Mr Zane

The Search for Allies

As the sounds of the dark laugh got dim with time, Zane stood up moving towards his desk it was time to proceed what he has been thinking for months now.

He moved to his desk, pulling out his chair and sitting down with purpose. The laptop's screen flickered to life, illuminating his face with a pale glow. Zane's fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard as he prepared for his next task—finding an ally, someone who shared his disdain for the world and could be trusted in the darkness of the underworld he was about to create.

He began by searching the web for recent criminal activities involving teenagers, scouring news reports, blogs, and social media. His eyes scanned the headlines: "Teenage Hacker Infiltrates Corporate Systems," "High Schooler Linked to Armed Robbery," "Youth Gang Arrested for Vandalism Spree."

Each story was a potential lead, each name a potential ally. Zane created a list of these young criminals, noting their crimes and any available details about their pasts.

The first was a boy named Fatir, arrested for hacking into the school's grading system—not just for himself, but for profit, selling grades to his peers. Ethan had a reputation for being a genius with computers, but also for being an outcast, often bullied and overlooked by those around him.

Next was Mia, a girl with a history of shoplifting and small-time drug dealing. She was known for her sharp wit and ability to manipulate people to get what she wanted. Zane noted her fiery temper and the fact that she came from a broken home, much like his own.

Then there was Cane, who had been caught vandalizing a wealthy neighborhood with a group of friends. His file showed a deep-seated anger toward authority and the rich, fueled by a childhood spent in poverty.

Fourth on the list was Lisa, who had been implicated in a robbery gone wrong. She was the quiet type, a loner who kept to herself, but those who knew her described her as fiercely loyal to those she cared about—if she cared about anyone at all.

Finally, there was Noah, a teenager with a string of violent offenses, including assault and battery. He had a history of being moved from foster home to foster home, never finding a place where he truly belonged. His rage was evident, and it was clear that he harbored a deep hatred for the world that had cast him aside.

Zane leaned back in his chair, satisfied with the list he had compiled. These were people who had tasted the bitterness of life, who had been wronged by the world in ways that resonated with his own experiences. But he needed to know more—he needed to be sure that they were the right ones to join him in his plans.

He began to dig deeper, pulling up social media profiles, reading their posts, analyzing their photos, and piecing together the fragments of their lives that were scattered across the internet. Each post, each comment, each interaction was a clue that helped him understand why they had turned to crime, and whether they could be trusted in the long game he was preparing to play.

Hours passed as Zane immersed himself in their worlds, connecting the dots between their pasts and the crimes they had committed. He sought out signs of bitterness, anger, and most importantly, a shared disdain for the society that had failed them.

By the time the sun had shifted in the sky, casting a warm, late-afternoon glow through his window, Zane had narrowed down his list to five people he believed he could work with. These were not just criminals; they were people with the same darkness inside them that fueled him.

Zane's next move was critical. He needed to approach them in a way that would pique their interest without revealing too much. He opened a new tab on his laptop and searched for a disposable phone number—something untraceable, something that would keep his identity safe until he was ready to reveal himself.

Once he had secured the number, he crafted a message, one that was direct but cryptic, designed to lure them in without giving away too much:

"Meet me at Zilburg Street if you really wanna earn something. I won't share any details with you on text, but I can guarantee that it's beneficial for you all."

He sent the message to all five of his potential allies, his heart pounding as he watched the texts go through. Each one carried the weight of his plan, the first step in assembling the team that would help him bring his vision to life.

Zane leaned back in his chair, the tension in his body slowly easing. The bait had been set, and now all he could do was wait. If they showed up, it would mean they were interested, and if they didn't... well, he would find others.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across his room, Zane's gaze drifted back to the wall of plans pinned up beside him. His mind buzzed with the possibilities of what was to come, the anticipation of finally putting his plans into action. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the game was just beginning, and Zane was ready to play.