In the middle of it all

June 23rd '58

Each following day, I went to the crib, hoping he'd come by but in vain. The twins, Kyle, Izzy, the two little ones and I were hanging around in the living room. Each one of us, doing our own thing. Jordan and Tanisha were alone in a room nearby. We then heard the gate door open itself and right away, commotion was heard.

I look back startled as Jordan followed by Sha barge out the room the were in. "Y'all heard that ?" he asks, his eyes shifting from left to right.

"What's going on outside ?" asks Aneesa shifting the window curtains to see. We all approached to see.

"Ain't no way..." says Izzy, eyes widened. Outside the window we could see the man lifting up his arms and Cix checking each one of his pockets. It was a tanned white man dressed in all black. Kelvin was probably looking for weapons while verifying his body.

"Who is it ?" I asked, unable to recognize the stranger who was outside. Nate and Tyrell ran outside, quickly followed by Jordan, Asad, Sha and Izzy then the rest of us. We stopped right in front of the door, eyeing the intruder.He was surrounded by Draco, Blu, Cash, Skylar, Wave, CIX, Ray and JJ.

"Kids, stay back." ordered Ray. I hadn't seen her so serious since the first time I met her. That view I had of all of them back then reappeared. Even after knowing them for 6 years, they were still able to intimidate me with their presence.Their combined aura had grown yet that man's aura was almost as great. Almost as grand as Ace.

"Y'all better not follow us." ordered Tanisha. She and Jordan walked up to our leader and the rest and stood by them.

"I wanna go too." declared Izzy before getting blocked by Asad's arm.

"You heard her, didn't you ? Stay back." he said strictly. She retreated and Asad lowered his arm.

"Who is this guy ? Why's everybody so tense?" Aneesa asked.

"We don't accept snakes. Especially not him." Nate spat on the ground.

"The leader of the Rox's gang. " replied Tyrell.

"The notorious Sniper." added Izzy, in a sharpening tone.

"This gang banging back and forth needs to come to an end. I came here to make peace with you all. We were once part of the same group, who says we can't go back to that ?" declares Sniper.

"You genuinely think we'll fall for your shit ?" fumed Shigeru.

"As a Leader I'd like to speak with the corresponding leader of this gang and that was never you, Cash." Sniper shifted his vision back to Denzel , who stood right across from him.

"What do you want, Sniper ?"

"An opportunity to converse with you over a nice dinner under the clair-de-la-lune *."

* moonlight

"The fuck is that ?" questioned Sky.

"Another reason why I only speak with the leader. You're too much of an imbecile, Skylar." scoffed Sniper. He pushed back his long weave, turning his eyes towards her.

"It's Sky. Don't play wimme."

"If you want me to even consider what you're saying, respect my crew." informed Draco.

"You're right." He chuckled before continuing in a mockingly tone. "I should acknowledge you all, Sky, Cash, Blu, JJ, Wave, CIX, Ray and even little Sha." says Sniper. His eyes were always on Denzel but he was able to notice everyone around him. Denzel froze as he made that analyzation. Sniper knew about our gang but we knew barely anything on his'. He kept a poker face, not letting the Rox's leader notice he had an advantage.

"My crew gotta come along to this dinner or else you're not really acknowledging all of us, you feel me ?" declared Draco.

"Let's make this a dinner between gangs then." He smirked. "Here's the address of the restaurant." Sniper began making his way towards Draco until he got stopped by both Ray and JJ.

"You can pass the paper to us." interrupted Ray. Jessie put out her hand and both of them looked up to Sniper.

He crinkled his nose. "You shouldn't give too much power to women, it always ends badly." commented Sniper. He drops the address, turns around and walks towards the gate, waving his left hand. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead by now, Draco..." He opened the gate door and left.

***

Getting back to the Rox's domain, Sniper calls for Alpha. He enters the bathroom inside his room and fills the tub with warm water. He takes off his clothing and slides inside waiting for her to arrive.

"Yes Boss ?" uttered Alpha, hesitantly. She opens the door, eyes glued to the ground.

"Come join me." Sniper orders. His voice had a smoky tone to it and he seemed completely relaxed as he eyed her from a short distance. She doesn't budge for a moment. He has a wife and children. Why would he want me ? she thought. He stares at her with fierce eyes. She has no choice but to follow his orders, he's the Boss after all. She takes off her clothes and slowly dips herself into the warm water.

"Good girl." he says. 

"W-What did you want to talk about ?"

"What do you think about our dinner with the rival gang ?"

"I-I think it's good to..to make peace even with our once enemies, Boss." She looks down at his chest avoiding eye contact.

"You shouldn't trust people too easily, Alpha. You're a weapon. A killer. Don't you ever forget that. You can use a spear as a walking stick but it will never change its nature." Even after breaching the normal limits between Boss and subordinate, he still keeps the discussions formal. "Why do you think I suggested the restaurant ? We're going to eliminate Ace once and for all and take control over the Silvers Gang. The South will be ours." He grabs her arm tightly.

Alpha looks up to her Boss. "I-I thought Ace left the gang." she says.

"If we plan an attack on their current leader, he'll come running. I know Ace far too well. He is just a man. He will fall. I just need you to do one more thing for me ?"

"Whatever you want, Boss."

"Betray JJ's trust." He lifts up her chin and leans in. "Prove your love for me, Evelyn."