Chapter 380Denver stepped out into the cool night air, where Jack stood leaning against the rail in the open space outside the bunker.The faint glow of a cigarette hung between Jack’s fingers, casting small embers that flickered in the dark. He was wearing a plain white singlet, his muscles tense, his face hardened as he exhaled a plume of smoke into the night. Jack’s sharp eyes caught Denver approaching, and he raised an eyebrow.“What now?” Jack muttered, flicking ash off the end of his cigarette.Denver hesitated for a moment but decided to press on. “Ben called me.”Jack’s expression shifted, his glare tightening. He turned to fully face Denver, letting the cigarette dangle from his lips. “You still have that bastard’s number? Are you sick in the head? Wasn’t he the one who said he was no longer interested in this job? He walked out on us, Denver.”Ken, who was nearby sorting some supplies into a duffel bag, paused and glanced up. “Ben? That spineless idiot? Forget him. He’s no
Chapter 381Meanwhile, Williams got back to Sky Suite to inform Kane, Tom and Dorian of the plan to abduct Jaxon, which will lead them to Charles and Jack.The hotel was awash in dim golden light, the glow from the city below creeping through the wide windows. Williams paced the room slowly, a tumbler of whiskey in one hand and a tablet in the other. Sitting around him were Kane, Tom, and Dorian—each man ready to carry out the task ahead.“Alright, listen up,” Williams said, his voice calm but commanding. “This operation needs to be clean. No mess, no loose ends. We’re not just grabbing some random guy off the street; this one is precision work.”Kane leaned forward, his sharp features illuminated by the faint light. “Who’s the target?”Williams tapped on the tablet, and an image appeared on the large screen. It was a clear photo of Jaxon, wearing casual attire, sitting at a café. “This is the target. Mid-twenties. Luckily for us, he’s currently staying at this same sky suite Hotel. R
Chapter 382Williams stayed by the window for a moment longer, watching as the city lights glimmered far below. The room was quiet now, save for the muffled sounds of Kane, Tom, and Dorian preparing their gear in the adjacent suite.He could hear the occasional murmur of conversation and the soft clicks of latches and locks being secured. He let out a slow breath, his mind racing with possibilities. This plan had to work. It wasn’t just about Charles—it was about keeping control of the entire operation.In the next room, Tom zipped up a black duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. “So, what do you think the odds are?” he asked, turning to Dorian, who was meticulously checking the lock on a sleek case containing the sedative vials.Dorian glanced up, his expression impassive. “Odds for what?”Tom leaned against the table, smirking. “That Jaxon gives us trouble. You know, kicks and screams, makes a scene. Kid like him probably thinks he’s invincible.”“Doesn’t matter what he thinks,
Chapter 383The three men moved in tense, synchronized silence as they navigated the winding hotel corridors. Kane led the way with a steady, confident stride, his sharp eyes scanning ahead for any signs of trouble. Tom pushed the room service cart, his hands steady on the handle, while Dorian trailed behind, his movements deliberate, his gaze darting to every door and corner. The soft hum of the hallway’s dim lighting buzzed in the background, almost drowned out by the pounding of their hearts.When they reached room 1905, Kane paused, raising his hand in a silent signal for them to stop. He turned his head slightly, whispering into his earpiece.“We’re in position,” he murmured. “No sign of anyone in the hall. Proceeding.”From the other end of the line, Williams’s voice came through, low and sharp. “Keep it quiet. Don’t rush. If anything feels off, pull out immediately.”“Got it,” Kane replied.Kane approached the door, motioning for Tom to bring the cart closer. The metallic wheel
Chapter 384The area was quiet, save for the hum of a vending machine and the faint rumble of a distant engine. His grip tightened on the cart, the unconscious Jaxon strapped beneath the innocuous tray of drinks and snacks.“Clear,” Dorian whispered, motioning to Tom and Kane. They wheeled the cart forward, their movements careful but quick, boots scuffing lightly against the concrete floor.The SUV sat idling just close to the garage's exit, the exhaust curling like smoke in the chilly night air. Williams was behind the wheel, his silhouette faintly illuminated by the dashboard’s glow. The faint thrum of the engine filled the air as they approached.Dorian moved to the back of the SUV and opened the rear hatch, revealing a compartment lined with padded tarps. The trio worked efficiently, lifting Jaxon’s limp body from the cart and maneuvering him into the space. His head lolled to one side, his chest rising and falling steadily under the sedative’s effect.“Strap him in,” Kane ordere
Chapter 385The sharp shock of cold water sent Jaxon lurching forward, his breath catching in his throat. The metal chair beneath him groaned as he moved, and his arms strained against the rough ropes binding him to it. He gasped, water dripping from his face and hair, the freezing sensation jolting him fully awake.“Wake up, sleepyhead,” a gruff voice taunted.Jaxon blinked rapidly, his vision blurred. Three figures loomed before him, their faces coming into focus like a hazy nightmare.Dorian stood front and center, the empty metal bucket still in his hand. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a thick, dark beard that framed a face hardened by years of rough living.His piercing eyes carried an unsettling mix of humor and menace, and a jagged scar ran down his right cheek, disappearing into the scruff of his beard. He wore a faded leather jacket over a gray shirt, its collar frayed, and his boots were scuffed and dirty, telling the story of a man who rarely cared for appearances.
