Chapter 179: The Colors Spread
There was a big part of Joe that had already suspected this would happen. Honestly, he’d braced himself for it the moment he stepped onto their turf. That was why, as soon as he delivered the last of his message, he didn’t waste a second, he spun on his heel and bolted, not even looking back to see the expressions on their faces.
The boys from Clapton High didn’t hesitate either. As soon as they registered that Joe was on the move, they lunged after him like a pack of wolves on the scent.
"Running away already? You come here thinking you’re some hotshot, and now you can’t even stand and fight? Get back here!" one of them yelled, their voices echoing across the school grounds.
Joe shot a quick look over his shoulder but didn’t slow down. "Yeah, easy for you to say with a whole squad chasing after me! No thanks!" he shouted back, dodging around the corner of the building and sprinting along the side of the school.
Just as he rounded the edge, Joe caught sight of another group of kids sauntering up from the opposite side. Their uniforms were just as rumpled, their attitudes just as rough, it was clear they were part of Rick’s delinquent crew. His stomach dropped. Seriously, does no one in this school actually go to class? And where are all the teachers? Is everyone just pretending not to see this? he wondered in disbelief.
The newcomers didn’t need a second invitation. When they spotted Rick and the others in hot pursuit, they sprang into action, fanning out to cut off Joe’s escape.
One of them swung at Joe as he passed, but Joe ducked under the wild punch, weaving through the group like he was born to dodge trouble. He twisted and sidestepped, managing to slip through the cracks before anyone else could get a grip on him.
"Damn, that guy’s nimble! No wonder they sent him to deliver the message," one of the delinquents muttered, eyes wide as Joe slipped past yet another grasp.
"Fast, but not as fast as me!" another challenged, pushing off from the crowd and sprinting ahead of the others. With surprising speed, he slid into Joe’s path, trying to block him off completely.
But Joe was ready. His fists shot out in a rapid-fire blur, a sharp jab, then another, and a third just for good measure. The student’s head snapped back and he crumpled to the ground, out cold before he hit the pavement.
The rest of the group was close behind, their footsteps pounding against the concrete as they tried to close in. Joe didn’t stop to celebrate, he just sucked in a deep breath, heart hammering in his chest, and threw himself into another sprint, pushing his legs to the limit as he tore down the sidewalk.