Chapter 29: When Shadows Consider Alliances
(Jay Jay's POV)
Night wrapped around the city like a quiet warning.
From the rooftop of the abandoned office building, the streets below looked calm.
Cars moved slowly.
Streetlights flickered.
People walked without knowing that somewhere above them, six girls were planning how to keep one stubborn boy alive.
Savannah's laptop screen glowed in the dark.
Lines of code rolled across it like rain.
Sophia leaned over her shoulder, analyzing the data.
Amy sat on the edge of the roof wall, swinging her legs like she was waiting for a movie to start.
Olivia stood near the stair entrance.
Mia watched the streets through binoculars.
And I stood in the middle of them.
Thinking.
Too much thinking.
Savannah finally broke the silence.
Savannah:
"Sniper location confirmed."
Jay Jay:
"Where?"
Savannah turned the screen.
Savannah:
"Three buildings away from Watson Mansion."
Amy whistled.
Amy:
"That guy picked a nice view."
Sophia tapped the screen.
Sophia:
"He has a clear shot of the balcony."
My chest tightened.
The balcony.
Keifer loved standing there.
Jay Jay:
"When?"
Savannah:
"He's waiting."
Olivia spoke calmly.
Olivia:
"So we remove him."
Amy jumped down from the wall.
Amy:
"Finally."
But Sophia stopped us.
Sophia:
"Wait."
Everyone looked at her.
Sophia rarely interrupted operations.
Sophia turned the tablet toward me.
On the screen…
Was the same map we saw earlier.
Red dots.
Threat markers.
Movement patterns.
Sophia:
"There's something you need to see."
Jay Jay:
"What?"
She zoomed out.
Then highlighted two sets of markers.
One group in black.
One in red.
Sophia:
"Black is us."
Sophia:
"Red is them."
Them.
The Iron Vipers.
Keifer's crew.
Sophia continued.
Sophia:
"They're moving toward the sniper too."
Amy tilted her head.
Amy:
"So?"
Sophia looked at me.
Sophia:
"So if both groups attack separately…"
She pointed at the building layout.
Sophia:
"They might get in each other's way."
Savannah nodded slowly.
Savannah:
"She's right."
Olivia added quietly.
Olivia:
"And if they see us…"
Mia finished the sentence.
Mia:
"They'll start asking questions."
Which was exactly what we didn't want.
Amy crossed her arms.
Amy:
"Then we get there first."
Sophia shook her head.
Sophia:
"That won't solve the bigger problem."
Jay Jay:
"What bigger problem?"
Sophia zoomed out even more.
More red dots appeared across the map.
Sophia:
"These are the remaining threats."
Six names still active.
Six people still trying to kill Keifer.
Sophia looked directly at me.
Sophia:
"Jay."
Sophia:
"We can eliminate them."
She paused.
Sophia:
"But it will take time."
Savannah added.
Savannah:
"Meanwhile they'll keep trying."
Olivia nodded.
Olivia:
"And Keifer will stay in danger."
Amy sighed.
Amy:
"So what's your point?"
Sophia said it simply.
Sophia:
"An alliance."
Silence filled the rooftop.
Amy blinked.
Amy:
"You're serious?"
Sophia nodded.
Sophia:
"Yes."
Savannah leaned back in her chair.
Savannah:
"It would double our resources."
Olivia added.
Olivia:
"More manpower."
Mia spoke quietly.
Mia:
"More eyes."
Amy groaned dramatically.
Amy:
"And more boys."
Sophia ignored her.
Sophia:
"Strategically it makes sense."
Everyone looked at me.
Because the decision was mine.
I stared at the map again.
Iron Vipers.
Obsidian Circle.
Two groups hunting the same enemies.
Working together would make everything easier.
Faster.
Safer.
But there was one massive problem.
Keifer.
If we worked with them…
He might see us.
Recognize us.
Discover everything.
Amy nudged my shoulder.
Amy:
"You're overthinking."
Jay Jay:
"Am I?"
Amy grinned.
Amy:
"Yes."
Savannah spoke calmly.
Savannah:
"We could keep our identities hidden."
Sophia nodded.
Sophia:
"Mask communication."
Olivia added.
Olivia:
"Operate through encrypted channels."
Mia finished.
Mia:
"They never see our faces."
It was possible.
Technically.
But it was still risky.
I looked back at the map.
Then at the Watson Mansion marker.
Somewhere in that house…
Keifer was probably doing something stupid.
Maybe flirting with someone.
Maybe annoying Aries.
Maybe staring suspiciously at the ceiling while trying to figure things out.
And he had no idea how many people wanted him dead.
My chest tightened slightly.
Amy noticed.
Amy:
"You're thinking about him again."
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Savannah leaned forward.
Savannah:
"Jay."
Her voice softened.
Savannah:
"You don't have to do this alone."
Sophia nodded.
Sophia:
"That's the point of alliances."
Olivia added.
Olivia:
"Less pressure on you."
Mia looked at me quietly.
Mia:
"And safer for him."
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Thinking.
Calculating.
If we worked alone…
We could eliminate the threats.
But it would take weeks.
Maybe months.
During that time…
Someone could succeed.
One bullet.
One knife.
One mistake.
But if we worked together…
The enemies would fall faster.
I opened my eyes again.
Jay Jay:
"Savannah."
Savannah:
"Yes?"
Jay Jay:
"Contact them."
Amy's eyes widened.
Amy:
"Oh?"
Sophia nodded slowly.
Sophia:
"Alliance accepted?"
I took a deep breath.
Jay Jay:
"Yes."
Savannah immediately began typing.
Savannah:
"I'll send an encrypted message."
Amy grinned wickedly.
Amy:
"This is going to be fun."
Olivia looked toward Watson Mansion in the distance.
Olivia:
"Let's hope they cooperate."
Mia lowered the binoculars.
Mia:
"They're moving toward the sniper building."
Savannah hit the final key.
Savannah:
"Message sent."
Across the city…
Inside the Watson Mansion garage…
(Keifer's POV)
My phone buzzed.
One notification.
Unknown sender.
Aries looked over my shoulder.
Aries:
"Spam?"
I opened the message.
Three words appeared on the screen.
"Obsidian Circle. Alliance accepted."
The garage went silent.
Kuya Angelo smiled slowly.
Kuya Angelo:
"Well…"
Aries grinned.
Aries:
"This just got interesting."
I stared at the message.
Heart beating slightly faster.
Somewhere out there…
Five mysterious girls had just agreed to work with us.
And somehow…
I had the strangest feeling…
That my life was about to become a lot more complicated.
Because secrets…
Don't stay hidden forever.
And the closer two shadows move together…
The sooner they collide.