Chapter 109 Fear the Ebony kings
As Kan and Mendy huddled together, their voices carried the weight of their conflicting emotions. The scene before them had ignited a storm of thoughts, and the urgency for action was palpable.
“We should do something!” Kan’s voice resonated with anger, his resolve clear.
Mendy’s surprise cut through the tension. “What? You aren’t as impulsive as I thought, are you?”
“We can’t just stand by while they do that!” Kan’s response was charged with determination.
Mendy’s tone shifted, taking on a more advisory note. “Remember why we’re here. We’re here to recruit, not start a brawl. First impressions are crucial.”
“I’m not sure I want guys like that in our gang,” Kan admitted, a trace of uncertainty in his voice.
Mendy leaned in, a glint of conviction in his eyes. “Look at the bigger picture. The Ghetto Brotherhood doesn’t recruit soft-hearted souls. This level of ruthlessness is exactly what we need.”
Kan’s brows furrowed, the weight of the decision bearing down on him. “But it also comes with its own set of problems. We’ll be walking a dangerous line.”
As the boys in the courtyard rose and departed, the air seemed to shift. The tension lingered, their eyes tracing the path of the departing figures.
“I wonder what they’re planning now,” Kan mused, his thoughts racing.
“Likely something far worse,” Mendy responded grimly. “For now, let’s observe. If someone else shows up, we’ll know more about what’s really going on.”
—
As the final bell chimed, students began to disperse from the classrooms, their laughter and chatter filling the hallways. Kan and Mendy, now donned in their inconspicuous uniforms, blended seamlessly into the crowd.
“We need a subtle approach,” Mendy murmured to Kan, his eyes scanning the bustling corridor.
“She’s not going home. I wonder what she’s going to do at the library?!” Kan murmured as well as they tailed the girl from afar.
Kan nodded, his gaze focused on the flow of students. “Let’s wait at the corner near the library. It’s quieter there, and we can observe without drawing too much attention.”
They navigated through the sea of students, moving with a practiced ease. Finally, they reached the quiet corner, tucked away from the main thoroughfare.
“This should work,” Kan said, his eyes sweeping the area for any sign of the girl.
Mendy checked his watch, a versatile gadget gifted by Kan. “We’ve got a bit of time before she shows up. Let’s prepare ourselves for the conversation.”
Kan leaned against the wall, his mind racing. “We have to be cautious. We don’t know what she’s been through, so we need to approach this delicately.”
Mendy pulled out a small device, fine-tuning its settings. “I agree. We need to gain her trust. Let’s start by introducing ourselves and letting her know we’re here to help.”
Kan nodded in agreement. “We should let her lead the conversation. She’ll share what she’s comfortable with, and we can go from there.”
As they waited, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the corridor, painting the walls with warm, golden hues. The air was filled with the soft murmur of students passing by, lost in their own worlds.
“We need to be empathetic and supportive,” Mendy reminded Kan. “She’s been through a lot, and she needs to know we’re here for her.” 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚗ｏ𝚟𝚎𝚕.ｏｒｇ
Kan met Mendy’s gaze, his determination matching his friend’s. “We’ll make sure she feels safe and heard. This is about giving her a voice.”
With every passing second, the anticipation grew. The plan had shifted a bit now but with the same end goal in mind. Since the girl was somewhat affiliated with the gang they were looking to recruit, passing through her whom Mendy calculated would have a lower chance of resulting into violence appeared to be the best course of action for the duo.
Kan and Mendy positioned themselves discreetly in the quiet corner near the library, their eyes scanning the corridor for any sign of the girl they had seen earlier. The minutes ticked by, the distant echo of fading footsteps marking the passage of time.
“There she is,” Mendy whispered, his gaze fixed on the approaching figure.
The girl walked with a quiet determination, her steps deliberate yet tinged with a subtle vulnerability. Her eyes, although downcast, held a spark of resilience.
Kan’s heart went out to her. He couldn’t help but wonder about the circumstances that had led her into the midst of the gang. He exchanged a glance with Mendy, their silent agreement resolute.
As she drew nearer, they waited for the opportune moment to approach her. When she was within earshot, Kan took a step forward, a friendly smile on his face.
“Hey, are you alright?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Startled, the girl looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. She took in Kan’s genuine expression, a mixture of curiosity and something akin to empathy.
“Who are you two?! What do you want with me?!!” The girl asked, her tone fragile yet hyper defensive.
Mendy joined in, his tone gentle. “We saw what happened earlier. Do you need any help?”
“See what? I don’t know what you two are talking about!” The girl being apprehensive denied and even attempted to walk away. She looked around herself to see if anyone else wa watching but apparently, she seemed to be just by her side.
“Hi, I’m Kanakan. I’m pretty new to this school and you might not remember or even know this but a week ago, I saw you at the bathroom, hand cut and bleeding. I rushed you to the med bay. I have been sick for all these while and just recovered and that’s why I’m in school today. Was worried about you and even checked up on you at the med bay but of course you’ve been discharged. I wanted to see how you were doing and that’s how I ran into what happened. My friend and I felt sorry and apologize for just standing by and watching!” Kan said as he stepped forward, close to the girl.
The girl’s guard was visibly lowered by kan’s approach. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Kan and Mendy. Finally, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I’m sorry. I mean…th…thank you for that day. I don’t know what came over me. But…” She was on before she suddenly stopped yet again.
“It’s okay, you can tell us,” Mendy approached with a calm voice. Kan noticed he was a completely different person altogether. Not the one who thought everyone’s intelligence level was below subpar.
“I… I don’t know what to do. They… they won’t stop.”
Kan exchanged a glance with Mendy, a shared understanding passing between them. They couldn’t let this continue.
“Listen, we’re not here to cause trouble,” Kan assured her. “We just want to help. Is there somewhere we can talk? Somewhere safe?”
The girl’s eyes darted around, as if weighing her options. Finally, she nodded again. “There’s a quiet spot in the garden. They don’t usually go there.”
Mendy gave her a reassuring smile. “Lead the way. We’ll make sure you’re safe.”
Together, they followed the girl through the corridors, navigating a series of hidden pathways that led to the secluded garden. The late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
As they settled on a stone bench, the girl’s apprehension began to melt away. She looked from Kan to Mendy, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I didn’t think anyone would notice what has been happening. I take that back, everyone knows but I didn’t think anyone would off
er a hand..not especially when the Ebony Kings are involved!!,” The girl said with a shudder
