Chapter 88: Could He Be The First?

After school ended for the day, West packed his bag slowly.

He already knew they would come again and he was right.

The moment he stepped outside the main building, he spotted them.

Gang representatives.... but more than three this time.

He could see multiple insignias.

Word had spread that he had more than one branch.

Usually, newly awakened would be the one going after gangs, excited to join on.

But the case was different for an awakened that had more than one branch.

Multi-branch Awakeners were rare... it was normal for recruitment offers to multiply.

West didn’t even approach the front gate.

Instead, he casually turned down the side hallway and exited through the back.

The rear fence wasn’t particularly high.

He glanced around, scanning for any presence and after confirming that there was none, he leapt over it cleanly.

West landed on the other side without breaking stride.

Behind the main entrance, gang members waited impatiently, checking watches and scanning faces while West was already halfway down the adjacent street.

...

...

Ash & Crème was unusually chaotic that afternoon.

Not because of customers or rush hour... but because Jax Monroe was pacing behind the counter like a caffeinated squirrel on existential crisis mode.

"BRO."

West calmly wiped down a coffee machine.

"BRO."

He didn’t look up.

"JAX."

Jax slammed his phone on the counter and leaned across it dramatically.

"One hundred and seventy thousand dollars."

A customer coughed awkwardly nearby.

West leaned slightly and whispered, "Inside voice."

Jax grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him toward the storage room.

The moment the door shut—

"ARE YOU A DRUG LORD NOW?" Jax hissed.

West nearly spat out the sip of iced coffee he had just taken.

"What?!"

"Don’t ’what’ me!" Jax flailed his arms. "You said it was something from the residential ruins. Okay cool. Fine. But who sells something for ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS and says it casually like it’s pocket change?!"

West pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Relax."

"Relax? RELAX? If the IRS pulls up I’m throwing you under the bus."

West grabbed his shoulders.

"It’s from the ruins. The item I told you about."

Jax blinked.

"The... glowy vegetable thing?"

"Rotars Flork."

"Yeah, that alien asparagus."

West sighed.

"I sold it at an awakened trade establishment. Completely legal."

Jax squinted.

"Legal-legal? Or awakened-legal?"

"Awakened legal."

"That’s not reassuring."

West leaned closer.

"Listen carefully. I couldn’t let it trace back to me so I used your account temporarily."

Jax froze.

"...Wait. So gangs are involved."

"Technically."

"TECHNICALLY?!" Jax whisper-screamed. "Why do you say technically like that’s safe?!"

West raised a hand.

"They won’t trace it. I didn’t give them my identity. You’re just the transfer point."

Jax stared at him for a long five seconds.

Then sighed dramatically.

"Okay. Okay. I got you, buddy."

He pointed a finger at West.

"But if a black SUV with tinted windows ever pulls up, I’m telling them you made me do it."

West smirked. "You’re dramatic."

"Dramatic people live longer."

Moments later, Jax transferred the full $170,000 to West’s real account.

West checked his phone as the balance updated.

It looked surreal.

He slid the phone back into his pocket calmly, but inside?

His mind was racing.

As they continued their shift, he found himself observing Jax differently.

Panicky but loyal.

He kept the money secret and didn’t question too much.

Neither did he ask for a cut...

He also kept Gor’thala a secret when he foind out about her.

West trusted him...

’Could he be the first?’

The idea formed quietly.

If West’s theory was correct.. and he could use the Awakening Voucher to create awakeners...

He glanced at Jax, who was aggressively frothing milk like it personally offended him.

Maybe... just maybe Jax could be the first person he tested it on.

---

That Night West lay on his bed scrolling through messages.

Aria:

I already miss you. When are we meeting again?

He smiled slightly.

Mira:

Don’t think being an awakened makes you cooler than me.

He replied:

It definitely does.

Mira:

Shut up.

Nina, however... was replying shorter and a bit delayed.

West noticed but didn’t press for now.

’I’ll deal with that later.’

He placed the phone down already deciding that tomorrow, he’d test something.

---

~ The Next Day ~

Jax walked toward Ash & Crème after school with earbuds in, humming terribly off-key.

He had no idea someone was watching him as he unhurriedly and jovially jogged forward at times in rhythm to the sound playing in his ears.

A figure stepped from behind a van in mask and dark clothing.

Jax didn’t even register the presence until—

An arm wrapped around him.

"HEY—"

He tried to twist free but one sharp knock to the back of his neck made his vision descend into darkness as he lost consciousness.

---

At an unknown location, Jax’s eyes fluttered open.

He tried shifting upon feeling cold metal beneath him but unfortunately, he couldn’t.

His wrists and ankles were tied tightly.

He craned his neck and froze immediately upon realizing what was happening...

He was tied across railway tracks.

"...Oh."

A faint vibration swept through the metal beneath him.

In the distance— a train horn referred...

"OH."

He started screaming.

"HELLO? HELLO?! EXCUSE ME?! THIS IS NOT A FUNNY PRANK!"

A masked figure stepped into view with their arms folded.

Jax twisted.

"Bro. Bro. Let’s talk about this like civilized tax-paying citizens."

The masked figure said nothing while the train horn sounded again as it drew closer.

Jax began kicking uselessly.

"YOU COULD’VE JUST TEXTED ME IF YOU WANTED MONEY!"

The masked figure crouched beside him and spoke with a low tone.

"Where did the 170,000 dollars go?"

Jax blinked rapidly.

"Wow. Straight to business."

"Who owns it?"

Jax swallowed.

"I ain’t telling you shit."

The masked figure tilted his head.

"Then you’ll die."

The train rumble grew louder.

Jax’s eyes widened.

"Okay wait wait WAIT WAIT WAIT."

He started yelling louder.

"IS THIS EVEN A FUNCTIONAL TRACK?! WHO USES TRAINS ANYMORE?!"

The masked figure ignored him.

"Talk."

Jax’s brain went into overdrive as he began cursing in pure panic.

"YOU MASKED BUDGET BATMAN! IF I SURVIVE THIS I’M SUING!"