The setting sun cast orange and purple hues across the sands of Venice Beach, creating a living canvas around Rey Kenobi. Brush in hand, she added the finishing touches to a giant mural that adorned the wall of a souvenir shop. The image of a woman with seagull wings, flying through the hazy Los Angeles sky, was nearly complete.
The walls of the shop where Rey was painting were painted bright yellow, contrasting with the curved, ocean-blue roof. Next door, a bohemian-style building with colorful mosaics and whimsical statues stood, as if out of a dream. Across the street, a row of souvenir shops with colorful facades and flashing neon signs caught the attention of tourists.
The shop's owner, a middle-aged man named Sal, stood near the entrance, watching Rey with a smug smile. Sal was a stocky man with gray hair tied back in a ponytail and a flashy Hawaiian shirt. He had kind eyes and always wore sunglasses, even as the sun began to set.
"Good job, Rey!" he called out in a hoarse voice.
"This mural will attract a lot of customers to my shop. You really have talent!"
Rey smiled faintly, not really caring about Sal's compliment. She preferred painting for himself, expressing her feelings through color and shape. However, she needed money to survive, and Sal was one of her regular customers.
Sal then turned and entered the shop, unaware of two figures lurking behind Rey. They were thin men with wild eyes, wearing black hoodies and cargo pants. One of them held a shiny pocket knife.
"Look at that, bro," one whispered to the other, his eyes fixed on Rey's canvas bag lying on the ground.
"There must be a lot of money in there. Just look at those brushes, they must be expensive."
The two of them moved forward, their steps barely audible amidst the noise of the Venice Beach streets. The sound of cheerful street music mixed with the laughter of tourists and the shouts of ice cream vendors. Rey, too focused on his painting, was unaware of the danger lurking. When they were almost in her bag, the man with the knife reached out.
"Hey, sweetie," he said in a hoarse voice.
"Your bag looks nice. I'll take it."
Rey gasped, turning around with wide eyes. She saw the gleaming knife and the rough faces of the two men. Her instincts kicked in, and she reached for the spray can lying nearby.
"Stay away," she said, her voice shaking but firm.
"I won't let you take anything."
The man laughed mockingly.
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do, spray paint us?"
Before Rey could answer, the man lunged at her, knife raised. Rey jumped to the side, avoiding the attack. She sprayed the man's face with paint, causing him to scream and curse. Another man tried to grab her bag, but Rey kicked him in the leg, tripping him.
The scene turned into chaos. Rey, though frightened, fought back fiercely. She used her spray can as a weapon, spraying paint into the eyes and faces of the muggers. People around them began to notice the commotion, some of them screaming and trying to help.
The muggers, however, were too determined. They managed to grab Rey's bag and started running, pushing through the crowd. Rey, with rising anger, chased after them. He would not let them get away.
Without hesitation, Rey jumped over the souvenir tables that lined the street, pushing through the crowd of shocked tourists. She did not care about the screams and confused looks of the people. All she could think about was her bag containing her hard-earned money and the valuable sketches she had made.
The two snatchers ran quickly, weaving between food stalls and clothing stores. They turned into a narrow alley located between two colorful buildings. The alley was dark and dirty, with trash strewn on the ground and the pungent smell of urine.
Rey did not hesitate to follow them. She jumped onto a wooden box and ran as fast as she could, her feet stepping on dirty puddles. She saw the two snatchers running to the end of the alley, towards a tightly closed metal door.
"Stop!" Rey shouted, her voice echoing in the quiet alley.
The two snatchers ignored her. They opened the metal door roughly and disappeared into the darkness. Rey quickened her pace, her anger rising. She wasn't going to let them get away with this. When Rey reached the metal door, she paused, taking a deep breath. She knew she was entering dangerous territory. The alley was quiet and dark, and she had no idea what awaited her inside. But she didn't care. She was going to get her bag back, no matter what.
Before she stepped inside, Rey remembered the whispers she often heard on the streets of Venice Beach. This alley, and the area beyond it, was known as the territory of Rider Snoke, a feared biker gang in the city. They controlled the drug trade, protection, and all sorts of other illegal activities. Even the police were reluctant to enter their territory.
Rey swallowed, fear starting to creep into her heart. However, she would not back down. She would get her bag back, or die trying. With strong determination, Rey opened the metal door and stepped into the darkness.
Darkness greeted Rey as she entered the alley. The smell of damp and rust stung her nose, mixed with the scent of rotting garbage. She squinted, trying to get used to the darkness. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway, making her feel even more uncomfortable.
She walked slowly, her hands feeling the rough wall beside her. In the distance, she heard a soft laugh, followed by the sound of metal objects clanging. Rey quickened her pace, her heart pounding.
As she turned the corner of the alley, she saw the two muggers. They stood under the flashing neon lights, their faces grimacing.
"Look who's here," one of the muggers said, his voice mocking.
"Our little artist wants his stuff back."
"You're pretty brave coming in here," another added, his eyes flashing.
"You know this is our territory, right?"
Rey stopped, her eyes fixed on the two men. She knew she had made a mistake by following them here. She was alone, in enemy territory, and they owned this place.
"Give me back my stuff," Rey said, her voice shaking but firm.
"It's not yours."
The muggers laughed.
"Really? And what are you going to do if we don't?"
The two of them moved forward, surrounding Rey like wolves surrounding their prey. Rey backed away slowly, her back hitting the cold wall. She was cornered.
"You made a big mistake coming here, sweetie," one of the muggers said, holding out his hand toward Rey.
"Now, let's see what we can get from you."
Rey clenched her fists, her anger rising. She wasn't going to give up so easily. She jumped to the side, avoiding the first blow from the taller mugger. She reached out and clawed at the man's face, making him scream and curse.
The shorter mugger lunged at Rey, trying to grab her arm. Rey kicked him in the stomach, sending him reeling back. She then grabbed a rusty metal pipe lying on the ground and used it as a weapon.
A fierce fight ensued in the dark, narrow alley. Rey, though smaller, was agile and nimble. She dodged the muggers' attacks and retaliated with powerful punches and kicks.
However, the two muggers were stronger and more experienced. They managed to corner Rey against the wall, and one of them grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back. Rey screamed in pain, and the metal pipe fell from her hand.
"That's enough, sweetie," the taller mugger said, smirking.
"Now, let's get what you've got."
They both moved forward, ready to disarm Rey. Rey closed her eyes, resigned to her fate. Suddenly, the deafening roar of a motorcycle shattered the silence of the alley. The bright headlights dazzled the muggers, making them stumble back.
A large black motorcycle stopped at the entrance of the alley, its engine roaring like a wild animal. On top of it, a man dressed all in black sat haughtily. His face was covered by a black helmet, but his eyes gleamed coldly behind the visor.
"Let her go," the man said, his voice deep and menacing.
"Or you'll regret it."
The muggers exchanged glances, fear beginning to creep into their hearts. They knew the sound of that motorcycle. They knew who the man standing before them was.
"Kylo Ren," the shorter mugger whispered, his voice shaking.