2024-12-30 23:58:23
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226“Oh, don’t go quiet now!” she continued, her voice rising with every word. “You had plenty to say when you were singing the praises of this trash. ‘A one-of-a-kind masterpiece,’ wasn’t it? ‘Worth every penny,’ you said! Turns out it’s barely worth the wood it’s made of!”“I—I didn’t know,” Howard stammered, his voice barely audible. His eyes darted nervously around the room, seeking even a sliver of support from the gathering crowd. “I swear, I didn’t know!”“Didn’t know?” she echoed, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she raised the offending clock in her hand for everyone to see. “You’re the expert antique dealer, aren’t you? Isn’t it your job to know?”“Exactly!” someone from the crowd chimed in, a young man near the back. “How can he not know? Either he’s lying, or he’s incompetent. Either way, he’s got no business running this shop!”A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. People shuffled closer, forming a semi-circle around Howard as if preparing for his public trial
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227Howard's breath came in ragged gasps as the last of the crowd trickled out of the shop. The once-bustling space, filled with chatter and sharp accusations, now felt desolate and heavy, as though the very air bore witness to his humiliation. His pride lay in tatters, his reputation shattered. His trembling hands gripped the edge of the counter as he fought to steady himself.The quiet, deliberate sound of footsteps behind him made his stomach churn. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Allvar’s presence was unmistakable, his calm demeanor like salt on an open wound.“You’re still here?” Howard muttered, his voice hoarse. He didn’t bother looking back, focusing instead on the worn wooden surface in front of him.“Still here,” Allvar replied evenly, his voice carrying an infuriating tranquility. “Unlike your so-called loyal customers. What a shame, Howard. They didn’t even bother to thank you for the show.”Howard clenched the counter tighter, his knuckles white against
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228“Ah, there it is again,” Allvar interrupted smoothly, holding up a finger. “The great Howard Sinclair, victim of circumstance. Tell me, do you ever get tired of playing that role? Or is it just too convenient?”“I’m telling the truth!” Howard insisted, his voice rising. “I didn’t know—”“And yet here we are,” Allvar said, stepping away from the counter and walking toward Howard. His steps were slow, deliberate, his presence suddenly imposing. “Customers furious, your name dragged through the mud, and your precious reputation crumbling before your eyes.”Howard backed up slightly, bumping against the counter. “I— I was trying to save the shop,” he stammered, his desperation evident. “Do you know what it’s like to struggle every day, to fight to keep something alive?”“Save the shop,” Allvar repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. “That’s your excuse? You were trying to save the shop, so you what, decided to sell counterfeit antiques? Brilliant plan, Howard. Truly inspired.”“I di
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229“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Howard muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair. His voice was shaky, each word tinged with desperation. “I thought—I thought I could fix it before anyone noticed…”Allvar leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, his laughter low and mocking. “Fix it?” he repeated, one brow arching in disbelief. “Howard, the only thing you’ve been fixing is your own downfall. And honestly, you’ve done a spectacular job.”“Why are you even here?” Howard snapped, his frustration boiling over. His voice cracked as he glared at Allvar, who seemed unbothered by the outburst. “Did you come just to gloat? To rub salt in the wound?”Allvar smirked, the expression sharp enough to cut glass. “I came,” he said, his voice suddenly serious, “because I wanted to see what would happen when the great Howard Sinclair finally ran out of excuses.”Howard’s face twisted with fury. His cheeks flushed a deep red, and his fists clenched at
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230Howard straightened up, trying to appear composed. “Yes, that’s me. If you’re here to complain, I—”“I’m not here to complain,” she interrupted, pulling out a leather-bound notebook from her bag. Her voice was calm, yet carried an edge that made Howard feel even smaller. “I’m Clara Bennett, an investigator for the Better Business Bureau. We’ve received multiple complaints about your shop over the past few months, and after today’s... spectacle, I think it’s time we had a chat.”Howard blinked at her, his heart pounding. “Spectacle? What do you mean? I—I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”Clara raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Oh, you don’t? Let me refresh your memory.” She flipped open her notebook, scanning the first page. “Just this morning, we received a report of counterfeit goods being sold under false pretenses. Apparently, the buyer didn’t notice until they tried to get an appraisal done. That ring you sold as a vintage piece? Fake.”Howard’s heart sank fur
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231“Is everything alright?” Clara asked, her pen hovering above the page, eyes still on Howard.Howard didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was still fixed on the door where Harold had just exited. His hands clenched at his sides, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He exhaled slowly, trying to regain his composure. The sound of his breath echoed in his ears as he tried to make sense of the whirlwind that had just unfolded.“Yeah,” he muttered, swallowing hard. His voice was shaky, but he forced the words out. “Just some old... history. He’s not a problem.”Clara didn’t seem convinced. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes never leaving him as she studied his every movement. There was something about the way she looked at him, something unsettling, as though she could see right through his walls.“I’ve seen plenty of people like him before,” Clara said, her voice cool, almost dismissive. “All talk. But don’t let him distract you. You’ve got bigger things to worry about.
