The group had made a plan to take down the man known as Mr. Bird. Arthur was the one who crafted it, his natural charisma drawing everyone into his orbit. Leadership wasn’t something you could fake or learn—it was innate. Arthur had it in spades, a presence that made even the most defiant follow without question.

  The plan was straightforward: ambush Mr. Bird and throw him into chaos. When the moment came, they would strike, exploiting his most vulnerable state.

  Arthur laid it out, his voice calm and authoritative. “Mr. Bird visits his wife and kids every Wednesday. No guards, no entourage. I guess the bastard hasn’t told his family about his little empire of crime. That’s when we hit him.”

  Rita, her knife twirling in her hand, sneered. “I don’t like the idea of killing a father in front of his children. Makes me sick.”

  Fade leaned back against the wall, his massive arms crossed, and grinned darkly. “Don’t worry, princess. You won’t have to pull the trigger. I’ll handle it.”

  Rita’s eyes narrowed, a flash of defiance in her gaze. “Size doesn’t matter, big guy. Keep pushing me, and I’ll carve you into tiny little pieces.”

  Fade’s grin widened into something predatory. “I’d like to see you try. I’ll even make it fun for you.”

  The tension in the room grew thick, threatening to boil over. Before things could escalate further, Arthur stepped between them, his voice sharp and commanding. “Enough. I’ll kill both of you myself if it comes to that, but for now, we stick together. We get this job done, then we settle things—one-on-one, to the death, if that’s what it takes.”

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  Tommy stayed silent, his heart pounding as he watched the exchange. The air was charged, every breath he took heavy with the tension. He tried to stay calm, but the thrill of it all made his pulse race. These weren’t people he could trust, and he knew it. The fight was inevitable. They were all killers, after all.

  Finally, the group agreed to regroup in a week, each going their separate ways to prepare for the ambush.

  A week after, Tommy stood in the doorway of their cramped, dilapidated house, the weight of what he was about to do pressing down on him. His mother sat on the worn-out couch, her frail form shrouded in a blanket. She coughed softly, her tired eyes searching his face.

  “Tom, where are you going?” she asked, her voice trembling. “You’ve been restless all day. Tell me the truth.”

  Tommy hesitated, his heart clenching. He knelt in front of her, taking her hand in his. “I love you, Mom. You know that, right?”

  Her eyes widened, fear creeping into her expression. “Tom, don’t say things like that. What are you planning? You’re scaring me.”

  He shook his head, forcing a small smile. “I have to do something today. It’s risky, yeah, but… it’s for us. For you and her.”

  She gripped his hand tighter, her voice cracking. “Please, Tommy. Don’t do this. You don’t have to prove anything. We’ll manage, somehow.”

  Tommy glanced over at his younger sister, who was sitting quietly in the corner, watching the exchange with wide, worried eyes. “I promised Dad, remember? I told him I’d be the man of the house after he died. But right now…” He turned to his sister, his tone softening. “You’ll have to take the pants, just for today. Keep an eye on Mom, alright?”

  His sister nodded reluctantly, tears brimming in her eyes. “Be careful, Tom.”

  He stood, brushing a hand through her hair before turning back to his mother. “I’ll come back. I swear.”

  Tommy left the house, his heart heavy with the weight of his promises. The cold night air bit at his skin as he walked toward the rendezvous point. Snow had begun to fall, soft and silent, blanketing the harshness of the world in fragile beauty.