Bab 30: Chapter 30: The Decision
The flickering light in Cole's cell cast long shadows on the concrete walls as he lay staring at the ceiling, the papers from the meeting earlier still fresh in his mind. The Crucible. The name echoed in his thoughts, a whisper of something he had never dared to dream of—something larger than the streets, larger than the underground fights, larger than even his own survival.
The offer seemed too good to be true. **Fight for us, win for us, and we'll get you into the Crucible.** It was a direct path out of this place, a way to make a name for himself. But it wasn't just a ticket to freedom; it was a chain. And Cole had learned enough about life in the slums to know that the people offering such deals always had their own agendas.
He sat up, the dim light catching on the scar above his eyebrow—a reminder of how things had always been for him. There were no free rides, no handouts. Every step he had taken, every punch he had thrown, had been to survive. But this offer wasn't just about surviving. It was about thriving. It was about becoming something more.
But at what cost?
Cole could still see the smirking faces of the men who had given him the offer. They didn't care about him—he was just another fighter, another piece on their board. The moment he stopped being useful, they'd cast him aside or worse. He had seen it happen a thousand times on the streets—people used, discarded, and forgotten.
The Crucible, though. That was something different. Fighters from all over the world competing for the title of undisputed champion, for glory, for fame. It was more than a tournament—it was a legacy. And deep down, Cole had always wanted more than just survival. He wanted to be remembered, to be more than just another name lost in the slums.
But could he trust them? Could he trust these men with suits too clean for the dirt of this place?
The door to the cellblock clanged open, and the distant sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Cole sighed and stood up, running a hand through his hair. He needed to clear his head, and the confined space of his cell wasn't helping.
As he stepped into the hallway, he spotted a familiar face waiting for him—Jayden, leaning casually against the wall. He had that same sly grin on his face, like he knew something Cole didn't.
"Couldn't sleep?" Jayden asked, pushing off the wall and falling into step beside Cole as they walked toward the yard.
"Too much on my mind," Cole muttered.
Jayden glanced at him sideways. "Still thinking about the offer?"
Cole clenched his fists. "Yeah."
Jayden shrugged, his grin widening. "It's a big deal, Matthews. The Crucible? That's the kind of thing people like us don't even get close to. But now? You've got a shot. You should take it."
Cole stopped walking, turning to face Jayden. "You've been in this longer than I have. What's the catch?"
Jayden's grin faltered for a moment, and he looked away, his hands shoved into his pockets. "There's always a catch, man. You know that."
"So what is it?" Cole pressed.
Jayden sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, the guys offering you this deal? They're not exactly… generous. You fight for them, you're in their pocket. You win, they win. You lose, well… let's just say they don't take kindly to failure."
Cole's stomach twisted. "And if I say no?"
Jayden shrugged again, but this time it lacked the usual cocky bravado. "Then you stay here. You keep fighting the way you've been fighting. And maybe you make it out, maybe you don't. But the Crucible? That door closes. For good."
Cole stared at him, the weight of the decision pressing down on his shoulders. It wasn't just about the Crucible. It was about what he was willing to sacrifice to get there. Was it worth giving up his freedom? His independence? He had spent his whole life being used by people like Crenshaw, fighting to get out from under their control. Was he really about to put himself back in that position?
But then again, the Crucible wasn't just any opportunity. It was **the** opportunity. The chance to prove himself on a global stage, to show the world what he was capable of. To show everyone who had ever doubted him, everyone who had ever told him he was nothing, that they were wrong.
"What would you do?" Cole asked quietly, surprising even himself with the question.
Jayden looked at him, his grin gone, replaced by something more serious. "I'd take it. Because guys like us? We don't get second chances."
Cole's jaw tightened, and he looked up at the sky, the stars barely visible through the haze of the prison lights. Second chances. Was this his?
He thought about Lina, Zack, and Ty—about the people he had fought so hard to protect. Could he really walk away from them? Could he leave them behind to chase this dream? Or was this his chance to make something of himself, to get them out of the slums for good?
"You're running out of time, Matthews," Jayden said, his voice cutting through the silence. "You either take the deal, or you don't. But if you don't, someone else will."
Cole clenched his fists, his mind racing. The Crucible was within his reach, but so were the chains that came with it.
"I need to think," Cole muttered, turning away from Jayden.
Jayden didn't push. He just nodded, his grin returning. "Take your time. But don't take too long."
---
That night, Cole lay in his cell, staring at the ceiling. The echoes of the day's conversation with Jayden reverberated in his mind. He couldn't shake the feeling that this decision was bigger than just a fight—bigger than just the Crucible. It was about who he was, and who he wanted to become.
The next morning, as Cole stood in the yard, lost in thought, the familiar sound of footsteps approached him. He looked up to see Helen, his lawyer, standing just outside the fence.
"Hey," she called, her voice warm but laced with concern.
Cole walked over to the fence, his hands gripping the cold metal. "What are you doing here?"
Helen gave him a small smile. "I wanted to check in on you. See how you're holding up."
Cole sighed, leaning against the fence. "I'm fine."
Helen studied him for a moment, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. "You don't look fine."
Cole shook his head, not sure where to start. He hadn't told Helen about the underground fights, or the offer. She wouldn't understand. But part of him wanted to talk, to get someone else's perspective—someone who didn't have an agenda.
"You ever feel like you're trapped?" Cole asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Helen raised an eyebrow. "Trapped how?"
"Like no matter what choice you make, you're still stuck. Like you're trading one prison for another."
Helen's expression softened, and she took a step closer to the fence. "Yeah. I've felt that way before. But you know what I've learned?"
Cole looked up at her, his eyes filled with unspoken questions.
"You always have a choice," Helen said, her voice steady. "Even when it feels like you don't, there's always a way out. It might not be easy, and it might not be what you expected, but it's there."
Cole clenched his jaw, his mind racing. He had always believed that, too—that no matter how bad things got, there was always a way out. But now, standing on the edge of this decision, he wasn't sure.
"I don't know what to do," he admitted, the words slipping out before he could stop them.
Helen gave him a sad smile. "You don't have to decide right now. But whatever choice you make, make sure it's yours."
Cole nodded, the weight of her words settling over him. It was his choice. His life. And whatever path he chose, he had to live with the consequences.
---
That night, as Cole lay in his cell, staring at the ceiling once again, he made his decision.
He wasn't going to take the deal. Not like this. Not on their terms. He wasn't going to let himself be used again—not by Crenshaw's thugs, not by the guards running the underground fights, and certainly not by the men offering him a way into the Crucible.
If he was going to make it, he was going to do it his way.
When morning came, Cole found Jayden in the yard, his usual cocky grin in place.
"Made up your mind yet?" Jayden asked, leaning against the fence.
Cole nodded, his expression hard. "Yeah. I'm not taking the deal."
Jayden's grin faltered, and for the first time, Cole saw a flicker of something else in his eyes—disappointment? Or maybe respect. It was hard to tell.
"You sure about that?" Jayden asked, his voice low.
"Yeah," Cole said firmly. "I'm sure."
Jayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, can't say I didn't try."
Cole watched as Jayden walked away, a weight lifting off his chest. He had made his choice, and now, whatever came next, he was ready for it.
The Crucible would have to wait. But when the time came, Cole would make sure he got there—on his own terms.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone