The King Cobra

Episode 1

Jason Black stood in front of the newly rented house, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings of the San Fernando Valley. The house was a modest two-story, its front yard decorated with scattered toys from his younger siblings, a twin sister named Emily and a younger brother named Max. His parents had already left for another business trip, entrusting him with the responsibility of looking after his siblings. He ran a hand through his dark brown hair, which shimmered with golden hues in the sunlight, and adjusted his vision, his scarred left eye barely a distraction anymore.

At 15, Jason was already almost 6'2" with a swimmer's build, a physique that set him apart from most of his peers. Despite his striking appearance – light skin, brown eyes, and a set of pearly white teeth with larger than normal incisors – he preferred to keep to himself. The scar running through his left eye added to his intimidating aura, something that made people think twice before approaching him.

Jason was a chill, laid-back person, often seen lounging around or with a joint in hand. However, when it came to his family or friends getting hurt, a switch flipped, transforming him into a cold and indifferent individual.

 A Night at the Shop

It was a typical night, the kind Jason preferred. The cool air of the valley was a welcome change from the heat of the day. His parents had left a wad of cash for him, and after making sure Emily and Max were settled for the night, he decided to take a drive. He grabbed the keys to his 2017 Dodge Hellcat SRT, a car he wasn't technically allowed to drive yet. But rules didn't bother Jason much; he lived life on his own terms.

The Hellcat roared to life, and Jason sped through the quiet streets, enjoying the freedom the night offered. He arrived at a small convenience store, the neon lights casting a soft glow on the pavement. As he walked in, he noticed a few other customers but paid them little attention.

Jason grabbed a Coke and a bag of chips, heading to the counter to pay. As he waited, he overheard a middle-aged man, clearly annoyed, talking to the clerk.

"Aren't you gonna wear gloves?" the man asked as the clerk grabbed a slice of pizza with his hand.

Jason raised an eyebrow but kept silent, his interest piqued as another boy, roughly his age, walked in and asked the clerk where the medicine was in Spanish. Jason understood a bit of Spanish but chose to stay out of the conversation. The boy mentioned something about his grandma not feeling well, holding up a bottle of Pepto-Bismol.

The middle-aged man, clearly not in the best of moods, responded with annoyance, "Didn't ask."

The exchange continued, with the man growing increasingly frustrated. "Come on, what's Spanish for 'just give me my damn slice'?"

The clerk said something in Spanish that made the boy, Miguel, stifle a laugh. Jason watched as the man's frustration turned to curiosity. "What did he say?" the man asked. "You don't want to know," Miguel replied. "No, I know it was something bad. Just tell me." The boy hesitated, then, with a slight smirk, said, "He says you have a tiny..." glancing down.

Jason smirked as the man, Johnny, got snippy with the clerk before walking out with his pizza. It was an amusing scene, but nothing that concerned him.

Jason paid for his Coke and chips, pocketing the change before stepping outside. He leaned against the Hellcat, pulling out a joint and lighting it. The familiar smell of weed filled the air, and he took a deep drag, exhaling slowly. The night was quiet again, just the way he liked it, taking a final drag from his joint before flicking the ashes to the ground. He watched as a car pulled into the parking lot, its tires screeching slightly on the asphalt. Four boys got out, their loud voices echoing as they joked about getting light beer to lose weight for some kind of meet. Jason shook his head with a smirk, taking a sip of his Coke.