CH23:VIRAL

The teens, alongside Phoenix, did all they could to make their small business run. Since it was a Friday night, many people had turned up, especially after the incident that happened a few hour ago. Phoenix and Rin worked the bar while CJ and Max worked the DJ's booth. Sue, who was great a cooking, was in the miniature kitchen, preparing simple snacks for the customers. More and more people flocked but the work force was too low to sustain the demand.

At last, a few hours later, people went back to their homes and Max and his friends relaxed at the lounge section, reflecting on their week.

" This has been one week huh!" CJ said.

" You can say that again. We started school, had a gang take over our town, stole from a gang, got mutant powers, escaped a bear, saved the town and even ran a business. And we did it while we balanced school." Max said.

" Yeah," Sue replied." But you know out parents will find out soon, right? I mean, we can't keep this up forever."

" In the mean time," Rin replied." Let's enjoy it while it lasts." Just then, Phoenix casually walked up to the teens with his cheeky smile.

" Great news friends, today has been a very successful first day and we have been able to make a lot of money." Phoenix handed bundles of cash to the each of the teens and Max's bundle was the biggest of them all. " Each one of you gets two hundred dollars and since Max is our leader and the hero for today, he gets 500. Don't get jealous."

Max, Sue and Rin were really excited about the amount of money they received, especially since it was their first day. CJ,who was used to even larger sums of money, put on a simple plastic smile trying to not act rude.

" How much did we make tonight in total?" Max asked.

" We, as the cold flame club, made 2500 dollars tonight, minus tips that went to the workers. At this rate, you guys will be millionaires by the end of the year." As Phoenix spoke more about the business and the profits they made, Max was busy thinking about the money he was going to receive in the future.

" This money can help me and mom a lot. We can even return back to the city...and take back dad's shop." He thought to himself. Although the results of hard work were pleasing, Max knew he had to do more as a gang leader to expand his business. Never in his life did he ever think of becoming a full time gang leader, but Phoenix had a magical aura around him that convinced the teenager to go full time into it.

Sue, Max and CJ left the warehouse at around midnight. Max and CJ escorted Sue to her house before they went to Max's place. Max's mother worked extra shifts at the town hospital, so Max didn't have to worry about coming home late on Friday's. Max and CJ were too tired to have a boy's sleep over, so when they got home, they went straight to bed.

----------------------

As the teens enjoyed their hard earned sleep, a certain group of men and women, deep in Raid City, were busy watching the most trending thing that was shaking the internet, the fireman. News about Max and his heroics had spread across the internet like wild fire, making people go nuts over it. Even the people watching it couldn't believe what they were watching.

" Hey man, I don't think this fireman business is true."

" Don't think? See that's the problem with you, you don't think. This is all real, there is a new type of mutant out there."

" Are you guys serious? This is obviously staged. None of this is true."

More and more conversions like that were allover the internet and people couldn't get enough of it. Unfortunately for the certain group of men and women, their boss walked in on them watching the video that was making him very anxious.

" Uh, boss...we...we're glad to see you.."

" Shut it. You guys weren't watching that video again, were you?"

" No sir, we were...." The man's head was slashed off, killing him in an instant. As for what killed him, the man he addressed to as boss had a large paw for a hand that was covered in blood.

" Anyone else feeling like they can lie to me?" He asked with authority. There was no response from the others so he went to his office. When he got their, he was greeted by his assistant, a tall,lean man with chocolate brown skin, silver white hair and a long scar across his right eye.

" Boss, did you kill another man,again?" He asked as he fetched water to clean his boss's bloody paw.

"Damion, I don't have time for your nagging questions." He replied.

" But boss, you can't keep killing people over the video. We're losing more of our people cause of that."

" Whatever." He went on to sit behind his large desk. He opened his laptop and the first thing he saw was a pop up ad showing the fireman killing the crazed beasts. Out of frustration, he smashed his laptop and screamed at the top of his lungs.

" If it doesn't bother you so much, why don't you tell me why this fireman bothers you so much." Damion asked as he cleaned the smashed pieces of the laptop.

" You don't get it Damion. This is the same boy I chased after two days ago. The reason I'm bothered by this is the alarming rate his power level is increasing. When I faced him, he only had those fire arms and lousy speed, but now, he can make fire come from no where. I'm telling you, if we don't handle this situation early enough, this could spell doom for me and the other Kings."

" Oh relax Bruce, I mean, King Bear. A little boy can't do anything to us. Let's just allow this to play out and if anything gets to us, I promise you...I will personally take care of this."

" You better do, before the others get involved.