"Are you sure it's a good plan?" Fin inquired, his voice laced with doubt.

The four of them—Viki, Tom, Raul, and himself—stood before the massive door leading into one of the abandoned warehouses near the harbor. The day was still in its infancy, with the sun peering over the horizon, its golden rays dancing on the undulating waves. Nestled between the moored ships at the docks, the sun's presence was unmistakable.

The absence of the renowned vessel, the 'Blue Whale,' left its usual spot vacant, as no one dared to claim it.

"We don't have much choice if we want to avoid resorting to pickpocketing and be at war with everyone," the girl reasoned.

She was dressed in clean attire, her hair meticulously arranged to enhance her cuteness.

"Stealing wasn't so bad," Fin countered.

"Yeah, but back then, we had our turf. Now, because of Nathan, there'll be plenty of people trying to snatch it away from us. It's better to trade it for a free pass and focus on 'Fix' until we get back on our feet," she asserted.

"Nathan wouldn't agree with that," Tom interjected.

"Forget Nathan. He's gone, bedridden and helpless. He can't save us or lend a hand. We're on our own, and I'm telling you, this is the best plan," Viki declared with unwavering confidence. "We don't want to wage a war against everyone else at the docks."

"Let's just go in and prepare," Raul suggested.

The girl nodded and applied her strength to push the door open, sliding through the narrow gap. The rest followed suit, stopping a few steps into the warehouse's interior.

Sunlight filtered through small windows placed high above, casting a dim glow on the surroundings. In the muted light, they observed three groups of three or four kids, roughly their age, huddled around their respective leaders, maintaining a cautious distance from one another.

Apart from these groups, the space was nearly empty, with scattered debris dotting the area. Broken crates lay in disarray, aged tools rusted and forgotten, and numerous nails were strewn across the floor.

"I didn't expect you all to arrive so soon," Viki proclaimed loudly and clearly. "Gloom, Do, Broun."

She nodded respectfully towards all the bosses, acknowledging their presence.

Gloom, the brown-haired kid donning a weathered brown leather jacket, appeared older than her. Stains and patches marked the jacket, bearing witness to the dirt and grime it had encountered. Soot marred Gloom's face, a testament to his aversion to washing. Renowned for his stubbornness and adeptness in pickpocketing, he led "The Gloom's Crew," a group that claimed a small territory near the coal warehouses. They specialized in stealing from workers and occasionally executed heists to pilfer minerals, which they sold at discounted prices, primarily targeting the slum dwellers. His crew members shared his unkempt appearance.

Do, a tall and lanky kid with jet-black hair, commanded "The Sharks." Their turf encompassed the bustling fish market, where they often snatched food and coins from unsuspecting buyers. His attire comprised tattered clothing, likely pilfered from inebriated individuals resting in dark alleyways—a common practice among him and his group.

Lastly, there was Broun, who stood apart from the others in the building, as he was not a thief. He and his comrades primarily served as messengers for the owners of numerous warehouses and other businesses near the docks. Broun presented himself with clean attire, a stark contrast to the remaining two leaders. Adorned in a white shirt, a dark vest, and high boots, he exuded an air of professionalism.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Of course, you didn't," the leader of the messengers stated matter-of-factly. "You intended to pick us off one by one, as we arrived at different times, using us as leverage against whoever followed."

He had accurately deduced her plan. Viki's response was a simple, "Maybe," accompanied by a few steps forward—a gesture to display her unwavering confidence despite the complications that had arisen.

"We've already discussed it and concluded that we have no need to negotiate with you. We can simply seize your territory and beat your gang members whenever we find them. You can thank Nathan for initiating this conflict. Remember, he started it," Broun asserted.

The other two leaders nodded in agreement, affirming his words, while the soldiers maintained an ominous silence. Adrenaline surged through Viki's veins, the weight of her situation pressing upon her. She felt trapped, as everything seemed to veer in the opposite direction of her desires.

‘What would Bruno do?’ she silently pondered, seeking guidance from her inner resolve.

This made her reanalyze the entire situation repeatedly. All three bosses fixated their gaze on her, awaiting an answer, but she remained silent, immersed in her thoughts, desperately searching for a solution.

"You're just going to stand there, looking at us like a hungry puppy?" Gloom sneered. "It won't work. We won't go easy on you just because you're a girl."

Viki barely registered his words, her focus consumed by her thoughts. But suddenly, everything fell into place.

"You've already made a decision, yet you're all still here, waiting for me to speak," she pointed out. "You don't trust each other enough to handle this without directly overseeing the situation. Broun, you may be speaking for the others, but it's all a lie. You're not united. On top of that, you seem to have forgotten that I have Billy 'The Razor' Fisher on my side. If any of you lay a finger on my guys, there will be bloodshed, and it won't be ours."

Broun grew visibly nervous as she spoke. He swallowed nervously, his posture slumping imperceptibly. Though subtle, Viki noticed it all, and it bolstered her confidence.

Taking another step forward, she could almost swear that the boys in front of her involuntarily retreated, albeit slightly.

"But I didn't come here to threaten you. I came with an offer," she declared. "For the time being, I will allow you to utilize my territory, on the condition that you promise not to harass my guys."

This marked a significant shift for her. Until now, she had always regarded the group as Nathan's, but with her words now spoken, she openly proclaimed her takeover as the leader.

Broun struggled to find his voice. Viki afforded him a chance, patiently waiting for his response. Yet, since he remained silent, discreetly glancing at the other two bosses, searching for assistance or reassurance, she realized they either didn't notice or deliberately chose not to say anything.

"I'll take that as a yes," she finally declared.

"Wait!" Do halted her just as she was about to turn and leave. "Why should we just accept whatever you say? My boys and I disagree. We'll take what we want!"

"Then let's settle it like adults," Fin interjected, stepping forward. "You against me. If we win, you stay the hell out of our territory and mind your own business."

Do maneuvered his way past his gang members, gripping their shoulders as he made his way to the forefront.

"Fine by me," he hissed through clenched teeth, barely containing his anger.

"I'm joining too," Gloom chimed in, stepping forward.

"Two against one? That's unfair," Viki pointed out, looking back at Fin, concern etched across her face.

"I don't care!" Gloom shouted defiantly.

All of this spurred Raul into action. He caught up with Fin and placed a hand on the knife thrower's shoulder. He glanced at the larger boy, slightly surprised, but offered no resistance, allowing the new kid to move past him. Raul retrieved brass knuckles from his pockets as he was going forward.

"I'll handle you two," he declared, disgust and anger evident on his face.

Initially, Viki wanted to protest, but then it dawned on her that if anyone was capable of handling those two, it was Raul. He eventually passed by her as well, his fists now encased in metal. A few steps later, the two opponents charged, their movements telegraphed. The tall boy swiftly slammed his fist into Do's face, absorbing a punch without even flinching. In contrast, Raul's blow landed like a hammer, causing the teenager to collapse, unconscious.

Gloom hesitated, halting his charge, which provided Raul with an opening. He rushed forward, seizing the thug by the head and driving his knee into the boy's stomach. Gloom crumpled to the ground, retching uncontrollably.

Raul turned his gaze back to Viki. She was momentarily taken aback by the efficiency with which he dispatched the two adversaries but swiftly regained her composure, shifting her attention to Broun, who still stood upright.

"We're finished here," she declared, turning around to depart.

Her loyal gang members waited for their new leader to pass before following suit, leaving the scene behind.