The Job 5

Part 35: Only Time

"Another gang?" Contemplated Milo, scratching his jaw as he thought. "It's intriguing, I won't lie."

"Of course it is" responded Ani, rolling her eyes.

Ani, Cassie and Danny were all currently in the prison visiting Milo and letting him know everything they'd found out. It had been a couple days since realising there was a second gang and ever since then, none of them knew how they hadn't noticed earlier. The symbol that they'd started seeing everywhere was literally everywhere. In graffiti, on lampposts, on newspapers, on letters, on whiteboards in college, and one time keyed into the side of someone's car. The more they looked for it, the more they saw it. It was like some sort of plague that was forever growing. More people had popped up selling drugs as well. Doing at the college and in different parts of the town too. Whoever they were, they had a lot more product and a lot more different kinds.

"What do we know about them already?" Asked Milo, biting his lip.

"They have a crap ton more product than we do which probably means they have more people as well" answered Danny, already listing to Milo all the things that been listed to him. "They seem to be selling it like crazy too."

"Not just to rich kids and adults either" said Cassie, crossing her arms. "They're selling to literally everyone that wants some. Even if they can't pay."

"We were drug lords but as least we didn't sell to people that couldn't afford it and therefore have a debt" replied Ani, agreeing. "That's an entirely different kind of low... that's an Enzo level of low."

"They're organised and prepared, that's for sure" said Milo. "I mean, they only seem to have appeared recently and they already have a god damn symbol that everyone knows them by."

"We were a gang for months and never had a symbol" replied Cassie, her irritation growing. "This is fucked."

"Alright, for now and until we know as much as possible, all of you make sure to stay safe and be careful" said Milo, knowing how bad this could get. "We don't want a gang war or whatever it's call nowadays."

"Us be careful? Milo, they're already in here with you. Not just a small group either, there's loads of them" replied Ani, concerned. "We should be telling you to be careful."

"I'm probably safer in here than I am out there" said Milo, controlling his breathing. "I'm assuming they already know who I am and what I look like because news about me being the gang leader was everywhere."

"You're thinking they might try and take out the competition" replied Danny. "If that's what you can even call us anymore."

"Hey, we're not out of the game just yet. As long as we're around, we have a chance to win whatever game we're in" said Milo in a serious voice, standing up once he was finished talking. "Alright, now all of you go home and do as I said. Look after yourselves and each other."

"Don't do anything stupid or over the top" replied Cassie before Milo walked away. "You tend to enjoy doing those kinds of things."

"I'll try and control myself" said Milo, smiling before walking to the door the inmates came through.

As Milo was walking through the door back into the depths of the prison, another inmate he recognised was walking past him in the opposite direction. For a split second Milo couldn't remember where he knew him from but then it hit him, in more ways than one. He was the same inmate from that time in the showers who had threatened Milo with a shank. The shank that he was now thrusting forwards into Milo's stomach. Milo didn't make any noise as the sharp object punctured his skin, his clothes gradually being dyed red by the blood that was also spilling to the floor. Everything happened in slow motion. The crossing paths, the attack, Milo collapsing to the floor, a random visitor screaming because they'd witnessed it, and an alarm sounding once a guard had pressed button. Cassie, Danny and Ani all stood up and tried to make their way to Milo but were quickly stopped by guards, all the visitors being forced out of the room and back into the part of the prison where they enter. Milo didn't even hear them calling his name as he lay in a slowly growing puddle of his own blood. Bit by bit Milo started losing consciousness, only seeing flashes of things that were happening around him. The guards forcing the visitors out, some other guards pretty much diving on the other inmate before he could cause Milo anymore harm, the flashing of the red light that also housed the alarm, and finally some hands lowering over Milo in an attempt to stop the bleeding. That's when everything went black, Milo slipping into the world of 'sleep'. Sure, the entire experience was surprising but Milo technically shouldn't have been shocked that it happened. The inmate did say it wasn't over between them.