The cage was even more crowded than it had been during Jayden's first visit. The casino floor was packed, the fight cage was roaring with spectators, and money was flowing like water.
Jayden moved through the crowd with purpose, his dark clothing and cold expression making people instinctively step aside. He could feel eyes on him—assessing, curious, wary. Word traveled fast in places like this, and while no one knew exactly what he'd done tonight, they could sense sothing had changed about the silver-haired kid who'd walked out of Big T's office a day ago.
Marcus was waiting at the entrance to the private areas. The massive bouncer's expression was unreadable as he looked Jayden up and down.
"Big T's expecting you," Marcus said, his deep voice cutting through the noise. "You look like you been through sothing."
Jayden glanced down at himself. His clothes were dirty and torn in places. His knuckles were scabbed over, but slowly healing.
"The job's done," Jayden replied flatly. "That's all that matters."
Marcus studied him for a mont longer, then nodded. "Follow ."
They descended to the lower level, but this ti Marcus didn't take him through the fight club. Instead, they went down a side corridor Jayden hadn't noticed before—narrower, dimr, with doors on either side that were closed and locked. His eyes furrowed in suspicion.
"Private eting rooms," Marcus explained, seeing Jayden's glance. "For when Big T needs to conduct business away from prying eyes."
He stopped at the last door, knocked twice, then opened it.
The room was smaller than Big T's office—more intimate. A round table dominated the center, surrounded by leather chairs. The lighting was low, atmospheric. And sitting at the table, bourbon in hand and that sa asured expression on his face, was Big T.
Two of his lieutenants flanked him, but they were more relaxed than during the first eting. This was a different kind of conversation.
"Youngblood," Big T said, gesturing to the chair across from him. "Sit. Marcus, you can go."
Marcus nodded and closed the door, leaving Jayden alone with Big T and his n.
Jayden sat, pulled the encrypted data drive from his pocket, and placed it on the table.
Big T picked it up, examined it, then smiled. "Damn. You actually pulled it off." He looked at Jayden with newfound respect. "And from what my sources telling , you went through Razor and eleven other Jackal mbers to get it."
"Fourteen," Jayden corrected.
Big T laughed—deep and warm. "Man, you are sothing. Most people would be bragging about that. You just correcting the count like it's a math problem." He pocketed the drive and leaned back in his chair. "Tell sothing—you hurt bad? You look like you took so hits."
"Nothing that won't heal," Jayden said.
"Good. 'Cause I need you sharp for what I'm about to tell you." Big T's expression grew serious. "We had a deal. You do the job, I give you information. And I'm a man of my word, so here it is."
He pulled out a holo-pad, swiped through a few files, then turned it to face Jayden.
On the screen was a photograph of a man—mid-thirties, with a shaved head and a scar running from his left eye down to his jaw. Cold eyes. The kind of eyes that had seen violence and liked it.
"David Johnson. Aka the Reaper," Big T said. "He runs the human trafficking division of the Black Cobra Syndicate. Everything that has to do with kidnapping, holding, and moving people—that's his operation."
Jayden's entire body tensed. "Where can I find him?"
"Hold up, youngblood. Let finish." Big T swiped to the next image—a building exterior. "This is The Venom Lounge, It's a bar down in the Riverside District. Looks like any other dive from the outside, but it's actually a Black Cobra front. When David and his crew are in town, that's where they hang out."
Jayden's gaze sharpened. "When are they there?"
"Most nights," Big T replied. "But here's the thing you need to understand—when the trafficking division is present at The Venom Lounge, nobody else goes there. Not civilians, not other gangs, not even other Black Cobra mbers. It's their space. Their territory."
Jayden exhaled sharply. "How many people are we talking about?" he asked.
"Usually twenty, twenty-five mbers. All ard. All dangerous." Big T replied. "But this ain't typical smugglers or thugs, youngblood. They're the syndicate's elite. Better trained, better equipped, more ruthless. You walk in there, you're walking into a hornet's nest."
Jayden absorbed this information, his mind already working through approaches and contingencies. "And David himself? What can you tell about him?"
