Notting Hill City.
It was a place dear to Max. His hometown. Where he grew up, where he went to school, and most importantly, where he founded the White Tiger gang and built his first empire.
He had been proud of everything he'd created there... until he joined the Stern Empire. Because, as they say, comparison is the thief of joy.
The reason he chose this city for today's plan was simple, he knew it better than anyone. Every street corner, every alleyway, every shopfront and shadow. The people. The shortcuts. The secrets.
This was his city.
I just never expected to come back so soon, Max thought. I always planned to return when I was ready, to take it back. But... circumstances have changed.
"So, Max," Joe said, leaning forward from the back seat, "are you gonna explain why we're going to a completely different city? Because this is starting to feel like the setup for some kind of death game."
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Like, you're not about to leave us in the middle of nowhere and say 'first one to escape wins,' or tell us we have to kill each other for cash, right?"
Joe didn't know Max that well. But what he did know was enough to raise red flags, Max had stabbed people with pencils, bribed others to do questionable things with money, and had an uncomfortably deep obsession with Power Rangers.
So honestly... it wasn't that far-fetched.
"If I told you now," Max replied, "you'd probably all jump out of the car. I'll explain once we're closer."
That didn't exactly reassure anyone.
In the back seat, Steven and Joe exchanged a look before quietly gulping. Yeah... not exactly confidence-inspiring.
With the long ride ahead of them, the group eventually settled in and started talking. Or at least, Steven and Joe did.
Steven began sharing stories from his boxing days, what it was like being a journeyman, the fights, the near-wins, the brutal losses.
Joe listened with surprising interest, occasionally chiming in with disbelief or awe.
Steven spoke about how, back in his boxing days, people would often approach him and ask him to lose fights, on purpose, just to make their opponents look good.
Equally, Steven seemed just as fascinated by the bizarre school the others came from. He started asking questions about Dipter, unable to wrap his head around the idea of a high schooler being feared like a mob boss.
"Come on," Steven said. "A kid that strong has got to have trained in something. You don't get that kind of fear unless you've practiced some form of real fighting, right?"
"I'm honestly not sure," Joe replied with a shrug. "The two by his side, Snide likes using weapons and sneak attacks. He's got no problem jumping people when they're not looking. Kind of reminds me of Max, actually."
Max chose to ignore the comment.
"As for Jay," Joe continued, "he's a big guy. Real powerful. Looks like he knows some wrestling, don't think I've ever seen anyone take him down. But Dipter? I don't think I've ever seen him fight. Either that, or the fights end too fast. His opponents are always on the ground, bloody, before anyone even gets there. And honestly... that's even scarier."
Max listened closely. The details gave him a better idea of what to expect, and who to be wary of.
Jay was still a mystery. Max wasn't sure how to read him.
If I have to go up against him... especially after saving him, Max thought, that could be a real problem.
He hoped Jay stayed out of it. Because right now, Max believed he was the biggest hurdle.
As the ride went on, one question kept bubbling in Joe's mind. And with nothing else to do, he figured now was the time to ask it.
"Max... I've been wondering," Joe said. "How do you even have all this money in the first place? And if you do, why the heck are you even going to our school? Who are you?"
For the first time during the entire ride, Aron, seated right beside Max, turned to look at them.
The glare he gave could've stopped a charging bull. It hit Joe and Steven like a shockwave, silencing both of them instantly.
"Careful, he might taze you," Steven muttered under his breath.
"Taze me?!" Joe shot back, eyes wide.
Max chuckled at their reactions.
"I don't mind telling you both," he said. "But let me warn you, if you know the truth, there's a good chance your lives will start to look like mine. There's a reason why I'm being targeted. By Dipter. By Ko. And why we've had to go this far. I got stabbed the other day. So if you really want to know... there's a decent chance you could end up dead."
"Okay, nope, we're good," Steven said quickly, holding his hands up. "We don't need to know. It's better we don't know. We just need to make sure we get the money."
Finally, the car rolled into Notting Hill City.
It was huge, nearly the size of Mancur City, and like most big cities, its center was packed with towering skyscrapers and glass buildings. But they weren't heading for the center.
They were heading for the outskirts.
As the car continued, the scenery started to shift. The streets got rougher. Trash littered the sidewalks. Houses were crammed closer together, some with boarded-up windows or rusted gates. Eventually, they turned off into what looked like an old industrial zone.
Everything about the place screamed abandoned.
The car came to a slow stop in front of a rusted, half-collapsed auto repair shop. Spray-painted in red across the upper wall were the words:
"The Pit."
Scattered around the outside were stripped-down car frames and broken tools left to rot on the concrete.
They hadn't even gone inside yet, but no one felt safe, not even Aron.
"Master, are you sure this is the right place?" Aron asked, glancing at the others.
"Yeah," Max said, stepping out of the car. "You asked why I brought you all here with me today, right?"
He turned to face them, serious now.
"Well... it's because right now, I need you to act as my bodyguards. Because where we are, this place, The Pit, we're standing in the heart of a real gang's territory."