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BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 26: A DANCE WITH DEATH
The room was silent except for the rhythmic tapping of Carrick’s fingers against the desk. His encounter with Samael played on a loop in his mind. The assassin hadn’t attacked, hadn’t threatened, he had simply watched. And that unsettled Carrick more than an outright attempt on his life.Victor sighed, rubbing his temples. “I don’t like this, kid. He’s toying with you.”Maximus chuckled from where he leaned against the wall. “No, he’s testing him.”Carrick’s gaze flickered toward him. “Explain.”Maximus crossed his arms. “Samael isn’t like other assassins. If Zachary Gale hired him, your father probably gave him complete freedom on how to handle you. And Samael? He’s not the type to just eliminate a target outright.”Victor nodded grimly. “He’s going to make this a game.”Carrick leaned back, exhaling. “Then I’ll play.”Victor shot him an incredulous look. “Are you serious?”Carrick’s lips curled into a smirk. “Deadly.”Maximus let out a sharp laugh. “I like this kid.”Jack’s voice cr
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 27: A NEW CHALLENGER
The pocket watch gleaned under the flickering street lamp, its rhythmic ticking filling the silence like a slow, deliberate countdown. Carrick narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the curtain as he watched the mysterious figure outside."Who the hell is that?" Victor’s voice was tense through the earpiece.Carrick exhaled. "Not sure. But he’s not just some random thug."Maximus grinned from where he sat on the couch, casually sharpening a knife. "You don’t say? The whole ‘ominous pocket watch in the dark’ thing didn’t give it away?"Carrick ignored him, studying the figure carefully. The man didn’t move—l, just stood there, flipping the watch open and closed, as if waiting for something.Jack’s voice crackled in. "Boss, I’ve run facial recognition through every database I could tap into. No match.""That’s impossible," Victor muttered. "If someone’s connected to a five-million-dollar bounty, they should have some kind of record."Jack sighed. "I don’t like it either, but this guy
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 28: HUNTING THE PREDATOR
Carrick sat in the dimly lit study, fingers steepled as he processed the night’s events. The assassin's cryptic message, Samael’s opening move, and the unseen forces pulling the strings.. it was all coming together in a twisted puzzle. He needed to move fast.Victor paced behind him, his frustration barely contained. "We need to hit back. Hard."Carrick exhaled. "Hitting back without a plan makes us reckless. Samael isn’t just some street thug we can intimidate."Maximus leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "The kid’s right. Samael doesn’t care about fear. He enjoys the hunt. If we go at him blind, we’re just giving him sport."Victor scowled. "So what’s your play?"Carrick’s fingers drummed against the desk. "We don’t fight him like a mafia boss. We fight him like a hunter."Jack’s voice came through the speaker. "Boss, if you’re thinking of tracking Samael, that’s a suicide mission. The guy’s a ghost."Carrick smirked. "So was our friend outside. And yet, he came to me."Jack hesi
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 29: SHADOWS AT MIDNIGHT
Midnight was a cruel mistress. It whispered secrets in the dark, concealed movements behind shadows, and turned even the bravest men into prey. But Carrick Gale had never feared the dark.He thrived in it.Warehouse 12 stood at the edge of an abandoned industrial district, its skeletal remains barely holding against the howling wind. Rusted shipping containers were scattered across the yard, silent sentinels to past dealings.Maximus crouched beside Carrick behind a stack of barrels, peering through binoculars. “Two snipers on the roof. Four guards at the entrance. Two more patrolling."Victor’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “And that’s just what we can see. There’s no way Samael meets anyone without extra precautions."Carrick smirked. “That’s why we aren’t walking in the front door."Maximus grinned. “What’s the play?"Carrick nodded toward the northeast side. “There’s an old access tunnel under the warehouse. Jack sent me the blueprints, it leads straight into the storage ro