"He's an evolved human. Enhanced reflexes and strength—nothing crazy powerful, but he's fast and he hits hard. Level 35, maybe 36." Big T's expression was grim. "But his real danger ain't his powers. It's his mind. Man's smart. Tactical. He's survived in this business for over a decade, which ans he knows how to read situations and adapt."
Jayden clenched his fist. "I don't care if he's the smartest or most powerful person in the world," he said, his voice tight. "I'm going to find him and make him tell where Cassie is." Then he looked into Big T's eyes. "He does know where she is right?"
Big T was quiet for a mont. "Actually... that's the thing, youngblood. I don't know if he does. See, the trafficking division handles multiple operations at once. They got people stashed in different locations, different levels of security depending on who the target is. But if your girl was taken by the Black Cobras..." He paused. "David 'might' know about it. He is the leader of the division so he'd definitely be involved."
Jayden's hands clenched under the table. "Then I need to talk to him."
"'Talk' being a relative term, I assu," Big T said dryly. "Look, I'ma be real with you. You go after David, you're starting a war with the Black Cobra Syndicate. You'll beco a target, and they'll stop at nothing to see you dead."
"I don't care," Jayden said flatly.
Big T studied him for a long mont, then nodded slowly. "Yeah. I can see that." He slid the holo-pad across the table. "Address is on there. Along with everything else I got about David and his operation. Use it however you want. But youngblood? Be smart about this. You can't save your girl if you're dead."
Jayden took the holo-pad, downloading the information to his own device. "Thank you. For keeping your word."
"Always do," Big T replied. He raised his glass in a mock toast. "Good luck, youngblood. Sothing tells you gonna need it."
Jayden nodded, stood up, and was escorted outside the building. He summoned his bike and mounted it, already planning on heading to the location Big T gave to him. There was no ti to waste.
.......
00:45 AM.
Riverside District.
The Venom Lounge was exactly what Big T had described—a dive bar that looked like it had been forgotten by ti and the city's renovation efforts.
Single-story building, cracked concrete walls, barred windows, a neon sign that read "VEN M L UNGE" with half the letters burned out. The kind of place that scread "Stay away!" to anyone with common sense.
Two n stood outside the entrance, smoking. Both wore leather jackets, both had cobra tattoos visible on their necks, both carried themselves with the casual alertness of professional criminals.
Jayden sat on his hoverbike across the street, watching from the shadows of a closed pawn shop. He'd been here for twenty minutes, observing, counting heads through the grimy windows.
Big T's intel was accurate—there were about twenty-three Black Cobra mbers inside, plus their leader... David "Reaper" Johnson, who was at a center table, surrounded by his lieutenants, clearly holding court.
This wasn't going to be subtle.
[You're really doing this, huh?] Luna said. [Walking into a bar full of dangerous criminals and starting a fight]
"I'm walking into a bar to get information," Jayden corrected. "If they want to make it a fight, that's their choice."
[Jayden, this is insane. You can't take on twenty ard criminals at once] Luna murmured in concern. [Not right now, at least. You just fought fourteen n not quite long ago]
Jayden's gaze sharpened. "Watch ."
He dismissed his hoverbike, crossed the street, and walked directly toward the entrance.
The two guards noticed him imdiately. One dropped his cigarette, the other's hand moved toward the pistol visible in his waistband.
"Bar's closed," the first guard said. "Private mbers only."
"I know," Jayden replied, not slowing down. "I'm here to see David."
The second guard stepped in front of the door, blocking it. "You got an appointnt?"
"No." Jayden replied flatly.
The man scoffed. "Then you ain't seeing nobody. Turn around and—"
BAM!
Jayden's fist—suddenly enlarged and wrapped in fla—slamd into the guard's face before he could finish the sentence. The man flew backward through the door, crashing into a table inside. Glass shattered. People across the street shouted and scampered away in fear.
The first guard was shocked by what he'd just witnessed. He quickly grabbed his weapon and tried to shoot...
But Jayden's telekinesis ripped the pistol from his hand, then delivered a spinning kick that sent the guard sprawling onto the sidewalk, unconscious.
Then Jayden stepped through the broken door and into The Venom Lounge.
User Comments
0 comments from readers