"She told us to call her once we were done. She said that if we succeeded in killing you—‘the gang lord’—she’d come over personally to retrieve your body. If we make her believe we killed you... she’ll come out of hiding. You can set a trap and finish her off yourself.”A slow, calculating smile crept onto Mr. Fernando’s lips.Now that... was a plan worth considering.He stood there in silence for a few moments, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, his sharp eyes narrowing as they scanned the floor, deep in contemplation. Bolasco stood beside the young boy, his body rigid, his cold, unflinching gaze locked on Filipe, ready to react at the slightest sign of betrayal. His presence alone was a silent warning: One wrong move, and you’re dead.After a long moment of silence, Mr. Fernando finally spoke, his voice calm and composed. “Alright then. That doesn’t sound like a bad plan. Call Ice and tell her you and your comrades managed to kill me. Then tell her you’ll be moving my body to your apart

He lunged forward, swinging a heavy fist toward Perez’s face.But Perez was faster.He ducked beneath the wild punch and retaliated with a brutal strike to Duncan’s gut. The tattooed man grunted, doubling over in pain—WHAM!—just as Perez followed up with a devastating uppercut that landed with a crack loud enough to resemble a gunshot.Duncan collapsed.Flat on his back. Out cold.The entire cafeteria gasped.A sharp, collective silence swallowed the room.Everyone froze, stunned by what had just unfolded before their eyes. Dozens of eyes turned in unison, fixated on Perez, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened.The men who had stood beside Duncan moments earlier instinctively took several steps back, their faces plastered with disbelief and confusion. None of them had expected their leader—a man known for his brute strength—to go down after a single combination. It wasn’t just surprising. It was terrifying.But now wasn’t the time to act like cowards.They knew Duncan.Th