Chereads / Soul Switch (Tamashii no Irekawari) / Chapter 3 - Lines Blurred

Chapter 3 - Lines Blurred

The chill of the night air seeped through the cracks in the warehouse, but Jake barely noticed. His thoughts churned with worry as Renzo paced back and forth, the glow of a flickering bulb throwing sharp shadows across his borrowed face.

"We need a plan," Renzo muttered, his tone clipped. "Vito's onto us, and the more time we waste, the closer he gets to figuring out something's wrong."

Jake sat on an old crate, fiddling nervously with the hem of his suit jacket. "You think he suspects... about the switch? "

Renzo stopped pacing and fixed Jake with a cold stare. "No. But he'll use any weakness he smells, and right now, you're radiating vulnerability."

Jake bristled but bit back a retort. Renzo wasn't wrong. Navigating the mafia world was like walking through a minefield, and he wasn't even sure where to step next.

Jake woke up to the sound of Franco's booming voice outside his door.

"Boss, time to get up! Meeting in thirty minutes."

Groaning, Jake pulled himself out of bed. The mattress felt like a cloud compared to his lumpy one at home, but even luxury couldn't dull the anxiety gnawing at his stomach. He quickly dressed, mimicking Renzo's sharp style as best he could, and headed to the dining room, where a spread of breakfast items awaited him.

Franco and a few other men stood by the door, waiting. Jake grabbed a coffee, hoping it would steady his nerves.

"Boss," Franco said, stepping forward, "the Valentinos made another move last night. One of our shipments was intercepted near the docks."

Jake nearly choked on his coffee. Shipments? Docks? He forced a calm expression. "What's the damage?"

Franco's lips pressed into a thin line. "Enough to send a message. They're testing us."

Jake set his mug down, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to hesitate, not with Franco and the others watching him for leadership.

"Double security on all future shipments," Jake said, trying to sound authoritative. "And send a warning. Nothing too aggressive yet. Let's see how they respond."

Franco nodded, seemingly satisfied. Jake exhaled, grateful his bluff had worked again for now.

Meanwhile, at Jake's High School

Renzo sat slouched in a desk at the back of the classroom, his eyes scanning the room with calculated precision. The chaos of teenage life was a battlefield of its own, and he was learning to adapt slowly.

The pink-haired girl from the day before, whose name he'd learned was Emily, slid into the seat beside him.

"Morning, Jake," she said with a cheery smile. "Feeling better today?"

Renzo nodded curtly. "Better," he replied, keeping his tone short. Emily seemed unfazed by his brusqueness.

"Good," she said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Because Darren's been telling everyone you threatened him yesterday. What happened?"

Renzo smirked, remembering the encounter. "He needed a reminder to mind his own business."

Emily's eyes widened. "Whoa. Who are you, and what have you done with the real Jake Turner?"

"Maybe I'm just done being pushed around," Renzo said, his voice low. There was a hint of pride in his tone. Even in this body, he wasn't going to let anyone walk over him.

Emily studied him for a moment before smiling. "Good for you, Jake. About time you stood up for yourself."

Jake spent the morning pretending to review paperwork in Renzo's office. He had no idea what most of the documents meant, but he made sure to furrow his brow and scribble notes to look busy whenever someone walked in.

His reprieve didn't last long. Franco entered, followed by a wiry man with a nervous demeanor.

"Boss, this is Marco," Franco said. "He's got intel on the Valentinos."

Jake gestured for Marco to speak, doing his best to maintain a stoic expression.

"The Valentinos are planning something big," Marco began, shaking his hands. "They've been meeting with outside players. Mercenaries, from what I've heard."

Jake's stomach tightened. This was escalating too quickly.

"What do you recommend, boss?"Franco asked, his sharp gaze fixed on Jake.

Jake hesitated, his mind scrambling for an answer. Then he remembered something Renzo had said during their crash course: "Sometimes, you don't need all the answers. Just buy yourself time."

"Keep digging," Jake said finally. "Find out who they're working with and what they're planning. I want options on the table before we act."

Franco nodded, and Marco scurried off. Jake let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

That evening, Renzo and Jake met again at the warehouse, each weighed down by the day's events.

"This high school of yours is a nightmare," Renzo grumbled, throwing his bag onto a nearby crate. "How do you deal with these hormonal disasters?"

Jake chuckled weakly. "It's not exactly a mafia turf war, but yeah, it's its own kind of hell."

Renzo's expression softened slightly. "You're holding up better than I expected," he admitted. "But don't get cocky. This life is dangerous."

Jake nodded. "I'm starting to see that. Vito's not going to let up, is he?"

Renzo's eyes darkened. "No. And if he senses weakness, he'll strike. That's why we have to stay one step ahead."

The two sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their situation settling over them. Despite their differences, they were united by a shared goal: survival.

Two nights later, Jake's world was turned upside down again. Franco woke him in the middle of the night with urgent news.

"Boss, we've got a situation. The Valentinos hit one of our warehouses. Took out two of our men."

Jake's heart pounded as he quickly dressed and followed Franco to the scene. The warehouse was a smoldering wreck, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Jake's stomach churned at the sight of the bodies being loaded into black vans.

Franco approached him, his expression grim. "What's the call, boss? Do we retaliate?"

Jake hesitated, his mind racing. This was beyond anything he'd ever dealt with. But before he could answer, Franco's phone buzzed. He answered it, his eyes widening as he listened.

"Boss," Franco said, lowering the phone. "Vito's men just hit another one of our spots. This wasn't random. It's war."

Jake's knees felt weak, but he forced himself to stand tall. He had to think like Renzo.

"Call a meeting," Jake said, his voice steady despite his fear. "I want every capo here by morning. We're going to figure this out."

Franco nodded, his respect for Jake seemingly growing. As the men dispersed, Jake's facade cracked, and he leaned against the car for support. He needed Renzo's guidance... and fast.

Meanwhile, Renzo was dealing with his own crisis. Darren and his cronies had decided to escalate their bullying, cornering him after school.

"You think you're tough now, Turner?"Darren sneered, cracking his knuckles.

Renzo sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Walk away, kid. You don't want this fight."

Darren lunged, but Renzo sidestepped effortlessly, tripping the larger boy with a calculated sweep of his leg. Darren hit the ground hard, groaning in pain.

The other bullies hesitated, clearly intimidated. Renzo fixed them with a cold glare. "Next time, think twice before picking a fight you can't win."

The boys scattered, leaving Darren to nurse his bruised ego. Renzo smirked. Even in Jake's body, he still knew how to command respect.

By morning, Jake was seated at the head of a long table in Renzo's office. The room was filled with capos, their expressions ranging from curious to skeptical. Jake's palms were sweaty, but he forced himself to appear confident.

Franco began the briefing, detailing the Valentinos' recent attacks. The room buzzed with anger and frustration.

"What's the plan, boss?"One of the capos asked, his tone challenging.

Jake took a deep breath. "We'll hit them back," he said firmly. "But not recklessly. We need to be strategic. Franco, I want eyes on their operations. Find their weak spots. When we strike, we make it count."

The room fell silent for a moment before the capos nodded in agreement. Jake felt a small surge of pride. He was starting to earn their trust.

As the day ended, Jake and Renzo met again to exchange updates. Both looked weary but determined.

"You handled the meeting well," Renzo admitted.

Jake smiled faintly. "And you didn't punch any teenagers today?"

Renzo chuckled. "Close call, but no."

Despite their predicament, the two were beginning to find common ground. And as the lines between their lives blurred further, they realized that survival would require not just cooperation but trust.