Kayson took us to a place in Uptown named “Sunny Side Diner.” People shoving eggs in their mouths filled the diner; no doubt they wanted to get a bit soberer before they returned to the streets. I leaned forward in the cramped booth, a little too cozy on the red upholstered bench with Bruno. My cigarette burned in my hand as the steaming mug of coffee grew cold in front of me. At least I didn’t have to pay a cent. Bruno scarfed down an omelet, racing to finish his plate before Eve finished her fries. Suzaki nursed a malt, trying to blend into the booth and not interested in joining their contest.

All the while, Kayson paged through the journal.

We were waiting for the call. After explaining what Tristan said to me, Kayson told me I’d made a difficult decision, and he understood my choice, but that wasn’t likely to go in my favor.

But I was so tired.

It was at the point where I didn’t care what happened to me. As long as we got Alex back, things would work out. I think he must have seen some of that in my face since he dropped the topic and then took us here to refresh ourselves.

“So, you’re going to be tossed out of the Brass Kings?” Eve leaned back; Her plate of fries finished seconds before Bruno swallowed the last bite of the omelet. “All of this for a duel? When did you and Bruno swap your dumb brains?”

“Listen, aint none of this been my plan. And we’re all already fucked from tonight anyway. This seemed like the cleanest way to end things. I’m not going out without a fight either.”

“You even know what his ability is?”

I scowled at her and just smoked in silence. That made her snicker. “Luca’s expulsion from the Brass Kings—or even ours, isn’t the full extent of the problem,” Kayson said as he took another photo of the journal with his phone. “Chances are the Viceroy will be as equally interested in this… journal… as she is in our trespasses.”

“Sorry that I got ya’ll involved in this shit, okay? Aint like I can apologize enough to make it right, so it doesn’t mean much. I didn’t wanna bring ya down with me.”

“D-don’t be dumb. You’re not the one trying to overthrow the gang or a coldblooded m-murderer.” Suzaki said from his corner, and I felt a warmth spread in me. They believed me, of course. After going through all of this, they had my back.

I sipped the coffee, and the cold and bitter tang brought a bit more life to me. This night had beat me down, both literately and emotionally. To think it would all boil down to ending this with my own two hands? I knew power ruled this world, but it seemed strange that Tristan would choose such a straightforward solution. The more I considered that, the more nervous I became. Especially since we’d never fought aside from that brief scuffle in the park, he went to great lengths to keep his tricks hidden from his men.

Our table slipped into an easy-going chat. We let Kayson do his work in peace and took a breather from the heavy weight in the air.

Eventually, after he was done, Kayson explained why this meeting was unlikely to be a trap in the same way. The involvement of a Knight and Captain Atkins made it an official duel. One that wasn’t a cheap attempt at an ambush. He’d underestimated us and our willingness to go along with his plans. But there had to be something up his sleeve.

I wasn’t sure Kayson would comply and let the information from the journal go. However, we’d found no concrete proof that he’d been the one spilling secrets about the gang. But his vast collection of information about our internal operations and high-rankers in the gang would raise eyebrows.

Though I had to admit, my connections to the Segreto might also raise some eyebrows. Not that I had a personal connection—it was my Uncle involved with them, not me.

I frowned as I considered that. I wish I could call Romeo for advice or help—but he was out of the city. And my phone was long gone. There wasn’t much I could do. “So, Dummy, what’s your plan for when you get kicked from the Brass Kings?” Eve said cheerfully.

“I aint getting kicked out. I’m going to win.”

“Hahahaha! That is the way, Luca! You cannot lose if you pour your heart into battle! It will drive you to become stronger. Like a seed drunk on water, you will reach towards the sun and conquer all in your path. How truly glorious!” Bruno clapped loudly, drawing eyes from the rest of the diner. Suzaki sunk lower into the booth.

I gave the big guy a lopsided grin and a thumbs up. Even if I didn’t feel it inside, I knew when it was the right time to put on a face for others. “Ya fucking bet. I’ll make the fucker eat sand and clean the floor with his face.”

