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BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 45: ASCENDANCY
The flames consumed the Gale estate like a ravenous beast, illuminating the night sky with hues of orange and crimson. Smoke curled into the air, carrying the stench of burning wood and scorched earth. The once-mighty stronghold of Zachary Gale, the empire he had built with blood and betrayal, was now nothing more than a smoldering ruin.Carrick didn’t look back. He walked steadily toward the waiting cars, his men surrounding him like an impenetrable shield. The weight of the night pressed against his shoulders, but he carried it well.Victor walked beside him, glancing sideways. “So. You let him live.”Carrick didn’t respond immediately. His grip on his gun tightened before he slid it into his holster. “Killing him would have been easy. Too easy.”Jason, who had been checking the perimeter, snorted. “You sure that was the right call? Zachary’s the kind of bastard that doesn’t just roll over and accept defeat.”Carrick exhaled. “That’s the point. He won’t be able to accept it. He’ll w
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 46: THR CROWN AND THE THRONE
The meeting had ended, but the weight of it still lingered.Carrick sat in the private lounge of the club, a glass of whiskey in his hand. The warm amber liquid swirled lazily as he studied the city skyline beyond the tinted windows. It was a view of power—his power.Victor leaned against the bar, watching him. “You handled that well.”Carrick hummed in response.Jason, sitting on the leather couch across from him, smirked. “You actually got Vincent Leclair to acknowledge you. I think he'll just freeze over.”Anthony snorted. “Luciano too. That bastard doesn’t respect anyone, but he respects you now.”Carrick’s grip on the glass tightened slightly. Respect was a good start. But it wasn’t enough.“I don’t need respect,” he murmured. “I need loyalty.”Victor chuckled. “Loyalty comes with time. Fear, however…” He took a sip of his drink. “That’s immediate.”Carrick’s gaze darkened. “Fear is a tool, not a foundation. I don’t just want these men to follow me.. I want them to choose to foll
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 47: THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST
The air inside the Zenith Family’s headquarters was thick with tension.Carrick stood at the center of the strategy room, his sharp eyes scanning the faces around him. Victor, Jason, Anthony, and a few of his most trusted men were gathered, waiting for his next move.The map on the table was marked with red pins.. each representing Lorenzo Capello’s weak points.Victor leaned forward, arms crossed. “Lorenzo’s bleeding. Three of his business partners have backed out, and his men are scrambling. He’s losing confidence.”Jason smirked. “Good. Let’s keep squeezing.”Anthony, however, shook his head. “We can’t afford to get cocky. We’re hitting Capello hard, yeah, but that bastard is still standing. And Domino? He’s been too damn quiet.”Carrick nodded. “That’s what concerns me.”Silence settled over the room. Domino Gale was many things, but he wasn’t the type to sit back and do nothing. If he wasn’t striking now, it meant he was planning something big.Carrick tapped a finger against the
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 48: A GAME OF KINGS
The warehouse burned, flames licking at the crates stacked against the walls. Smoke curled toward the ceiling, casting eerie shadows over the men standing in the chaos.Lorenzo Capello staggered back, his face twisted in fury as the explosions sealed the exits, cutting off any escape route.Across from him, Carrick Gale stood unmoved, his expression cold and calculated. The flickering flames cast shadows over his features, making him look more like a ruler delivering judgment than a young man barely past seventeen.Domino Gale let out a low, amused chuckle, despite the situation.“Well, little brother, I have to admit.. you've outdone yourself.” He dusted off his charcoal-gray suit, unfazed. “But if you think this is over, you’re sorely mistaken.”Carrick didn't blink.“I never think it’s over, Domino. That’s the difference between you and me.”Lorenzo’s rage boiled over. He turned to Domino, voice low and venomous.“You said you had this handled.”Domino sighed dramatically. “Oh, rel
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 49: THE FIRST MOVE
