Black Market Merchant

Alan Stockholm was in a predicament. The unending series of attacks from the Mad Dogs gang had lasted all day. Thankfully, night had now fallen and forced the two sides to pause the assault. His men were exhausted and battered. Even he himself had a few scrapes and bruises from the attacks.

At least fifteen of his men were no longer able to fight. He had to make the decision to either come up with new plan or retreat. Retreat was never an option to Alan and he hardly ever considered even thinking about it. He nearly always found a way to win, no matter what.

Alan looked around the crumbling room they had picked to camp the night in. Three fires were lit, and everyone was crowded around them to stay warm in the chilly night air. The faces of the men were all different. Some looked tired, others scared, and yet most of them were like himself, eager for the fight to restart. The Skull really was a bunch of battle addicted whack jobs and that’s what made it great.

Yet things wouldn’t end well for them if the battle went on like this. He knew he had to do something he hated doing if victory would be assured. Swallowing his pride, Alan started looking at the men that appeared to be scared and then found a suitable person, he called him over.

"I need you to do something for me." Alan said to the scared looking man.

Giving a hesitant nod the man listened. He looked to be much younger than most of those in his troops. Maybe eighteen or so.

"I need you to run back to our territory to find Bone Dust, Stitches, or Steel Fist." Alan said while giving the names some thought. "Once you find one or all of them, tell them to come here to help fight. There’s a battle going on and I know they get bored just as I do. They will likely come without a second thought. If one doesn't agree to come, then just go find the next guy."

"Understood Bone Flayer." The young man said appearing relieved.

"Good. Now one more thing." Alan quickly said.

"Yes?" The young man said uncertainly.

"You have to this all this tonight and get them back here by morning." Alan spoke with some intensity and with the firelight dancing on his skull painted face, he looked even more serious than normal. "We probably won't last very long tomorrow, if the fighting goes on like today." This part he said quietly, so that the rest of the men in the room would not hear him and become disheartened.

"I will go as fast as I can, boss. I won't let you down." The young gangster said forcing a confident simile. The black and white paint of the skull painted on his face crinkled as he did, giving the impression that an actual skull was smiling.

Alan nodded in approval. This young man was no coward, simply scared, with a lack of battle experience. He could handle himself better in future battles. Alan could tell. The young man quickly left the fire lit room and dissolved into the night. Alan stood up with an air of importance and several of the men took note and looked at him expectantly.

Alan cleared his throat loudly before speaking and he broke out into a huge confident smile, "Tomorrow we will fight, and we will win!" He had everyone's attention now. "We cannot let them continue to attack us like this. So, we are going to change things up some. After we get some sleep, we are going to change locations before the sun rises. However, I need three of you to stay here and keep the fires going."

"I'll stay." One of the injured men said raising his uninjured hand. "I can't fight, but I can still move enough to keep the fire going." Two other men voiced their agreement as well. They too were injured, but able.

"Good. I am proud to see such valiant warriors. Skull is lucky to have you on our side." Alan said smiling at them. He truly was proud to see that his men had such vigor in them. "Keep the fires lit, nice and bright. They are clearly visible to the Mad Dogs and we need them to think we spent the whole night here."

The three injured men nodded understandably. Then he continued speaking while overlooking the others. "As for the rest of us we are going to go forward to the next block. We will split into three groups. Just like we did in the ambush yesterday. We will only be in the middle street. They will attack down this street for sure and that's because of these fires." Alan gestured to the three fires in the room.

"They will think we are still here and attack to flush us out. But we will be ready!" Alan said clinching his fist and shaking it excitedly. The men in the room cheered with excitement. The Skull gang never feared a fight. This was the source of their strength and it clearly made up for their low numbers.

The night passed slowly as Alan stayed up waiting for the right time to wake his men to get ready to move. He stared in the direction of his enemies and could feel that someone was looking back at him from the dark void of night. He smiled hungrily. Fights were always the best!

…

Hugo looked out into the pitch black of the night at three rays of light sparking like jewels in the distance. He felt confident. The battle had been a bit difficult at first but by the end of the day he could tell the Skull gang was weakening. If the fighting had started sooner, he was sure they would have broken through their defense and crushed them. However, that would have to wait until morning.

The night had been silent as the Mad Dog gang slept. The buildings on this block were in much better condition than the ones where the Skull had set up their camp. So, Hugo and the gangsters had a much better rest that night. Or so it would have been until one of the sentries alerted Hugo.

Hugo sat up from the couch he was sleeping on groggily and grumpily inquired, "What is it?”