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 30: A HUNTER'S RESOLVE
The night air was thick with the stench of burnt rubber and gunpowder as Carrick, Victor, and Maximus slipped through the industrial district’s back alleys. Sirens still wailed in the distance, their echoes bouncing off the rusted steel skeletons of abandoned warehouses. But Carrick’s mind wasn’t on their escape.It was on Samael.The assassin had been toying with him. Testing his reflexes, gauging his skill. Sizing him up.And that meant only one thing, Samael wasn’t done yet.Carrick’s fingers curled into fists as they reached their getaway car. The black SUV was parked in the shadows, waiting for them. Lila sat in the driver’s seat, her sniper rifle broken down into pieces beside her. Alex was in the back, typing furiously on his laptop.The moment they climbed in, Lila pulled away from the curb.Victor exhaled. “That could’ve gone better.”Maximus chuckled. “Could’ve gone worse.”Carrick’s eyes stayed on the passing streetlights. “We got what we came for.”Alex didn’t look up from
BANG BANG BANG SHADOWS IN THE GALE FAMILY
The Gale estate stood like a fortress on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by high walls, security checkpoints, and a network of guards patrolling its perimeter. The family’s influence stretched deep into politics, business, and the criminal underworld. Inside the grand estate, in a dimly lit study filled with antique furniture and the scent of cigar smoke, Domino Gale sat across from his father, Zachary Gale.The room was silent except for the occasional crackling of the fireplace. A glass of whiskey rested untouched in front of Domino, while Zachary leaned back in his leather chair, fingers tapping rhythmically against the desk. A cold, calculating gleam flickered in his eyes as he reviewed the latest reports.A manila folder lay open between them, filled with surveillance images and documents detailing Carrick’s recent movements. The latest entry included a grainy image of Maximus Perch shaking hands with Carrick at the Helios Hotel.Zachary exhaled slowly, his expression unrea
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 32: THE PRICE OF POWER
The city never truly slept. Beneath its glimmering skyline, the streets pulsed with secrets, deals, and blood-stained ambitions. In an abandoned warehouse on the east side, Carrick Gale sat at the head of a long table, surrounded by his closest allies. The air was thick with tension. The moment he had been waiting for, the moment he had been building towards, was finally here.Russell Wright sat across from him, sweat beading on his forehead. The financial strategist for the Gale Family had spent years working under Zachary’s thumb. Now, in the span of a few hours, his world had been turned upside down.“You’re asking me to betray the most powerful man in this city,” Russell said, his voice shaking slightly.Carrick leaned forward, his fingers laced together. “No, I’m telling you that you already have.”Russell swallowed. He knew Carrick wasn’t wrong. The moment he had answered that phone call, the moment he had even entertained the idea of switching sides, his fate had been sealed.V
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 33: BLOOD IN THE WATER
The night air was thick with tension. The city had shifted, Carrick could feel it in the way the streets moved, the way power pulsed beneath the surface like an unseen current. The war between him and the Gale Family was no longer a secret battle fought in the shadows.It was real.And it was only beginning.In the dimly lit operations room, Carrick stood before a large digital screen displaying a web of connections, names, numbers, offshore accounts. The lifeblood of Zachary Gale’s empire. Every second that ticked by, his father’s financial kingdom bled a little more.Russell sat at a desk nearby, fingers flying across the keyboard as he worked to reroute more of the Gale fortune into ghost accounts. He hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours, but the thrill of tearing down the man who had controlled him for years kept him going.Alex paced the room, arms crossed. “We’ve got another batch of accounts frozen. That’s twenty percent of their liquid assets locked down.”Victor leaned agai
