chapter 7 Do you think you are Bruce Lee?

Once inside the car, Jackson unfolded the note. The note was what he had just secretly received from Heidi during their handshake. Could it be an address for a rendezvous? Jackson was excited. After reading the note, the excitement on Jackson's face disappeared, replaced by a look of seriousness. "Brother Ezequiel, do we have any handy weapons in the car, like an iron rod?" Jackson asked. The driver, Ezequiel, was a former special forces soldier. "There's a set of nunchucks in the trunk. I play with them occasionally," Ezequiel replied. Jackson rummaged through the back trunk, found the nunchucks, and practiced a few swings with them. "How childish," Violet scoffed. "Jackson, is something going to happen?" Apollo, always perceptive, quickly sensed something was off. "Uncle Apollo, Violet, you both better find something to defend yourselves with. Brother Ezequiel, are there any other weapons in the car? We might need them soon," Jackson said. Hearing this, Ezequiel immediately took a steel rod from the front of the car, his expression turning vigilant. Apollo, even more dramatic, pulled a handgun from his coat, along with a magazine of bullets, loading it with practiced ease. "Take this," Apollo handed the gun to Violet and then took out another handgun from his briefcase. Jackson was amazed, thinking that experience indeed came with age. Violet was stunned, "Dad, why do you carry so many guns with you?" "For self-defense, I have a gun license," Apollo replied, looking at Jackson, "What exactly is going to happen, Jackson?" "It's the Bold Eagle Gang, they're planning to block our way. Heidi provided this information," Jackson handed the note to Apollo, who frowned deeply upon reading it. Hearing about the Bold Eagle Gang, Violet's expression changed slightly. They were the same gang that had kidnapped Amira and lured her to the abandoned factory. "My precious Violet, is this the second time? Could it be that the Bold Eagle Gang has taken a liking to you, wanting to capture you as their chief's wife?" Jackson joked. "You'd be their chief's wife!" Violet retorted through gritted teeth. Suddenly, Ezequiel slammed on the brakes. All three intersections ahead were blocked, crowded with motorcycles, about twenty or thirty of them, revving their engines and blinding with their lights. Ezequiel tried to reverse, but motorcycles had also blocked them from behind, trapping their Red Flag sedan. "So many people!" Ezequiel's face turned grim, despite being a former special forces soldier, as the Bold Eagle Gang had mobilized at least fifty members, all armed with machetes and looking fierce. "Uncle Apollo, stay in the car, leave it to me and Brother Ezequiel," Jackson said, ready to play the hero, signalling Ezequiel to exit the car with him. Left with no choice, Ezequiel reluctantly got out. "Brothers, so many of you are blocking us. What do you want? Let's talk," Jackson confidently spoke to the leader of the Bold Eagle Gang, showing no panic. "Talk my foot, cut him up!" The gang's leader, known as Kendrick, a burly man in an open leather jacket, commanded his men. Suddenly, the gang members charged forward. "Damn, you're still playing with nunchucks at this age and time? Do you really think you're Bruce Lee?" Kendrick mocked Jackson for wielding nunchucks. His laughter, however, soon froze. As four or five gang members rushed towards Jackson, intending to take him down, they were easily repelled by his skillful use of the nunchucks. "Ah-da!" Jackson let out a long cry reminiscent of Bruce Lee, swinging the nunchucks powerfully and dazzlingly. "Showing off!" "Damn it, kill him!" The gang members were infuriated. But none of them could get close to Jackson, who skillfully used his nunchucks to disorient them. Hits to their foreheads, cheeks, abdomens, wrists, knees, and groins left the gang members bruised and crying for mercy, with some even comically jumping around in pain. "Ah-da!" With another soulful cry, Jackson had already taken down more than a dozen gang members. The remaining ones were stunned and speechless. "Is this guy even human? How can he fight so well?" Ezequiel, seeing Jackson's ferocity, was greatly encouraged. As a former special forces soldier, he was not to be underestimated. Wielding a steel rod, he knocked down four or five gang members. Under Jackson's lead, the two of them fought like an unstoppable force, leaving the gang members in disarray and unable to fight back. "Damn it!" Seeing the bad turn of events, Kendrick, the gang leader, attempted to escape on his motorcycle. "Think you can run away that easily!?" Jackson, in high spirits, kicked a fallen machete with the tip of his foot, launching it into the motorcycle's rear tire. Bang! The tire burst! The motorcycle overturned, and Kendrick fell, rolling several times on the ground, bleeding from his head. "Talk! Why does the Bold Eagle Gang keep targeting the Griffith Family?" Jackson grabbed Kendrick by the collar, demanding answers. "Please, spare me, brother! We were just paid to do this!" Kendrick begged, realizing he was no match for Jackson. "Who's behind this?" "Luke Porter!" Kendrick revealed the name. "If I find out you've lied to me, be ready for the Bold Eagle Gang to be finished!" Jackson warned sternly before returning to the car. "Brother Jackson, you were incredible!" Ezequiel exclaimed excitedly. "Jackson, we owe you big time for this," Apollo also praised. Even Violet, who usually disliked Jackson, couldn't help but give him a second look. Aside from his lecherous tendencies, he was surprisingly capable. "Let's get out of here!" Jackson instructed. "Beep, beep, beep." Sirens wailed as the police arrived at the scene. It was in the city centre, and a brawl of this magnitude was bound to attract attention. "Just drive over the motorcycles and get through," Jackson made a quick decision. Ezequiel, determined, drove the Red Flag sedan into a motorcycle. Thankfully, the car was sturdy enough to withstand the impact with only a minor dent. Just as they turned the corner, they encountered a line of police cars, at least five of them, their lights illuminating the street. "What do we do?" Ezequiel asked. "Don't panic," Jackson replied calmly. Thus, the Red Flag sedan calmly drove away in full view of the police. Jackson used a psychological blind spot of the police, assuming that criminals would be disoriented and wouldn't calmly drive away after a brawl. Plus, given the Red Flag's expensive price, no one would expect street brawlers to be driving such a car. The police cars stopped at the chaotic scene. A sharp-looking female officer, after inspecting the area, grimly ordered, "Contact Luke immediately!" ... "Who is Luke?" Jackson asked on the way back to the Griffith Family's home. "Could this incident... be orchestrated by Luke?" Hearing the name, even the experienced Apollo couldn't hide his change in expression. Violet also showed concern. "It's very likely," seeing everyone's reaction, Jackson wondered, "Is he that powerful?" "He's the head of Jimstantham City's underworld, controlling all the local gangs. If Luke is behind this, ordering the Bold Eagle Gang to do this, then it makes sense," Apollo said with a bitter smile. "So that's the case," Jackson realized with a dawning understanding.