Gary looked down at the keys, and then up at the car again. He repeated this process two more times. The teenager was searching for the right words to say in this situation, but it was as if they had gotten stuck in his throat. He had heard what Kai had said, yet none of it made any sense to him.
“Hey, were Kai and Gary always this close?” One of the students asked curiously.
“What's with the fancy car? Did he win the lottery or something?”
“I don’t think so. Wouldn’t they have announced such a thing in the local news? Maybe one of those Nigerian prince scams turned out to be actually true?”
‘Why… why would you do this in front of everyone?’ Was Gary's only thought, as he clenched the keys and walked forward.
“Kai, you’re really a jokester.” Gary said as he returned the keys. “I haven’t even had driving lessons, so how and earth could this be my car? Does your Dad even know that you took out his car?”
The teenager had made sure to be extra loud, so those around them would hear him. Gary's schoolmates felt like it belonging to Kai’s father was the only logical explanation. The blonde teenager was often walking around with his expensive watch, so for his father to have such a car wasn’t much of a stretch.
Of course, Tom wasn't buying it, it was clear his best friend was just trying to deflect the situation.
‘These people, that business and now this expensive car… that isn't simple money, Gary. Was all of this made when you were gambling… or did they pull off something even shadier?’ Tom worried, still unaware that Gary was the leader of the whole suspected gang.
Before anyone could ask him any questions, Gary quickly got into the car, followed by Innu. They would usually go to the Wolf's Pool Club anyway. Kai got in the passenger seat while the man in the suit returned inside and was ready to drive off.
Rolling down the window, Gary didn’t forget his best friend. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tom. Depending on how it goes, I might text you later.”
With that the car was on its way. Gary was going to stop by for a couple of hours before heading off on his date, as that was what they would typically do, and his sister thought of it as his part-time job.
While in the car, Gary had a lot of questions on his mind, but he honestly couldn’t stop looking all over the car. There was a screen in the back of the seat. Cup holders down the middle, a digital screen to control the air condition. The stitching was nice, and even the back seats were being heated.
It was a luxurious life he could quickly get used to.
“Judging by the smile on your face, you seem to approve of the car. That's nice.” Kai commented with a smirk.
Immediately after hearing those words, the smile on his underclassman’s face dropped.
“Why did you do that, Kai?” Gary asked in a serious tone. “Why did you buy this car, come to our school and tell everyone that it was mine? Are you trying to change my life?”
Unwilling to get in between the two, Innu decided to look outside the window, while enjoying the seats.
“Because the car is yours… Well, it's ours.” Kai clarified. “Innu kept complaining about how we as a proper gang didn't have a nice vehicle and I actually agree with him. Besides, we’ll need it for when we’ll set our sights outside of Slough.
“And what do you mean by ‘am I trying to change your life’, Gary? I don’t want to tell you any of that ‘once you’re in, you’re in for life’ bullshit, but after everything you've been through, but how exactly do you picture returning to your ‘normal’ life?”
Was it true? Was Gary really thinking that way? He realised today, when trying to meet up with Xin or playing Rugby, he enjoyed these things because it reminded him of his ordinary life… but could he really go back to that? Quitting the Howlers would be one thing, but how would he quit being a Werewolf? … and did he even want to do one or the other?
“Now come on, don’t tell me you haven’t at least entertained the possibilities about what you could do with the extra income we’ll generate from the Pincers gang. It would be weird if you and the others hadn’t been daydreaming at least a little. It's not wrong… but if you are going to use that money, then you have already stepped to this side, Gary.
“Knowing you, I bet you want to move somewhere nice. However, you’ll need to explain to your sister and mother how you were able to obtain all this money. What are you doing to tell them? Right now, after having taken over the Pincers, we are a gang that no longer needs to hide.
“Us Howlers should not shy away from spreading our name, otherwise it might actually become dangerous for us. Right now, the other gangs are all desperately trying to find any information about us, but our mystery factor will quickly cool off, if we don’t do anything. The other gangs will believe that what we did was just a fluke, so we have to make them afraid of us.
“We want to create the image that saying that you are under the Howlers, will offer more protection than saying you are not. We aren’t any small-time colour gang any more, Gary. We are the damn Howlers.” Kai stated with pride in his voice.
Listening to the blonde teenager speak, whenever Kai talked, he was always looking into the future. Every decision he made was one step closer to his grand ambition. Perhaps the reason he had not come to school today was also because purchasing the car was just another step needed in that plan.
“In the future, the Howlers will have to deal with corporations, among other things. We are going to be a business, Gary. We have to make a good impression and show that we can look after ourselves, otherwise why would anyone believe in us? This car was one of the first steps towards that. Also, I have not forgotten that you can't drive, which is why we have our own driver.
“What I want from you all, is to be proud that you are in the Howlers gang, this isn't any kiddie crap any more… only our leader needs to stay secret from the others. It starts off with one car today but a fleet soon.”
Gary was taking in everything that Kai had said, and it made him think a lot. He was right about it all. He had been thinking about using the money for his own benefit, yet as a sixteen-year-old teenager, he couldn’t help wishing to lead a normal life… even though he knew that as someone who had already killed, it would be impossible.
Just then, the car had driven past the convenience store, where Tyler would work at. For a brief moment, Gary could see the university student through the window staring at their car. Then again, nearly everyone on the street was doing the same. All pedestrians stopped for a moment, not used to such a sight.
The windows were tinted so no one could see who was inside. This feeling was strange, and off in the distance Gary could see the area where his apartment block was, and it made him think of his old landlord.
“Kai… since we have enough money to buy this car… can we buy the apartment blocks where I live? Also the shops we just went by.” Gary asked with some hesitation.
Hearing this request, Innu was also thinking about using the money to help out the orphanage. Perhaps they could purchase it and then upgrade it, so that Susan would no longer have to worry.
There was a silence before Kai answered with a surprising no.
“Gary, we might have a lot of cash on our hands, but at the same time we don’t have an unlimited amount. We aren’t a charity, either. Do you really think those places make that much profit? They would be more trouble than what they’re worth.
“Since you’re the boss, and I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t just ask if you didn’t have your reasons, there is one major problem that I think you're overlooking. That shop and those apartments are in the Underdogs territory. To put it simply, they're not for sale.
“We should also not try to expand outwards just yet. That's just asking for a war that we're not ready for.”
The answer somewhat upset Gary, but it reaffirmed his goal of wanting to get rid of the Underdogs.
“By the way, your suit is in the boot. I chose you the best of the best, and Gio here is going to give you a lift to your girlfriend's place. Make a good impression and woo her off her feet.” Kai grinned as he threw over a box. “Also, I wasn’t sure you had protection, so I picked you some up.”
“How do you…” Gary looked to his right, and Innu was trying to look away even harder. “You told him!”
——
At the same time, on the other side, Xin had just told her family about a guest that was soon to arrive.
‘Hopefully, you picked something fancy, streaker boy.’ Jayden smiled, as he was actually looking forward to today’s dinner.
*******
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