Readiness.

Evander and I sat in the small living room of our home, the memories of our past flooding back as we talked. It had been a year since we had last seen each other, and there was so much to catch up on.

“How have you been, brother?” I asked, my voice thick with emotion.

Evander shook his head, a mixture of relief and sadness in his eyes. “It’s been hard, Sebastian. After that night, everything changed. Your Father went on a rampage looking for you.
He almost destroyed this house in his fury, thinking you were dead. He believes everyone who tried to assassinate him that night is dead, including you.”

I nodded, the weight of his words settling in. “I’ve been through hell, Evander. Ferrara kept me captive for over a year. But I’m back now, and I’m ready to take back what’s ours.”

“Ferrara?” He asked.
“It’s a long story.” I said as I tried to bury the topic.

Evander leaned forward, his expression serious. “The gangs here obey me, but we’re constantly hiding from Don Luciano’s men. He’s a ruthless mafia boss, and if he finds out we’re alive, he won’t stop until we’re dead.”

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling up inside me. “We need to be smart about this. We can’t let him find us unprepared. We have to be ready for anything.”

Evander sighed, rubbing his temples. “It’s not just about survival anymore, Sebastian. We need to build our strength, gather allies. The gangs here are loyal, but they’re also scared. They’ve seen what Luciano can do.”
“What can he do?” I asked blinded by my hate.
“Trust me, if you saw him as a father before know now he is a monster now, a toxic well of everything fowl.” He said back to me .
“…” I said no word back because even I know that things would have changed, I am not blind to see my own free but not so free neighborhood become a den for hiding gang members.

“We’ll show them there’s a new force in town. We’ll give them hope. But first, we need to make sure we’re ready for the fight ahead.” I said, because I know we are fierce but I rather be extra ready than sorry, I can’t have things ending up like the last time.

“Come outside, Evander. I want you to meet my crew,” I said, standing up and leading him to the door.

Outside, my loyal team was waiting. I called them out one by one, introducing each member.

“This is Rat Face,” I began, pointing to the wiry, grinning man. “He’s our explosion expert and the crazy guy of the group.”

Rat Face cackled, giving a mock salute. “Pleasure to meet you, bossman’s brother!”

“Next is Raven,” I said, nodding towards the calm, focused woman. “She’s our cold, calculated sniper.”

Raven inclined her head, her eyes sharp and assessing. “Good to finally meet you, Evander.”

“And this is Red Head Junkie,” I continued, indicating the well built man with a perpetual smirk. “He’s our all-rounder, but he’s only truly active when he’s high.”

Red Head Junkie chuckled, lighting a cigarette. “Don’t worry, I’m always ready for action.”

“The Mamba Brothers,” I said, pointing to the identical twins standing side by side. “They’re the quick drawers of Xochimilco.”

The brothers nodded in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized. “At your service,” they said together.

“And finally, Behemoth,” I concluded, gesturing to the massive, towering figure. “He’s our muscle but also a friendly giant.”

Behemoth grinned, extending a hand to Evander. “Nice to meet you, Evander.”

Evander shook his hand, a smile spreading across his face. “You’ve got quite a team here, Sebastian. They’re impressive.”

“We’re more than a team,” I replied, pride swelling in my chest. “We’re a family.”

Evander nodded, his eyes glistening. “Follow me. I want to show you something.”

He led us through a series of narrow alleyways until we reached a hidden field, surrounded by houses. “This wasn’t here before,” I said, looking around in awe.

“I built it,” Evander replied. “It’s a training field, hidden from view. We can train here without worrying about prying eyes.” He said smiling at me.


We spent the next few hours training together, pushing each other to our limits. Evander and I sparred, our movements fluid and synchronized. The rest of the crew practiced their skills, honing their abilities.
After 3 months of active training it was set, it all was looking good
Rat Face set up a series of small explosives he just developed, this would be useful for the final showdown. Raven took up position on a nearby rooftop, her sniper rifle aimed and ready, she has been practicing with different calibers and silencers. Red Head Junkie moved through a series of obstacles, his reflexes sharp despite his constant high and he discovered he is more like behemoth since they both have more muscles than normal, The Mamba Brothers practiced their quick draw, their hands moving faster than the eye could see, well fats than my eyes could see. And Behemoth demonstrated his raw strength, lifting and throwing heavy objects with ease.

As the sun began to set, we gathered together, our bodies tired but our spirits high. “We’re ready,” I said, looking around at my crew and my brother. “Now, we need a plan.”

We sat around a makeshift table in the field, discussing our options. “Don Luciano’s mansion is heavily guarded,” I began. “He has tight security and cameras everywhere. But there’s a way in—through the supply deliveries.”

Rat Face grinned, rubbing his hands together. “I can rig up some distractions. Explosions in strategic places to draw the guards away.”

Raven nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I can take out the cameras from a distance. We’ll need to move quickly, though. Once they realize the cameras are down, they’ll be on high alert.”

Red Head Junkie took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly. “I can create a diversion on the ground. Something flashy to keep them occupied.”

The Mamba Brothers spoke up next. “We’ll handle the close combat. Get in, neutralize the guards, and clear a path for you.”

Behemoth cracked his knuckles, a determined look on his face. “I’ll take point. Clear the heavy obstacles and keep the path open.”

Evander leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. “This is risky, Sebastian. But it’s our best shot. We need to be precise, coordinated.”

I nodded, feeling a surge of determination. “We can do this. We’ll infiltrate the mansion, get the information we need, and get out. Everyone knows their role. Let’s make this happen.”

We spent the rest of the evening finalizing our plan, going over every detail until we were confident. The air was thick with anticipation, but also with a sense of unity. We were ready to take on Don Luciano and reclaim our place.

As night fell, we stood together, ready for the challenge ahead. “To a new empire” I said, raising my fist.

“To the death of Don Luciano” they echoed, their voices strong and unwavering.