The Zenith Headquarters loomed ahead as Carrick’s car tore through the streets. The city, usually a sea of neon lights and late-night traffic, was now a battlefield. The Gale Family had declared war, and they were making their first move.. attacking the very heart of the Zenith Family.Carrick's grip tightened on the wheel as he weaved through the chaos. Explosions lit up the night sky in the distance, and the sound of sirens and gunfire echoed down the streets. His mind was already strategizing, calculating the next move.Jason’s voice crackled through his earpiece again. “Carrick, we’re holding them off, but they’ve got numbers. We need you here, now.”“I’m three minutes out,” Carrick replied, his voice cold and unwavering.Anthony’s voice chimed in. “Make it two.”Carrick smirked despite the situation. “Don’t start the party without me.”Inside Zenith Headquarters.Jason crouched behind an overturned table in the strategy room, his pistol aimed at the entrance. The sounds of battle
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 50: CALCULATED STRIKES
The air inside Zenith Headquarters was thick with the scent of gunpowder and blood. Spent bullet casings littered the marble floors, and faint traces of smoke curled toward the ceiling. The once-imposing entrance hall, now a warzone, was eerily silent as Zenith Family members moved through the wreckage, checking bodies, tending to the wounded, and reinforcing their positions.Carrick Gale stood in the center of it all, his sharp eyes scanning the battlefield with a detached precision. Despite the chaos, he appeared completely composed, his mind already working ahead.Jason approached him, wiping dirt from his face. “That was close,” he muttered.Carrick didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he turned toward Anthony, who was barking orders at the men. “Status report.”Anthony wiped a streak of blood from his forehead.. none of it his own. “We lost ten men. Fifteen more are injured, but nothing fatal.” He exhaled sharply. “Could’ve been worse.”Jason scoffed. “Yeah, if Carrick hadn’t wip
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 51: THE COST OF WAR
The tension inside Zenith Headquarters was thick. Though the operation had been a success, everyone knew the Gale Family wouldn't take the loss lying down. The silence before the storm was unsettling.Carrick sat at the head of the long conference table, his fingers interlaced as he listened to the updates. The room was dimly lit, the only sources of light coming from the monitors displaying financial charts and security feeds.Jason leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “So, what’s next? The Gale Family isn’t just going to sit on their losses.”Anthony nodded. “Yeah, Zachary’s too prideful. He’ll strike back, and hard.”Victor smirked slightly. “That’s what we want, isn’t it?” He turned to Carrick. “We forced their hand. Now we see how they play their next move.”Carrick remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the screen in front of him. Then, he exhaled through his nose. “They’ll retaliate in two ways.”Jason raised an eyebrow. “Two ways?”Carrick nodded. “First, they’ll g
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 52: THE SHIFTING BOARD
Carrick sat alone in his office, the city lights casting a faint glow through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His mind was sharp, processing every move that had been played so far. His conversation with Dante Romano had been a success, but he knew the old man wouldn't risk everything for free.A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.“Come in.”Jason stepped inside, followed by Victor and Anthony. The weight in their expressions told Carrick they weren’t here for casual conversation.“We’ve got movement,” Jason said, tossing a file onto Carrick’s desk. “Zachary’s making his play.”Carrick picked up the file and flipped through the pages. It contained reports, intercepted communications, and lists of suspected turncoats.Victor folded his arms. “He’s trying to turn your own people against you.”Carrick let out a quiet breath. He had anticipated this, but seeing the names in black and white made it real.Anthony leaned against the wall. “We’ve already questioned a few of the
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CHAPTER 110. THE COST OF SILENCE
The early morning light filtered through a gray sky, casting the city in a muted, colorless haze. It was the kind of dawn that felt like it hadn’t earned the right to rise...like it was mourning something lost in the night.Carrick stood in the chapel at the far end of the estate, where the dust hung thick in the air and the stained glass no longer caught the sun the way it used to. No one came here anymore. Not since his mother died. The wooden pews were warped with time and weather, but the silence was clean.He lit a candle.Not for Elena. Not for Moretti. Maybe not for anyone.He just needed to light something that didn’t burn with hatred.Behind him, the heavy creak of the door gave away Marco’s approach.“I didn’t think you’d be here,” Marco said softly.Carrick didn’t turn. “Didn’t think I still believed in anything?”Marco didn’t answer. He stepped beside him and stared at the flickering flame.“You’re not the only one who lost something that night,” he said. “You keep acting
