it upon themselves to rough Arson up, both when he deserved it, and when he didn’t. Khalif never thought anything of it, until Arson had managed to sweep the floor of him and his gang. Then the offer Arson had made became real to Khalif, more than anything else.
Thinking back now, I could see how serious he was when he first made his offer and ignored it in the same way nearly everyone around me is doing now.
“That would explain how Arson went from getting bruised to being able to defend himself so quickly, Jade comes from the era of Blood Sport Dungeon Ball, and not this soft idol contest we can watch on streams now,” said one of the gan members.
“Also explains Troy winning so many fights, thought the first one was a fluke, and the second, but every fight since as well being a fluke is a bit of a stretch, that girl has moves now,” added another member.
“Not gonna lie, boss, you had me at Jazz is working for him. That broad is beautiful!” A burst of laughter went through the room and tensions momentarily eased.
“Xani too, my boy!” Khalif rolled his eyes, and his mind went back to analyzing his options. He saw many risks, but many more potentials than just a day prior, and more than he would have the next day, if he didn’t take the opportunity being offered.
The contract held within his Overlay was worded simply and to the point. Arson needed guards. Not only that though, he needed motivated individuals that were ready to work hard for the promise of goals being completed that would reward them all.
If the requirements from his people didn’t include that they had to be willing to learn and develop their own combat and security knowledge, Khalif felt he might have been less eager, but that portion of the contract held more value for Khalif and his gang than any other piece, even the money and extra amenities as far as he was concerned.
Khalif knew more about the law than many. In the streets surrounded by individuals so willing to break the law, he’d learned much.
One thing he’d often felt was strange, but never had the advantage of capitalizing on himself, was the fact that knowledge sold or obtained outside of paid institutions was illegal. One thing he’d once mentioned to Arson that he’d shared for no other reason than the fact that Arson truly listened to him, was that corporations and companies were allowed to teach their employees whatever they wanted, and never paid a thing.
I bet you're now using that to prosper, little buddy, and I ain't mad at you for that at all…!
“So what’s the expectation here, we all go into the dump at night, pitch a few tents, eat popcorn and wait out the sunrise and then we’ll get paid, or is there any more bull I gotta digest before I start making money here?”
Khalif turned and shook his head at his right hand.
“No, I still need to accept the contract, and at this point I’m considering doing it myself, and letting any who want to join me join, but those who don’t come, don’t bother when you see us successful. Arson has never been good around unmotivated people. You remember that time he beat up Florence for not getting out of bed to help with chore duty? I can only imagine how he would react to any of us if we act out of fear of something he’s already survived at his age, or jealousy over an option to work that we all were given.” The room once more went silent and Khalif could tell that everyone there was in deep contemplation.
He’d honestly be surprised if he saw everyone stay, but that would have to be something he was willing to live with. Yet even as he saw most of his people rise, he still felt momentarily hurt.
“Sorry, boss, streets is all we know,” said Khalif’s right hand, leading the majority of the gang members toward the door of the hideout.
“”Many more apologies came, but Khalif wasn’t sad after the last member left the room. Instead he looked around at the few around him and smiled. A sense of relief washing over him as they smiled back.
You didn’t want any negativity involved, Khalif. Maybe this is for the best?
“So what’s next? How should we prepare, boss?”
“Um… maybe we should start with research, that always helps me,” answered Khalif honestly. He’d always been successful when breaking and entering as he’d always scoped his targets out for large periods of time before following through with a job. Not seeing a need to change that, he looked out the window as thoughts of where to start filled his mind.
“What kind of research,” another of his remaining gang asked.
“I think we should start with finding Troy. I bet she may have stayed a night with Arson in the dump right, those two have been inseparable lately,” Khalif asked looking back at the others left around him. Receiving a few nods, he made a short list of places that she may be, and sent each of the six there to a separate one with the instructions to call the rest of them to meet up if and when they found her. There was only so much time before nightfall, and Khalif didn’t want to go into any potentially dangerous situations blind.
Khalif decided to go to the semi pro gym where Troy trained, while giving the rest of his people the areas she was known to frequent in her free time, giving himself the location he felt had the highest chance of being the right spot.
It took him a while to get from the orphanage grounds into the city exterior. The bronze sector of the city always alive, as Graveyard rarely traveled there, making even the curfew more of a suggestion than an enforced law. Though this was often a boon at night for Khalif and his gang, it was also a double-edged blade for his people, as the bronze sector was as lawless at night as it was during the day, if not more.
Anything that I’ve done at night that another cultivator can pull off in broad daylight puts them in a class all their own.
Khalif watched a man lose his watch to a team of movers, brushing innocently by the business man, unlucky enough to be their target on the way to a business lunch.
Khalif kept his head down, and his hood pulled up, knowing that looking around too much on public transit could result in violence for something as small as too many glances in the wrong direction.
By the time he made it to the gym, he’d had to force himself not to stray from public paths and begin tracking a handful of targets as he passed by them in the streets. Their clothing, lack of Cultivator presence and privileged natures was like blood in the water for Khalif.
That should not have been that hard…
He entered the gym to see Troy in a boxing ring with two fully padded trainers, moving around her in the ring, trying to find an opening.
Khalif approached, avoiding the gym’s attendants, knowing that all they wanted from him was money, staring down Troy as she worked. The young fighter's moves far different from what they had once been.
Woah…
Troy let both of the trainers flank her. Striking the moment the pair was in front and behind her, catching one completely off guard.
She kicked forward, as a quickly dissolving clone mirrored her in the opposing direction. The trainer in front of her managed a block, while the one behind her took a straight kick to the solar plexus. Everyone watching the fight either wincing in pain or oohing in sympathy, Troy having had knocked out many watching in similar fashion.
“Hurry up and finish them, Troy!”
Khalif glanced over at the individual who yelled and saw the man he knew to be the gym owner himself.
I guess the rumor about Scorpion wanting to sponsor Troy was real.
Troy gave a single nod as the trainer she’d just knocked down struggled to stand and she seized the opportunity in front of her. Not one but two of her clones spawning directly behind both trainers and kicking them both squarely in the backs.
“Oh sparks, she’s gonna do it again,” another onlooker yelled from the side of the ring.
Troy crouched slightly and jumped, twirling through the air as she flipped upside down. Her legs stretched out in a perfect slit, that did not perfectly collide with her targets, but still managed to end the fight.
Troy’s left shin rolled smoothly across one trainer’s chin, while her right heel missed by a fingernails length. The trainer's eyes went wide at the near miss, the man turning to watch the foot that almost potentially broke his nose, making him miss the summoned extra limbs Troy aimed just as high as her own legs.
The HardLight foot collided with the back of the trainers padded headgear. Both trainers were sent flying and Troy completed her spinning backflip, landing on her feet.
Khalif watched as she smiled to herself, a small celebration occurring behind the young woman, ignored as she internally celebrated at completing an articulate attack with the use of her own abilities.
Wonder if she’s been here since this morning. Does she even know that Arson had an accident?
“Yo Troy!”
“Khalif, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to ask for your advice on a few things, but before all that, you do know that Arson had an accident, right?”
Khalif watched Troy’s brow crinkle, and for the slightest moment she read through notifications she’d ignored until Khalif had pulled her mentally from her training for the first time that day.
She became a blur, moving over the ropes and through half the gym in a fraction of a breath, Khalif barely able to get his question out.
“Where are you going?”
Troy’s answer was feint, heard yelled from the distance Khalif only caught two words.
“The Dump!”