From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42: An Enemy or Friend

There was major confusion among the delinquents over what had just happened.

They had always operated as a unit, one voice, one leader, and that leader was Ko. They followed his orders without question. So seeing one of their own suddenly break ranks? It threw everything off.

That brief moment of hesitation was all Max needed.

He drove his knee straight into the face of the student holding him, then grabbed the other by the collar and hurled him in Joe’s direction.

The flying student tried to sidestep, not out of fear of being hit, but because he assumed Joe was still an ally, on the same side, like always.

He was wrong.

Joe brought his knee up hard, smashing it into the boy’s face, then tossed him like a ragdoll against the classroom wall.

With the immediate threat cleared, Max stepped forward, catching his breath as he wiped a bit of spit from the corner of his mouth.

"Nice one," Max said. "Looks like you’re earning your keep. I’ll throw in a bonus when this is all over."

"Joe, what is this? Why are you over there standing right next to Max?" Ko shouted, his voice cracking. "Why would you do this?"

Ko’s mind was nearly unraveling. Since the start of high school, he and his trio had been inseparable.

What could’ve possibly torn them apart, so much so that Joe was now willingly fighting against him?

They used to have fun doing everything together. Joe was like him. He wouldn’t just switch sides because he felt bad... would he?

"I hate to say it," Max thought as he slid into a fighting stance, "but something someone told me a while ago is true, money rules all."

The students surged forward again, but this time, Max didn’t have to face them alone.

He quickly kicked one in the stomach, then followed it up with a clean uppercut to another’s face.

Ducking and weaving through several punches, Max spotted another coming straight at him. Without hesitation, he kicked a desk forward, it slammed into the oncoming student, knocking him off balance.

Then, dodging one last swing, Max grabbed the attacker by the collar. In a swift motion, he yanked him forward and drove the back of his head straight into the desk with a brutal slam.

At first, those watching from outside were amazed by how Max was able to take on so many of them in such rapid succession. But the longer they watched him, the more something else became clear.

They were starting to realize just how brutal his fighting style really was. Max didn’t care where he struck someone or what he used to do it. He was willing to break bones, use chairs, whatever it took.

It wasn’t clean, and in some moments, it was hard for others to even watch.

Off to the side, Joe was holding his own. He didn’t have as many people crowding around him as Max did, which made things a little easier.

Only two students had come at him. Joe always felt like he was stronger than most of the kids in his class, and right now, it felt like he was proving that.