CHAPTER 109. ASHES AND ECHOES
The city awoke to the scent of blood and smoke. By morning, news of the massacre at the docks had spread like wildfire through the underworld. Whispers crawled through the alleys and bars, into the cigar lounges and the brothels. Moretti and Elena De Luca were dead. Executed in a blaze of violence that had left no room for doubt...Carrick Gale had drawn the line in blood, and dared anyone to cross it. But not all lines could be erased with bullets. In a shadowed office deep in the West District, Arturo Salvi stood with his back to the window, cigarette in hand, watching the city with narrowed eyes. He was one of the old blood...the kind who had ruled before Carrick, before Moretti, before the streets became a chessboard of death. Beside him, Alessia De Luca, Elena’s younger sister, sat in silence, her fingers clenched tight around a crystal tumbler of scotch. “They butchered her,” Alessia said, her voice hollow. “Left her in the dirt like some street dog.” Arturo didn’t turn
CHAPTER 108. EMBERS OF VENGEANCE
The stench of blood still clung to Carrick’s coat as he walked into the estate. The halls were quieter now, but not with peace...only with aftermath. Word of Moretti and Elena's deaths had spread faster than fire, and with it came both reverence and rage.He barely had time to remove his gloves when Victor approached, his face pale under the low lighting.“We have a problem,” he said without preamble.Carrick raised an eyebrow, his voice rough. “Only one?”Victor didn't smile. “Giovanni Serrano.”Carrick’s brow furrowed. The Serrano patriarch had kept to the sidelines, maintaining a thin veil of neutrality in the war. “What about him?”“He’s calling a meeting. Tonight. Neutral ground. Says he wants to broker peace before the city drowns in blood.”Carrick scoffed. “He’s late to the sermon.”Victor hesitated. “There’s more. He blames you. Says the massacre was dishonorable. Elena was his goddaughter.”That made Carrick pause. He turned away, staring out the window at the dark horizon.
CHAPTER 107 SMOKE AND BLOOD
The estate was alive with movement. Men armed to the teeth prepared for the war that was coming. Weapons were checked, ammunition counted, and alliances solidified. The air was thick with the scent of gun oil and cigarette smoke, a quiet hum of tension running through the halls like an electric current. Every man present knew what was at stake. If they lost, there would be no second chances.Carrick sat at the head of the table in the council room, his closest advisors gathered before him. His fingers tapped a slow, rhythmic beat on the polished wood as he studied the faces around him. Loyalty and fear mingled in their expressions, a silent acknowledgment of the battle to come."Moretti is making his move," Victor said, setting a map down on the table. Red markings indicated enemy movements, their areas of control expanding like a disease. "He’s pulled in every favor he’s ever had. Elena De Luca is backing him, and they’ve got the support of three smaller families that have turned aga
Chapter 106. A City in Ashes
The scent of blood and gunpowder clung to the air long after the last gunshot had been fired. The docks, once a bustling artery of trade, were now a graveyard of broken men and shattered alliances. Carrick Gale stood amid the wreckage, the barrel of his gun still warm from the violence he had unleashed. His men moved with calculated efficiency, gathering bodies, silencing the wounded, ensuring that no one who had defied him lived to tell the tale.Victor approached, wiping blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. "It's done," he said. "Silvio's loyalists are finished. The families that wavered will see this and fall in line."Carrick nodded, his gaze sweeping the carnage. "Good. Then let’s send the final message. Burn it all."Marco, who had remained silent throughout the battle, stepped forward now, his voice edged with restrained fury. "Are you serious? There are still workers in those buildings, people who had nothing to do with this. Burning the docks? That’s not strategy,
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...
