Cobra Kai: Under the Cobra Emblem

When Max checked the folder left at his doorstep, he found a phone number. Without giving it much thought, he dialed.

"Do you have the package?" A hoarse voice spoke on the other end of the line.

Max glanced at the folder and replied, "It's in my hands right now."

"Those are the proofs: witness records, autopsy reports, and photographs."

Hearing this, Max entered his house, placed the phone on the dining table, and opened the envelope with both hands. Inside were photographs of a lifeless, dark-skinned man.

The images clearly confirmed that one of the thieves who had murdered his parents was now dead.

Whether this man was the shooter, Max didn't know, but recognizing the face of one of the perpetrators, he felt a grim satisfaction—it was at least a start.

"One left," Max muttered.

"As I said," the voice continued, "I need a complete fighter for a tournament that's far from accessible. You're one of the contenders I'm sending. There'll be sponsors from all walks of life. I need you to win; only then will you pay me to make sure the other one stops breathing."

The mention of the tournament made Max realize that Robert would have no trouble eliminating the second man. So Max agreed. "I'll be there. I'll win the tournament. And I want the other one dead."

"Good. I'll call you a week before the competition." The call ended with Robert's laughter echoing in Max's ears.

Looking at the photo of his parents' murderer, Max felt no relief. In fact, his anger only grew stronger.

He wanted to be the one to kill those bastards. Even if it meant making a deal with the devil himself, Max was ready to do whatever it took to avenge his parents.

"Argh!" he growled in frustration.

Max stormed to his room, placed all the photos in a safe, grabbed his car keys, and left. Staying home was dangerous—he didn't trust himself. If he encountered anyone, he wasn't sure what he'd do. Driving fast seemed like the only way to clear his mind.

Tonight, Max chose his Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster. The engine's roar was like a soothing melody to any car enthusiast.

After a while, he stopped at a gas station to refuel and buy some drinks.

Inside, he noticed a group of men whispering and eyeing a red-haired girl at the counter.

"I'll pay with my card," Max said, unfazed by the scene around him.

The cashier briefly glanced at Max before looking away.

"Are you alone?" the girl asked as Max exited the store.

Turning back, Max replied, "Want to go for a ride?"

"Sure, why not? I'm Ellie, by the way."

Max didn't care much about the girl, but the men behind her piqued his interest. That was the only reason he invited her. "Nice name. I'm Max."

Ellie gave a slight nod and headed to the passenger side of the car. Just as she was about to get in, the men from earlier approached.

"Hey, man, that's not fair. We saw her first," one of them said.

Max turned his gaze to them. "Why don't you stop stating the obvious and get lost?"

"What did you say, white boy?"

"Are you crazy? Let's just go! Don't mess with these junkies," Ellie said nervously. She didn't know Max, but common sense told her not to provoke people like this.

"Oh no, I'm actually in a pretty bad mood, and beating up some idiots might just make my night," Max said, breaking his usual rules as he edged toward danger.

"Say that again?" one of the men said, pulling out a knife from his hoodie.

Annoyed, Max placed his drinks in the car. When he stepped out, he was holding a gun, pointing it straight at the group. "You want to do this the hard way?"

"Hey, we don't care who you are! Forget it!"

The men scattered, not even glancing back as they fled far from the gas station.

Ellie, unsure of what to say, watched as Max tossed the gun into a nearby dumpster. "You're throwing away your weapon?"

"It's just a water gun—a stupid toy," Max said. He had used the fake pistol during Cobra Kai training sessions and figured it was best to dispose of it now to avoid future misunderstandings.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ellie muttered, feeling like she had met a lunatic. She thought she was reckless, but Max proved there was always someone crazier.

Climbing back into his car, Max asked, "So, you still want a ride with a stranger?"

"Yeah, why not? At this point, who cares?" Ellie replied. Riding in a stranger's supercar was at least exciting. She was certain Max wasn't looking for a fling.

And with that, they sped off into the night, the roar of the Lamborghini drowning out all thoughts of their chaotic encounter.