Stephen sat opposite Victor in the cramped office at the back of the pharmacy. There was no noise but the 'tick-tick' of the wall clock. Stephen leaned back, crossing his arms. His glasses reflected the dim light of the office, though his eyes never left Victor's."I wasn't expecting you," Stephen finally said in hushed tones.Victor gave him a taut smile, one that didn't reach the eyes. "Neither was I planning on visiting."Stephen furrowed his brow, not knowing where this was leading to. "So, what do you want, Victor?"Victor squirmed in his chair; his keen eyes locked with Stephen's. "It's simple. Someone's been stealing from me. Messing with my business."Stephen's eyebrow rose, but he kept still. "You are accusing me of something? You think I know about it?"Victor shook his head. "No, I'm not here for that."Stephen waited, watching him closely. "Then why are you here? You don't have to come all the way out here to tell me somebody's messing with your business."Victor sighed, r
Enoch sat opposite a businessman, tension between them now replaced with agreement. The man slid the paper across the table, and Enoch grabbed the pen in his firm hand and signed his name."It's nice to be in business with you," the businessman said calmly but firmly.Enoch gave a slight nod, extending his hand. They shook them, firm grips. As they did, there was the flash of cameras popping in the background to capture the moment for the press. Enoch straightened his suit, adjusting his tie-all neutral for the cameras. But inside, his mind was already moving to the next task.The instant the photographs were taken, Enoch turned and went toward his office. His gait was measured and sure, as if all that was around him was already accounted for. The din of the press was dampened behind him as he swung the door open to his office, softly closing it behind him.Inside, the room was in silence. Enoch let out a deep breath, relaxing into his chair. He leaned back, staring up at the ceiling
The door creaked open, and Enoch's assistant peeked in, a little sheepish. "Sir, the package has come."Victor and Stephen exchanged a quick look. Silent, Enoch stood, his face set, and walked out of the office. The stride now was brisker, more confident, without the casualness that had marked their progress to this point. Victor and Stephen went directly behind Enoch.As they neared the place of delivery, Enoch noticed a tall man standing beside a crate, looking apparently uneasy. The man was all soaked in sweat, and his hands were quivering along his sides."Biggy?" Victor stuttered, quite surprised and suspicious all at once. The man began to flinch upon the pronouncement of his name and darting his eyes from Victor to Enoch."W-what are you doing here?" Biggy stuttered out, his voice shaking in fear.Enoch turned to Victor, whose eyes had now narrowed. "You know him?"Victor nodded, his face going hard. "Biggy works for me. He's in charge of the distribution of my goods."Stephen
The door creaked open, and Enoch's assistant peered inside a bit warily. "Sir, the package has arrived."Victor and Stephen exchanged a wordless glance. In dead silence, Enoch rose to his feet, his face somber, and strode from the office. He moved more rapidly now, urgency the counterpoint to confident expectation. Victor and Stephen were hard on his heels.As they drew near the delivery area, Enoch noticed a towering man beside a crate, shifting uneasily. He was sweating profusely, with twitching hands hanging at his sides."Biggy?" Victor called in surprise and suspicion. He started at the mention of his name, darting his eyes between Victor and Enoch."W-what are you doing here?" he stuttered low, as fear wrapped itself around his vocal cords.Enoch turned to Victor, his eyes slanting. "You know him?"Victor nodded, his face hard. "Biggy works for me. He is in charge of the distribution for my goods."Stephen took another step closer, his eyes warily eyeing Biggy. Biggy's face lost
Enoch's throat dried, and he stammered, "I. uh, there's nothing wrong, officer. We're just—"The cop raised an eyebrow. "You sound nervous. You got something you're not telling us?"Stephen stepped in, his voice cool and firm. "Officer, if I may ask, what's the purpose of your presence here?"The policeman regarded him for a moment, then nodded. "We're here about a friend of yours. Clarke."Clarke?" Enoch exclaimed in confusion. "What does he want this time?"The officer shrugged. "He just wanted to see you, Enoch. Said it was urgent."Stephen exchanged a quick glance with Victor before turning back to the officer. "May we tag along?"The policeman was silent for a second before nodding his head. "You may, but keep no secrets."Stephen let out a relieved sigh. "We will, officer. Shall we?The men left the building, following the officers out as they tried to keep their anxiety in check. The ride to the station was tense, with each of them lost to himself. Stephen tried to anticipate w
