"If you're going to be a part of the gang, you're going to have to become at least a little friendly with the others."

Dion scoffed at the woman’s statement. It was a gang, not a book club, there was absolutely no reason for him to become friends with the other members. He had no wish to befriend people like them.

“I want no part of this gang, you're the one who gave me no other choice,” he muttered as an answer, eyes staying locked on the passing landscape outside the car. “I’ll do my job and they can do theirs, no need for anything else.”

But despite the man’s words, the blonde seemed to ignore it and carry on, introducing the two other men. Only briefly did Dion’s gaze leave the scene outside to look at the two men, taking note of who was who but nothing else. He still had no desire to befriend them but knowing their names wouldn't hurt.

The young man looked back out the window when the sound of a walkie talkie sparked through the car, yet another man’s voice being heard, a Lucas was it who was speaking, apparently.

Listening, the red-haired man couldn't help but to turn his head and look over his shoulder, looking out the rear window and almost immediately spotting one of the three cars. How had he not noticed sooner? Was he really that determined to act like a stubborn child and ignore people that he was forgetting to keep an eye out for the most basic of things? Sure, he despised the woman next to him for putting him in this position but that was no reason to not do his job properly, he knew better, he had been taught better.

She would have been furious with him for missing such a thing if he'd still been with her now.

Unconsciously, one of his hands had reached up, his index finger running across the scarred part of his ear where it had once been cut off. He needed to get his act together, no more temper tantrums, no more acting like a stubborn child and no more ignoring his surroundings, time to focus on the task in front of him, do the work he had now been chosen to do, whether he wanted to or not.

Once they arrived and the car came to a halt, Dion was last to get out of the car, eyes sweeping their surroundings, before landing on the building in front of them, the building which he assumed had to be the Viper’s headquarters. The tall man had taken place behind the woman, slightly to the side, as he awaited her next movement. Despite towering over the blonde he couldn't help but to feel small, he thought he had escaped this type of lifestyle long ago, yet here he was, forced back into it and awaiting orders like a dog. That woman had him in her palm and she knew it.

As they headed inside, Dion kept his eyes trained on the men of Luciano that were standing outside the building, just like him they were dogs, dogs obediently awaiting orders. Dogs who, if they stepped out of line, would be put down without hesitation, dogs who could easily be replaced by a new little pup.

That was another reason for why he didn't understand that the Viper just had to choose him, she could pick anyone else, someone young and naive, someone willing, and train them to perfection and obedience, but instead she chose him.

Why?

Did she know something that he didn't? Did she know about his past? No… There was no way she could know, absolutely no way. He would have known it already if she did.

When they entered the room that was Viper’s office, the voice of another man could be heard, a dark haired male standing at the desk in the room. Dion watched as the other men of the Viper spread out in the room while he stayed by the door, eyes fixed on the man he presumed to be Luciano and the two men next to him, eyes searching for where they could have weapons hidden.

He was less concerned with what his now leader was doing and far more focused on the body language of the men that seemed to be her enemies. If they tried anything he didn't just have to be one step ahead of them, with no kind of weapons on him, he needed to be two steps ahead, ready to take them down before they even got the chance to reach for their weapons if it came to that.

((Sorry it's quite short :/))

Dion listened silently to the exchange of words going on between the two leaders, Viper clearly showing the type of person she was, one hungry for power. This while the other man, Luciano, seemed to just avoid her questions about why he was there, instead taunting the woman, likely to get a reaction from her but the blonde seemed to keep her cool, not giving into his words.

Suddenly the man moved closer to Viper but instead of moving closer like the other men of Viper did, stayed put, instead eying the men next to Luciano, seeing how they had both reached for the weapons they had kept hidden, one had his tucked behind his back while the other had a shoulder holster, hidden by his jacket.

Like Dion had assumed, Viper had been quick to dismiss her men and tell them to back off, Luciano had no intentions of doing anything, yet. It was easy to see if you just studied his body language, he wanted to intimidate the shorter woman, scare her into submission, but she had no intention to do that, something which was also clear. She was a woman hungry for power and by the looks of it, she had so far succeeded, something you didn't do in this type of life if you were the first to back down or cry for help.

At the mention of an alliance, Luciano almost seemed offended but from what Dion had been able to gather in this short time, what else could the man have expected coming here?

Watching the two stare each other down, Dion continued to remain put, arms kept behind his back as his gaze shifted from the two leaders and the man with a gun in his waistband. If, or rather when, one of the two leaders made their move, that guy would be the easiest to disarm before he could even reach for his gun, and if Dion could get ahold of a weapon, he would not have to worry about feeling at a disadvantage. If he wasn't successful then he would just have to do what he did best, use his fists.

If it did come down to it, no matter how much he hated to admit it, he would have to do everything to keep Viper alive, she was his only lead on Niké’s whereabouts and he could not let her die until he knew where his brother was.

The energy in the room seemed to grow for each second that passed, the suspense growing as the men around the two leaders waited for their next move. That same energy went out of the room like a sigh the moment Luciano stepped back though. Everyone's shoulders lowered, all their guards dropping visibly, but not Dion’s.

The man stayed alert, like a guard dog protecting his handler, waiting for a signal to charge at the threat. He was silent, eyes shifting between Luciano and his men, watching with careful eyes for the slightest sign that they might attack.

Finally though, Luciano left, his men following after like obedient little puppies, all of them running away in defeat, tails between their legs.

As a result of their departure, Viper looked more than pleased with herself, leaning back in her chair with a relaxed body language. The woman stood as the clear victor after hers and Luciano’s stand off and there was no doubt about it.

It didn't take long for her to presume her duties as a leader though, soon starting to order around the other men in the room, sending them away on separate tasks but her eyes didn't land on him for even a second.

Not until it was just Dion and her left in the room, their eyes meeting for the first time since entering the room. Dion held his brown gaze on the woman’s eyes, not moving a muscle as he waited for her to speak, expecting to be sent on a task like the others.

"Welcome to your new life."

Dion’s gaze darkened slightly at that and he tried to stay quiet, he tried to bite his tongue, he really did, but in the end he was unsuccessful.

“You say that as if I should be grateful, and I can assure you that that is the last thing I am. I never wished for this life so for both our sakes, let's not pretend this is anything but business and as long as you hold up your end, I will do my job and make sure you're alive and safe, deal?” He questioned, his tone as cool as his gaze, however it never got hostile or aggressive, he remained calm, just not calm enough to hold his tongue and await orders like the good little dog he was supposed to be.

The man knew the way this was supposed to go, he was supposed to keep his thoughts and feelings under control, not let them come floating up to the surface and being shown off to the world. This was different though, his brother was involved now and he would do anything for his brother.