Manhunt (2)

Liam was still running. His legs ached, his breath was ragged, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His entire body was in pain, throbbing with every step.

"Fuck… ugh…" he muttered, staggering as he pressed a hand against his bruised ribs.

He could hear voices—distant, but close enough to put him on edge. He didn't recognize them, but he wasn't about to take any chances. If they were Henry's guys, he was as good as dead. Quickly, he ducked into a narrow alley, pressing his back against the cold brick wall, heart pounding against his ribs.

The voices faded as the group moved on. Liam exhaled shakily, then forced himself to keep moving. The only way he was making it out of this alive was if he found a place to hide.

Soon, the towering buildings of the city surrounded him. The neon signs of cafes and shops flickered in the early morning light. He spotted a familiar café and pushed the door open, the bell chiming above him.

At the counter stood a young woman with long black hair, warm brown eyes, and a soft, welcoming expression. She blinked in surprise when she saw him.

"Holy moly, Liam—what happened to you?"

Liam grinned weakly, blood still smeared on his lips. "Got into some trouble."

Maira, Maiya's older sister, stepped out from behind the counter, concern deepening in her gentle gaze. "Liam, you're bleeding! You need help."

"Yeah, no kidding." He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Maybe you could help by giving me your number? You know, so I can call you in case I get into more trouble."

Maira frowned. "Liam, please, no flirting right now. You're hurt."

Before Liam could respond, Maiya came rushing down from upstairs.

"Jesus fuck, what the hell happened?!"

"Henry," Liam said bitterly, leaning against the counter. "That fucking Henry."

Maira looked between them, confused. "Who's Henry?"

Maiya crossed her arms. "Henry's a guy from our school. A complete asshole."

"M-Maiya," Maira scolded lightly. "Language."

"Now's not the time for that!" Maiya shot back. She turned back to Liam. "Come on, let's get you upstairs before you pass out."

With Maiya supporting him, they headed up to the apartment above the café. Maira hurried to grab the first-aid kit, setting to work dabbing the blood from Liam's face.

Maiya sat on the bed across from him. "Alright, what the hell happened?"

Liam sighed, wincing as Maira pressed antiseptic against his wound. "You remember when I called you last night? About Noah?"

Maiya nodded. "Yeah."

Maira, still confused, tilted her head. "Wait… who's Noah?"

"A guy from our school," Maiya said. "He's a good kid."

Liam continued, "Well, I thought Henry might come after me for revenge—which he did. I just didn't expect him to bring that many people."

Maiya frowned. "How many are we talking?"

Liam exhaled, running a hand through his messy hair. "Around a fucking dozen. And they brought weapons."

Maiya's eyes widened. "Weapons? What kind?"

"Bats. Knuckles. The whole 'beat-him-to-death' package."

Maira hesitated, gripping the medical supplies in her hands. "That's… that's awful."

"They're trying to kill me," Liam muttered, his usual humor absent.

Maiya scoffed. "No, they want to kill you, but Henry's a coward. He wouldn't actually—"

Liam cut her off, voice low. "Henry won't, but Luke will."

Silence.

Maira swallowed hard. "Who's Luke?"

Liam let out a bitter laugh. "Oh, you're gonna love this one. Luke's a guy from our school—complete piece of shit. He's got gang ties, criminal connections, and a serious violence problem."

Maiya nodded grimly. "His older brother runs the Reapers. They're bad news."

Maira's grip tightened on the first-aid kit. "That's… terrifying."

Liam ran a hand down his face. His body was still shaking slightly. "Fuck… I think I'm gonna die today."

Maira looked alarmed. "Don't say that, Liam."

Liam stood up suddenly, pacing. "No, someone's dying today. Whether it's me, or Luke, or Henry—I don't know, but someone's not walking away from this."

Maiya stood up and grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to stop. "Liam. Breathe. No one is dying today."

Liam's chest rose and fell rapidly. He was scared. And Liam never showed fear.

"Shit… shit, I need help." He looked at Maiya. "Call Kevin. Now."

Maiya nodded and grabbed her phone.

---

Henry sat beneath a large tree at the park, the massive lake reflecting the midday sun. His expression was unreadable, his fingers tapping against his knee impatiently.

One of his guys came running up, panting.

"Any news?" Henry asked.

The guy shook his head. "No. That fucker's good at hiding."

Henry gritted his teeth and turned to Luke. "Can you call for more people?"

Luke was already dialing. "I'm on it."

The phone rang a few times before someone picked up.

"Heyyyy, Brother David," Luke said smoothly. "I, uh, need a favor."

Henry couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but Luke's face remained unreadable.

"Yes, yes," Luke continued. "Can I borrow some of your guys? We're hunting someone down."

Another pause.

"Yeah… yeah. I'm at the park with the lake. Can you send them here?"

Luke smirked. "Good man. Appreciate it."

He hung up and turned to Henry.

"David's lending us twenty guys."

Henry smirked. "Perfect."

Luke crossed his arms. "But man… I sure hope Liam doesn't contact the Viel gang."

Henry raised a brow. "The Veil gang?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah. Liam's got real good connections with them. If he reaches out, this could turn into an all-out gang war."

Henry scoffed. "He won't."

Luke smirked. "And how are you so sure?"

Henry cracked his knuckles. "Just a hunch. And even if he tries to call for help… we'll make sure he doesn't."

Luke chuckled. "Alright, boss. Your call."

Just then, Mark came running up, grinning.

"Good news," he panted.

Henry raised a brow. "What is it?"

Mark's grin widened. "I got in contact with the Crimson gang. They're lending us fifty guys."

Henry's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Seriously?"

Mark nodded eagerly. "Told you they'd help."

Henry smirked.

"Liam's dead today."