4 --- 5

  It was a straightforward plan. Nate was skeptical about it at first. It was what anybody would expect so nobody was expecting it. It was the element of surprise that helped the most. The plan was risky and could have gone both ways. The plan was Victor.

They stormed the human guards. Thier guns were rendered useless as their bullets could not penetrate the shields they put up. The guards were mostly disoriented by the rapid movements of Carl and Genk.

For the first time, Nate got to see the mind-blowing speed at which they both moved. They got behind the guards gunfire and literarily stabbed them in the backs.

The guards got confused at the change of targets and the rest of the team swopped in and finished them off.

The steel door looked impenetrable but could not withstand Caleb's fists.

At the moment the door went down, Victor let out a bright spectrums of light of light from his body including his hair. It was like a miniature sun. Victor had warned them to close their eyes as soon as the door went down.

Their opponents on the other hand, received a full blast of the light and were temporarily blinded and then it was open season on them all.

Nate went for pressure points knocking them out instantly before they recovered while his teammates went into a 'take no prisoners mode' and for that brief moment. Nate saw the difference between two territory willers. While King had gone for sheer number. Victor had a small individualized team with each having their own unique quality they added to the team.

The fight ended quickly with Victor going into the center of their opponents and exploding into a wave of energy that took them all apart. Nate had to conjure up a shield in the nick of time to protect himself. *Classic Victor.* Not bothering about the safety of his own crew.

After the magnificent show of strength from Victor. The all surrendered. They were obviously underpowered.

Victor found Charlie trembling in the midst of his own teammates. Despite the fear on his face, he still managed to speak in a brave voice. "Do your worst, Victor. I am not afraid of you."

Victor gave him his regular vicious smile and looked around. "By a show of hands, who here wants to die with Charlie." No hands raised. A girl actually spat on the floor to show her defiance. It became clear to Nate, Charlie had led them on a coup they could not uphold and because of him they had lost a lot of their teammates.

"I guess that settles it then." Victor said before beheading Charlie with his sword.

Oblivious to the chaos. Minx came stomping down the stairs scowling. "I fucking hate porters, such fucking pussies." Bennet sent her a glare but said nothing.

Ronda emerged from some room with King. He was looking bigger and a little better than his former self. For some reason, Charlie actually took care of him. He still even had that maniacal  smile that Nate hated.

Nate began to rethink the whole situation. ' Why did Charlie keep King alive? '

"Hey Victor, Thank you so much for this. I knew I could count on you." King said and gave Victor a hug that was not returned.

"Don't count on my help next time. You should be able to deal with problems in your territories."

"Yeah, shit happens." He said and his smile grew wider when he saw the people who had joined Charlie in usurping him, kneeling on the ground looking defeated.

"Well..Well..Well. What do we have here?" Scared looks passed between them as they King picked up a discarded axe from the floor. "Who deserves to die first?"

"This should be fun." Minx said beside him. Her anger at missing her target subsided at the prospect of a possible massacre.

A girl stood up from the small crowd. "Ah Giselle, kind of you to offer."

The girl's face scrunched up in fear. "King, you have to believe me. It was all Charlie's fault."

"Charlie wasn't the only one who betrayed me."

"He was ready to kill anyone who spoke against him. We had no choice, we couldn't even talk to you."

King's smile dropped a bit. "That is no excuse. I picked up most of you from the dirt  and gave you the power to rule Harlem by my side. You owe it to me or die trying."

"Then give us a second chance and I promise, we would not fail you."

"You should reconsider and let them go." Victor spoke up suddenly.

"What?" King asked, looking back at Victor.

"I mean she already apologized on their belief. You could just forget everything that happened and carry on with your business."

"You want me to continue to work with them?" King looked utterly confused. So was Nate. How was he supposed to work with people who betrayed him?

Victor sighed. "Look at it this way. Your crew is depleted. This is all that is left of your territory willers."

"Then I will get new recruits."

"And how long will that take? During that time your territory will be vulnerable to attack and I might not be able to help you. I say you keep them. At least now they know what it's like to go up against you."

Nate looked at Victor and knew he wasn't saying this out of the goodness of his heart but so that King could still be a useful ally.

King looked down at them again and sighed. "Okay."

Minx groaned. "This sucks." She was denied another show of bloodshed.

"Well, it looks like it's your lucky day." King was smiling again.

There was a show of relief from the formerly dejected-looking willers.

"Giselle, go and make me a drunk. I am thirsty." She nodded quickly looking like she would about do anything for him. As she turned to leave, he slapped her hard on the ass.

Nate cringed in disgust. *We risked out lives to save this asshole?* "Well. Mission accomplished. Seeing as we rescued King and everybody else is okay. Can I go now? I've got a thing.

Victor nodded. "Yes. You can all leave. I have to talk to King."

As they dispersed and left. Nate thought about what Charlie did and an insight to who King really is. *He should have killed the bastard.*