Chapter 20: The War Begins

The Copperheads struck at dawn.

Rod had anticipated it. The signs were all there: the disrupted supply lines, the bold raids, and the tension simmering in Dustvale's underbelly. Yet, when the first crack of gunfire echoed through the streets near the Viper gang's southern outpost, it still sent a shiver of anger through him. This was his territory, and the Copperheads had dared to challenge him on it.

Standing on the balcony of the Viper headquarters, Rod looked down at the chaos below. Smoke curled into the sky from the burning outpost. Screams and the sharp cracks of revolvers filled the air. His lieutenants—Li, Carl, and Roy—stood behind him, each wearing expressions that mirrored the tension in the air.

"They're coming hard," Li said, tightening the laces on her leather gloves. "The Copperheads must think we'll crumble under pressure."

Rod's jaw tightened. "Then we'll show them they've made a mistake."

The Viper gang's defenses sprang to life under Rod's leadership. He directed his crew like a seasoned general, his commands sharp and precise. Scouts were dispatched to track the Copperheads' movements, while reinforcements were sent to fortify the outpost under attack.

Carl paced nervously in the war room, his face pale. "They're hitting us on all fronts. What if we can't hold them off?"

Rod placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. "We're not just holding them off. We're going to send them a message. They don't get to walk into our territory without consequences."

Roy burst into the room, his expression grim. "We've got eyes on their second wave. About twenty men headed toward the rail yard."

Rod's eyes narrowed. "They're spreading themselves thin. That's their mistake."

He turned to Li. "Get a team together. You'll take the rail yard. Cut them off before they can regroup. Use the hidden passage near the east tracks. It'll give you the element of surprise."

Li nodded, her expression determined. "And you?"

Rod's lips curled into a faint smile. "I'll handle the outpost."

The southern outpost was a mess when Rod arrived. Bodies littered the ground, both Vipers and Copperheads. Smoke and gunpowder filled the air, stinging his eyes and throat.

Rod stepped into the fray, his presence immediately commanding attention. His hands sparked with raw energy, arcs of electricity dancing across his knuckles. The Copperheads who saw him froze, their confidence wavering.

One of them, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, sneered. "What's this? A magic trick?"

Rod didn't respond. Instead, he raised his hand and sent a crackling bolt of lightning toward the man. It struck him square in the chest, sending him flying backward into a stack of barrels. The explosion that followed scattered the Copperheads, their morale crumbling as quickly as the barrels themselves.

"Anyone else want to see a trick?" Rod called, his voice cutting through the chaos.

The remaining Copperheads hesitated, their weapons trembling in their hands. A few turned and ran, leaving their comrades behind.

Meanwhile, Li's team approached the rail yard under the cover of darkness. She moved silently, her every step calculated. The hidden passage Rod had mentioned was an old maintenance tunnel, its entrance obscured by overgrown weeds and debris.

Inside, the air was damp and stale, the walls slick with years of neglect. Li led her team forward, her sharp eyes scanning for any signs of danger.

When they emerged near the Copperheads' staging area, she signaled for her team to stop. The Copperheads were clustered around a wagon loaded with supplies, their voices loud and confident.

Li smirked. They wouldn't see what was coming.

"On my signal," she whispered.

Her team moved into position, surrounding the Copperheads. Li raised her hand, then dropped it swiftly.

The attack was swift and brutal. The Copperheads barely had time to react before Li and her team descended upon them. Gunfire erupted, and the once-confident gang members found themselves outmatched.

Li took down three men with precision shots from her revolver, her movements fluid and efficient. When the dust settled, the Copperheads were either dead or fleeing into the night.

Back at the Viper headquarters, the mood was tense but hopeful. Rod stood with his core team, debriefing the day's events.

"We held the outpost and secured the rail yard," Li reported. "But they'll be back. This was just the first strike."

Rod nodded, his expression grim. "They wanted to test us. To see if we'd fold. Now they know we won't."

Carl, who had been silent for most of the meeting, finally spoke. "What if they come back with more men? Or stronger allies?"

Rod's eyes burned with determination. "Then we'll be ready. This is our city, and I'm not about to let anyone take it from us."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

Dustvale was on the brink of war, but Rod knew one thing for certain: the Copperheads had made a grave mistake in underestimating him. And they would pay for it with blood.

The battle for Dustvale had only just begun.