Zein's Point of View
My friends were all smiling at me, their eyes filled with pure relief. Only Matt looked pissed off while staring at my arm—he was definitely the most overprotective of the group. His own shoulder was bandaged, and Nazzer was in similar shape, keeping a worried eye on an exhausted Nicky.
I roamed my eyes over the crowd until they landed on one person: Ferry Marcos. What the hell? Ferry was the guy who spilled juice on Supremo, the one we threw into the Dark Hell Jail. He's been alive this whole time? Something was very, very wrong.
"What is the meaning of this?" Madame Violet asked, her voice trembling.
Francisco, on the other hand, was smiling at Raze. I sensed a deep sadness behind it. "Why don't you take off your mask?" Francisco challenged him.
"No need," Madame Violet let out a dry laugh. "Behind that mask is just a clone. The real Raze is Supremo. When Ace is in, Raze is out. They never appear at the same time."
Supremo burst out laughing. Raze gave a low, chilling laugh.
"Nice conclusion, but..." Ace shook his head. "I am not Raze."
"I am," Raze said, stepping forward.
Then a guy stepped up beside him. "And I'm the clone."
The fake Raze, the real Raze, and the guy everyone thought was Raze. The identity of this man in the red mask was way too complicated. Supremo signaled for me to go back to my friends. I didn't want to leave his side, but his reassuring smile gave me the strength to move.
"Are you guys okay?" I asked my friends.
"Who has the bleeding arm among us?" Vanessa teased.
Mia threw her arms around me, crying. "Zein, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"I'm just glad you're safe, Mia," I whispered.
Madame Violet barked at Nazzer, "Why are you with them? You're enemies! Help me crush these pests!"
Nazzer chuckled. "There was never a war between us. The whole thing was an act. A show for this moment."
The pieces clicked. They planned for everyone to think Ace was Raze. The gangs weren't enemies. Supremo and Raze were the masterminds. But who was behind the mask?
"Rouge Silvenia wasn't my brother," Raze said firmly.
"It's time. Reveal yourself... Big Brother," Supremo urged.
Hoy jumped onto Raze's shoulder. Madame Violet recoiled as if seeing a ghost. Raze pulled off the mask, and gasps followed.
"L-Luxury Valdez."
He was the former SSG president. The son of the late Mr. Valdez.
"I am now Raze Silvenia," he said, putting an arm around Supremo. "And I want you to meet my younger brother... Supremo Ace Craige."
"We hid him on purpose," Raze said, his voice laced with anger. "Just like how you killed my father. You killed me. You killed..." He trailed off.
"But it all ends here," Supremo added.
"I give up," Francisco said, dropping his gun. "I'm just glad to see you're safe, Lux."
"Traitor!" Madame Violet screamed, but Raze flung a knife that hit her hand, forcing her to drop her weapon.
Madame Violet had completely lost her mind. She ordered her remaining men to open fire on the police, sparking another bloody round of battle.
Third Person Point of View
Everyone held their breath as secrets were dragged into the light. At the front stood Raze Silvenia, once known as Luxury Valdez. Even with victory in reach, he looked like he'd already lost. The past could not be undone.
Flashback
Rain and thunder lashed through the woods. Luxury and Samantha were running hand-in-hand. Samantha had been shot.
"Lux, I-I can't do it anymore," she gasped, collapsing into the mud.
"Shit! Sam, please! I'll get you out of here!" Lux knelt over her, sobbing.
"Baby, I love you... I hope you can forgive me," were Samantha's last words before her eyes closed forever.
Lux kissed her one last time. "I'll make them pay dearly."
"This is the end for you, Supremo Lux," a voice called out. Francisco Augustine stood there with a gun. Lux lunged at him, but as Francisco fell, the gun went off, the bullet grazing Lux's eye.
Lux forced himself to run until he bumped into someone.
"I'm not an enemy, Lux. I'm here to help," the man said. It was Mr. Razon.
End of Flashback
"I replaced his eye so he could see again," Mr. Razon announced, stepping forward to join the brothers. "I can never forgive what you did to his father."
Madame Violet shrieked in crazed laughter, waving her men forward into the fray. What none of them realized was that a spectator was watching from the sidelines, thrilled by the carnage.
"I will be the winner of this war," the spectator whispered. "Just a little longer, and I'll make my move."