A young man and a towering brute got out of the vehicle.
Before the 6th Street Gang mbers could ask any questions, Leo spoke first. "Marler told us to co."
One of the gang mbers nodded. "He's waiting for you. Follow ."
Leo and Jackie trailed behind him.
What nobody else noticed was a ring of red light spreading outward from Leo's position like ripples in water. It instantly revealed the entire layout of the 6th Street Gang inside the motel, as well as those stationed nearby, directly onto Leo's retinal display.
He shared that visual feed with the group of Padre's n waiting in ambush outside.
The three of them reached the front desk in the motel.
The man behind the desk now was another 6th Street Gang mber.
Suddenly, the one who had brought them there stopped and raised a hand to halt them.
"Hold on. Hand over your weapons."
Jackie scowled. "Is that really necessary, hombre?"
The 6th Street mber sneered.
"First, that's our rule on 6th Street turf. If you're on our ground, you follow our rules. Second, I'm not your 'hombre,' xican."
Jackie shot back, "Since when did The Glen beco your turf, huh? You don't even have Wellsprings locked down yet, and you think you're gonna take The Glen? Maybe you should ask the Valentinos first."
Sensing the tension climbing, Leo patted Jackie's shoulder.
"Easy, Jackie."
Leo removed the Muramasa blade from his belt along with two large-caliber revolvers, plus fragntation grenades, flashbangs, and smoke grenades—nearly a dozen in total.
"Shit," Jackie muttered with a sigh.
He handed over his Sadarra shotgun and a tech pistol.
"That's all," he said.
But even then, the 6th Street Gang mber did not let them pass. They insisted both n enter the small room off to the side of the front desk to be scanned. Only after confirming they had no more weapons would they let them continue.
They then walked through puddles of foul-slling waste water, climbed creaking wooden steps, and followed a hallway illuminated by flickering fluorescent lights—like a scene out of a horror film.
At the end of the corridor, they went through a fire-exit door that led to another room.
Marler sat on a sofa in there, legs spread comfortably. Two of his n stood on either side of him. In front of him, two cheap plastic chairs waited, obviously set up for Leo and Jackie.
"Please, have a seat."
Leo took the offer without ceremony and sat. Jackie stood next to the chair, arms folded across his chest, plainly radiating the ssage Don't ss with .
"I'll stay on my feet."
Marler did not insist. His gaze road back and forth between Leo and Jackie.
"Which of you is the gunsmith making tech weapons for Padre?"
Leo's voice ca out cold. "That'd be ."
"Impressive. So young and already so capable." Marler smiled broadly, sounding sincere enough. "Might I be fortunate enough to learn your na?"
"Leo."
As Leo answered, he took a quick glance around.
Through his scanner, he saw that Fidel was locked in a room on the third floor. Still alive.
But Leo pretended not to know and simply asked, "Fidel was the one who told us to co. Where is he now?"
They, of course, did not realize that Leo, Jackie, and Padre already knew the truth about the fake call.
"Your friend's here, safe and sound. We actually just had so Aricanos together not long ago. The caffeine made him a bit sleepy, so he went to lie down. The three of us can handle the important stuff."
"But before we get into serious business, how about a little introduction on my end? I'm Marler, from the famous 6th Street Gang. I'm sure you've heard of us."
Jackie stood there, arms still folded. He snorted in response.
"Yeah, you guys have been trying to stick your nose into Heywood—Wellsprings especially. But the Valentinos aren't about to hand it over, which is why you're always shooting each other in the streets."
Marler frowned at Jackie. "You're not seeing the bigger picture, Mr. Welles. We're only trying to protect the people of Wellsprings and fight for justice in this city."
Leo smirked. "There was an art-school reject once, had plenty of pretty words too. Ended up triggering the Second World War. Let's cut the crap. You know it's a load of shit, and we don't want to hear it. Let's get straight to business."
Marler slapped his thigh. "Ha! Straight to the point. I like that style."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I know about your arrangent with Padre, Leo, and to be perfectly honest, I'm interested. The question is whether I can be part of it."
