The Rise of Mackin Jones

Chapter 98

The city emerged from the haze of clouds like a spectre—familiar yet distant.

As the plane descended, Luis’s heart began to pound, not with fear but with something more primal—anticipation. The skyline stretched out in front of him, the towers glinting against the evening sky, each light flickering with a life of its own.

This was the place that had shaped him, and no matter how far he’d tried to run, the city had never let him go.

Beside him, Maria’s face remained unreadable. She stared out of the window, her expression locked behind a mask of cold calculation, but Luis knew better than anyone how much this moment meant to her.

They had spent weeks pretending they could live a different life. But now they were returning to the only place that ever felt real to either of them.

“We never should have left,” Maria said quietly, more to herself than to him.

Luis didn’t answer. He knew the truth of it now. They weren’t meant for peace, for quiet lives in sleepy towns. They were creatures of this city, born from its chaos, its hunger. And now they were back, ready to reclaim whatever remained of their empire.

The plane touched down with a soft thud, the runway slick from the drizzle that had begun to fall. As they taxied to a stop, Luis took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the city pressing in on him already. The fire was still burning, even after all this time. The city was still hungry, still alive.

“We can’t go in like before,” Maria said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. “Things have changed. People have changed.”

Luis nodded. He knew that too. They had left a vacuum when they’d disappeared, and it was only a matter of time before someone had stepped in to fill the void. The power structure they had dismantled would have reformed in some way, and they needed to be smart about how they approached it.

Bones was waiting for them as they stepped off the plane, his face as impassive as always. He gave a short nod, but there was something in his eyes that Luis didn’t miss—relief. Bones had stayed behind to clean up after their departure, and it hadn’t been easy. The city had descended into chaos, just as they had intended. But the chaos was dangerous, even for someone like Bones.

“It’s good to have you back,” Bones said, his voice gruff. “Things have gotten... messy.”

Luis raised an eyebrow. “Messy how?”

Bones’s expression tightened. “Miguel’s been pushing into the dockyard. He’s taken over most of it, but he’s not the only one making moves. There are new players now. People we didn’t expect.”

Luis exchanged a glance with Maria, her eyes narrowing in thought. Miguel. Of course, he would have taken advantage of their absence. He had always been ambitious, but he lacked the finesse to control the city the way they had.

“And the others?” Maria asked, her voice sharp.

“Kane’s dead,” Bones said bluntly. “We took care of that before you left. But there’s a new group running things in the Southside. They’re quiet, but they’re dangerous.”

Luis clenched his jaw, his mind already working through the implications. New players meant new threats. They couldn’t afford to underestimate anyone, especially now that they were returning to a city that was no longer theirs.

“What about our people?” Luis asked.

Bones hesitated. “Most of them stayed loyal. But some... went rogue. They saw an opportunity when you disappeared. You can’t blame them.”

Luis didn’t flinch. He understood the game better than anyone. In this city, loyalty only lasted as long as you held the power. Once you disappeared, the vultures circled, waiting for their chance.

“We’ll take care of it,” Luis said, his voice cold. “One way or another.”

Maria stepped forward, her gaze locked on bones. “Who’s running the Southside now?”

The bones shifted uncomfortably. “A guy named Jaxon. He’s new—came in right after you left. We don’t know much about him, but he’s got a crew, and they’ve been keeping things tight. No one’s gotten close enough to see how he operates.”

Maria’s eyes narrowed, her mind already working through the possibilities. “Then we need to get close.”

Luis nodded, his mind moving in the same direction. Jaxon was a problem—one they needed to handle before they could even think about rebuilding what they had lost. But it wasn’t just about Jaxon. It was about re-establishing control, piece by piece, until the city was back in their hands.

“Set up a meeting,” Luis said, his voice firm. “I want to know who this guy is and what he’s after.”

Bones nodded. “I’ll arrange it.”

As they made their way towards the waiting car, the rain began to fall harder, the city streets shimmering beneath the streetlights. Luis stared out at the familiar landscape, his thoughts a mix of anticipation and calculation. The city had changed, but he hadn’t. He knew how to play this game. And this time, he wasn’t coming to play by anyone else’s rules.

Later that night, Luis sat in the backseat of the car, the rain tapping lightly against the windows as they moved through the streets. It felt strange to be back, to see the city again after all these months. It wasn’t the same, but in some ways, it was exactly how he had left it—always on the verge of breaking, always on the edge of violence.

Maria sat beside him, her posture tense but composed. She hadn’t said much since they’d left the airfield, but Luis knew her well enough to sense the fire burning beneath her calm exterior. She was ready—ready to fight, ready to take back what was theirs. And so was he.

Bones had arranged the meeting with Jaxon for the following night, but Luis wasn’t about to sit back and wait. The city was alive, and he needed to feel its pulse again to understand what had changed and who had risen in their absence. He needed to see it for himself.

“We should take a drive through the dockyard,” Luis said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Maria glanced at him, her expression sharp. “You want to make a move before the meeting?”

Luis shook his head. “I want to see what we’re up against.”

Maria studied him for a moment before nodding. “Fine. But we keep a low profile. We don’t want to spook anyone before we’re ready.”

Luis agreed. They couldn’t afford to show their hand too soon. This city had become a battlefield, and they needed to approach it carefully and strategically. The wrong move could cost them everything.

As the car rolled through the dockyard, the once-familiar streets felt foreign. The landscape had changed—new faces, new crews, new alliances. It was clear that Miguel had taken control of most of the territory, but there was an undercurrent of tension that Luis recognised immediately. The city was still unstable, and that instability was something he could use.

They passed a group of men standing on a corner, their eyes following the car as it moved slowly through the streets. Maria shifted slightly, her hand resting near her hip, ready for anything. But Luis remained calm. He wasn’t here to provoke anyone—not yet.

“Things look different,” Maria said, her voice low.

Luis nodded. “They are. But the game’s the same.”

Maria’s gaze flicked to him, her expression hard. “Then we play it better this time.”

Luis smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. They had left the city behind once, thinking they could walk away from power and the bloodshed. But now they were back, and this time, they wouldn’t make the same mistakes. This time, they would take control—and they wouldn’t leave any loose ends.

As they drove deeper into the dockyard, Luis could feel the tension in the air—the sense that something was about to break. The fire was still burning, and they were about to walk straight into it.

But this time, they weren’t running from the flames.

They were here to shock them.