Crimson Rebellion

CHAPTER 5 — THE UNWANTED RECRUIT

Night had fallen over Kurogane City.

Rain tapped against the broken windows of Crimson Rebellion HQ.

Ren stood alone in the hallway.

He couldn't stop thinking about Raiden's words.

The people you fought yesterday weren't the ones I was worried about.

Ren looked toward the entrance.

Who were they?

And why would they want him?

A voice suddenly came from behind him.

“You're thinking too much.”

Ren turned.

The tattooed recruit stood there.

His shoulder was wrapped in bandages from their fight.

Ren stared at him.

“You're supposed to be resting.”

The recruit laughed.

“That's not how things work here.”

He walked past Ren.

Then stopped.

“You got lucky.”

Ren frowned.

“Lucky?”

“You hesitated.”

The recruit looked over his shoulder.

“If you hadn't, I'd be dead.”

Ren didn't respond.

The recruit continued walking.

“Don't think that means I respect you.”

Ren watched him disappear.

For some reason, the conversation bothered him.

Not because of the insult.

Because the recruit sounded almost afraid.

Later that night, Ren returned to his room.

Something was sitting on his bed.

A small black envelope.

Ren stopped.

He hadn't left anything there.

Slowly, he picked it up.

There was no name on it.

Only a symbol.

A black circle with three lines cutting through the center.

Ren's expression changed.

He opened the envelope.

Inside was a single piece of paper.

Four words were written across it.

YOU DON'T BELONG HERE.

Ren stared at the message.

Then—

A noise came from behind him.

Ren spun around.

Nothing.

The window was open.

Cold rain blew into the room.

Ren walked toward it.

He looked down.

Three floors below, a shadow stood in the alley.

Someone was watching him.

Ren blinked.

The figure disappeared.

The next morning, Ren brought the envelope to Raiden.

Raiden read it without saying anything.

His expression remained completely still.

But Ren noticed something.

Raiden's hand tightened around the paper.

“Where did you get this?”

“My room.”

“Who else saw it?”

“No one.”

Raiden burned the paper.

Ren stared.

“Why did you do that?”

“Because it doesn't exist anymore.”

Ren frowned.

“That doesn't answer my question.”

Raiden looked at him.

“You're asking too many questions.”

“And you're not answering enough.”

Silence.

For a moment, Ren wondered if he'd gone too far.

Then Raiden smiled.

“You're getting braver.”

He walked past him.

“That's dangerous.”

Ren followed.

“Who sent it?”

Raiden stopped.

“Someone who knows you're here.”

Ren's stomach tightened.

“Why?”

Raiden turned around.

“Because they know what you are.”

Ren froze.

“What I am?”

Raiden stared at him for several seconds.

Then walked away.

Ren stood there.

He wanted to follow.

But something told him not to.

That afternoon, Crimson Rebellion gathered in the main hall.

Dozens of members stood in silence.

Raiden stood at the center.

“We have a problem.”

Everyone listened.

“Someone entered our territory last night.”

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

Raiden raised his hand.

The room became silent.

“They left a message.”

A member stepped forward.

“What message?”

Raiden looked toward Ren.

Then back at the group.

“They're asking for him.”

Every eye in the room turned toward Ren.

His heart dropped.

A voice came from the crowd.

“Why?”

Another member answered.

“Who the hell is he?”

Someone else laughed.

“Maybe he's a spy.”

Ren's fists tightened.

Raiden remained silent.

Then the tattooed recruit stepped forward.

“You can't be serious.”

Everyone looked at him.

He pointed toward Ren.

“You're risking the entire gang because of this guy?”

Raiden's eyes narrowed.

“Watch your words.”

The recruit didn't back down.

“No.”

He stepped closer.

“I want an answer.”

The room became tense.

Raiden looked at him.

“You want an answer?”

“Yes.”

Raiden nodded.

“Then you'll get one.”

He turned toward Ren.

“Ren isn't leaving.”

The room erupted.

“What?!”

“Why?”

“Are you insane?”

Raiden's voice cut through the noise.

“Because if someone wants him…”

He looked toward the windows.

“They'll have to come through us.”

The room fell silent.

Ren stared at him.

For the first time since arriving at Crimson Rebellion...

he wasn't sure whether Raiden was protecting him.

Or protecting Crimson from him.

That night, Ren stood on the rooftop.

The city lights stretched across the horizon.

He heard footsteps behind him.

The tattooed recruit.

“You really are trouble.”

Ren sighed.

“Not again.”

The recruit stood beside him.

“You know what happens when someone becomes a problem for Crimson?”

Ren looked at him.

“They get removed.”

The recruit shook his head.

“No.”

He looked toward the city.

“They get hunted.”

Ren's expression changed.

The recruit reached into his pocket.

He pulled out something small.

A black metal symbol.

The same symbol from Ren's envelope.

Ren stared at it.

“Where did you get that?”

The recruit looked at him.

“I found it outside HQ.”

Ren's blood ran cold.

The recruit closed his hand around it.

“And Ren…”

“What?”

The recruit's expression became serious.

“It wasn't left for Raiden.”

He looked directly at him.

“It was left for you.”

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:

Someone is coming for Ren.

But the black symbol isn't the only clue.

The next morning, a body is discovered outside Crimson Rebellion territory.

And carved into the wall beside it are five words:

“SEND US THE NEW RECRUIT.”

Raiden looks at the message.

Then he gives Crimson Rebellion its first order.

“Prepare for war.”

END OF CHAPTER 5

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