Victor stood outside the club, his scowl deepening. They were actually going through with Clarke's plan. After all the lies he'd told them, he thought they'd dismiss him, yet here he was.Clarke had said Caesar's right-hand man came to this club every afternoon. The catch? Only one of them could go in without raising suspicion. And of course, they picked Victor.He laid his hand over the transmitter in his ear and growled, "Why do you always pick me?"Enoch's voice crackled through the airpod. "You're the one who knows how dealers move. You've been in the game."Victor scowled. "What does that even mean?"Before Enoch could answer, Stephen interrupted him. "Focus. We don't have time for this.Sighing, Victor adjusted his jacket, then strode toward the door. Just as he reached it, a huge bouncer stepped in his way, blocking him. "Entry card," the bouncer grunted, arms crossed.Victor forced a smile. "Uh, about that. I kind of lost it. But maybe we could work something out." He reached
They stepped into the VVIP section, and the ambiance was different immediately-quieter, more tensed. The flashing light and loud music from the club outside were dulled outside, which made the space more exclusive, more dangerous. Stephen scanned the room, tapped his ear then. "Enoch, keep an eye out for anyone entering from the CCTV outside."Silence.Stephen's eyes narrowed. "Enoch, can you hear me?"Still nothing.Victor glanced at him, frowning. "What's wrong?"Comms are dead," Stephen muttered. "Either the signal's being jammed or something else is blocking us."Victor let out a sigh. "Guess we're on our own now."Just then, his attention, along with that of Stephen, was caught toward the middle of the room where a Chinese man sat cross-legged on a raised couch while two women fed him drinks. His eyes, cold and calculating, fixed upon them.Welcome, gentlemen," he said, his lip curling. Smooth underestimated his voice; it oozed with confidence. "I assume you're here for me?"Vict
Stephen wavered and words caught in his throat. "We. we don't have anything. But we can help you get what you want." His voice came out a bit shaky as he let the desperation of the situation come upon him.Victor gave him a sharp look. "What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean, we don't have it?" His frustration was stark, but Stephen disregarded him, keeping his focus on the man across from them.The grin on the Chinaman's face spread wider, mirth dancing in his eyes. "You think you can help me?" he mocked. "I have everything I need." He clicked his fingers, and the guards moved farther in, guns still pointed. "Take them.Before either Stephen or Victor could utter anything, two guards stepped forward, grabbing them by their arms. Stephen struggled to pull away, but it was hopeless. A grip clamped down hard on his arm, sending pain shooting up his shoulder. Victor wasn't faring much better, thrashing at the guard holding him."Wait!" Stephen yelled, but the guards didn't
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not sa
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not say an
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late. The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late. The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen. Stephen did not say an
Stephen sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring out the window. He had sat there for hours, sipping cold coffee and watching the rain trickle down the glass. The café wasn't crowded-just a few people scattered about, lost in their conversations. His foot tapped impatiently under the table. Enoch was late. Very late.The waiter had been by twice, offering Stephen polite smiles, asking if he needed anything else. Each time, he waved him off, too intent on what was to come. His mind was reeling, questions, doubts, and a growing sense of frustration building inside him. Enoch was never this late.The doorbell above the entrance jingled, and Stephen looked up. His heart stopped at the sight of Enoch stepping inside, shaking rain from his coat. He glanced briefly around the room before his eyes fell upon Stephen, and he hastened to him, an apologetic smile on his face."Sorry to have kept you waiting," Enoch said, reaching for the chair opposite of Stephen.Stephen did not say anythi
