Jerome's Point of View
I was nervous—not because of the enemies, but because Vanessa was running out of patience. I'd managed to keep her calm with Fritzy's help, but she looked ready to explode. Everyone was waiting for my signal, but I couldn't lead them to war without them.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Vanessa blurted out. She grabbed my collar for the second time. "Who are we actually waiting for? Tell me right now if someone's coming or not!"
Geez, this girl was terrifying. She jammed a gun against my head, the cold metal biting into my skin. "Either you get out of my way or I'll blow your empty brains out."
I stepped aside, scratching my head. I didn't want to die yet. I was about to follow her when she suddenly froze, staring at something in the distance. A smirk formed on my face. Finally. They were here.
Zein's Point of View
Ace Craige and Raze Silvenia might have the same presence, but I knew Supremo too well. Raze's teasing didn't move me, but one word from Ace could make my knees go weak.
"The game is over," Madame Violet smirked. "Hand over Zein Shion, or you both die."
"You can only kill her if your bullet can penetrate my chest," Ace answered, shielding me.
The dreams that haunted me finally made sense. I was the girl. We were the targets. Madame Violet's men tied us together, back-to-back, with a single rope. I was fading, my arm numb from blood loss.
"Do you regret it?" Supremo whispered. "If you hadn't entered this place, you wouldn't be gasping for breath right now."
"I wouldn't have met you," I interrupted. "I have no regrets."
"I regret it..." he whispered back. I froze. "I blame destiny for only introducing you to me just now. Life before you was stagnant water. Then you came like a hurricane. I've never felt this alive."
Tears welled in my eyes. "Are you Raze Silvenia?" I asked softly.
He laughed. "How about you? What do you think?"
"No," I smiled. "You are Ace Craige. The Supreme Student Government president."
It clicked then. Raze wasn't just annoying me; he was testing me. He was making me realize the truth.
Madame Violet returned, bored of the waiting. "Francisco is on his way with the helicopter."
"If I were you, I'd take us far away right now," Supremo warned coldly.
As the helicopter thrummed above, a shadow approached. It was Liam.
"Are you guys okay?" he asked, his eyes sad. He knelt and cut our ropes. "Sorry. Please forgive me. At least once, I can do something right."
He was freeing us from his own mother's shadow. We stood up, Ace limping but supporting me.
"Thank you," Supremo said.
"Come with us!" I begged.
Liam shook his head. "Go! Get out of here!"
A gunshot rang out. I looked back and saw Liam falling to the ground. Madame Violet had pulled the trigger on her own son. Ace turned my head away, a sad smile on his lips. She was consumed by ambition.
We kept running until armed men blocked our path again. Madame Violet and Francisco were there, looking just as exhausted as us.
"Capture them!" she ordered.
"Meow."
Hoy appeared out of nowhere. I turned around and the breath left my lungs. Standing behind us was the real Raze Silvenia in his red mask, with Nazzer Lumia at his side. Behind them stood the entire student body, the Devil God Warriors, the Black Blood Gang, and my friends.
But most shocking of all? A police special task force was surrounding the perimeter.
Supremo put his arm around me, guiding me to stand between the two gang leaders. He looked at the shocked face of Madame Violet and smirked.
"I am not named Ace without having one."
Was this the Ace up his sleeve he was referring to?