Bait - by Seki✨

It was a stupid plan. I knew this, they knew this yet still it was accepted and we set it in motion.The plan was stupid, yet it was the only plan that was guaranteed for the full gang to be wiped out together in one blow.I walked more flamboyantly, bouncing and flaunting my jacket and accessories.It was bad acting and I didn't even believe it would work as well as it did.I was big, not the biggest in my team, but big enough that I wouldn't be the actual target profile and it was still daylight, normally there was no way that I would be razzed in pure daylight. Normally, thugs would wait for the later hours of the afternoon before robbing the lonely stranger, yet I was banking on "The Shrines" brutality and their reputation. My bet paid off when after a few minutes of walking around, I noticed that the customers had cleared out, and the road seemed to have become a lot more secluded.I took a casual glance around and realized that all eyes were on me.With a smile, I put my hand in my pocket and pressed a single button remote."Bait taken." I kept on loitering a bit, making sure to be clearly seen by everyone, a bit of the money in my pocket peeking out, sweetening the deal.The Shrine was a gang that had been troubling this part of the neighborhood for years and the new inspector wanted to bring them to Justice to help his reputation.I couldn't care less about the fat inspector's reputation or his money grubbing tendencies. I was out for revenge, so I volunteered to head the operation.The Shrine had killed my best friend three months ago. I had barely returned from his burial, and the anger was still fresh. The Intel that every razzing was conducted in this area by one man was true. I could actually see the man approach me now.Sarge Doom, with his black hair, clean dress shoes and his caduceus staff neck tattoo peeking off the collar of his neck, didn't fit into the band of ruffians, touts and bus drivers that the public had as the image of the shrine. The real shrine gang never stepped foot onto these streets, always using the touts as disposable soldiers. The major percentage of the road levies got into their pocket and all were beneath them in their eyes. They were really dangerous people, the actual Shrine. They were the people I had to meet and Sarge Doom was my ticket.From the corner of my eyes, I could see my teammates were in position. Three men who pretended to be deliberating over a car's engine. Doom was in clear sight and I finally "took notice" of him, "pretending not to" would have given him away. "Hey friend, are you lost?" Sarge Doom asked with a smile on his face. The smile gave off no warmth and seemed practiced to perfection."I'm just a bit confused, trying to call someone now so don't worry." I replied, trying my best to sell the idea of an ignorant passer-by who doesn't want any trouble."Oh but I am worried Compadre..." Doom replied, suddenly way closer than before. I knew the tactic and knew it was coming but I still couldn't fake the shock on my face when I realized I was boxed in.Doom in my front, a wall behind me and a tout on each side. They stood a distance from Doom, clearly marking his dominance but also there to intimidate and shake up the prey's mental state. They didn't have to do much to intimidate me because Doom was intimidating enough. He was now in front of me with his hand on my shoulder.".... you see friend, you are currently on the wrong side of town and unfortunately these men are hungry from a long day at work; wouldn't you love to give us something to help ease our hunger."He held his hand openly and to anyone passing it could look like he was asking, yet to the victim his stance was clear.There was only one acceptable answer—somewhere between normalcy and severe, unbridled violence.I took a few seconds to steady my breathing, not flowing into his pace because this was exactly what I wanted, this was the bait."It seems you are the person that I wanted to meet. Good Afternoon Sargent Doom." I put the red piece of paper I had been given into his hand and he immediately brought it to his face and scanned it over.The silence was thick, so thick that it seemed the once bustling road had gone quiet and everyone was waiting to see if there would be a murder or it would be like other uneventful afternoons."So you are Sharki? You have your emblem?""Yes." I replied by showing him the shrine tattoo on my right lower belly quadrant."Hmmm" Doom grunts and walks past gesturing at me to follow him.Suddenly, the road came to life, the touts and drivers moved off after realizing that there was nothing else happening and I had survived.I looked and saw the drivers close the car bonnet and drive off. I was on my own.Walking after Sargent Doom I knew that the first part of the mission had been completed, now the hard part begins.I put my hand in my pocket and double clicked the button on the remote. "Kill being reeled in."I felt the little zap as the remote self destructed and broke apart in my pocket.I looked at the back of the man who I was following, his slouched relaxed figure, one wouldn't know that this man was a high profile criminal, in fact, it was easier to think he was a simple man coming back from work.I was about to go meet seven men just like them. The realization steeled my resolution, I understood my mission. If this man can go unnoticed in the regular society, then the other heads must be living the same, in cozy simple neighborhoods while they destroy society on a national scale. They had to be stopped.I had to destroy the shrine.

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