By the time Lex made it back to the edge of 16th turf, the sun had cracked the skyline. Orange light bled over the rooftops, casting long shadows that made the block look sharper than usual, like every brick had teeth. He met Kevlar behind the old corner store, where the smell of motor oil and burnt sugar still clung to the walls from the bakery that used to be next door.
Kevlar stood with his back to the wall, arms crossed, the burner already in his hand.
"You good?"
Lex nodded. "They're planning to move him tonight. Auto shop on Holloway."
Kevlar didn't look surprised. "That's off-books. Real quiet, too. Might be they're hoping to make it look like Trey just disappeared."
"They're strapped," Lex added. "One of them said it outright. Poles on deck."
Kevlar gave a slow nod. "Alright. Let's work."
The backroom of the barbershop on 16th was already half full when they got there. Kevlar's core crew—his right hands—waited inside. Tank, built like a fridge and always chewing gum. Rico, tall, calm, deadly quiet. Nina, small but always watching, always calculating. These weren't neighborhood kids—they were made for this.
Lex recognized Mona too, sitting off to the side near the window. Hood up, eyes scanning. She was a runner like him, not gang-tied. Same with Bones, who sat beside her, legs bouncing from nerves. Both of them were talented, smart, and unaffiliated. Freelancers. Lex knew they weren't part of this deep end—but they showed up when asked.
Kevlar walked in first. "We got a plan."
He nodded at Lex.
"Break it down."
Lex stepped forward, ignoring how everyone looked at him now like he wasn't just some side-runner. Like he mattered.
"Three holding Trey. One named Jojo. They've got a spot on Barretto. Not a usual CMB hang. No sentries, no traffic. They said they're moving him to an auto shop tonight. I heard the name Holloway."
"They said when?" Tank asked, voice low and gravelly.
"Not exactly. Just 'tonight.' Probably late. Fewer eyes."
Kevlar looked around the room. "This wasn't greenlit by CMB's top. I've got ears saying it's rogue. Which means we hit, we hit hard. No time for politics."
Lex shifted slightly when Rico stepped closer to the table, his eyes locking onto Lex with something colder than silence. Lex met it head-on.
Rico said, voice low but venomous, "You sliced me. On 16th. And don't act like it was a heat-of-the-moment thing. You came in swinging like you had something to prove. You always been sideways with us. You ain't even 16th. Never were. You were the kid mouthing off to Julio's girl, remember that?
Lex didn't back off. " The fuck you talking about man? You were the one who jumped me first, I was chilling with Mona and Bones before you and your cronies ruined the vibe!"
Rico stepped forward, jaw tight, voice low and cold. "Don't think walking in here makes you part of us. You might be cushy cushy with Kevlar, but I still see you as the same stray we should've handled properly back then."
Lex took a half-step forward, steady. "I didn't come here to start nothing. But I'm not walking away if you want to test it."
Tank moved between them, thick arm pressing Rico back a step. "Cut it. Both of you."
Kevlar didn't even raise his voice. "You bleed each other before we roll, I leave both your bodies in the gutter. Clear?"
Rico didn't smile. Didn't nod. But he backed off. Lex stayed locked in until Kevlar's next words drew the room back to order.
"You sure we're ready for that?" Mona asked, her voice even, eyes sharp. "This ain't a scuffle. If they're strapped..."
"We are too," Tank said. He gestured toward the duffel on the table. Lex caught the shape of gear inside. Sawed-offs, compact nines, maybe a Tec.
Lex swallowed hard. He hadn't held more than a blade in a real fight. A pole was different. That was final.
Kevlar saw it. "You got a problem with that, Lex?"
Lex didn't answer right away. He looked around the room. Mona stayed quiet. Bones looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Kevlar's crew waited without judgment. Just watching.
The System pinged behind Lex's eyes.
[MORAL CHOICE DETECTED]
Threat Level: High
Stakes: Permanent consequences possible
Option A: Accept use of lethal force. Combat effectiveness increased.
Option B: Refuse to kill. Retain moral clarity. May impact influence or control.
Lex didn't press anything. Didn't decide yet.
He looked toward one of the other right hands standing near the door. Tone—tall, tense, walking with a slight limp.
"Yo," Lex said, quieter. "You alright? From the fight?"
Tone looked at him, surprised. Then gave a small nod. "Still standing. Appreciate it."
Lex looked up at Kevlar. "I get it. We go in soft, we don't come out. I'm not saying no. I'm saying... I ain't shot nobody before."
Kevlar nodded once, respectful. "You won't be the only one pulling triggers. Just don't freeze."
Mona added quietly, "Nobody wants to kill, Lex. But sometimes it's not up to us."
Lex exhaled slowly.
"Then let's get Trey."
Kevlar clapped him once on the shoulder. "That's what I needed to hear."
He turned to Tank, Rico, Nina, and Tone. "We roll out before midnight. Get eyes on the shop before they move. No sound 'til I say."
Everyone nodded.
As the room began to shift into movement, Kevlar pulled Lex aside.
His voice was low, but not soft. "You did good out there. But I still don't know you. Not really."
Lex didn't flinch. "I get that."
Kevlar looked him dead in the eye. "You turn on us—anything sideways—you won't see me coming."
Lex held his gaze. "I didn't come here to burn bridges."
Kevlar nodded slowly. "Let's hope that stays true."
He turned back to the crew.
And just like that, Lex was in. Not just watching from the edge.
He was part of the strike.
The street was about to see what kind of ghost he really was.