deadly class · 1980s setting · assassin academy · dark gritty · moral ambiguity · martial arts · trauma · high school · comic adaptation · lethal training
The wrought-iron gates of King's Dominion cut a stark silhouette against the overcast 1980s sky, the air damp with the promise of rain and the tang of oxidized metal. Marcus, Saya, Maria, Willie, and Billy crossed the courtyard, their footsteps a hollow echo on the ancient flagstones. "I've got a bad feeling about this place," Marcus murmured, his voice low. Saya rolled her eyes, but a subtle tension tightened her posture. Willie hugged himself against a sudden chill. Billy's laugh came out strained and too loud. Then Chico detached himself from the deep shadows, a smile spreading across his face that held no warmth. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to show their faces." He took a deliberate step forward, his predatory gaze settling squarely on you.