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CHAPTER 105. INTO THE ABYSS
The estate hummed with a quiet, eerie intensity. Each step Carrick took on the cold marble floors seemed to reverberate through the halls, carrying the weight of the decisions he had made. It was clear now...Carrick Gale was no longer just a rising power. He was the storm, the unyielding force that shaped the city. But with that power came a growing unease, a creeping doubt that gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.Carrick sat at the long table in the council room, his fingers steepled in front of him. The weight of his leadership pressed heavily on his shoulders, but it wasn’t the pressure of the city or his enemies that troubled him most. It was the growing rift between him and his men...his brother, in particular. Marco’s words from the night before echoed in his mind like a warning bell, a constant reminder that the road he was walking was narrowing.The room had filled quickly after Carrick’s arrival. Victor, Darius, and Enzo stood by the walls, their usual confidence tempered by
CHAPTER 104. THE PRICE OF POWER
The following morning, the estate was quieter than usual, but there was an unease that hung in the air. It wasn’t just the silence...it was the tension. Carrick’s actions the previous night had rippled through the underworld like a stone dropped into a still pond. Every family, every loyalist, every rival had felt it, and now they were waiting. Waiting for the next move.Carrick stood at the balcony again, his eyes scanning the city. The streets were still, the tension palpable. People were walking on eggshells, and Carrick could feel it. The empire he was building was delicate. One wrong move, and it could crumble beneath him. But he wasn’t about to let that happen.Marco entered the room, his expression tight. The years of brotherhood between them hadn’t dulled the sharpness of their arguments, but today, there was something more in Marco’s eyes. Worry. Concern. A desperation Carrick hadn’t seen before.“Carrick,” Marco said, his voice steady but strained. “We need to talk. About la
CHAPTER 103. THE DARKEST CORNER
The cold wind whipped through the narrow alleys of the Gale estate, the moonlight casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets. Carrick stood by the edge of the balcony again, the same spot where he had stood earlier that day. But now, there was a gnawing emptiness in the air, as if the city itself was holding its breath. The power he had seized was not a comfort. It was a weight. A burden that pressed down on him every moment.Inside the estate, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The council room, usually filled with casual chatter and scheming, was eerily quiet. Carrick had been spending less time in the boardrooms lately and more time on the streets, dealing with the remnants of the old order. Each deal, each confrontation, had taken its toll. He had started to feel the cracks in his control, as if the power he had so ruthlessly claimed was slipping through his fingers like sand.“Carrick,” Marco’s voice broke through the silence. “We’ve got a problem.”Carrick didn’t turn a
CHAPTER 102: NO REST FOR KINGS
The streets of the city seemed quieter than usual as Carrick stood on the balcony of the Gale estate, but he knew better. It wasn’t peace...it was fear. Fear gripped every corner, every alleyway, every rival family. Carrick Gale wasn’t a rumor anymore. He was reality. But power like this came with a cost. He could feel it pressing against his back like the cold barrel of a loaded gun.Inside the estate, the council room was already filling up.Marco was the first to speak as Carrick entered, his voice laced with concern. “Enzo and the others are downstairs. They want to pledge formally.”Darius yawned and leaned against the wall. “Good. Let’s not keep them waiting.”Carrick adjusted his cufflinks calmly. “Bring them in.”Moments later, Enzo entered, followed by a dozen men. They were all hardened men, bloodied from years under Moreno’s shadow, but tonight, they looked like schoolboys waiting for a principal’s verdict.Enzo cleared his throat nervously. “Boss... I mean, Carrick, sir...
