The Mystery Fighter III

The Mystery Fighter III (21)

Zayden hung up Brock's phone after the call with Julian. He relayed the message to the three other crew members gathered around him while handing the phone back to its owner.

"What crew did Julian say was waiting by the port?" Jesper asked, his lips moving around the cigarette, making the words muffled and barely detectable. 

Though he was Brock's childhood friend and had been in the RL gang longer than he ever had, Zayden didn't care much for his lacklustre attitude and inability to care about anything. Ironically enough, that was also what he admired the most about him.

"He didn't say," Zayden responded, ruffling around for his portable charger in the overnight bag he had managed to snatch out of his car before Julian took off with it. He found it and plugged it into his dented phone.

"Probably a couple of crews from Silverbrook since that's the next town over," Brock guessed. "Bet that's where Sal and Willtek are from since they're by the port. There are no known crews from Harbor Ridge."

Zayden shrugged.

"Definitely some from Gatprai, though. They're always looking for a fight," Ian added. Brock nodded.

Silverbrook, Harbour Ridge, and Gatprai; the three towns neighbouring Range Lake. 

Goldhaven was the only city neighbouring Range, and it showed. Though Range Lake was a populated area with fixed boundaries and in the past had a somewhat local government, with the old power plant making the area a goldmine for jobs, the financial pitfall and corrupting streets they were looking at today could hardly be considered a city. 

Zayden could only feel relief that Cassie and Celine got out of here sooner rather than later.

"They're meeting up with Pete and them by the old gas station. Near that power plant," Zayden nudged his head in the direction of the big brick buildings and tall, grey cylinders looming over the city by the foot of the small mountain separating Range Lake and Silverbrook.

He started ruffling around his bag again before bringing out a map and unfolding it across the hood of Brock's car. It was easier to explain his strategy on this than having these three burly men peer over his shoulder at Brock's phone.

"According to Cassie, we have less than an hour to prepare for an ambush."

Zayden's gaze swept over the map of Range Lake. His finger traced the familiar streets and alleys, a mental blueprint etched in his memory.

"Alright. We can't let them dictate the fight. We know every little corner and every alleyway of this place. Most importantly, we know the best places to hide away while they walk in the open. That's our advantage. Let's use it."

Ian's brows furrowed. "Isn't Cole working with them? He's lived here his whole life. Everything we know, he probably knows too."

Zayden nodded in agreement. "Cole is just one person, with probably twenty to thirty men relying on him to communicate all the best places to advance and retreat from in the heat of a fight. We're basically twenty, less deranged, versions of him," Zayden argued, earning a chuckle from Ian.

Brock peered at the map, his eyes narrowing in concentration. He pointed to an alleyway just off the main street. "I say we take this route up. They won't see us coming. We can use the smaller backroads to our advantage- and the laundry mat building by Elm Street. Hey- honestly, if we're quick enough, we might be able to ambush them before they even reach the old gas station and group up."