Clarence soon started running north, deeper into the city. He passed dilapidated homes and cracked roads, decades late for repair. Eventually, he reached a ratty, chain-linked fence. He opened a section that had been disconnected from the rest and crawled in. He laughed victoriously as he neared salvation in the form of a large warehouse.

The warehouse wasn’t exceptionally large, but it was bigger than almost any other building in the city. It stood two stories tall, the paint had been largely washed away, and there were several cracks in the walls. The building wasn’t safe by any means for use or habitation, but the Vipers didn’t care. It was a good place to use as a staging ground for drug deals.

Clarence burst through the service door on the side of the building. He was completely out of breath and had to struggle just to stand. His knees soon gave way and he fell to the ground as his fellow gangsters surrounded him.

“Clarence?” one of the other Vipers asked. To the young gangster’s delight, the room was filled with long-time Vipers, each armed with a handgun and a kill count.

“He’s co… he’s coming…” Clarence panted. He was so out of breath that even speaking was a chore.

“Where is he?” another thug asked.

“I… uh,” Clarence said from the floor. “I lost sight of him. I’m pretty sure he was still behind me.”

“You’re pretty sure?” one thug shouted, causing Clarence to shrink back.

“Y-yeah, I mean, he saw me and started chasing me,” Clarence said, though thinking back, he couldn’t remember the hobo even pursuing him. Once he took off, he never looked back to see if the hobo took off too. “He… he should be here soon.”

There was a collective groan as everyone walked away, scattering about the warehouse like before. The disappointment was palpable as everyone present wanted to kill the mysterious hobo and restore their lost respect. One thug, in disgust of Clarence’s cowardice, landed a powerful kick to his gut, causing the young man to cough violently.

Clarence didn’t try to get up. He watched the others meander through the large single-room building. He felt completely disconnected from the rest of them. Would they ever really accept him into this gang? Would they have even protected him when the hobo showed up? Clarence had only been a part of this gang for two months. It seemed like he would never become a full member.

Clarence was too lost in his troubles to notice when part of the wall was broken through on the middle of the building. There was a small blast as shrapnel flew into one of the Vipers’ legs. Richard Clarke walked inside and took one look at the thugs all around him. None of them would pose a threat.

“Hey, who the fuck are you?” one thug asked as the crowd looked on.

“Is that the guy?”

“Who is that?”

“He’s gotta be the bum Freddie G wanted to off!”