Marvel's master of cosmic magic

Chapter 530

"That’s them! I saw their faces on the posters!"

Marcus suddenly pointed past the crowd, eyes locking onto Vi and Powder.

Vi’s blood ran cold.

She grabbed Powder’s hand and bolted for the back door.

Grayson and Marcus lunged after them, but the bar’s regulars surged forward, forming a wall of bodies that cut them off.

"You idiots want to die?" Marcus snarled, raising his pistol. "I’ll arrest every last one of you!"

Grayson slapped his arm down. "Marcus, stop."

Two officers in a packed bar weren’t winning this.

Everyone knew it.

Then the shot rang out.

A bullet tore into one man’s thigh.

The bar exploded.

The regulars roared and charged.

Benzo shouted for everyone to stop, but his voice vanished under fists, bottles, and screams.

Across the room, Rowan Mercer’s lips curled into a faint smile.

That shot hadn’t been an accident.

Neither had Vander’s continued unconsciousness.

Marcus would never be stupid enough to fire first while outnumbered.

And Vander would never drink himself into oblivion.

Rowan had nudged both events into place.

He needed chaos.

He needed this to spiral.

Marcus and Grayson were dragged down, beaten, and tied up within minutes.

If Benzo hadn’t thrown himself between them and the mob, they’d already be dead.

"This is bad," Benzo muttered, staring at the bruised, unconscious officers.

Then he looked at Vander.

Still out cold.

Unnaturally out cold.

"We’re done playing nice," one of the men growled. "If Piltover wants a war, we’ll give them one."

Benzo slammed his fist on a table. "Have you all forgotten how many people we buried six years ago?"

"So what?" another snapped. "We just hand over the kids?"

No one answered.

Vi stepped forward.

"Turn me in," she said quietly. "Tell them I did it alone. This started with me."

The room erupted in protests.

Even Benzo shook his head. "Vander would never agree to that."

The front door burst open again.

"They’re coming," someone yelled. "The Enforcers crossed the bridge. A whole squad. Headed straight for Black Lane."

Silence fell.

Then Rowan chuckled softly.

"Of course they are."

Six years wasn’t long enough for Piltover to forget a rebellion.

And Zaun still had Silco.

"Chain up the cops. Call everyone we’ve got," someone shouted.

Men dragged Marcus and Grayson outside as they rallied their people.

Benzo turned to Vi and Powder. "Stay here. Take Vander downstairs. If he wakes up, tell him to come to the square."

Vi clenched her fists.

Then shook her head.

"I’m going too."

Rowan staggered to his feet.

"Guess it’s my turn."

Vi grabbed his arm. "This isn’t your fight. You’re drunk. And this is about Zaun."

Rowan looked at her, eyes suddenly sharp.

"I don’t walk away from friends."

He punched the stone wall.

It exploded inward.

Dust rolled across the bar.

Vi stared at the hole.

That wall was solid rock.

Even Vander couldn’t do that.

"I’m going after him," she said. "You two get Vander to the basement. Don’t come out."

At the entrance to Black Lane, three forces collided.

Piltover’s Enforcers, rifles raised.

Zaun’s men, gripping knives, pipes, and axes.

And a third group emerging from the shadows.

Silco and his crew.

Silco had expected Vander to take the blame and fold.

He’d bribed Marcus.

Planned to kill Grayson.

Take Vander’s throne.

Instead, he’d found chaos.

And no Vander in sight.

...

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