Chapter Eleven

The right look or simply looking 'good enough' look was the least of my problems once we got out of the motel.

It was rather easy to figure out where the centre of operations for Invincibills gang was. It's all strategy really, when you're expanding your territory so it's rather inevitable that any person with a couple working brain cells would be able to put together where the centre, the nucleus of said expansion was from.

It's clear to see on the environment too, some stores prosper from being so close to the centre and are usually filled with the gang members, others much farther away have civilian patrons and are a lot less managed and successful with the money haulers.

Believe it or not, gangbangers in this city are an essential part of boosting the local economy, particularly having a large base of gangbangers as your customers more or less guarantees you'll be having an income for so long as you don't cross them.

Invincinbill, Steve, Lynx and any gang leader worth his salt and trying to make some dough will tell his loyal minions how important it is not to steal from stores within their territory.

As it is simply stealing from yourself.

Now outside the territory, well, that's a different case entirely. And it seems like everyone understands this concept of internal growth and external robbery very well because that's exactly what cause majority of the fights that start up on the streets.

However, it still fails to explain just what Lynx was doing so far away from the real goodies in Invincibill's territory when he threw that man into our motel room.

I let out an exasperated sigh and resign not to think too much about it, and rather pour my focus into the fact that we've still yet to gain access to the centre.

The true centre.

We may have found the centre by peeking into stores and counting the number of colours, but Paige has begun to whine.

"Vern, are you sure you know what you're doing?" She huffs, her hands shoved in her coat pockets and swinging about for warmth, "It's getting colder, Vern. Let's stop by that noodles shop and order something spicy?"

I close my eyes and breath, "This is why I said you should have stayed back at the motel, room service."

She snorts, "I doubt that place has room service and even if they did, they wouldn't have spicy noodles on the menu."

"Why not?"

She stares at me awkwardly, like she can't believe I'm questioning something so commonly known.

"Well. It's not commonly known that motels don't have spicy noodles, if they don't you can tell them to make you some, everyone knows how to make some spicy noodles."

Turns out it is commonly known.

Spicy noodles are the life blood of Xoxia in theses cold seasons. Or rather, cold years. The city is unfortunate to be situated far up north of the country in a very snug place called forever frost.

The frost has been here for over twelve years and apparently, is a result of some villain. Some say it was a weather machine device, that some mad fellow wanted to send the world back to the ice age starting from poor Xoxia.

All these bio-terrorists.

Others say it was a meta, one of the strongest, metas and she killed over a hundred suppressors in her frost after they killed someone she loved.

It's a classic folktale now and even some more crazies around the deep corners of the city worship her as a religion.

I say it's just unwarranted trouble. I didn't ask for this cold, but then again, I've never really known anything warmer. I see the glowing, golden sun that shines of the characters of Paige's dramas and I can only wonder how sunlight feels without a cold break.

Though, it makes little sense how everyone forgot exactly what caused the frost when it only happened twelve years ago.

"Look, none of that matters right now, I found the centre like I said I would, I'll find a way in like I said I would too." With that I keep walking. I would have told her to go on without me or sent her back to the motel so she keeps warm but…

This place may be organized, but it is most definitely not safe. Even as we walk on the street now, I feel it, the many wandering, lustful, disgusting eyes that peer at her. I feel it and it makes my skin crawl.

It also doesn't rightly help that we haven't got any colours on either. Makes us an easier target, a general target.

No colour means you're not protected by the gang, and with the police in this area in their pockets well…enough said.

This is why I'm eagerly looking for a weapons dealer. There were several near the motel, proudly flaunting their fine weapons, but those are knock-offs, second had products likely to catch in the middle of a firefight. Not a good thing.

The actual best should be near the centre. There should even be some brand-new tools.

I just need the bullets whereas Paige…well, maybe she'll be able to handle a stun gun?

"So, what's your brilliant plan for getting us in?" she shives beside me, exaggeratedly really.

"Since you can't exactly point to the centre 'centre' like a building and be so sure that that's where Invincibill sleeps, we'll need to ask around," I correct myself upon further review, "I'll need to ask around, you just follow."

