"Magnet!" Barter called on his old friend as he walked into his shop.Magnet was a hacker. A hacker that had the art inbred in him. He could hack into anything, including top government files which he had helped Mr. Ban to access on so many occasions. "Barter, my good friend. It's been ages. How have you been and what brings you to me?" Magnet asked Barter as he watched him entering his shop. "What can I say? I've been good. Someone has been sneaking around, so I have to be on my toes. You know how it is," Barter said to Magnet."Ahh. Magnet said and shook his head. Who dares to trigger the emblem, himself. Who dares to disrespect you?" ''Magnet, I am looking for my sister. It's weird. I have heard from her recently, but something feels out of place,'' Barter explained to Magnet. Magnet stretched his hand to let Barter hand his phone over to him, which Barter did immediately.He just stopped talking and handed his phone over to Magnet, showing Alina's phone number. At Alina's f
While Magnet was busy tracking Alina's phone with various advanced instruments, Barter got back to work. ''It's Snake eyes, boss!'' Barter told Mr. Ban when he was asked about the incident of the sporadic shooting that happened at the Governor's estate. Mr. Ban raised his head in shock to look at Barter. ''Say God?'' He asked Barter. Barter nodded. ''God!'' he said. Slowly, a faint smile appeared on Mr. Ban's face. Finally, an ally. A worthy ally. If Don Black and Bane thought that they had something going on with Greg Chase in terms of a coalition, then they were wrong because Mr. Ban was about to hit them where it hurts. ''Quick, arrange a meeting with him. For once we are fighting for the same reason. I have always looked forward to a coalition such as this. A very strong one,'' Mr. Ban said with excitement. Barter knew he had to do as Mr. Ban had said, but he was reluctant. Snake Eyes was a very unpredictable and ruthless man. Everyone had heard all sorts of
''I thought you were afraid. How did it go when you got there? How come he accepted the meeting so quickly?'' Mr. Ban asked Barter on their way to Snake Eyes' establishment.''I was also surprised, boss. I was expecting the worse, but as soon as I got there, I was treated like a special visitor. It was so surprising,'' Barter replied.Mr. Ban scoffed. ''Maybe he had been looking for an ally as well. I will be so happy to join forces with someone like Snake Eyes. Not those pussies called Don Black and Bane. Worthless cunts!'' Mr. Ban said with vile. At Snake Eyes' office.Mr. Ban was led into Snake Eyes' office as soon as he was sighted.Snake Eyes was a very unpredictable man. He sat at the far end of his desk, with both hands under his chin, staring at the door of his office, waiting for it to open.Eventually, it swung open and Mr. Ban's graceful and handsome face appeared at the door. Even though, of late, he had lost some of his looks to anger at the way things were turning.
''I bet you, I do not want a war to erupt in the city. They cannot stand my artillery,'' Greg said to Don Black and Bane on one occasion when they met to talk about the situation of things. Greg had the most frontal army, and the city knew it. Mr. Ban was like a patient gentleman, but deep inside him, he was a wolf waiting for its prey to be helpless before he struck. As pretty much relevant as Mr. Ban still was, he was slowly losing it to Greg. Greg was smart. Apart from coming out of jail, and knowing how to deal with the street, he was a former CEO already, so his brain had been flourishing with ideas before this time. That was why he was excelling so much above his supposed elders in the game. Greg became an elder after three months of joining the commodity exchange business, and it pained a couple of people including Mr. Ban and Snake Eyes. At public functions, Greg would bask like the first citizen of the city. In the same space as Mr. Ban, Greg was excelling greatly
Barter's eyes widened.He was out on an errand for Mr. Ban, but he could not help but want to visit Alina's house.''Where is the house?'' Barter asked Magnet.Already, he knew that there was no way Alina was there, if not Magnet would have said so. ''Do you know the popular small cottage that sits at the boundary between this city and the next?'' Magnet asked Barter.Barter frowned slightly.Everyone in the city must have passed by that house on their way out of the city.Literally, everyone in the city knew that house. ''Yes? Why?'' Barter replied, wondering where Magnet was going with his question.''That is Alina's house, my dear friend. I am standing inside it as we speak,'' Magnet said to Barter. There was silence between the men for a while, as Barter took a while before he processed what he had just heard. Did Magnet just say that the house that the whole city knew of was Alina's house, yet she said she was hiding?She was hiding in plain sight?Barter could not believe it
Barter tried to psyche himself that his fears were not true, but it seemed that the more he tried to lie to himself, the more he believed that in fact, what he was afraid of was exactly what had happened.He was suspecting that Alina was dead, even though he prayed that he was just being overly sensitive. Luckily, he met up with Mr. Ban's errands as if nothing had delayed him before, then he went to meet Mr. Ban. Mr. Ban knew at once that something was wrong with Barter. ''Are you okay? Why are you walking around as if you saw the grim reaper and only managed to escape narrowly?'' Mr. Ban asked as he looked at Barter with worry. ''I'm just indisposed, boss,'' Barter replied.''Indisposed?'' Mr. Ban asked, looking at Barter, expressing that he was shocked at what Barter said. Barter nodded. Barter was sweating on his forehead. The thought of the fact that Alina might be dead was heavy on him. The more he tried to ignore the fact, the more it weighed in on him. He could not wait
