Victor, Victorious

Chapter Twenty-Four

"What the hell's this?" Sway growled after school, when Victor showed up in the alley with a small group of kids in tow. Bart and Sergio were there, as were a few of their classmates. All Victor had to do was mention the prospect of a fight, and the others had followed like sharks to chum.

Victor told Sway, "We all wanna see you take care of Colin."

The man shook his head in disbelief. "This ain't what we agreed on. Naw, dawg. This ain't cool. Bart, get these fools outta here."

Bart asked, "What's the big deal?"

"You scared of some witnesses?" Sergio said.

Sway looked at Sergio like he was the crazy one. "What you say to me? Ain't no one scared here, except maybe you, punk."

The other kids' eyes lit up with excitement. Maybe they were about to see more than they bargained for. An appetizer before the main course!

Victor stepped between Sergio and Sway. He did his best to hide the fear bubbling in his guts. There was no telling what Sway would do, what would be his tipping point. But someone had to stand up to him and show him that he wasn't running the show.

Victor was the one in control.

Wasn't he?

"Where's this fool?" asked Sway. "He not showing up?" Patience was not one of Sway's virtues.

"Don't worry. He'll be here." Or so Victor hoped. Because, if Colin didn't show, Sway would focus his fury on someone else. Blood would spill, regardless.

"Now, who's that?" Sway complained, gesturing past the crowd.

It was Courtney, but her brother wasn't with her.

"Colin's not here yet?" she asked. "He told me you all wanted to meet him." No one answered as she approached. "You're all gonna jump him, right?"

"No, just me," said Sway. He studied the girl. "You're his sister. Saw you get slapped by your bro yesterday. You here to stop me from stomping his ass into the ground?"

"No," said Courtney. "I'm here to watch it happen."

Sway chuckled. "Man, you gonna see a good show, then."

Victor was surprised. Courtney seemed to have her brother's back when Victor first met her. What went down to give her such a change of heart?

Kelsey Perez: "There he is!" She was a little too thrilled.

Colin walked toward them. He actually waved, completely unaware of the twisted spider's web he was walking into.

Who was the spider in this scenario? Victor or Sway? Victor wasn't sure.

Carlos Garcia: "Finally. I got other stuff to do."

Then, Colin flipped them all off with both hands. Maybe he did know what was coming his way.

Like a missile, Sway honed in on the boy, fists clenched, shoving past the others.

To his credit, Colin stood his ground.

Game on.

"Crap," said Victor. Suddenly, things were moving too fast.

Colin raised his arm and swung it down in a chopping motion. There was a sharp twang as a power line above them snapped apart in a shower of sparks and fell. The wire landed between him and Sway.

Whoa. Okay. So, Colin could do that now.

Sway leapt back as the live wire writhed on the ground like an injured snake. It spat electricity. The other kids gasped, saw it as an opportunity to pull out their phones.