From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134: The First Mission

The first mission, as a member of the Rejected Corps.

Just thinking about those words made Max chuckle to himself.

He hadn’t exactly taken the traditional route into the gang world. He didn’t rise through the ranks like most people. Instead, much like he had done with the White Tigers, he created something from the ground up.

So now, being just a member of a gang instead of the one leading it... well, that was definitely new territory.

At his desk, Max sat tapping his pen against the surface, clicking it in and out over and over again. The sound was soft, but steady enough to get on people’s nerves. A few students turned around with irritated looks on their faces, ready to snap, until they saw who was making the noise.

Their expressions froze. They turned back around without a word.

Joe, sitting nearby, couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.

No one wants to get a pen shoved into their hand by Max, he thought. Fair enough... but what’s up with him? He’s been off ever since that phone call.

Max’s thoughts were spinning. What would his first mission even be? Would they ease him into it, something simple to break him in? Or would it be a test, a way to size him up?

And what exactly was the Rejected Corps hoping to gain from this arrangement?

Did they think that having him on their side meant controlling the entire school? That he was some kind of key to a bigger plan?

I have to think about my own goals in all of this, Max reminded himself. I need to play it smart with Chrono, stay on his good side so I don’t end up on his list. But more importantly, I need to figure out what really happened with Chad... and where all that money went.

If Chad’s fortune couldn’t protect him, then mine won’t either.

The idea of hiring private security teams to take down a ruthless gang sounded good on paper, but reality didn’t work like that. If the gang was too big... too connected...

No amount of money could save you.

If the Rejected Corps had connections at the syndicate level, then hiring another gang wouldn’t help. No one would dare take the job.

Not unless they didn’t know who they were really dealing with.

When school ended, Joe approached Max like he always did, casual and upbeat. The two of them headed out together.

"I’m in good shape again, finally ready for some training," Joe said with a grin. "Maybe we should spar together? You’re a little better than me, so it’d help me improve, right?"

Max turned and gave him a look.

"I mean, a lot better," Joe corrected himself quickly, hands up in surrender. "Alright, calm down. But seriously, I’ve improved a lot. That guy just caught me off guard last time. I’ll do better next time. I’m sorry."

They were walking through the hallway when Max suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Do me a favor, Green," Max said, not even turning to look at him. "Don’t apologize for things that aren’t your fault. It’s a habit that’ll only hold you back."

"I’m... sorry," Joe replied on instinct. _{freēwebnovel.com}

Max turned around and gave him that look again.

Joe clamped his mouth shut, resisting the urge to let the words slip out again.

"About the gym," Max started, "I won’t be, "

But before he could finish, Jay appeared on the bottom floor, just past the rows of lockers lining the walls.

"You guys can’t just tell me to sit back and do nothing while you go off handling things behind my back," Joe said, voice rising with frustration. "That psycho attacked me, remember? Don’t you think I deserve to know what’s going on?"

"Even Stephen’s telling me to let it go, but how can I? I was there."