LAWFUL HEARTS IN LAWLESS TIMES

CHAPTER 5 : THE LIGHTER SIDE OF THE DARK

The door had barely closed behind Jimmy when Off turned to face Earth, Joong, and Tay. The air was still charged with the remnants of the earlier confrontation, the tension a palpable entity in the room.

"We've always managed to get our intel, to win our battles without any outsiders," Earth stated firmly, his gaze steady. "We've been a solid team, and we don't need lawyers to muddle our operations."

Joong nodded in agreement, his usually quiet demeanor hardening with conviction. "Off, your suggestion was out of line. We operate in the shadows, away from the prying eyes of the law. That's our strength."

Tay crossed his arms, the muscle in his jaw working as he spoke. "We've never needed them before. Why would we start now? It's a risk we cannot afford."

Off listened, his expression one of frustration tinged with understanding. "I know how it sounds," he began, his voice calm but insistent. "But we're not talking about just any lawyers. We need someone who can navigate the legal system, who can access information that's out of our reach."

Earth shook his head. "It's a slippery slope, Off. Today it's one lawyer, tomorrow it's an entire firm. Where does it end?"

Off's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "It ends when we find the man who killed Jimmy's father. We're hitting walls at every turn. Don't you see? We need a new perspective."

Joong's eyes narrowed. "And you think a lawyer will give us that? They're not trained for our world, Off. They don't understand loyalty or honor."

Tay added, "They understand money and influence. That's what drives them, not justice."

Off took a step forward, his resolve unwavering. "Not all of them. Some fight for the truth, for the oppressed. They have skills we don't—skills we need."

Earth sighed, the lines of his face etched with concern. "Even if we found such a lawyer, how do we know we can trust them? How do we know they won't turn on us?"

Off met each of their gazes in turn. "We vet them, just like we do with anyone else. We test their loyalty, their integrity."

Joong and Tay exchanged a look, the unspoken communication clear between them. They were not convinced, but Off's passion was hard to ignore.

"Let's say we consider it," Tay said slowly. "How do we even begin to approach someone like that without exposing ourselves?"

Off's eyes lit up, a spark of hope amidst the doubt. "We do it carefully, discreetly. We use our contacts, our networks. We stay in the shadows, but we extend our reach into the light."

The room fell silent, the weight of the decision hanging over them. It was a gamble, a deviation from the path they had always known. But the stakes were higher than ever, and the usual methods were yielding nothing but dead ends.

Finally, Earth nodded, a reluctant agreement. "We'll think about it, Off. But for now, let's keep this between us. Jimmy is not ready to hear it."

Off's shoulders relaxed slightly, a tentative truce reached. "Thank you," he said, the gratitude evident in his voice. "I just want to find justice for our brother "

The mood in the office had shifted from the heated debate to a more contemplative silence. Earth, Off, Tay, and Joong were gathered around the table, each lost in thought over the unprecedented situation they found themselves in.

"It's like he's a ghost," Tay mused, flipping through a dossier with a frown. "Not a single lead, not a trace. This has never happened before."

Joong, usually the quiet one, couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe we're losing our touch. Or maybe our targets are getting smarter."