''This house costs 3000 USD a month,'' the real estate manager named Collins told Laura.''Okay, I will take it,'' Laura replied instantly as she stepped out of her car, which was Alina's former car that had been pimped to look different, and given a facelift. ''Okay, madam,'' the manager said to Laura and went in to document her details so that he could give her the keys to the house.''Paying in cash or cheque ma'am?'' he asked Laura. ''Cash!'' Laura replied impatiently. ''Sure!'' the manager replied and continued to write documents for Laura.In the next ten minutes, Laura had paid for the house and had been handed the key to the house which she entered immediately and locked herself inside. At Alina's former house, Magnet was still trying to find clues as to who had been in that house of late.''I only have the option of doing a fingerprint scan to find out because there is nothing else here that can lead us,'' Magnet informed Barter when he called Barter to give the situation
In the gangsta world, respect, and yielding to a superior party could save one a lot of damage, and that was the case with Bane. When Bane heard that Mr. Ban was teaming up with Snake Eyes, he yielded. Bane visited Snake Eye's establishment in the dead of the night two days ago, to declare himself independent of Don Black, whom he heard was a major target in the war that Mr. Ban and Snake Eyes were brewing against Don Black. Snake Eyes laughed in Bane's face. ''What sort of gangsta are you?'' Snake Eyes asked Bane after Bane had explained to him why he was visiting. ''The proper gangsta. One that follows the books and the rules,'' Bane replied to Snake Eye's question. Snake Eyes lit up with excitement. ''And what does the book say this time?'' He asked Bane, flashing a hidden sneer at him. Bane had adjusted uncomfortably because of the questioning he was undergoing from Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes was humiliating him, and a gangsta of Bane's caliber could not stomach the disrespec
Greg Chase didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He stared at The Man until he was sure that The Man was serious about what he said, then he heaved a tired sigh. ''You cannot afford to do this to me. I mean...you sparingly ruined my life,'' Greg Chase complained, his eyes on The Man the entire time. ''You are the watcher, Mr. Chase. You shame me. The watcher ought to be more powerful than you are, but you are too full of yourself, so you cannot reach your full potential,'' The Man told Greg Chase. ''How powerful can I get?'' Greg Chase asked. ''Did you hear about the natural disaster that happened in the city Aklans weeks ago?'' The Man asked Greg Chase. Greg Chase nodded.''Yes, that was caused by a watcher like you. He was upset about something, and his intense anger caused a stir and an earthquake occurred. Though the government officials claim it to be solely a natural occurrence, it is a lie, and they know it...'' The Man told Greg Chase. Greg Chase was not sure he heard
Greg Chase almost dropped dead when he heard everything. ''If you have anything to tell me, or there is an emergency, I bet you now know how to summon me. It took you two years to learn how to summon me, Greg Chase. Now, you know what pride can do to you. It can ruin you,'' The Man said as he gradually disappeared into space. Greg Chase stared in arrant shock.All this...it had to be a joke.''Boss...at least...you aware that you returned my colleagues back to our company, right?'' Scissors asked Greg Chase after The Man left. Greg Chase looked at Scissors casually and nodded. ''I have told you not to call me boss anymore,'' Greg Chase said.Scissors smiled. ''The boss is really back to himself. Boss, you have not told me that in the past two years, and I have only called you boss throughout,'' Scissors said, smiling. Greg Chase wished it could stop.Someone needed to come and tell him that all this was a dream.Ge desperately needed to hear that he had been pranked heavily. So
''Master!'' Greg Chase muttered. Then he blinked. The next time that Greg Chase opened his eyes, he was in his living room on earth.He was leisurely watching TV and Scissors walked by casually. Greg Chase looked at Scissors, expecting him to freak out and ask how and where he had been but Scissors acted like every other day. As if nothing happened. Or?Had he been in a trance?''Scissors, what day is it today?''Wednesday,'' Scissors said. ''Where have you been in the last twenty-four hours?'' Greg Chase asked, looking at Scissors, squinting in confusion. It was as if his brain had been formatted. Scissors turned to look at him funny.''Keeping tabs on me now, huh, boss!'' he said, taking orange juice from the fridge and heading back inside the house, to his room. Greg Chase's eyes sparkled in confusion. ''I'm not keeping tabs on you. Fuck you,'' he said under his breath.''I heard you!'' Scissors yelled from afar. Greg Chase nodded with satisfaction. The first thing that