“Well, when you get the boot from the Brass Kings, don’t be a stranger. I can always use a pair of eyes when I want to pop into a locked building. Someone with a loud mouth to let me know when someone else is coming.” Eve chuckled. “As long as you promise to work on not triggering every alarm you run across.”

“R-regardless of how it goes, what are you doing after?” Suzaki asked, a slight edge carried by his voice.

“I’ll get stronger,” I admitted, even if I had no clue how to go about that. I didn’t mean the simple pursuit of my path. This gang had been the only real thing in my life for over a year. It’d been toxic, and I’d been stuck with a squad that despised me and a Lieutenant that treated me like garbage. It wasn’t like I was about to turn around and attend school—but there was more in life I could reach for.

I’d survived as a useless delinquent that got into fights for far too long.

I wouldn’t put my family through that same self-obsessed abuse any longer. The moment I got Alex back, I needed to take a long look at myself and find the path forward through the dark.

“Hahaha! He’ll be with me! I don’t care if he’s a Brass King or not—we’ll start our own gang! Pick bigger fights!” Bruno clapped my back.

I squinted at him. He was dead serious. “Ya would leave the gang if I got booted?”

“Of course! We’re friends, and I admire the way you attract trouble. It’s remarkable! Warriors are not made by forcing small store owners to pay them spirit chips; they are made through blood and trials by fire. They grow in strength through friendships wrapped by the chains of war. We are not mortals, Luca, but those who stand above. Who would be content to live on earth when they can see the heavens above.” He really was a crazy fuck. Still, it brought me a smile.

“O-oh, by the divine, the idea of you two alone. I-I’d have to go with; otherwise, I’m afraid you’d die in a week.” Suzaki twitched in the corner.

My heart turned at their words, and I shook my head. That was probably an accurate assessment; my and Bruno’s friendship was likely to doom us.

About an hour later, we got the call from a Knight. They detailed the meeting place—a small disused beach bordering the Rust Docks. Perhaps one of the few unpopulated places in New Valentine tonight. We were to be there in thirty minutes with sparse details aside from that. She confirmed her identity-marking this as an official matter and not another setup.

We were really doing this, throwing it all on the line over a duel. But unlike before, this situation failed to give me that dopamine rush. Sure, my Soul Seed radiated at the moment, knowing that this could end in a thousand ways. But the worry haunted my heart. I didn’t enjoy being on this crazy roller coaster, or maybe it was I didn’t want to take other people I cared about on the same ride as me.

For better or worse, even if I didn’t want them taking that dangerous risk with me, I’d found people who were willing to.

After tucking away my anxiety, one emotion burned in my chest. Pure hatred of the fucker who’d prodded me at every turn. Rage at the man who ruined my uninvolved mother’s home. A spoiled brat with a life of luxury who went and played street gangster to satisfy his need for power. I would bash Tristan’s face in. I’d get him thrown out of the gang he desperately wanted to control.

I couldn’t wait to feel that extreme pleasure at ruining his dreams, taking the one that he seemed to value away from him. I wanted him to suffer like the way he’d made others suffer. I’d pay a thousand spirit chips, run a hundred thousand miles, bleed out all the blood in my body. Just to see him on his knees begging for forgiveness.

By the time we left the diner, I was hopped up on coffee and feeding from the night’s energy. Anything was possible. I would win that fight and solve my problems.

We hopped on our bikes and then took off through New Valentine, racing one another to our destination—reckless as we skidded past crowds. We weaved our way through the awful traffic and made our way to the Rust Docks. Nobody was here.

Go figure nobody would spend their holiday here if they could help it. Still, as our bikes pulled up to the docks, the excitement for reaching a conclusion to this horrible tale only grew. To see more bikes parked than we expected. I hopped off—taking out a comb and lighting another cigarette.

This was it. The best chance was to pay him back with my own hands. I forced all the confidence I could muster into my step. Backed by my friends, we made our way towards the figures at the end of the concrete dock touching the Atlantic.