Unspoken Bonds

Part 2: Heat of the Moment

Kion held up a hand, signaling AJ to stay quiet. The footsteps outside got louder, crunching through dead leaves and broken glass. Voices followed, low and tense, confirming what Kion already suspected—they weren't alone.

"Damn, these fools move quick," one of the voices muttered. "Better not be nobody in there already."

Kion shot AJ a look, his face cold as stone. He didn't have to say anything; his eyes spoke volumes: Stay sharp. AJ nodded once, his playful demeanor long gone.

Kion gestured for AJ to follow as he crept toward the back of the house. The duffel bag hung off his shoulder, swaying slightly as he moved. AJ trailed behind, quiet for once, his steps surprisingly smooth.

The back door creaked as Kion eased it open. They slipped outside, moving low and fast through the overgrown backyard. The voices inside grew louder; the rival crew had entered the house.

"Yo, the stash gone!" one of them barked.

"Check the whole house! Somebody's here!"

Kion didn't stop moving. He didn't need to see who was inside to know they were armed and pissed. AJ followed close, his breath steady despite the tension.

As they rounded the corner of the house, Kion froze. Two more guys stood by the front gate, their heads on a swivel, scanning the street. AJ muttered under his breath, "Man, they came deep."

Kion glanced at him, then back at the gate. His mind worked quickly, weighing options. They couldn't risk going back through the house, and the backyard led to a dead end. The only way out was forward—past the two guards.

"You strapped?" Kion whispered, his voice barely audible.

AJ smirked, pulling a piece from his waistband. "Always."

Kion nodded, his expression unreadable. "We take 'em quiet. No noise unless we have to."

AJ gave a small, confident nod, his smirk fading into a more serious look. Kion motioned for him to follow as they crept toward the gate, staying low in the shadows.

The first guy didn't see it coming. Kion moved like a ghost, sliding up behind him and putting him down with a sharp blow to the back of the head. The second guy turned just in time to catch AJ's fist across his jaw, dropping like a sack of bricks.

"Clean," AJ whispered, sounding almost impressed.

"Let's move," Kion muttered, already heading for the car.

They made it halfway down the block before the yelling started behind them.

"Yo, they outside! They got the stash!"

"Shit," AJ hissed, picking up his pace.

Kion stayed calm, his stride quick but controlled. He reached the car first, tossing the duffel in the backseat before sliding into the driver's seat. AJ jumped in right after, slamming the door as Kion started the engine.

The tires screeched as they peeled out, speeding down the empty street. The rival crew spilled out of the house behind them, but by the time they got their bearings, Kion and AJ were long gone.

The car was silent for a while, the tension thick as they put distance between themselves and the chaos. Finally, AJ let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.

"Man, you don't play, huh? You was ready to take all them fools out if you had to."

Kion didn't respond, his eyes locked on the road.

AJ leaned back in his seat, watching Kion with a small smile. "Alright, I see why boss paired us up. You good under pressure. Don't talk much, but you got that 'handle business' energy."

Kion glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "You talk too much."

AJ laughed, his grin widening. "Yeah, yeah, I get that a lot."

The ride back to the warehouse was quiet again, but this time, the silence felt different. AJ didn't seem bothered by Kion's cold demeanor. In fact, he looked comfortable, like he was figuring Kion out piece by piece.

When they finally pulled up, AJ leaned over, tapping Kion's arm lightly before hopping out.

"Good work tonight, Kion. You cool, even if you act like you hate everybody."

Kion didn't react at first, just grabbed the duffel and got out of the car. But as AJ walked ahead toward the warehouse, Kion's lips twitched—just barely—like he was fighting off the smallest smirk.

This dude might be annoying, but he could handle himself. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.