Chapter 386An hour passed before the heavy, metallic door creaked open again. Jaxon’s head snapped up, his body stiff from hours of being tied to the chair. The dim light of the room seemed brighter after the isolation, and he squinted as three figures entered. It was clear that the men had left to report to Williams, most likely to inform him that Jaxon was now awake. There was no other reason for their hasty departure. They would undoubtedly update him on the current situation, explaining that Jaxon had regained consciousness and was now aware of his predicament.The previous day, when they delivered Jaxon to the safe house, he made it clear that his involvement would be limited. He had insisted on leaving before Jaxon could lay eyes on him, as it was crucial that Jaxon remained unaware of his identity. The entire operation relied on maintaining this layer of anonymity, and he wasn’t willing to risk jeopardizing that.With that in mind, he left the situation entirely in their han
Chapter 387The heavy door creaked again hours later, and Jaxon tensed instinctively. His wrists ached from the tight ropes, and his throat was dry. His body screamed for rest, but his mind refused to yield. He could hear footsteps approaching—measured, deliberate. It wasn’t all three of them this time, just one. Kane stepped into the dimly lit room, his expression colder than before. He carried a small, battered toolbox, which he placed on a table by the wall. He opened it slowly, each click of the latches echoing in the silence. “Had time to think, kid?” Kane asked, his voice calm yet menacing. Jaxon’s jaw tightened. “I already told you everything,” he replied, his voice hoarse but steady. Kane chuckled dryly, pulling out a pair of pliers from the box and inspecting them with an air of detachment. “See, that’s the problem,” he said, twirling the tool in his hand. “You haven’t told us anything useful.” Jaxon’s stomach twisted, but he forced himself to meet Kane’s gaze. “You
Chapter 397Morning broke with a dull glow, illuminating the quiet safe house nestled deep in the woods. Inside, tension hung thick in the air. Williams was standing near the window with a phone pressed to his ear, speaking in a calm but calculated tone.“We’ve got your son, Charles,” he said, his voice steady. “But we haven’t located Jaxon.”On the other end of the line, Mr. Sterling’s voice cracked with emotion. “Charles? Is he safe? Are you sure?” Relief flooded his tone, but it was quickly shadowed by anxiety. “What about Jaxon? Did you find him? Is there anything—anything—leading up to him?”Williams let out a quiet sigh, one that sounded more like practiced patience than genuine concern. “That’s all we could manage,” he replied. “The men who took Jaxon still have him, and from what we’ve gathered, they plan to kill him if there’s any interference.”Mr. Sterling was silent for a beat, processing the grim news. Then, his voice rose, tinged with panic. “What do I do now? How do I
Chapter 396James and Gregor stepped out of their concealed position in the underbrush as the taillights of the SUV disappeared into the darkness. The cool night air was eerily silent now, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the muffled sounds of wildlife in the distance. The ground beneath their boots crunched softly as they moved toward the aftermath of the chaos they had just witnessed.Gregor’s eyes scanned the scene, his face expressionless as he took in the lifeless bodies sprawled across the area. Three of them, including Ben they once held, lay motionless, their weapons discarded and their blood staining the dirt beneath them.Gregor crouched beside one of the bodies, briefly checking for a pulse, though he already knew there was none. Standing, he shook his head and muttered, “Well, that’s the life they’ve chosen for themselves.”James, standing a few steps behind him, remained silent for a moment, his sharp eyes darting around the scene. The faint glow of the moo
Chapter 395The shadows of the dilapidated bunker stretched long under the moonlight as Williams and his team lay in wait. They had taken up position hours earlier, tucked inside Jaxon’s sleek sports car, the dark, polished metal blending seamlessly into the night. The air inside the vehicle was stifling, thick with tension and the faint metallic tang of gun oil. Every man was armed and ready, their nerves wound tight, waiting for the right moment to strike. Williams sat in the driver’s seat, his hands resting casually on the steering wheel, though his eyes never left the rearview mirror. Beside him, Kane sat rigid, one hand gripping Jaxon’s arm firmly while the other rested on the stock of a shotgun lying across his lap. In the cramped sports car, Tom and Dorian crouched uncomfortably in the trunk, their weapons at the ready, waiting for Williams’ signal.The silence inside the car was shattered when headlights cut through the darkness. A single car approached, its rumbling engine e
Chapter 394The dense canopy of the forest loomed overhead, casting long shadows over the makeshift campsite where James and Gregor had been holed up for days. The air was damp, thick with the earthy scent of moss and pine, and the distant call of nocturnal creatures echoed through the stillness.Gregor sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his eyes glued to the small tablet in his lap. A blinking red dot pulsed steadily on the screen—the nano tracker they’d planted on Ben’s phone.For three grueling days, they’d followed that dot from one hideout to another, staying just far enough away not to be detected. They’d spent their nights in the car or in the bush, catching only brief moments of sleep between shifts of surveillance.Tonight was no different, and Gregor’s tired eyes burned as he watched the screen, hoping for any sign of movement.James lay stretched out on the ground beside him, his jacket pulled over his face to block out the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. Hi