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232“Don’t mind him,” Clara said, her voice tinged with something that might have been pity. “He’s just an opportunist.”Howard nodded stiffly, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. He felt like every corner of his life was closing in on him, every person he had trusted now turning on him. Was this really how it was all going to end?Clara's words hung in the air, and Howard couldn't help but wonder how long this had all been going on behind his back. How many of the people he'd trusted had been using him for their own gain? His thoughts were a whirlwind, but Clara's expression was cool, detached, as if this was just another day at the office for her.“I don’t want to make a scene,” Howard muttered, the frustration in his voice clear. “But if you’re going to drag me through the mud, you could at least be honest with me. What is it you really want, Clara?”Clara’s eyes never wavered from the notebook in front of her as she continued writing, her pen gliding effortlessly across
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233Clara gave him a final look, her expression unreadable. “Good. I’ll be in touch.” She turned and walked toward the door. “And Howard? You’d better hope you can back up your claims. Because from where I’m standing, things aren’t looking good for you.”Howard didn’t respond, watching her as she walked away. His eyes narrowed, but no words came out. The pressure was too much, too suffocating. He wanted to shout after her, to tell her she was wrong, to demand she take back everything she’d just said. But the words stuck in his throat. He was too tired to fight anymore.Clara opened the door, and for a brief moment, the soft jingle of the bell above it was the only sound in the room. Then, she was gone.Howard stood there, frozen, for a long moment. The silence that followed felt like a weight, pressing down on him from every direction. He could feel the crushing sense of loss creeping in, gnawing at the edges of his mind. This was it. The end of everything.The shop, once full of life
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298Allvar didn’t answer right away. His mind was working, trying to come up with a way out, a plan, anything. But the truth was, he wasn’t sure he could escape. The pain from the slap still throbbed in his jaw, and the ropes around his wrists were too tight to slip free from. His muscles burned, his body heavy with fatigue from the earlier struggles.Tobias waited, watching him carefully. “Nothing to say? Interesting.”Allvar glared at him, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. His thoughts raced, trying to formulate a plan. But Tobias’s mocking gaze made it hard to focus. He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together.“You’re not going to win,” Allvar said quietly, though he wasn’t entirely sure he believed it himself. “This will end. It always does.”Tobias chuckled darkly, his voice low and dripping with amusement. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”Allvar couldn’t help but snap. The frustration, the anger, it all welled up inside of him. “Why don’t you just get it o
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297The stocky man shrugged. “Told you. He’s—”Without warning, Tobias slapped Allvar across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the warehouse. Allvar’s head snapped to the side, and a groan escaped his lips. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.“There he is,” Tobias said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. He crouched down again, grabbing Allvar by the chin and forcing him to look up. “Welcome back, Allvar. Did you have a nice nap?”Allvar winced, his jaw throbbing from the slap. He tried to pull away, but Tobias’s grip tightened. “Go to hell,” he rasped, his voice hoarse.Tobias chuckled darkly. “Oh, you’ve got some fight left in you. Good. I’d hate for this to be too easy.”The tall man and the stocky one snickered behind him, but Tobias silenced them with a sharp look. “You two—stand back. I’ll handle this.”They nodded quickly, retreating a few steps but staying close enough to watch.Tobias turned his attention back to Allvar, his expression turning
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296The group moved quickly through the damp alley, their prisoner slumped between the tall man and the stocky one. Allvar’s body hung limply, his head drooping as though unconscious. His feet dragged against the ground, leaving faint streaks of blood in their wake. The men didn’t seem to care, their focus solely on bringing him to Tobias."Pick up the pace," the tall man growled, his voice sharp with irritation. His eyes darted ahead, scanning the darkened alley for any signs of danger. "Boss doesn’t like waiting."The stocky man grunted in annoyance. "What’s the rush? He’s not going anywhere. Look at him—barely breathing.""Yeah? And whose fault will it be if he dies before Tobias gets a word out of him?" the tall man snapped, shooting his partner a glare that could cut through steel. His grip tightened on Allvar’s arm as if to emphasize the point.The stocky man let out an exasperated sigh but said nothing. "Not my problem," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes flicked to
