The Rise of Mackin Jones

Chapter 71

With Dino dead and the Dockyard, crew destroyed Nico has regained control of the city—for now. But the cracks in his empire are deeper than ever, and the underworld is still simmering with unrest.

As rival factions regroup and the city teeters on the brink of collapse, Nico must confront the reality that his reign is fragile and that his enemies are closer than ever. The final reckoning is coming, and in the end, there can only be one king.

The battle for the city is far from over, and Nico is running out of time.

The city lay quiet, but it was a deceptive calm. After Dino’s death and the crushing defeat of the Dockyard crew, Nico had restored his dominance, but the victory felt thin like ice stretched too far over dark water.

The smaller crews had retreated, licking their wounds and watching from the shadows. The old alliances were broken, and Nico knew better than to believe that fear alone would hold them in place for long.

Nico stood in the penthouse, staring out at the skyline. The city, his city, seemed as vast and untouchable as ever. But beneath the surface, cracks were spreading, widening with every day.

It was a fragile empire, one held together by violence, blood, and fear—tools Nico had always wielded well. But for the first time, he could feel it slipping.

Luis entered, his face drawn with concern that had become too familiar. After years at Nico’s side, Luis had seen the empire rise and now, slowly but surely, begin to crumble. He had never doubted Nico’s ability to take the city, but holding it—keeping the wolves at bay—was proving to be a different fight altogether.

“The streets are quiet,” Luis said, his voice low as he approached. “Too quiet.”

Nico didn’t respond right away, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The city had always been alive, thrumming with tension, violence, and ambition. But now, the quiet felt unnatural, as though everyone was waiting for something to happen. It was the calm before the storm.

“I know,” Nico said finally. “They’re regrouping. Dino’s death didn’t scare them enough. It just made them bide their time.”

Luis nodded, understanding the gravity of what Nico was saying. “The Dockyard crew is gone, but the others are still out there. We’ve been hearing whispers from the Southside. Some of the smaller crews are starting to talk, thinking they can make a move now that Dino’s out of the picture.”

Nico’s eyes narrowed. He had expected this. In the underworld, power was like a vacuum—if one man fell, another would rise to take his place. Dino’s death had left a gap, and now the smaller crews were circling, hungry for a piece of the empire Nico had built.

“They’re looking for an opening,” Nico muttered, his voice cold. “They won’t find one.”

Luis stepped closer, his face lined with tension. “Maybe. But they’re desperate, Nico. They’ve seen what you did to Dino. They know they can’t beat you in a straight fight, but that doesn’t mean they’ll back off. Desperate men do desperate things.”

Nico’s jaw tightened. He knew Luis was right. The smaller crews wouldn’t come at him head-on, not after seeing what had happened to Dino. But they would look for another way, a weaker spot in his defences. And if they found it, they’d strike like rats, gnawing at the edges of his empire until it crumbled beneath him.

“We can’t let them think they have a chance,” Nico said, turning to face Luis. “We need to remind them who runs this city.”

Luis exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. “And how do we do that?”

Nico’s eyes were cold, calculating. “We take out the Southside leaders before they have a chance to organise. Hit them hard, fast. Make sure the rest of the city knows that no one’s safe if they cross me.”

Luis hesitated. He had seen the results of Nico’s brutality, and while it had worked for a while, the city was starting to buckle under the weight of it. “We’ve already lost a lot of men, Nico. We’re stretched thin. If we keep this up, we’re going to burn out.”

Nico’s expression didn’t soften. “If we stop, they’ll think we’re weak. And then it’s over.”

Luis nodded, though the doubt lingered in his eyes. “Alright. But we need to be smart about this. The smaller crews might be desperate, but they’re not stupid. They’ll come at us in ways we can’t predict.”

Nico turned back to the window, his mind already working through the plan. He had always been one step ahead, always ready to strike before his enemies even knew they were in danger. This time would be no different. He would remind the city why they feared him.

But something in the air felt different. The tension, the silence—it was heavier now, more dangerous. Nico had always known the city could turn on him. He had seen it happen to Mackin, to Santoro, to every king who had come before him. But now, standing at the edge of his empire, he could feel the weight of it pressing down on him, threatening to pull him under.

The Southside crew had been lying low for weeks, watching as Nico dismantled Dino’s operations and reasserted his control over the city. But they knew it was only a matter of time before Nico came for them.

The Southside had always been a volatile territory, full of small-time gangs that fought amongst themselves, but recently, they had begun to unify under a man named Vic Salerno—a former lieutenant of Santoro who had survived the purge by keeping his head down and his ambitions quiet.

Now, with Dino out of the picture, Vic saw his chance to rise.

Vic sat in a dingy bar in Southside, surrounded by his lieutenants. The mood was tense, the air thick with cigarette smoke and the low hum of conversation. They had all seen what Nico was capable of, but Vic was different. He wasn’t afraid of Nico. He had learnt from Santoro’s mistakes, and now he was ready to take what was his.

“We’ve waited long enough,” Vic said, his voice gravelly as he addressed the group. “Nico’s strong, but he’s stretched too thin. He’s been fighting on too many fronts. Sooner or later, he’s going to slip.”

One of his lieutenants, a young thug named Marco, leaned forward, his face marked with scepticism. “And what makes you think we’ll be the ones to take him down? The guy’s a monster. He’s killed more people than we’ve even got in our crew.”