Chapter 393Jack paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, his gun laid out on the table as he meticulously assembled and armored it. Each metallic click echoed in the stale air, punctuating the tense atmosphere.They had to switch hideouts when Ben rejoined them, in case he was being tailed. Jack carefully considered the situation and concluded that bringing him back into the operation as an additional resource would be a wise decision, just in case they encountered any unexpected challenges but he made sure they switch hideout from time to time. But their main exchange point was still the old bunker because it has a lot of escape routes and underground tunnels.Ken was nearby, double-checking their supply of ammunition, while Denver and Ben lounged on an old, battered couch, their excitement barely contained.“Finally, we’re getting out of this shithole with a bundle of millions,” Denver said to Ben, leaning back with a smug grin. He flicked a discarded cigarette butt into the cor
Chapter 392The evening sky was a dusky orange, streaked with long trails of purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. Williams parked the sleek, black car that Mr. Sterling had secured for him—a high-profile Lamborghini that was both remarkable and practical for what was about to go down.The tinted windows gleamed faintly in the fading light as he stepped out, dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans. He adjusted the baseball cap on his head and pulled it lower to obscure his face further.Kane was already waiting near the edge of the gravel lot, leaning casually against a rusted lamp post that barely flickered to life. His stance was relaxed, but his eyes darted around, sharp and alert. A few paces away, Tom and Dorian lingered by the entrance to the abandoned warehouse, their conversation low but punctuated with short laughs.Williams approached Kane with purposeful strides. Without a word, he gestured for Kane to follow him a short distance away from the others.“They ready?” William
Chapter 391Andrew’s pen hovered over the page. “Eric Wood? The CEO of EMC?”“Yes,” Sterling said, his voice steady now, laced with conviction. “He’s had a vendetta against my family for months. He’s jealous of our success, our influence. And now, with everything happening at EMC, I wouldn’t put it past him to stoop this low. My two sons were kidnapped in a sparse of a few weeks. Is it not strange?”Andrew tilted his head, his expression skeptical. “That’s a serious accusation, Mr. Sterling. Do you have any evidence to support this?”Mr. Sterling sighed heavily, as though burdened by the weight of his own claim. “Not concrete evidence, no. But think about it. He has the resources, the motive. And I heard through some… private channels that he’s been meeting with unsavory characters lately. People who could easily pull off something like this.”Andrew jotted a few notes, his pen moving quickly. “I see. I’ll look into it. But you understand we can’t act on hearsay alone.”“Of course, of
Chapter 390As soon as Mr. Sterling ended the call with Williams, he hurried to his closet, throwing on a sleek navy suit and matching tie. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted the knot, but he steeled himself, taking a deep breath.This wasn’t just a favor for Williams; it was a calculated move to get his two sons back. Grabbing his keys, he rushed out of his mansion, the elevator ride to the ground floor feeling agonizingly slow.When he finally stepped outside, the cool morning air bit at his face, but he paid it no mind. His black sedan waited at the curb, and he climbed in, starting the engine with a growl. As he sped toward Sky Suite, he rehearsed the lies he might need to tell to retrieve Jaxon’s car.The towering Sky Suite hotel loomed ahead, its modern glass facade gleaming brightly under the early morning sun. As Mr. Sterling approached the entrance, his stomach tightened. The sight of two patrol cars parked near the lobby entrance made his pulse quicken. Uniformed off
Chapter 389As soon as Kane received the message from Tom that Jaxon had finally broken under the pressure and confessed, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Williams. His tone was sharp, clipped, and direct as he relayed the crucial information.“He finally talked,” Kane said without any preamble. “He’s given up Jack’s location—some bunker near the old docks.”Williams, on the other end of the line, didn’t respond right away. The faint sound of tapping, likely his pen against his desk, filled the silence. “Good,” Williams finally said, his voice steady but tinged with calculation. “Did he say anything about how many men Jack has with him?”“Yeah,” Kane replied. “Three, including Jack himself. He said one of them ran away. It’s a small crew.”Williams let out a low hum of approval. “That’s manageable. We’ve got the numbers, four to three. Here’s the plan,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “You’re going to prep Jaxon to lead you straight to the bunker. He’s our key. Ma