Morale was sky-high in the warehouse.
Cheers followed the boss when he returned through the door, back to the safety of his isolated room. Mark followed along with the rest of the gang's inner circle.
They walked around the barrier or crates and stopped in the empty space that followed.
Only then did the boss return to being the normal, unassuming man named Dean,
He gestured to one of the guards.
"Give me a chair."
The guards hurriedly fetched a simple wooden chair that Dean then sat down, relaxing his tensed shoulders and letting out a silent sigh.
"Since that is done, let's move on to the second part of this whole thing."
Mark stood with the rest of the attendants. Aaron and Billy were at his side, intently waiting for further instruction.
Dean looked up.
"Uhhh... We don't really know where the Spheks are. Finding them will be a pain. It would also be pretty bad if they were to attack us first. So, any ideas on where they might be?"
A brief silence hung.
'If you didn't know where they are, then why the hell did you say the attack will be in two days?'
That speech started to seem like a bunch of hollow lies now that Mark was able to see what the planning was like.
Sadly, there was a lot of improvisation and a lot of uncertainty.
One of the attendants stepped forward.
"I have some information that a beaten member of the Spheks told me when I threatened his life. Apparently, they had recently moved their base somewhere in the barrier of alleys between us and the factories, just up north enough to be closer to the central district if they need to retreat."
Dean nodded.
"Good, tomorrow we will have some search parties looking for them."
He pointed at Aaron and another two from the circle.
"You three do that. Find some capable men and then go to the alleys and quietly scout the area. And remember, it needs to be clandestine, absolutely nobody should find out. If you encounter some of those insects on the way, interrogate them and make sure no sound comes out of their mouths afterward. Now go get to it."
"Yes, boss!"
The chosen three straightened, turned, and walked behind the crates before leaving the room.
For a moment, the boisterous room of hoodlums could be heard as the doors opened and closed.
'Sounds like some real fun stuff is happening out there. Wish I could go and watch instead of standing in this stuffy room. Damn it all, my foot is starting to itch.'
Dean smiled.
"Now then, after we find them the advantage of surprise will be ours. Well, only if we move fast enough so it will be too late before they notice. Still, it should work- mostly."
He paused in thought.
"As for how to make use of this advantage... we could rush and overwhelm them."
Another attendant stepped forward.
"It would be better to block off their escape routes and keep them trapped."
Mark nodded.
"They probably won't be overwhelmed by anything. Taking our time probably is the best approach. Though, trapping them might be hard."
The attendant that just spoke turned to him.
"What do you mean?"
Scratching his head, Mark thought back to when he had encountered the leader of the Spheks.
"The gang moves around a lot. Sure, they might stay in the alleys, but their exact position has the chance to change when we are not looking. Assuming that they will stay still could be a big mistake."
Dean nodded but then turned to face him.
"In that case, what do you suppose we do?"
Mark froze.
'Uhhh... Shoot.'
It was easier to find flaws in ideas than make some from scratch.
He remained silent, a frown formed on his face.
The boss sighed.
"Even though there are some holes, this is what we will have to work with. If the Spheks don't move too much, then we can surround them. If they do move, then overwhelming and splitting them will be a good option. Either way, the advantage of surprise will help us when the fight comes."
With that, Dean clapped.
"And that's our plans. You all are dismissed."
The attendants left, their deft steps lightly tapping the floor.
Contrary to the others, one figure remained standing, a slight frown on his face.
"What is it Mark?"
Looking at Dean, the young man's pale black eyes glimmered in bewilderment.
"What were you planning to do if I hadn't shown up?"
The boss shrugged.
"I'd probably just get the speech over with and leave. Having you come was quite timely, it got the attention of the crowd and made my job easier. Thanks for that."
Mark nodded, but he still stood on the spot, confused.
Seeing this, Dean tapped his chin before a knowing expression found itself on his face.
"Ah, you must be confused about why you were made the figurehead of the army rather than some other person. Well, I was planning to use you in some sort of leadership role beforehand. But this opportunity showed itself, so I might as well make the most of it and have you boost the morale of our people. And don't ask me why it is you specifically. We already had that talk. Now go, leave me some time to think"
And so he did.
With no other reason to stay, Mark walked through the crowds of gang members and left the warehouse, having no destination in mind, he walked through the streets.
His head looked up at the smog.
Something felt wrong, but maybe it was his paranoia. That, or the leader was just too much of an enigma. From being the most unassuming person to having the greatest ability he has seen in mass manipulation,
He sighed
It was too late either way. He was too deep in to back out, every other option was gone, and only by getting rid of the Spheks could he try again in the central district. Besides, the moment he resolved to enter the underbelly of the city the implications of doing so were accepted.
Mark scratched his head.
For now, there was some time to rest.
Might as well do what he wants.