Saturday. 9:47 p.m.
The same alley behind the corner store.
Rain light. Streetlight flickering.
Marcin and his three friends waited.
Cigarettes. Hoodies up.
Alex walked in alone.
Black coat. Hands in pockets.
No fear.
No bodyguards.
Marcin stepped forward.
"You got some nerve showing up."
Alex stopped five meters away.
Looked at them.
"You wanted to talk?"
Marcin pulled out his phone.
Shoved the video in Alex's face.
"You did this."
Alex didn't flinch.
Watched the clip.
The moans.
The writing.
The word.
He looked up.
Calm.
"So?"
Marcin's voice cracked.
"That's my mother."
"I know."
One friend laughed nervously.
"You're fucked, man."
Alex smiled.
Small.
Cold.
"You slapped my ass yesterday. Called me pathetic. Told me to run."
He stepped closer.
"You made it personal."
Marcin swung.
Fist aimed at Alex's face.
Alex didn't dodge.
Didn't need to.
Authority Projection flared.
The punch slowed mid-air.
Like moving through water.
Marcin stumbled.
