The sun peeked through the opened gate at the back of the old wine warehouse, casting a warm glow inside. The gang members, usually engrossed in their work, were now captivated by the unfolding scene before them. Viki stood resolutely in front of Nathan, who, despite relying on a cane, stood tall on his own. He appeared much improved compared to her last visit to his room a few weeks prior. The sunken eyes had regained their vitality, and though still slender, he had gained some weight.

To Nathan's right stood Bronte, with his black cylinder, now donning an old black tailcoat with an addition of a monocle adorning his left eye, delicately suspended on a chain pinned to a slightly soiled white vest. These clothes had been acquired through the profits of selling 'Fix,' and yet he had still betrayed Viki.

On the girl's right side stood Raul, a towering figure exuding an air of readiness.

"You did good," Nathan began, attempting to sound composed and collected, but Viki saw right through his façade. He was nervous, perhaps even afraid.

"If you think I'm going to hand over what I've built here, you're in for a surprise," she retorted, a sly smirk of confidence playing on her lips.

Raul crossed his arms over his chest, lending support to her words with his posture.

Nathan snorted, a theatrically dismissive gesture, then cast a scrutinizing gaze upon his loyal followers, closely observing the scene unfolding before their eyes.

"I," he emphasized the word, "built this place—for you. For all of you. I took you in when you had nothing. It's all mine." He finished with a challenging stare, puffing out his chest like a peacock, clearly attempting to assert his dominance and superiority.

But Viki, armed with the experiences of the past few weeks, saw through his performance. Without the backing of his former gang, he was nothing. The old Nathan had vanished, and before her stood only his shadow. Perhaps the old Nathan had never truly existed, and she had been blind to the illusion he presented.

"They had nothing, and you offered them breadcrumbs. I provided them with meat and beer. I dressed them in fine clothes and provided comfortable beds. I offered them a future where they need not fear being thrown into dungeon cells by the city guards. If you think they will follow you, you are sorely mistaken. With you, they stand to lose everything, and for what? For you to take all the gold while they bear all the risk." She concluded with a disappointed shake of her head, making a smile spread across Raul's face – a symbol of their shared understanding.

"Then let's fight for it like we always have for anything worth in this town," Nathan declared, taking a step forward.

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"Fine," Viki responded with unwavering confidence.

With a single hand, she pushed Raul aside, not by force but by sheer determination. He stumbled back, surprised yet willingly yielding to her command. Nathan wasted no time and swung his cane. Viki swiftly evaded the strike, but that was merely the start of his relentless assault.

He made several more attempts to strike her, but it was futile. The girl's speed and agility were unparalleled. During one of her nimble dodges, as she gracefully ducked down, she retrieved a concealed knife from her shoe. The blade poised towards the ground, she took a few steps back, creating a safe distance.

This unexpected move left an impact on Nathan, though he tried to conceal it as best he could. He breathed heavily through clenched teeth, with only a slight opening of his mouth.

Something felt off, but she couldn't discern what it was. There was no way he would confront her like this without an ace up his sleeve. He had approached her, initiated this confrontation, and from the beginning, he knew she wouldn't surrender easily. Every star in the sky pointed to this outcome, so there had to be something, some advantage he held. She just couldn't see it.

It wasn't a hidden weapon, as he couldn't keep up with her during the fight. She had no intention of closing the distance until he lay gasping for air on the floor.

‘If not on him, then on somebody else,’ she contemplated, shifting her gaze to Bronte. He seemed reluctant to involve himself in the altercation, his fingers gripping the sides of his vest tightly against his chest.

Her eyes scanned the other boys present, diligently focused on the unfolding duel near the tables where they worked. There were no outsiders. She spotted her brother, Tom, standing next to Fin, who idly played with a knife—nothing out of the ordinary for him.

Seizing the opportunity, Nathan lunged towards her, swinging his weapon widely. She narrowly avoided the blow at the last second.

"Just give up," he seethed through his teeth.

"No," she replied, disgust lacing her words.

No matter what, she refused to yield. Empty threats and deceitful lies held no power over her, for she knew the truth about Nathan better than anyone else. While she harbored a tiny sliver of sympathy for him, as he had once provided her with shelter, that sentiment was now extinguished.

Her steadfast refusal provoked an enraged scream from Nathan as he launched an attack from above. Swiftly, she ducked beneath his strike, causing their positions to reverse. In an instant, Nathan pivoted and unleashed a horizontal swing, driving her towards Bronte—an unforeseen trap she realized too late.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, she anticipated that the wannabe gentleman would seize her from behind. In a split-second decision, she swiftly turned to thwart his plan.

Simultaneously, Nathan revealed a concealed short blade from within his cane, discarding the rest of the weapon, and lunged forward, grasping her by the hair in a fluid motion. Bronte took a step back, his purpose merely to draw her attention.

The fight had reached its climax.

Nathan slowly collapsed onto his back, dropping the blade in his hand, and gripping her hair as his life slipped away. The sound of metal hitting the floor resonated in dead silence ruling over the warehouse.

It was Tom, her brother, who seized the knife Fin had been toying with and hurled it directly at Nathan's head. The blade penetrated deep into his brain, lodging even further upon impact with the ground.

In the midst of this chaotic scene, Viki swiftly turned around, catching sight of her brother with his hand still extended. Then her gaze shifted to the lifeless body, eyes frozen wide open, sprawled out before her. Everything became clear in an instant.