Chapter 65: So, What's That Got to Do With Me?
"Fuck!"
Reiner raised his hand, giving a sharp tactical signal. A dozen 6th Street gangers instantly swarmed forward, surrounding Jackie, their guns trained on him. But Jackie didn't even flinch. He just backhanded the ganger he was holding, again.
"I've hated you patriotic assholes for years," Jackie spat. "Running around, claiming to 'protect the community,' while you're really just shaking people down and pushing women around. Doing it on your own turf is bad enough, but what the hell are you doing in Heywood? Isn't Santo Domingo enough for you to ruin?!"
After two hard slaps, the ganger's face was a swollen, bloody mess. He didn't dare move a muscle. Jackie's pistol was still pressed firmly against his temple.
Reiner, watching this, was shaking with rage. His entire squad had their guns on this guy, and he still dared to pull this shit? Was he invisible?
The 6th Street gangers were furious, all looking to Reiner for the order to fire.
But Reiner hesitated. The man's tattoos, his gold jewelry, his entire style... he was clearly a Valentino. And not a low-level one. He couldn't just zero him. 6th Street was already in a shadow war with the Tyger Claws. They couldn't afford to open another front with Heywood right now.
Reiner jumped down from the ambulance and strode forward, his squad tightening their formation around him.
"I don't remember the Valentinos having any business in Santo Domingo," Reiner called out, his voice hard.
"What? Valentinos?" Jackie just laughed. "Get it right, pendejo. I ain't no Valentino. I'm a merc."
Reiner's patience snapped. The tattoos on your arm, your clothes, the fucking gold you're dripping in! Everything about him screamed Valentino, and he was denying it? Is he taking me for a fucking gonk?!
Fuck it, just kill him. He'd take the heat from the Captain later. 6th Street and the Valentinos were blood enemies anyway.
"Rhys! Where are you?!" Jackie suddenly roared, looking up. "Your turn!"
"Right here," a voice said, appearing from behind Reiner. He spun around and saw the young Asian kid standing on the roof of the ambulance he'd just exited. The kid was carrying an unconscious woman over his shoulder, and the boy, David, was standing right behind him, a hand clutching his bruised jaw.
"Got her. Let's go," Rhys said calmly. He walked straight past the armed 6th Street squad as if they didn't exist, heading for Jackie.
Jackie grinned, holstered his pistol, and turned to get back in his car.
At the same time, Maine's massive form emerged from the window of the other car. "Fucking delta!" he yelled, whistling loudly. "That's how we do it, Rhys! Who gives a shit about 6th Street? We've tangled with them before!"
"Go?"
Reiner's face darkened. He stepped in front of Rhys, blocking his path, his SMG aimed at Rhys's chest. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"
The Captain's teachings had kept Reiner centered, but this was too much. His finger tightened on the trigger. He was going to teach this prick a lesson he'd never forget.
But before he could pull, the kid—who had been three meters away—was suddenly right in front of him. Reiner felt a sharp pain in his hand. Before he could react, he saw his SMG was now in the kid's grasp.
Rhys held the barrel, slammed his arm down with full force—
CRACK!
The SMG's barrel bent, the metal fracturing. "If I were you," Rhys said, his voice flat, "I'd take a look around. Don't let your emotions get the best of you. Just because you have more guys doesn't mean you're stronger. The Wraiths had more guys, too. Better weapons, even. Didn't do them much good, did it?"
"...Who are you?" Reiner asked, his voice strained.
"Rhys. An edgerunner."
Reiner's pupils contracted. "Right. You just got famous, and Marcus already hired you?"
"Who?" Rhys narrowed his eyes, genuinely confused. Marcus? Who the hell is Marcus?
"Stop playing dumb!" Reiner spat, though he discreetly signaled his men to lower their weapons. They did, but their expressions were still murderous. "We were just about to launch an investigation into that corrupt clinic. Marcus must have gotten wind of it. He re-routed the ambulance, trying to get her to the regional hospital. We finally intercept, and then you show up."
"Marcus is really scraping the bottom of the barrel... first, he's in bed with Scavs, and now he's hiring street mercs?"
"..." Rhys was completely lost. "So, what does any of that have to do with me?"
"Fine. Play dumb. I can't stop you today. Maine's crew, right? Rhys, right? I'll remember you," Reiner growled. As much as it galled him, he knew he couldn't win this. The kid's rep had exploded overnight. Everyone knew the name. The merc who wiped out an entire Wraith family in the Badlands. Reiner couldn't start a war with a crew like that without the Captain's direct order. He was just a lieutenant.
But he could still get the last word.
In response, Rhys just handed Gloria's unconscious body over to Kiwi. He and Rebecca helped get her into the car. Then, Rhys turned back to Reiner.
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about. And I don't know any 'Marcus.' I came here to get my neighbor."
"And... I don't think you want to remember me," Rhys added, a cold smile touching his lips. "I hate being remembered. The last person who made a point of remembering me was a fixer named Janus."
"If you're still not getting it, let me give you a little warning: lock your doors and windows when you sleep. You'd hate to wake up dead."
"..." Reiner's face turned ashen.
"Reiner, we're just letting them go?"
"Reiner, let's waste 'em!"
"Shut up!" Reiner snapped at his own men.
Nearby, David watched the entire exchange in silence. In his mind, 6th Street had always been an untouchable, terrifying force. And now... Rhys had just made them back down. If... if I had that kind of power... I wouldn't need anyone to protect me. I could protect them...
He looked at Rhys, his fists clenching. If I could be like him...
Rhys, meanwhile, suddenly went still.
[Mission: Adolescent Confusion - Completed]
[Reward: Skill (Rapid Healing), Intelligence +0.1]
[Details: Having witnessed the power to change his circumstances, the boy now craves that power, driven by a desire to protect others. But he remains hesitant...]
"Let's go."
Rhys snapped out of his thoughts and clapped David on the shoulder.
"David! Over here!" Maine waved from his car.
The two cars sped away from the warehouse, but a final, furious shout followed them.
"This isn't over, you bastards!" Reiner roared at their disappearing taillights.