"Wow." She scoffs, "Looking for the leader of a gang by asking just about anyone in the street. Why didn't I think of that? Why didn't the cops, the suppressors even, think of that?"

I grab her hand, it's quite warm for someone who's shivering, "Trust me, the simplest answer is often the right one."

She sighs and groans and moans and complains some more but follows me nonetheless.

Another thing I've been in search for is an actual gangbanger that doesn't look positively insane.

I understand that their appearance doesn't always speak for who they are or what problems they might have lying beneath the surface, but it just helps to look a bit normal sometimes.

Even if you might be the most insane of the pair.

It's hard though, with a gang. Many of them have some sort of angry, constipated look as they watch you pass, like at any moment one or two of them could spring up and rush you.

Well, for the most part that is true, I've seen it happen.

But finally, after near an hour of searching and looking like a lost tourist, I find the man I'm looking for.

He's dressed plainly, in black shirt and blue tight trousers. He'd be a civilian to the common eye if it weren't for that little yellow band tied around his arm marking him as one of Invincibills men.

He must be new. I'm about to make his gangbanger career then.

I get rid of my grin and take Paige along with me as we cross the road to meet him, it looks like he's headed somewhere, to one of the stores.

Shoot, gotta steal his attention.

"Paige, act natural."

She smiles and I instantly regret my choice of words.

"You know what I mean, we don't want this getting fucked up and we don't want to chase him away either."

"He's a member or the gang, can he be chased away?" she argues.

I shrug, agreeing with her, it's unlikely he'll be so easy to run off. I mean, we're just teenagers to his what? Late twenties?

Getting closer I prepare myself and a rather ignorant Paige for our 'accidental' encounter with our target.

Aaannnnddd now!

'Accidentally bumping into him I huff and spew out a stream of apologies, Paige isn't slow on the uptake either, quickly taking the man's hands and shaking it as she too apologizes for the accident.

Whereas the man takes a single look at us two, a flash of irritation crosses his face but it disappears when he takes a second look and notices Paige's chests.

Idiot.

"It's alright, I'm fine, I'm fine." He says, snatching his hand away. He huffs, taking one more look at Paige before deciding to walk away.

"Ah!" I step right in his path, stopping him in his tracks a second time, "I notice you're part of…" I look left and right before dramatically whispering, "Invincibill's crew."

I make sure not to say gang unless I want to get punched in the face. There's a lot of nuance to what these gangbangers prefer to be called, but crew seems to work for all.

He looks at me cautiously, his nostrils flaring as his heart rate begins to quicken no doubt.

I put on a smile and softly say, "Don't worry, this is all for me but you'll be getting most of the benefits."

"What does that mean?" He grunts, hands shuffling in his pockets. The look on his baby face just says it all. He's anxious.

He's new and he didn't join of his own volition.

"What do you want with the crew? I can get it for you." I feel Paige's questioning stare even without looking.

Now he scoffs, "You're just a kid, do you have any idea what you're talking about? Is that why you bumped into me?" He looks ahead, at his destination. "Look. I don't have time to play games, out of my way."

Putting on a front he brushes past us, eager to get moving.

"If you want money, I can get it for you." I call out after him, he doesn't react.

"If you want out!" He hesitates to take the next step and that's all the confirmation I need, "I can get you out!"

He stands there for a moment. In the snow, his back on us and hands in his pockets.

I'm sure he's going to turn bac- what! Why is he still walking?

"Hey!" I yell, he still walks, "You're greedy aren't you! If you want out and money. I can get it!"

At this point I've drawn some attention to myself and Paige, which is why she's currently clinging to the sleeve of my jacket, chests pressed up against me.

Rather distracting.

But I won't need my focus for much more as our target finally gives in and starts walking back hastily, aware of the eyes I've drawn with my screaming.

He grabs me by the collar, putting up yet another façade, "How?" he hisses, "How are you going to get me out and get me money. Actually, how do you even know I need this?"

Unfazed with Paige still on my arm, "Well, you told me."

His eyes widen, but he lets go of my collar. "I'm interested, but…I can't betray the gang." As he says this his eyes shift to the side. He isn't lying. He really wants to have it all.

The greedy bastard.