"Sir, the reinforcements are here." The sentry reported from the door to Hugo’s room.

"Already?" Hugo said getting up quickly. "I knew he was dying for revenge, but I didn't expect him to be this eager."

Hugo walked out into the street to see Darius and his men waiting for him. Darius and his forces wore all black clothing. If it weren't for the fact that Darius had bleached his hair white, his dark skin mixed with the clothing would have made him invisible in the dark. The rest of his men wore black face masks to conceal themselves. They looked almost like ninjas; they were just missing the swords. Rather they were armed with all kinds of oddity handheld weaponry.

Darius went up to Hugo immediately and spoke urgently. "Are you sure the Bone Flayer is here?"

"Yes, he is." Hugo said taking a step back. Darius was a very brash man and didn't seem to understand the since of respecting one’s personal space.

"Where? Let's get him now!" Darius said looking fervently around.

"Take it easy man." Hugo said holding up his hands. "You will have your chance in the morning. Now is not the time."

"But the Bone Flayer is here! I can't let him get away with what he did to me any longer!" Darius shouted.

"I know. I know. But you can't make the same mistake you did last time. I have a plan and if you follow it you are sure to get your revenge." Hugo said calmly. Darius was a bit of a loose cannon, but he was still useful and a capable fighter.

Darius rubbed a hand soothingly across his stomach. A look of anguish plastered on his face was very visible even at night. The scar of his defeat from the Bone Flayer was still fresh in his mind and body.

"Fine." Darius growled. "I'll follow your plan, if it's actually any good." He eyed Hugo carefully looking for some kind of response.

Hugo sighed and decided to explain the plan to Darius in its entirety. Several minutes later Darius seemingly satisfied and gripped out a reply, "That will work. As soon as he shows himself it will be his last."

"Good to hear it." Hugo nodded. "The Boss will be happy to know that these stupid Skulls will end up losing a great fighter and their territorial gains in this single fight."

"Like I care what the Boss wants." Darius said with a snort. "I just want him dead!"

…

The next morning Darius and Hugo readied their forces at first light. They set themselves up in the same formation as the day before. Only this time, Darius and his men were in the center. To the Skull gangsters they probably wouldn't notice that there were different men in the center, but they would see that the Mad Dogs numbers had increased. However, by then it would be too late.

The sun had just started to light up the world and the streets grew ever brighter. It would be mere moments before the sun finally did rise and shine on the ruined downtown around them. Hugo waved to Darius from the right street signaling that it was time to attack.

Giving a huge shout, Darius and his men thundered down the road ready to crush the Skulls and Bone Flayer. Their objective was the building with the three fires still burning inside. That was where the Skull was. They hadn't come out yet, but they had seen people still moving past the fires. Meaning that they were probably still not ready for the early battle.

Just as Hugo had told Darius, the Skull were tired from the previous battles the day before. They were weak now. Darius smiled excitedly knowing now that revenge for his humiliation was growing near.

They reached the intersection of the first block and got halfway through when suddenly they were ambushed! From all four corner buildings the Skull forces came rushing out at them weapons brandished, while others pelted them with rocks from roof tops, adding to the confusion. The Mad Dogs gangsters under Darius were hardly affected by the attack. They were seasoned warriors and quickly put up a defense in the center of the road. They were doing well, but Darius was furious! The Bone Flayer was nowhere to be seen!

Darius thought angrily while surveying the fight from the center of his forces. "Hugo must have lied to me!"

He was about to join in the fight to burn off his anger, when suddenly several of his men behind him wailed in pain. He spun around to see a dozen of Skull gangsters that had appeared right in the middle of them and had stabbed several of his men in the back. Standing tall and laughing wickedly was Alan the Bone Flayer!

"Bone Flayer!!" Darius yelled madly. His eyes glowed with hate as he charged headlong at his foe.

Alan heard his nickname and turned just in time to turn and lock weapons with his attacker. He looked into the angry brown eyes of the black man attacking him. Then he laughed in his face.

"Ah, it’s you. I thought you would have died from our last meeting. You seem well, Hack Saw!" Alan said pushing back hard against Darius weapon.

"I'm going to kill you!" Darius yelled hoarsely at Alan while also pushing back; refusing to give an inch to the hulking figure before him.

"Just try!" Alan said pushing away from Darius to create some space.

The two ignored the others around them and they circled each other looking for an opening. The fight amongst the two gangs was even for the moment and whoever won this fight would determine the outcome of the battle.