Stephen stood by the door, watching as Victor’s car grew smaller in the distance. The rumble of the engine slowly faded, leaving nothing but the usual quiet that hung around the small neighborhood. He let out a breath, resting his hand on the doorframe. The last two months had been tough—tougher than he ever imagined.Without the system—the network of contacts and favors that once made his life easy—Stephen had to figure out a way to survive on his own. And it wasn’t glamorous. Every day was a grind, a constant scramble for enough money to cover the basics. Work wasn’t easy to come by, not when you’d burned as many bridges as he had. But he’d managed to find some odd jobs here and there—just enough to scrape by, though never enough to truly get ahead.He closed the door softly, the sound echoing through the small room. Glancing around the cramped space, he couldn’t help but think of the penthouse he once called home. The stark difference between his old life and this one weighed on hi
Stephen stood in the door and watched as Victor's car dwindled to a dot on the horizon. The rumble of the motor died out, leaving only the silent night air hovering over the little neighborhood. He exhaled a breath, his hand falling to rest on the doorframe. The last two months had been rough-tougher than he ever imagined.No system to fall back on now-the network of contacts and favors that oiled his life-Stephen was forced to scrounge some means of survival for himself. Not quite glamorous, the daily fight, the eternal hustle just for the real basics. Jobs were not easy to find, not when one had burned bridges as he had. But he'd been able to find odd jobs here and there, enough just to scrape by, never enough to get any further ahead.He closed the door behind him with a quiet click. The softness echoed inside the tiny room. Glancing around at the cramped quarters, his mind strayed to the penthouse he once called home. The stark dissimilarities between where his life used to be and
Two months later, Victor stared at the address on his phone, then at the small, run-down building in front of him. It didn’t look like a place Stephen would be living. The paint was peeling off the walls, and the grass in front was overgrown. This was far from the sleek, modern apartment Stephen used to own.Victor killed the engine, stepped out of his car, and walked toward the house. It was a self-contained unit—cheap, cramped, and barely enough for one person. He checked the address again. Room number 9. It matched. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.When he reached room 9, he knocked hard. The wood felt thin under his knuckles, like the door could break if he wasn’t careful. He knocked again, louder this time.After a moment, the door creaked open. Victor’s eyebrows shot up. Standing in front of him was Stephen, but he was almost unrecognizable. His hair was longer, his face covered with a scruffy beard, and he’d gained weight—his old sharp features now s
Standing beside Ariane's bed, his mind was spinning as he stared down at the screen of the system on his phone. His fingers trembling, he hit the icon for healing skills. He muttered under his breath, "Why can't this work on her? Why can't I save her?The system kept mum-no explanation, no solution. The shallow breathing of his daughter echoed in the room; every weak breath made him helpless. Stephen swallowed hard as his throat went dry. He could fix deals, he could manipulate numbers, but here in this hospital room, he was powerless.The door creaked open, and Stephen turned to see Enoch step in. Gone was Enoch's usual smug expression, replaced with a concerned frown. "What are you doing here?" Stephen's voice was low, edged with suspicion.Enoch shrugged, glancing over at Ariane. "Heard she was sick, so I decided to come by. How's she doing?"Stephen stared at him for a long moment, unsure of how to reply. His mind flashed back to his earlier doubts. Ariane wasn't his daughter, at
Stephen sat cross-legged on a soft mat, his eyes closed to focus on the calm voice of the guru. The air around him was scented with burning incense; a low hum of chanting echoed softly from the walls. He had called in the guru in a last-ditch effort to clear his mind, escape the relentless pull of the system. It had started to devour him, bit by bit, till it was all he could think of, all he could perceive.He was losing his grip, and he knew it.The guru's voice came, calm: "Breathe in. breathe out. let your thoughts flow like water. Do not cling to them."Stephen sucked in an enormous breath, then let it slowly out again, as if to expel everything at the same time: the market crash, the system, the deals that went right past him. The tension between him and Enoch was endless. He'd gotten pulled into something so much bigger than he was that he couldn't possibly control it himself, and however hard Stephen fought his way free of it, he felt ensnared.Then, though, as his breathing st