They were thrown into a small, dingy storeroom. The door shut tight behind them, and the only sound was that of the lock clicking. Victor leaned back against the wall, exhaling a deep, heavy sigh of relief."We're fortunate they didn't kill us," Victor grumbled, mopping his forehead with his sleeve.Stephen stood up, pacing the small room. He was seething with frustration. "What the hell was that, Victor? What are you hiding?"Victor said nothing. His eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an exit.Stephen snapped. "Answer me! If you don't start talking, we're both dead in here!" His voice boomed, really urgent.Victor finally let out a heavy sigh and acquiesced. "Okay, okay. I'll talk." He sat down on the floor, his face tired, worn down by the situation. "A couple of years ago, I tried to work some deal with Voss. It didn't go according to plan."Stephen's eyebrows shot up. "What kind of deal?"Victor hesitated then proceeded. "I was still in the game, trying to make a nam
Victor and Stephen stumbled out of the casino, tension thick between them. The neon lights flashed overhead, casting long shadows across their faces. They didn’t speak as they crossed the street, heading toward the dark van parked a few yards away.Enoch sat behind the wheel, arms crossed, watching them. His expression was a mix of confusion and concern. As soon as they got close, he rolled down the window."Is everything okay?" he asked, eyeing them both. From the look on their faces, it was obvious something was wrong.Victor’s jaw was tight, his fists clenched. Stephen looked ready to explode."What's happening, guys?" Enoch pressed, his voice calm but firm.Without answering, they yanked the van door open and climbed inside. Stephen’s face was flushed with anger as he slammed the door shut. "Drive.""Drive where?" Enoch asked, glancing between the two.Victor snapped, "Just fucking drive, now!"Enoch frowned, turning the key in the ignition but not moving. "I didn’t cause your pro
Stephen's eyes cut at Clarke, his eyes springing open and his jaw clenched. "So, you sold us out? You're working with Voss now?Clarke doubled over the table, bursting out laughing. "Sold you out? Stephen, everyone in this city owes Voss something. I'm no different. I just happened to get caught up in it like everyone else. I had a debt to pay, and Voss figured the best way to settle it was to send you all to him.Victor blew an exasperated sigh, his head shaking in disgust. "How the hell are we to swallow this crap, Clarke? You're full of it."Clarke sat back, that knowing smile still splattered on his face. "If I were you gents, I wouldn't waste much time arguing. Voss doesn't play games, and if you think I'm bluffing, you're in for a nasty surprise. You've got a job to do, and I suggest you get to it.Enoch's brow furrowed. "A job? What does Voss want from us?"Clarke's smile grew wider, though his eyes never brightened. "Voss wants one thing—control. There's a package, something i
Michael relaxed back, his smirk deepening as he got full-on comfortable. "You see, Stephen, it wasn't enough to simply beat Voss. Oh no, I had to do it with a little panache. That's where you and your merry band of misfits came in."Stephen's fists clenched under the table, but he kept quiet, awaiting the rest."You see, Voss has been running this city for years. He's got everyone on lock-down-until now. What better way to take him down than from the inside? The man trusts his right-hand like a brother, but guess what?" Michael chuckled darkly. "That right-hand? He works for me now. Voss has no idea he's already losing."Victor squirmed in his chair, his glare shifted at Michael. "You are telling me you turned his own man against him?"Exactly. Voss is powerful, but predictable. He never saw it coming. Now, as for you guys. well, dragging you into this mess was part of the fun. Made the game a little more interesting.Victor's eyes slitted further. "So you set us up? You hired that gu
Stephen said nothing, yet his shout hung in the room, holding all other movement at bay. Thick tension wrapped in the air like a noose. Michael's eyes flickered to his men; an order given in silence. His lips arced into a slow cold smile."Well, Stephen," he said with glass sharpness, "You have my attention.Stephen swallowed, but his voice came out steady. "We're not doing this. Not like this. You want to use us, fine, but killing us here won't get you anywhere."Michael leaned back in his chair, his smirk deepening. "Smart move. You always did know how to talk your way out of a mess.He glared at Stephen for one weighted moment, then his gaze shifted to Victor and Enoch, who still stood taut and ready to detonate. "Alright, here's the deal. Voss is expecting a major shipment down at the docks. Drugs. Enough to put him away for life. You're going to intercept it."Victor's eyebrows pulled down. "You want us to steal it?Michael chuckled, a low, sinister sound. "Not exactly. You're go
Voss's warehouse loomed before them, dark, but the panic running through Stephen's veins had little to do with the shadows. Everything to do with the fact that from every direction, they'd just become targets. Voss. Michael. And now, the cops.Two days," Victor growled, pacing like a caged animal. "Voss gave us two days to turn over something we don't even have. What are we supposed to do? Pull the drugs out of thin air?Stephen said nothing. His mind was racing in a circle, pinging from one idea to the next, trying to find some way out. He hadn't slept since the docks, and it was seeping into his bones. But there was no time for rest now.Enoch had sat hunched against the wall, knees pulled to his chest. His fingers tapped nervously against the concrete, eyes darting from Victor to Stephen, barely holding it together. "We should've never trusted Michael. He's playing us. Voss is going to kill us, and Michael—he'll watch it happen."Victor slammed his fist onto the nearest crate, the
Stephen leaned across the table, his fingers tracing invisible lines on the surface. "We need to pit Voss against Michael. Make Voss think Michael's setting him up and let them tear each other apart while we slip away."Victor tipped back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched tight. "And how do we do that? You really think Voss will just take our word for it?Stephen shook his head. "No. We plant something. Evidence that Michael is gunning for Voss's operation. Voss is paranoid enough that he will react fast, and once they're at each other's throats, we can disappear."Enoch, still hunched against the wall, frowned. "This is insane. If we get caught trying to plant evidence, we're dead. Voss doesn't need proof, he'll just kill us to send a message.""We're already dead if we don't do something," Stephen replied sharply. "Michael's put us in a corner, and the cops are sniffing around. This is the only way we stand a chance."Victor rose to his feet, frustration ta
The days which followed were a vortex of tension, rumor, and waiting. Stephen scarcely slept, paced the small safehouse, his mind racing through every eventuality that could be forthcoming from their plan. Voss and Michael were bound to clash sooner or later. But when? And how badly?Across from him, Victor sat half-closed-eyed but way too alert to sleep. Enoch hunched in the corner, peering at his phone, no doubt praying for some sort of sign that they weren't totally screwed."Nothing out on the street yet?" Victor asked at last, breaking the silence.Enoch shook his head. "It's quiet. Too quiet."Stephen's stomach knotted. They were waiting for the spark to ignite the fuse. It was a good plan, to set Voss off against Michael, but the lull before the storm was unsettling. What if they'd miscalculated? What if either Voss or Michael saw through their setup.Suddenly, Enoch's phone purred, and he shot upright. He answered quickly, muttering a few words before hanging up. His face was