After school ended, Dipter had invited a select group of people to join him, Snide, Jay, and a few of the stronger members in their circle.
As a thanks for handling the recent situation, and in light of the generous bonus they'd received, Dipter had decided to treat them to a nice meal.
This was more than just a celebration. It was strategy. He was building a team, not just for influence inside the school, but for something bigger. He had plans that stretched well beyond the campus gates.
And hey, who didn't like a free meal?
The group walked together down the street, leaving the school grounds behind. Laughter echoed between them, but as they reached the edge of the high street, the sound of roaring engines caught their attention.
Cars came speeding around the corner, tires screeching.
In a flash, Dipter yanked Snide by the shirt, pulling him back just in time as one of the cars skidded to a halt, mere inches away.
"What the heck is wrong with these guys?! Are they drunk or something?!" Snide yelled, heart racing.
"You idiot," Jay muttered, stepping forward, his fists clenched tight. "Look around. They've blocked us from the front and back… This wasn't an accident. It's a setup."
Doors swung open.
Men stepped out, some in dark suits, others in sunglasses, and a few with balaclavas covering their faces.
It was clear that every one of the newcomers was an adult, and not just any adults. They were well-built, trained, and moved with purpose.
"I guess… this is going to be a tiring day," Dipter muttered, cracking his neck.
****
Inside the Cube nightclub, the man in the pinstriped suit remained seated, calmly smoking and drinking. He had lost track of how many glasses he'd downed by now, but he could definitely feel it starting to hit him.
As he lazily swirled the next drink in his hand, he heard the door creak open to his right. Turning his head, he saw his head of security standing in the doorway.
"Did you manage to take care of those kids?" the man asked casually. "I heard they were a bit tougher than expected. Hopefully, you didn't rough them up too badly."
"Thankfully, it wasn't too bad," a voice replied.
But it wasn't the guard who said it.
In the next instant, the security guard was kicked from behind, his body crumpling to the floor with a heavy thud. His face was covered in bruises and red markings, clearly beaten.
The man in the suit jumped to his feet, startled, eyes wide as he looked up to see who had entered.
"Dipter? What's going on?"
"We received your little welcoming party," Dipter said, walking in with a calm smile. "And we dealt with it. I figured I should personally thank the man who sent me such a thoughtful gift."
One by one, the others followed him into the room, stepping in behind their leader.
The man in the pinstriped suit froze in panic. His mind raced. These were just high school kids. Sure, they were older teens, maybe even close to adults, but still just kids.
And he had sent his real security team after them.
Trained professionals. Men hired specifically to protect him. Men who were supposed to handle situations exactly like this.
How had these kids managed to beat them?
"Dipter, listen to me, you have to understand why I did it," the man said with a shaky smile. "You stepped out of line. I heard what you were trying to do, going around me, dealing with clients directly. I had to remind you who's in charge. If you hadn't crossed that line, I never would've sent them."
Dipter let out a short laugh, shaking his head slowly. Then, without another word, he stepped forward.
Standing in front of the man, Dipter reached out, grabbed him by the head, and slapped him hard across the face.
Dipter pushed the man down, forcing him to his knees.
He stood over him, looking directly into his eyes—cold, calm, and unflinching.
"You really think you're still in a position to boss us around? After what you just pulled?" Dipter asked, his voice steady but filled with venom. "You think we're still afraid of you?"
He leaned in slightly.
"You should know by now, right? You already know what we're planning. And that's exactly why we don't need you anymore. We can do it ourselves."
The man was silent for a moment. Then, his shoulders began to shake, and he started to laugh.
"Have you lost your mind?!" he barked. "Do you even realize who I am? What you've just done? You slapped me across the face!"
His laughter grew louder, more erratic.
"Did you forget, Dipter? Even if you took out my security team today, I can still ruin you. I can ruin every single person you care about for this. You'll regret ever laying a hand on me!"
He kept laughing.
Until Dipter swung again.
Slap.
The man's head snapped to the side.
Then again, from the opposite direction.
Slap.
And again.
Dipter didn't stop. He kept slapping him, harder each time.
The man tried to raise his arms in defense, but Dipter batted them away like they were nothing. and struck him again.
"You can't even fight back," Dipter said, looking down at the man with disgust. "You don't even know how to fight back. Have you ever been hit in your life before?"
He scoffed and straightened up.
"Look, I don't know why you've got your eye on Max, but whatever deal we had? It's over."
Dipter's tone shifted, colder now.
"I know you can't do anything. I know the truth. Right now, you're powerless... aren't you?"
The man's laughter died instantly. The false confidence drained from his face, along with the tension in his shoulders. All of it… gone.
"H-how did you…" he stammered.
"You think I wouldn't find out?" Dipter said. "You don't think I'd get curious about where all your money came from? So I started digging. And then I dug deeper. And what I found..."
He let go of the man's head, letting it drop.
"Well, that's the only reason I decided to make a move in the first place."
Dipter took a step back, turning around.
"I know the truth," he said, not even bothering to look back. "Right now, there's nothing you can do. I just haven't figured out yet how Max fits into all of this…"
He glanced over his shoulder, his voice final.
"But that's fine. You're no longer our boss."