CHAPTER 191: BRIGGS AVENUE GANG

Toby Robinson was Georgia Doyle’s husband. The earlier Robinsons had worked in iron mines. Later, with the rise of the local steel industry, they joined the mills. The area gradually developed into a major hub for coal and iron distribution, driven by the demand for a port to ship materials from nearby mines. Middlesbrough was established as a port town linked to the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

With the development of the port came the inflow of drugs and illegal goods via the sea. Several gangs began to flourish in the area. Over time, as mining and steel industries continued to modernise, the Robinsons began losing their jobs and eventually drifted into gang activity. However, they remained on the periphery, occupying low-ranking roles.

Toby was an outlier in the Robinson family. From an early age, he showed a remarkable aptitude for learning. Eventually, he completed a diploma and secured a job in Hartlepool. He married there and went to live with his in-laws.

A couple of months earlier, he died in an accident. After his death, he was brought back to be buried among his family.

Death was nothing unusual for the Robinsons. Every now and then, one of them would die in a gang fight or be shot dead by the authorities. Such was the price of living within the gang network. Almost every family in their neighbourhood had members either actively involved in a gang or retired from one.

Locally, the Briggs Avenue Gang held considerable power.

They had previously been involved with various other gangs and experienced several internal conflicts. Eventually, to put an end to the infighting and maintain peace within their territory, they established their own group composed exclusively of locals.

The gang began taking on missions for major cartels, distributing earnings based on merit. This system proved effective, keeping the members satisfied and loyal. Over time, they grew into the largest gang in the surrounding area. No one dared to challenge them on their home turf... not even the police, who deliberately avoided patrolling the neighbourhood.

After a day or two of mourning, his mother, Mary Robinson, resumed her normal life. She had three sons. Apart from Toby, the other two had never attended school and had joined the local gang from a young age.

Almost a year ago, her eldest son, Boby Robinson, was arrested while trafficking drugs. He had been in prison since and was unlikely to be released any time soon. Her husband had died early, so now she only had her youngest son, Terence Robinson, by her side... as well as her eldest son’s wife and two young grandsons.

A few days ago, her eldest daughter-in-law came with news that gave her hope of bringing Boby back. She had heard that, following Toby’s death, his wife had received almost two hundred thousand pounds in compensation. Mary believed that, as a family, they were entitled to that money. The rest of the household agreed.

They planned to use the money to hire a lawyer and post bail for Boby. With that intent, they summoned Georgia to their home.

Unaware of their plan, Georgia came to visit. But when they demanded the money they believed was rightfully theirs, she refused. She was adamant that the money was for her son’s future education. No matter how much pressure they applied, she wouldn’t yield.

Things turned ugly when, in a fit of rage, Terence beat her. But the stubborn girl still refused to hand over the money. They confiscated her phone and tied her up. They threatened to kill her and even resorted to torture. Still, she refused to give in. She even managed to steal another phone to call for help.

Finally, they bound her to a chair and locked her in the outhouse. With her mouth taped shut, there was no chance she could cry out. Their plan was to starve her into submission.

That night, the Robinsons had finished supper and gone to bed. Suddenly, their neighbour’s dog began barking frantically. It was unusual for that dog. Alarmed, Mary pulled open the curtain and looked out into the back garden. She saw movement.

She rushed from her room and turned on the garden lights, then hurried back to the window. There, she caught a glimpse of a man carrying Georgia out of the garden.

She ran downstairs. By then, Terence had also come out of his room. Seeing him, she shouted, "Go out and stop them! Someone’s trying to take that vixen away!"

Terence rushed to the front door with a baseball bat in hand. But just as he was about to open it, he paused. He could see three or four people on the road along with the man carrying his sister-in-law.

He stepped back cautiously. He was not impulsive by nature. He quickly realised he had no chance against that many opponents. His mind raced. "If I press the alarm, the gang will come out to intercept them. But the alarm is only meant for rival gang attacks. I’ll have to explain myself later. Still, if I let her go, big brother won’t be able to come back. With only me left, the pressure is unbearable. I need big brother home."

He glanced at the red alarm button beside the door and steeled his resolve. "I’ll say I mistook them for a rival gang. I’ll be scolded, maybe worse... but I need the money to bring big brother back."

In the end, the weight on his shoulders won. He pressed the button.

Instantly, the entire area rang with the wail of the alarm. One by one, gang members poured into the street... wielding swords, spears, golf clubs, baseball bats, steel pipes, and all sorts of crude weapons.

***

"Shit!" Sebastian cursed loudly as he saw the garden lights flick on. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the road where the others were waiting.

Shadow ability was an effective and powerful skill for operating discreetly and unseen. But even it had its limits. Shadow users could only take non-living items... those they could physically carry or touch into the shadows with them. A living person on his shoulder rendered that impossible.

With no alternative, Sebastian had to escape the area the old-fashioned way... on foot, and fast.

Elias joined him, running beside him towards the road. By the time they reached the rest of the team, everyone was already in motion, preparing to retreat before things escalated.

But alas! Just as they began their evacuation, the blaring sound of alarms filled the night. Doors creaked open, windows slammed up, and people started pouring out of their houses, brandishing weapons of all kinds.

Seeing more than twenty armed people rushing toward them, Sebastian stopped abruptly and shouted, "Stop!"

The scattered team quickly regrouped around him.

"We can’t make it out without a fight," Sebastian said grimly. "Some of them have deadly weapons... swords, spears. If we let them charge us blindly, we’ll be at risk. Let’s put them down first, then walk out like normal. No need to run."

The team silently agreed, quickly taking up a battle stance. The Shadow team positioned Sebastian in the centre, shielding him and Georgia. The rest split into two defensive teams... front and rear.

Sebastian raised his voice and shouted loud enough to reach the crowd, "We don’t want to hurt anyone! Let us pass and no one gets harmed. There’s no need for unnecessary violence!"

For a moment, the crowd hesitated, exchanging looks. But their numbers kept growing... more than a hundred had gathered now. Emboldened by sheer volume, they jeered, cursed, and launched themselves at the small group of fewer than twenty people.

Eleanor had strictly forbidden the use of firearms. They were not to shoot, nor kill. But there had been no such restriction against using their weapons as blunt-force tools.

The shadow guards tightened their formation, shielding Georgia at the core. The others stepped forward and met the attackers head-on. They wielded their firearms like clubs, swinging with practiced efficiency. Blows landed with precision. Arms fractured. Legs buckled.

Every one of Eleanor’s guards was a skilled fighter of Clan Blanc. It wasn’t just brute force... it was controlled, efficient, and devastating.

In less than five minutes, the street was filled with groans, fractured bones, and desperate cries of pain. Nearly a hundred attackers now lay sprawled across the ground, clutching broken limbs. The rest, terrified, turned and fled into the darkness.

There were no streetlights in this part of town. The gang members had long since removed them for their own benefit. In the confusion and dark, they hadn’t clearly seen who they were up against... only that the figures were fewer in number than they were.

And when they finally got close enough during the fight, they saw the black uniforms and the heavy weapons. Special forces, they assumed. It was a miracle they hadn’t opened fire. They beat their attackers instead of shooting. That alone earned a twisted kind of respect.

When the rescue team resumed their walk towards the police station, the injured began dragging themselves off the road, clearing a path.

No longer cursing or shouting, the gang members merely looked on from the ground. Their eyes no longer held rage or defiance, but something closer to awe... respect and gratitude.