Samuel stood in the center of the dimly lit room, his mind sharp as he processed the latest turn of events. Damian had countered them faster than expected, which meant two things—he was prepared, and he wasn’t going to play defense anymore. This was no longer a silent war fought in the shadows. It was about to get violent. Lucas’ fingers flew over the keyboard, trying to regain access to the Zurich account. “They’re good, but I can still mess with them,” he muttered, sweat beading on his forehead. “I can’t freeze the account completely anymore, but I can make transactions look suspicious enough to get flagged. If the bank starts an internal audit, Damian will be locked out for at least twenty-four hours.” Sophia crossed her arms, her jaw set. “Do it.” Lucas let out a shaky breath. “Alright, done. Now we wait and see how Damian reacts.” Samuel didn’t like waiting. Every second they spent waiting was a second Damian could use to retaliate. And knowing the Brook family, their r

The Brook family’s fortress-like estate loomed in the distance, its high walls and armed guards a reminder of the power they wielded. But tonight, power meant nothing. Not when Samuel was already inside.He crouched behind a stone pillar, watching as the guards patrolled the upper balcony. His earpiece crackled softly as Sophia’s voice came through.“You’re clear to move.”With silent precision, Samuel slipped forward, his black attire blending into the shadows. He reached the service entrance, the lock already disabled by Victor’s earlier hacking.Sophia’s voice came again. “Damian’s in his office. Third floor.”Samuel smirked. “Time to pay him a visit.”He moved swiftly through the corridors, his footsteps ghost-like against the marble flooring. The Brook estate was lavish—gold-trimmed walls, crystal chandeliers, priceless paintings. It reeked of old money and corruption.At the grand staircase, two guards stood watch. Samuel didn’t hesitate. He moved fast—one punch to the throat, t

The industrial district loomed ahead, a collection of abandoned factories and crumbling warehouses. The streets were mostly empty, save for the occasional flickering streetlamp casting eerie shadows.Samuel kept his gun at his side, eyes scanning the area as they approached the warehouse Marissa had described. The vault was hidden inside, buried beneath layers of security that only she could bypass.Lucas pulled the car into a secluded alley, shutting off the engine. “This place gives me bad vibes,” he muttered.Sophia checked her gun. “Everything gives you bad vibes.”Marissa sat in the back seat, her fingers gripping the edge of her coat. “We don’t have much time. Damian’s men could already be here.”Samuel turned to her. “Are you sure the files are still inside?”She nodded. “I checked the system remotely before we left. No one has accessed it yet, but that won’t last.”Samuel looked at Lucas and Sophia. “We move in quiet. No unnecessary risks.”Lucas smirked. “Define unnecessary.”

Lucas leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. “So, what’s the plan? Because I gotta tell you, running around like fugitives isn’t my idea of a good time.”Sophia shot him a glare. “Would you rather stay back and let Damian’s men carve you up?”Lucas smirked. “Not particularly. But I do like having a say in how we handle things.”Samuel’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We’re not running. We’re regrouping.”Marissa was in the backseat, typing furiously on her laptop despite the bumpy ride. “I need time to decrypt the rest of the files. There’s more there, but it’s heavily protected.”Samuel nodded. “Find out everything you can about the Brooks’ involvement. If they’re working with Damian, we need to know why.”Sophia turned to Samuel. “We need a safe place to lay low. Somewhere even Lucas’s ‘hidden’ penthouses won’t cut it.”Lucas held a hand to his chest, feigning offense. “You wound me.”Samuel ignored him. “I know a place.”He took a sharp turn onto an older highway leading out of the

.Sophia frantically tapped on her tablet, trying to override the system. “Damn it! The security locks have engaged. He knew we were coming.”Vincent exhaled sharply. “Well, this just got interesting.”Samuel ignored their back-and-forth. His attention was on the speakers overhead. Damian’s voice had been cold, calculated. That meant he wasn’t just toying with them—he had something planned.“You didn’t really think I’d let you waltz in here and take what’s mine, did you?” Damian’s voice was smooth with amusement. “I was hoping you’d show up, Samuel. You and your little rebellion.”Samuel’s jaw clenched. “We’re getting out of here, with or without your permission.”A chuckle. “Oh, I don’t doubt that you’ll try. But you should know… the subjects in this room? They’re not just experiments. They’re my masterpieces. And they don’t take kindly to being disturbed.”A chilling hiss filled the air. The chambers around them flickered, and the liquid inside began to drain.Sophia’s eyes widened i