''Boss?'' Scissors called, wondering why Greg Chase was looking at him like that. ''What is growing on your head?'' Greg Chase asked Scissors. Scissors frowned.Was it because he had indicated that something was funny about Greg Chase, that Greg Chase decided to switch up on him?''Boss, are you kidding?'' Scissors asked, flashing a weak smile.Greg Chase shook his head. ''There's a radio on your head,'' Greg Chase suddenly said.''Radio!'' Scissors muttered and raised his hand to touch his head but he did not feel anything, and to Greg's shock, Greg saw Scissors' hand pass through the radio. ''Ah, boss...you are playing the pranks on me. But there is an antenna on your head anyway,'' Scissors said to Greg Chase. Without wasting time, Greg Chase raised his hand to touch his head, and he was not surprised when he could not feel anything, yet he saw Scissors gasp in shock. ''Your hand passed through it,'' Scissors said. ''Same thing that happened to you. There's a radio on your h
''You...I must give it to you as the watcher with the biggest ego ever...'' The Man said to Greg Chase.Greg Chase frowned. ''Are there more watchers? I thought I was the only one,'' he said to The Man as he walked towards Scissors and started to pull him up again, but just like before, an unknown force repelled Greg Chase. The Man laughed his usual mocking laugh, one that made Greg Chase upset by all means. ''Can you please release my friend? What the hell?'' he asked The Man, anger flashing evidently in his eyes.''I am not holding your friend to anything, he will get up when he wants to,'' The Man replied.''And, about your question as to if there are other watchers, of course, there are billions of watchers around the world,'' The Man said to Greg Chase. ''I thought I was the only one. Are they also up to anything as big as mine? Do they try to take down their enemies or they are solely connected to the source of wherever this watcher thing comes from?'' Greg Chase asked. ''T
Greg Chase was beside himself, wondering why Laura had suddenly cut off from him.Yes, she might have been spotted in his house, but from the way he felt, he knew that word had not gotten to Mr. Ban about the fact that she was in his house, so why was she suddenly unavailable? Why was she no longer interested in their plan to overthrow Mr. Ban completely this time?He had his hopes on her, especially now that Don Black had looked in another direction, having found another ''young blood'' to show the ropes of the business and get acquainted with. No matter how many times Greg Chase called Laura Ban, it either did not go through, or she abruptly hung the call up on him.''Urgh, what the fuck is going on?'' Greg Chase asked himself. He felt as if everyone he knew and looked forward to helping him achieve one thing or the other, was turning their back on him. But, under what basis? What did he do, or what did they suddenly realize for them to have such a decision made overnight?''Boss
''What is it?'' Shadow asked, looking very interested in Barter's thoughts. Barter had been looking at him with so much intensity, he had to know what was on Barter's mind while he was looking at him. Barter looked at Shadow closely.If he told Barter what he knew, everything could take another turn for the worst, but he also wanted Laura Ban to face the repercussion of the trouble that she had doled out on others. Shadow stared at Barter, waiting for an answer. ''I was just wondering when you will ever settle down with one woman. You should be married by now, you know...'' Barter suddenly said. Shadow was surprised. ''Are you kidding me right now?'' he asked Barter.Barter shook his head. ''Nope! After you lost your ex-wife, I could understand you staying away from relationships and not wanting to commit to anyone anymore, but it's been nearly ten years since that happened. Don't you think you need someone by you to make you feel better? You know what I mean. Even gangstas nee
Barter was getting frustrated, and desperate. After spending more than two decades with Mr. Ban, he was easily going to throw him, Barter to a corner just because of a loose whore he called his wife? He stared at the door of the room as if he wished that his eyes would bore a hole through. ''Preposterous,'' he muttered as he suddenly turned to leave. In the living room, when Barter stormed in angrily, he saw Shadow. Barter looked at Shadow as if he was seeing a ghost. ''Dude, where the hell have you been for nearly two weeks?'' Barter asked, shocked. Shadow rolled his eyes. ''Did you really expect me to hang around so that I will get discovered by Chase and the rest of them that I am on Ban's side?'' Shadow asked. Barter suddenly realized. There was no way Greg Chase and his cohorts would not have found out about Shadow playing both sides, the tension and pressure were too much, especially after the war. ''You are right, you would have been spotted,'' Barter said.
''We just had a few drinks and nothing more,'' Laura Ban said. By this time, they had arrived at the home of Mr. Ban.Mr. Ban hurried out of the car as if, if he stayed there for one more second, something will happen to him. ''Boss!'' Barter greeted him as soon as he sighted him. He had been waiting rather impatiently for Mr. Ban to return and give him a rundown of what happened at Laura Ban's house. Barter would have been the one to follow Mr. Ban to Laura Ban's family house, but his hideous face did not allow him. ''How did it go, boss?'' Barter asked. Mr. Ban glanced at Barter and rolled his eyes. Barter knew at once that Mr. Ban must have been ridiculed and insulted. The look on the man's face was so intensely upset. Barter spotted Laura Ban behind, hurrying up to meet Mr. Ban, and he obviously hissed, loudly enough so that Laura Ban would hear him. But of course, at the moment, Laura was bothered about something else, so she paid Barter no mind. She hurried towards Mr