CHAPTER 101. CEMENTING POWER
The night was far from over. Even as the flames from the Moreno estate flickered in the distance, Carrick knew this was only the beginning. Killing Moreno was a statement, a warning to any who still doubted his claim to power. But power wasn’t just about eliminating enemies...it was about control. Total control.As they drove back to the Gale estate, the tension inside the car was thick. Marco sat in silence, staring out the window, while Elias tapped his fingers against his knee impatiently.Darius finally spoke up, his usual smirk in place. “Well, that was fun. Can’t say I’ll miss Moreno. Guy was a snake.”Victor nodded in agreement. “Still, his connections ran deep. His men won’t just disappear. Some will scatter, but others will look for new leadership.”Carrick, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced at Victor. “Then we absorb them before someone else does.”Marco scoffed. “And you think they’ll just join you willingly?”Carrick smirked. “Everyone has a price.”Elias leaned forwa
CHAPTER 100: THE CLAIMS
The night air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood. The docks, once a battleground of betrayal, had fallen into silence. The echoes of gunfire had faded, replaced by the occasional groan of the wounded and the distant wail of police sirens.Carrick stood over his father’s lifeless body, his gun still warm in his grip. For a moment, he felt nothing. No satisfaction, no sorrow...just a hollow stillness.Marco stared at Zachary’s corpse, his expression unreadable. He had always been his father’s favored son, yet he didn’t speak. Perhaps he finally realized that Zachary had never truly loved either of them...only power.Darius stepped forward, nudging Zachary’s body with his boot. “Well, that’s that. Should we celebrate? Or are we mourning?”Carrick exhaled slowly, holstering his gun. “Neither. We’re not done.”Victor wiped blood from his sleeve. “You mean taking over the Gale Empire?”Carrick turned to him, his gaze sharp. “That’s exactly what I mean.”Elias chuckled, crossing
CHAPTER 99. UNDESERVING OF FORGIVENESS
Carrick sat motionless, his fingers drumming lightly on the wooden surface of his desk. His piercing gaze remained fixed on Marco, who stood before him with an uncharacteristic tension in his shoulders.“So, let me get this straight,” Carrick said, his voice slow, deliberate. “You came all the way here… to warn me about our father?”Marco exhaled, his lips pressing into a thin line. “Yes.”Carrick leaned back in his chair, studying his brother with cold amusement. “That’s interesting. Because the last time we spoke, you were quite happy to watch me die.”A flicker of guilt crossed Marco’s face. “I didn’t come here to argue, Carrick.”Victor, standing near the door with his arms crossed, scoffed. “Then what exactly do you want? Forgiveness? A fresh start?”Marco’s gaze darted to Victor before settling back on Carrick. “I don’t expect either of those things.”Carrick exhaled, shaking his head. “Then why the hell should I believe a word you say?”Marco took a step forward, his fists clen
CHAPTER 98. LINGERING SHADOW
The weight of the city pressed down on Carrick’s shoulders. The war had been won, but there was no peace...not yet.From his penthouse office, he watched the skyline, the lights of New Manhattan twinkling like stars. This was his city now. His empire. And yet, his enemy still lived.Zachary Gale had not disappeared. He had not begged for mercy.And that made him a problem.The soft hum of the city below was a deceptive lullaby, masking the storm brewing in the underworld. Carrick exhaled sharply, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his desk. He had stripped Zachary of his wealth, his power, and his men. But the man was still standing, still plotting. That was a mistake Carrick intended to correct.The door to his office creaked open.Elias stepped inside, his usual cocky smirk absent. “We have a situation.”Carrick turned, his sharp gaze locking onto him. “Go on.”Elias placed a file on the desk and flipped it open. “Zachary’s been making moves. He’s been seen meeting with former
CHAPTER 97: A THRONE WITHOUT CHAINS
The night was long, but the war was over.Carrick Gale stood at the window of his penthouse, staring at the city that now belonged to him. The Gale Family was finished. His father, Zachary, had been exposed, abandoned, and stripped of power.But victory didn’t feel the way he expected.The weight of his actions settled in his chest. He had fought, plotted, and won, but there was no celebration, no moment of relief. Because now, the real work began.Behind him, Victor Alistair poured himself a drink. “You’re too quiet,” he said. “I figured you’d be enjoying this.”Carrick turned slightly, his face unreadable. “What’s there to enjoy?”Victor raised an eyebrow. “You crushed Zachary. His allies turned against him. His own men left him to rot. His empire is in flames. That’s exactly what you wanted.”Carrick exhaled. “And yet, he’s still breathing.”Victor chuckled. “Barely. Word is, he’s been trying to cut deals with anyone who’ll listen, but no one trusts him anymore. He’s got nothing le
