The last line that came out of Snide's mouth nearly made Max burst out laughing. He had to lower his head slightly, pretending to study the floor so Snide wouldn't catch the grin threatening to stretch across his face.
"Make more money than I could ever dream of?" Max thought. If there's one person in the world you shouldn't say that to… it's me. Oh, if only you knew just how much this 'kid' is worth.
Pushing the smirk away and composing himself, Max slowly raised his head again. Because, honestly? The offer on the table was pretty interesting. Unexpected, but interesting.
"To join you?" Max repeated, his voice steady, almost curious. "And what exactly does that mean? Am I joining you two, Jay and Snide? Or are we talking about something bigger… like joining Dipter?"
He paused for just a second before leaning in slightly.
"Or maybe… it's someone else altogether. Whoever it is you're really working for."
It was a loaded question, and Max knew it. But it was important. If this offer was coming straight from Dipter, that was one thing, but if it came from someone higher up, someone pulling strings from the shadows, then Max needed to know. Because that meant they weren't acting on their own. It meant this whole situation was deeper than it looked on the surface.
Snide's shoulders began to shake, a low chuckle escaping through his teeth like he was trying, and failing, not to laugh.
"Oh, I like you," Snide replied with a sly grin. "Makes me wonder if you've always been like this. Not many in our group think things through, or fight the way you do."
He leaned back a bit, casually waving his hand through the air.
"When I say join us, I mean exactly that, this little unit here. Maybe Dipter's included in that, maybe not. Who knows? But what we've got going on... it's smooth. Real smooth. Something no student from any other school could even dream of touching."
Snide's grin widened, but there was a glint in his eye, like he knew he was dangling something irresistible in front of Max.
"I can't get into all the details just yet, since, y'know, you're not exactly with us. But I can tell you this, it's lucrative. Very lucrative."
Max held back a sigh. So much for the dramatic villain monologue, he thought. Where's the part where they spill their whole master plan, brag about their empire, and give away all the juicy details?
No such luck.
Instead, Max decided to push a little further.
"And why exactly do you want me to join you?" he asked, keeping his tone calm. "You guys seem strong enough already… and I'm pretty sure not everyone would be thrilled about me being on your team."
Especially the one person backing this whole operation, someone from the Stern family. The irony was almost laughable. Snide and the others clearly had no idea who Max really was. And that? That could either be the greatest advantage of all… or the most dangerous.
"Haha, you might be right about that," Snide chuckled, tilting his head with amusement. "As expected, you're smarter than everyone gives you credit for. You figured out you were being targeted, didn't you? Makes me wonder what it is about you... but honestly, that's even more reason for you to join us."
He leaned forward slightly, like he was about to let Max in on a secret.
"See, Dipter gave me one job, make sure you're no longer a problem. But if you join us? Then that's problem solved. Nice and clean. For both sides, I think."
Snide paused, biting his lip like he was debating whether to continue. Then that mischievous grin returned.
"And on top of that… maybe I shouldn't say," he teased, a snicker already escaping his lips. "Ah, screw it. I'll tell you. Doesn't really matter whether you join or not.
"Our client's been arrogant for far too long. Dipter's sick of taking orders, so he's planning something big. He wants to take over everything, all of the operations our client runs. Soon, it won't matter what that client wants. It'll all belong to Dipter."
Max's expression didn't change, but Jay noticed it, the subtle tension that ran through his body, the way his fists clenched tight at his sides. Something in that last part had hit a nerve.
"You're planning on betraying your client?" Max asked quietly.
But inside, his thoughts were spiraling.
The Cubs.
Memories flashed, of all the people he had protected, trained, fought alongside. His so-called family. And someone among them... had betrayed him too.
He wondered if the ones who'd betrayed him in the past had sat through conversations just like this, charming offers layered with lies. The thought twisted in his gut, sitting heavy and wrong.
"I'll make you a deal," Max said, steadying his voice. "You tell me who this 'client' of yours is, the one who put the target on my back, and I'll consider joining you. After all… you said it wouldn't matter, right?"
Snide's grin didn't falter, but a mocking tone slid into his voice.
"Oh? Do you really think you're in a position to negotiate?" he asked, laughing under his breath. "I've already told you more than I should have. And just so we're clear, I was given a very simple job by Dipter: make sure you're no longer a problem."
He raised two fingers.
"And there are two ways to handle that."
Max didn't flinch. He'd already made his decision the second Snide opened his mouth. With a slow, deliberate motion, Max lifted his hand, and flipped him the middle finger.
"F*ck you," Max said coldly. "You backstabbing cowards. I'd rather rot than work with people like you."
Snide's smirk widened.
"I was really hoping you'd say that."
From the shadows and the upper floors, the sound of footsteps echoed. Loud, rhythmic, closing in.
Max's eyes darted around, and then he saw them. Dozens of students stepping out from behind pillars, stairwells, and the half-built ledges above. All of them were from his school. All of them were delinquents.
And not a single one of them came empty-handed.
Some held bike chains, others gripped metal or wooden baseball bats, and a few had pocket knives glinting in the low light. Every single one of them looked like they'd walked straight out of a nightmare version of high school. In total, there had to be at least fifty students, forming a wide, tight circle around the skeletal building. There was no path out, no alley to slip through, no gap to squeeze by. Just fifty weapons and fifty pairs of eyes locked onto Max.
Fifty to one.
No escape.
Maybe I should've trusted my instincts, Max thought, biting down on a bitter laugh. Thinking high school delinquents wouldn't go as far as the real criminals I knew... These kids might actually be worse. Where are the parents? The teachers? How is this the world we live in?
Snide stepped forward slightly, arms loose at his sides, eyes watching Max like a vulture circling prey.
"So… do you care to change your answer?"
Max didn't blink. Instead, he slowly pulled off his school blazer, wrapped it tightly around his left arm, building up the fabric until it looked like a makeshift shield.
"There's a rumor about me," he said, lifting his chin. "Well… it wasn't really a rumor."
His voice carried across the silence, heavy and sharp.
"You'd need more than a hundred people to take me down."
Then his eyes snapped to Snide.
"So no. My answer's still the same."
Max raised his unwrapped arm, and gave them the middle finger again.
"F*ck you!"
Snide didn't waste a second.
"GET HIM!"
The entire ring of students erupted in motion, screaming and charging forward with weapons raised.
And even Max, who'd stared death in the face more times than most, felt his pulse spike.
This... this one's going to be tough.