"It doesn't work that way with me," Shadow said to Greg Chase. He could have been offended but he understood Greg's position, and the fact that they were on the same side made Shadow understand better, if not he would be cross with anyone that advised him to double-cross someone that saved his life. "I understand your position but you have to choose Shadow. Us or Ban? If you are going to protect Ban, it's best to take his side, or else you know that you should help us get him," Greg Chase explained, and he was right. Shadow had to pick a definite side. Shadow quickly came to a realization. The reason that he had not taken Barter's side was that Barter had told him that Mr. Ban was dead and that Barter was alone, prowling. So there was no need to take Barter's side since there was no head and no financial backing, but now he knew that Mr. Ban was alive.Or was Mr. Ban even alive? Shadow didn't see Mr. Ban nor hear anything from him or about him, so why was everyone so sure that th

''What do you think, Barter? Since rumors have started to spread that I am alive, I might as well start to go out,'' Mr. Ban said to Barter.Barter frowned in shock. ''That's a risky idea running through your mind, boss. Why do you want to go out?'' Barter asked.''Boredom. A lot is happening out there, I am making a lot to happen out there, yet here I am, locked up like a prisoner. My name is on everyone's lips, literally. But I cannot enjoy the attention because I am staying out of sight. I bet it is time to make something happen. It's time to flip the page of the script,'' Mr. Ban said with an ambitious smirk on his face. ''Boss, don't let your ego get the best of you. You are winning now boss. Look at the charts, they are back to being green and staying green, yet you want to go out there and surrender yourself to your rivals? No boss. I cannot let you do that, I cannot let that happen,'' Barter explained. ''So what are you suggesting? that I stay indoors, hiding for the rest o

Barter observed Scissors, trying to figure out who he was. No doubt, Barter knew that Scissors was from the rival faction, but under whose command exactly? From the way, Scissors was dressed, and the care and the well-thought-out way he had captured Barter, Barter started to think that Scissors was one of the mercenaries that Greg Chase had hired.Did Greg Chase still have enough money to maintain those mercenaries? Everyone knew that they were costly. Greg had been out of business for a long time, enough to make him consider doing away with the mercenaries if he was not courting bankruptcy. "Here," Scissors said and tossed a pair of handcuffs at Barter while he watched Barter step out of the car. Barter took the handcuffs and put them on, all the while, glaring at Scissors closely. "Who are you? Who sent you?" Barter asked. "Get inside the car, don't ask me no shit," Scissors replied. "What about my car? Are you just going to leave it there with my gun in the pigeonhole?" Bart

Hearing the phone that was ringing, Greg Chase snatched it from Scissors. ''Answer it before it goes off,'' he said as he took the phone from Scisoors. Greg pressed the green button. He put the phone over his ear, waiting to hear the familiar sound of Mr. Ban's voice. There was silence. Of course, Mr. Ban was not stupid, he knew he had to be cautious while trying to find out where Barter was. Mr. Ban immediately knew that Barter had been taken, so he signaled the guard that came to tell him about Barter's disappearance, and asked him to talk to Barter. ''Hello, Barter,'' the guard said. Barter recognized the colleague's voice instantly, and deep inside him, he was extra glad that Mr. Ban did not reveal himself. How thoughtful. ''Mayos, what's up?'' Barter asked. ''I'm good. I saw your car outside. Are you good? Your car is parked outside weirdly,'' Mayos said to Barter. There was silence. Barter wished he could call out for help, but from the way Greg Chase was glari

At Greg Chase's house, Barter had started to feel the brunt of being starved and punished. It took him one full week to become as weak as he was. Greg Chase was shocked.Barter looked strong, quite alright, but he didn't just look strong, he was actually strong in person. Also, something at the back of his mind told him that Mr. Ban would come to his rescue. He knew that help was coming for him, and that was what made him have an iota of hope. Nevertheless, he hoped that he would be saved soon before Greg Chase killed him out of impatience.''You are still holding on to your loyalty to Mr. Ban?'' Greg Chase opened the door of Barter's room and asked him. Then Greg Chase scoffed. ''You stink, Barter,'' he said. Barter didn't need anyone to tell him that. He had stayed in that room for days without taking a shower, brushing his teeth, or changing his clothes. Of course, he would stink. In fact, he could perceive himself. ''Ban will skin you alive. Don't you worry, Mr. Chase? Yo