Vic smiled coldly. “We’re not going after Nico head-on. That’s suicide. But we don’t need to kill him to win. We just need to break him. Make him bleed. Once the city sees he’s vulnerable, they’ll turn on him. And we’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”

The others nodded slowly, the plan taking shape in their minds. They didn’t need to take Nico out in one swift move. They just needed to cut him enough times that his empire would collapse on its own. And then, when the dust settled, Vic would take his place at the top.

Nico’s men moved through the Southside streets under the cover of darkness, silent and deadly. They had been sent to take out Vic and his lieutenants before the Southside crew could organise a real rebellion. It was a surgical strike, meant to send a message to the rest of the city: no one was safe from Nico’s wrath.

The attack came swiftly. Nico’s men stormed the bar where Vic and his lieutenants were meeting, guns drawn, ready to crush the uprising before it could start. But something went wrong.

The bar was empty.

Luis, standing beside Nico, cursed under his breath as they moved through the abandoned building. “They knew we were coming.”

Nico’s jaw clenched as he scanned the room, his eyes cold and calculating. “Someone tipped them off.”

Luis shook his head, frustration etched into his features. “It’s a setup. They’re testing us.”

Nico paced the room, the tension building inside him. Vic had slipped through his fingers, and now the Southside crew would regroup, bolder than ever. They had been expecting Nico’s move, and now they knew they could play the game on their terms.

“We can’t let them get away with this,” Nico said, his voice filled with cold fury. “We find Vic, and we end this. No more games.”

Luis nodded, though his face was marked with concern. “It’s not going to be easy, Nico. The Southside’s a maze. Vic knows the territory better than anyone. If we chase him blindly, we could be walking into a trap.”

Nico’s mind raced, calculating the next move. He couldn’t afford to show weakness now. Vic had made the first move, but Nico would make the last.

The days that followed were tense, as Nico’s men searched for any trace of Vic and his lieutenants. The Southside crew had gone underground, disappearing into the labyrinth of the city’s underworld. It was a game of cat and mouse, and for the first time in a long time, Nico felt like he was on the defensive.

Luis brought in more troubling news. “The smaller crews are starting to talk again. They’ve heard what happened in the Southside, and now they’re wondering if you’re losing your grip.”

Nico’s face darkened. “Let them wonder. It won’t matter when Vic is dead.”

Luis sighed, his voice laced with frustration. “We need to handle this carefully, Nico. If we push too hard, we could lose more than we gain. The city’s watching. If they think you’re desperate, they’ll turn on you.”

Nico’s eyes flashed with cold determination. “We’re not desperate. We’re in control. And we’re going to show them that.”

The final confrontation came in the heart of Southside, in a rundown warehouse that had once belonged to one of Santoro’s old allies. Vic had holed up there, surrounded by his most loyal men, ready to make his stand. He knew Nico was coming, but this time, he was prepared.

Nico’s men surrounded the building, their guns drawn, their faces set with grim determination. The air was thick with tension, the smell of rain and gasoline filling the night as they prepared for the assault.

Luis stood at Nico’s side, his expression tense. “This is it, Nico. We take out Vic, and we send a message to the rest of the city.”

Nico nodded, his eyes hard. “No one walks out of here alive.”

The attack was swift and brutal. Nico’s men stormed the warehouse, cutting through Vic’s guards like knives through flesh. The sound of gunfire echoed through the night, the flash of muzzle fire lighting up the darkened streets as bodies fell.

Inside, Vic stood at the centre of the chaos, his gun raised, his face twisted with rage and fear. He had thought he could outmanoeuvre Nico, but now, standing at the edge of defeat, he realised just how wrong he had been.

Nico entered the warehouse, his steps slow and deliberate. His gun was steady in his hand, his eyes locked on Vic. There was no hesitation, no mercy in his gaze.

“You thought you could take my city,” Nico said, his voice cold as steel. “But this city belongs to me.”

Vic sneered, his grip tightening on his gun. “You can’t hold it forever, Nico. Sooner or later, someone’s going to take you down.”

Nico’s lip curled into a grim smile. “Maybe. But it won’t be you.”

The gunshot rang out, sharp and final. Vic staggered back, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. The room fell silent, the sound of gunfire fading into the night as the last of Vic’s men were cut down.

Nico stood over Vic’s lifeless body, his breath coming in slow, measured beats. He had won. Again. But as he stared down at the man who had tried to take his throne, a hollow feeling settled in his chest.

The war was never really over.

The news of Vic’s death spread quickly through the city, and for a moment, it seemed like Nico had regained control. The smaller crews retreated into the shadows, too afraid to make their move. But even as Nico stood victorious, he knew the cracks in his empire were still there, widening with every death, every betrayal.

Luis returned to the penthouse, his face etched with exhaustion. “We’ve sent a message. But the city’s still on edge, Nico. They’re not going to forget this.”

Nico nodded, though his eyes were distant. He had fought so hard, and killed so many, and yet the city still felt like it was slipping away from him. The underworld was like a beast that could never be fully tamed, always hungry for more blood.

“We’ll deal with it,” Nico said quietly.

Luis watched him closely, the concern in his eyes deepening. “Nico, this can’t go on forever. The city’s been through too much. We’ve been through too much. Sooner or later, this is going to catch up with us.”

Nico didn’t respond. He knew Luis was right. The city had already begun to turn, and no matter how many men he killed or how many crews he crushed, the war would never really end.

But for now, the throne was still his.