---
A black sedan cruised down the dimly lit road, its headlights slicing through the misty night. The city was unnervingly quiet, the streets nearly empty—until, suddenly—
CRASH!
The deafening sound of metal colliding echoed down the empty street. The car spun out control, slamming into a streetlight. Smoke billowed from the wreckage.
The screen flickered.
News headlines flashed across the display: "Fatal Car Accident—Victims Yet to Be Identified."
The screen shifted again.
A young man walked beneath the pale glow of streetlights. His sharp gaze swept the dark alleys, hands tucked into his pockets. His name—Zain.
He moved with quiet confidence, but the night was never without danger. Shadows stirred, and within moments, figures emerged from the darkness—a gang of thugs, their sneering faces illuminated by flickering neon signs.
"You're walking alone, huh?" One of them chuckled. "Bad idea."
Zain didn't respond.
One of them lunged.
Bad move.
In the blink of an eye, Zain struck. His fist hit the first attacker's gut, sending him sprawling. The others hesitated—but only for a second. They rushed him all at once.
It didn't matter.
One by one, they fell. Zain barely broke a sweat. The last one standing turned to flee—too late. A swift kick sent him crashing into a stack of crates.
Silence returned to the alley.
Then, a voice called out.
"Zain!"
Zain turned. His expression softened slightly.
A boy stood under a streetlamp, breathing heavily as if he'd been running. Orion.
"Oh, Orion, you came," Zain said, his tone neutral.
"I saw the news," Orion said, stepping closer. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Zain hesitated. His gaze dropped for a moment.
"...My parents," he murmured. "They're gone."
Orion's eyes widened.
Zain exhaled slowly. "Their bodies… are at the hospital. I need to take them home. Give them a proper burial."
For a moment, Orion didn't speak. Then, he nodded. "I'll help."
---
The funeral was quiet. Just the two of them, standing before the graves. The cold wind brushed against them, carrying away words that never left their lips.
Later, they found themselves on an old bridge, watching the distant city lights flicker in the darkness.
"You've changed," Orion said, staring at Zain.
Zain didn't look away from the horizon. "...Yeah."
"You should go back to college ," Orion suggested. "It might help."
Zain let out a soft chuckle. "Tomorrow," he said. "I'll go with you."
There was a pause before Zain turned to Orion. "Come stay with me."
Orion blinked in surprise.
"I can't stay in that big house alone," Zain continued. "And... your parents are gone too, aren't they?"
Orion looked away for a moment before nodding. "...Yeah."
Zain gave a small, rare smile.
"Then it's settled."
The next day, Zain and Orion went to college together. However, Zain couldn't shake the feeling that something about the college was off.
When he mentioned it to Orion, Orion laughed.
"Huh? Bro, this is Rebel Town. How good of a college were you expecting?"
Zain frowned. "When I was coming here, some guys attacked me. They mentioned a gang called WS."
Orion's expression shifted slightly. "Hmm… WS stands for White Shepherd gang. They're the strongest gang in the Hadith area of Rebel Town And their leader, Mahir, studies here. He's our age."
Just then, Orion checked the time. "Wait, I'll go grab some snacks. You wait here."
"Alright," Zain nodded.
While Orion was gone, a few students approached Zain. Their intentions were clear—they wanted to bully him.
But just as Zain was about to fight back, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Forgive them, Zain."
His fists clenched, but he held back. Instead of fighting, he stayed silent.
Moments later, Orion returned, and the bullies immediately backed off.
Orion sighed. "They're WS members too."
---
After college, Zain and Orion walked home together.
Suddenly, Orion turned to him. "Hey, do you remember your promise?"
Zain raised an eyebrow. "Promise?"
Orion smirked. "Our own gang."
Zain was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah… I remember." But he didn't say anything else.
As they continued walking, they saw several gang members harassing innocent people. Zain narrowed his eyes.
"...Let's start our own gang," he said.
Orion grinned. "You know, Mahir—the leader of WS—has tried to recruit me many times. He even offered to make me the 2nd Army Chief. But I rejected him… because of you."
Zain looked at him. "Can you explain how gang hierarchy works?"
Orion nodded. "Alright, listen—
1. Gang Leader – The highest position, the one who calls the shots.
2. 2nd-in-command & 3rd-in-command – Usually close friends of the leader. The gang can function without these ranks, but having them makes things more organized.
3. Army Chiefs – They command different groups within the gang.
4. Group Leaders – They lead the regular gang members.
5. Normal Members – The foot soldiers of the gang."
Zain smirked. "Then I'll be our gang's leader, and you'll be my 2nd-in-command."
Orion chuckled. "Sounds good. Also, tomorrow, I'll bring some of my friends. They want to join us too."
---
The early morning air was crisp as Orion and Zain walked toward college. The chatter of students filled the streets, but Orion had other plans. Without a word, he grabbed Zain by the wrist and pulled him down a different path.
"Where are we going?" Zain asked, frowning.
"You'll see," Orion replied, his tone mysterious.
After weaving through a few alleys behind the college they stopped in front of a lone figure leaning against a wall. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his green and yellow hoodie, and his sharp eyes flicked toward them as they approached.
"Cube," Orion greeted.
Orion said so this was Cube—a name everyone in college knew. A guy who hated Mahir . A guy strong enough to stand alone.
Orion got straight to the point. "Join our gang."
Cube let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Your gang?" He smirked. "What's it called?"
Orion and Zain exchanged glances. A moment of realization struck them both—they didn't even have a name.
Zain clenched his fists. That voice… deep inside him, it echoed:
"Unity is the strength, but we don't have this."
His lips moved almost on their own.
"U-Force." His voice was firm. "Our gang is called Unity Force."
Orion's eyes lit up with approval, but Cube simply scoffed.
"Not interested." His voice was cold. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
Orion sighed, a shadow crossing his face. "I was hoping he'd say yes…" Then his expression hardened. His eyes locked onto Zain's with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.
"But do you want to see Mahir's real enemies?"
Zain's breath caught. "Who?"
"Come with me."
Orion led him through the corridors of the school, past the usual hustle of students, until they reached a secluded hallway. It was dimly lit, unnervingly silent.
Zain's instincts screamed at him—this wasn't just any part of the college . It was a hideout.
As they stepped deeper inside, Orion suddenly spoke.
"ALLICE, can we come in?"
A deep, almost amused voice responded from the shadows.
"Hmm… come in."
Zain watched as Orion stepped forward confidently. He turned to Zain and smirked. "Meet Allice. The leader of the second-strongest gang in Hadith." the Cresent gang
Zain's breath hitched. He had heard the rumors. Among all those who had ever dared to challenge Mahir, Allice had come the closest to taking him down.
Allice sat in a worn-out chair, his legs crossed, watching them with mild interest.
"What do you want, Orion?" His voice was smooth but sharp, like a blade hidden beneath silk.
Orion didn't hesitate. "I know you hate Mahir. We do too. So let's work together. Join our gang."
Allice chuckled. "Who's your leader?"
Orion turned to Zain.
Allice's gaze flicked toward him, sizing him up. After a moment, a smirk curled on his lips.
"Alright. If you can beat me in a one-on-one fight, my twelve members and I will join your gang."
Zain took a deep breath. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him.
But he wasn't about to back do.
"Challenge accepted."
---