Leo shook his head. "Sorry, we're fully booked."
Marler gave a dry laugh. "Leo, you're quite the codian and people say arms dealers are always so serious. Glad to see you know how to joke around."
Leo's expression remained flat.
"I see… My apologies." Marler paused, then went on. "Anyway, no need to jump to a refusal. Hear out first."
"You've collaborated with Padre and are basically limited to the Heywood market. But if you partner with us, you won't just have Heywood—Saint Domingo's wide-open market will be yours too."
Jackie snorted. "Saint Domingo? You don't even control all of Heywood yet, and you think you can take that plus Saint Domingo? You're ignoring Padre and the Valentinos?"
Marler shook his head in a show of disappointnt. "Sebastian Ibarra and the Valentinos are like grasshoppers in late autumn—their days are numbered.
Heywood is bound to be ours eventually."
"I hear you're getting a seventy-thirty split with Padre right now. If you join forces with the 6th Street Gang, we can do eighty-twenty, with you on the higher end. We'll even make you a minor boss.
How does that sound?"
Marler might have made it sound convincing, but Leo didn't believe a word.
"So, what's the price?" Leo asked.
"Price?" Marler lit a cigarette, then flicked the ash directly onto the floor. "There's no price. A corp would call this a synergy of two strong partners."
Leo gave a faint laugh. "So, I'd get eighty percent, and you'd take twenty?"
Marler nodded. "Correct."
"And Jackie and I would each beco local bosses?"
"Exactly."
"And you'd guarantee my safety? Keep the Valentinos off my back?"
"I'll say it right now—if they harm a hair on your head, I'll die out there in the street. I'll jump right out that window."
Leo leaned against the back of the chair. "Pardon my skepticism, but is there really such a wonderful deal in this world?"
Marler tapped his ashes again. "You don't know us, so I don't bla you. Do you even know what kind of people make up the 6th Street Gang?"
Leo shook his head.
"Retired soldiers, ex-NCPD officers who got disillusioned, corp security who got fired, and civilians who went through crash-course combat training…"
Marler spread his arms, voice carrying a heated conviction. "We want to bring order to this city!"
Jackie shook his head, disdain flickering in his eyes. "And to do that, you'll stoop to anything? You might fool sobody else, but not . I grew up in Heywood. I know exactly what 6th Street's about. You talk big about your cause, but you guys rob, extort, and jack cars like any other gang."
He paused, voice dripping with contempt. "And you keep close ties with the Raffen Shiv out in the Badlands, don't think I don't know."
Marler's gaze shifted to Jackie, his tone sharpening. "Those are necessary sacrifices. And anyway, do you think the Valentinos are any different? They talk about believing and following the teachings of God, but do you think they're all that much better?"
Jackie spat on the floor. "Not really. But at least they're not hypocrites."
"I brought you here in good faith and showed plenty of sincerity. My patience is limited, so I'll ask you straight:
Are you joining the 6th Street Gang or not?"
As Marler posed the question, the two n behind him moved closer, ending up behind Leo and Jackie.
At the sa ti, the 6th Street mber who had led them in stood beside Marler.
Two against four.
And the smaller group had no weapons.
On the surface, it looked like there was no way out—surrender or die.
Leo glanced at Jackie.
Even Jackie, who had joined the Valentinos in his teens, survived countless scrapes, and been through any number of firefights, wore a grave expression.
Yet Leo smiled. His lips curled, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible grin.
"You can start now, V."
He said it over the team comm channel.
No one else in the room heard it, but one of Marler's n, standing behind him, suddenly flew sideways and crashed into a wall-mounted cabinet. A loud crack sounded as he and the furniture collapsed in a heap.
At a certain point, money stops mattering, and Leo gets more than enough as we saw in the past few chapters. The only thing he really cares for is his friends and personal points.
But how would you think this would have gone if he excepted it? Probably cut ties with Jakie imdiately... and V I think since she worked with Padre. Dont know how close they are tho.
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