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295“Careful,” the tall man said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t want him bleeding out before Tobias sees him.”Weston chuckled, shaking Allvar’s limp arm. “Bleeding out?” he scoffed. “Look at him. He’s practically swimming in his own blood already. Tobias’ll think we hit a slaughterhouse on the way.”Allvar could barely make out their words through the haze of pain, his vision blurring in and out. His muscles trembled, but he held on, fighting against the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. He clenched his teeth and managed to grunt, though his words came out in a painful rasp. “You… won’t win,” he hissed, barely audible, but enough to taunt them.The tall man stopped in his tracks, turning to lean down toward Allvar. He moved slowly, his breath hot and foul against Allvar’s ear as he whispered. “Win?” The man’s voice was thick with amusement. “Oh, Allvar, we already have. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”Weston snorted behind him, clearly enjoying the
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294The sound of heavy boots brought Allvar back from the brink of unconsciousness. His body felt like it was being torn apart, each movement sending fresh waves of agony through his limbs. His skin was slick with sweat, his breath ragged and shallow. He stirred slightly, barely able to move, and his surroundings swam in and out of focus.The storage closet was still cloaked in darkness, a suffocating void of silence and pain. Allvar tried to push himself up, but his strength failed him. His head was pounding, and his body was weak from the beating he had taken earlier. He could hear the footsteps now, their rhythm echoing through the narrow space. The voices outside were unmistakably closer, too close.“Check that door again,” barked one of the men, his voice sharp with authority.“All right, all right,” came the response, gruff and impatient. “You checked it five minutes ago, Holt. He’s not Houdini. He’s not gonna vanish into thin air.”“You checked it, but you didn’t check it right
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293Desperation coursed through him, pushing him forward once more, despite the pain, despite the blood dripping down his side. Every movement burned, but stopping wasn’t an option. His breaths came short and fast, his chest heaving with the effort.“It’s not… it’s not far…” Allvar rasped, though he knew he was lying to himself. His body was failing him, and he could feel it. He was slowing down, his legs refusing to carry him any further. Every step felt like an eternity, his boots dragging against the uneven pavement.A voice in his head screamed at him to stop, to rest, to let the pain win. But he shook his head violently, gritting his teeth. "No… not yet," he hissed, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart in his ears.The narrow alley stretched endlessly ahead of him, the shadows swallowing the dim light of the flickering streetlamps. The air smelled of damp concrete and rot, and the walls seemed to close in tighter with every step he took.“Where is it?” he mutte
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292Allvar’s legs screamed in agony as he forced himself to move, each step like a hot iron being driven into his muscles. The bleeding from the stab wound in his side had slowed to a steady trickle, but the pain was unbearable, gnawing at him with every breath. He could feel the blood soaking into his shirt, warm and sticky, as it ran down his torso.He had to keep going.“Move, damn it,” he muttered under his breath, gritting his teeth. “Just one more step. One more…”But his body wasn’t listening. Each movement felt heavier, slower. Tobias’s men were closing in, their footsteps echoing through the narrow alleyways like death’s march. He couldn’t afford to stop, couldn’t let them get close enough to see the blood. If they saw it, they’d know how weak he was.Allvar glanced over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the darkened streets. “Where the hell are they?” he whispered, his voice trembling. The night was too quiet. He could hear his own heart pounding, erratic and loud, in his ears
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291“They’re getting closer,” Allvar repeated, his voice laced with desperation as he stumbled forward, his gaze darting over his shoulder. The faint echo of footsteps reverberated in the cold night air, sending a shiver down his spine. His stomach churned as the realization hit him—Tobias’s men were closing in, and his options were running out.“This can’t be it,” he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening. “I can’t let him win. Not like this.”The sound of footsteps grew louder, more distinct. Allvar’s eyes darted to the left, then the right, scanning the maze of narrow alleyways and shadowed buildings. Every pathway seemed to stretch into endless darkness, and every corner felt like a potential ambush. He forced himself to make a choice, lunging toward a dimly lit alley to his left.“You’re wasting time,” he hissed to himself. “Move, Allvar. Move!”His boots pounded against the uneven ground as he sprinted forward, his breaths ragged and sharp in the icy air. His heart hammer
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290The men scrambled to comply, their fear propelling them into action. But Tobias wasn’t finished. His eyes locked onto one of them, the closest to him, as he advanced slowly, his footsteps deliberate and menacing.“You,” Tobias spat, his voice like ice. “You were supposed to keep him contained. What the hell happened?”The man’s breath hitched as he swallowed hard, eyes darting nervously. “I—I’m sorry, Tobias,” he stammered, taking a hesitant step back, his body tense, as though he were anticipating the strike. “We didn’t—”Before the man could finish, Tobias’s hand shot out, the blade flashing in the low light. He didn’t hesitate. The knife buried itself deep into the man’s neck with a sickening sound, blood spraying across the floor. A gurgling sound escaped the man’s throat as he collapsed to the ground, his hands twitching desperately in his final moments.The remaining men froze, their eyes wide in horror. The air in the room thickened, filled with the scent of blood and terro
