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2024-10-29 19:42:56John hurried into the computer room, quickly taking a seat in front of the system. Alice, closely behind him, was entranced by the intricate codes flashing on the computer screen. She observed John, who was completely engrossed in his work, typing in a series of codes that altered the patterns on the monitor until it went blank.
Once John removed his flash drive from the system, he looked at Alice and asked, "Have you tried to reach Richard?" Alice shook her head, her attention now on the blank laptop screen.
"What did you do?" Alice inquired, her curiosity getting the best of her. The laptop's emptiness revealed nothing about John's actions.
John studied her before explaining, "I shut it down after I erased their database. They had accumulated information about important figures. I'm certain they were investigating hidden transactions by these individuals. With data like that, they could blackmail or disrupt the government."
Puzzled, Alice asked, "Why would they want to do that?"
John did not respond. He stood up and together they exited the building, maintaining their vigilance side by side, prepared for any sudden ambush. However, they encountered no threats on their return to the car.
"I'm not sure why they want to do anything. All I know is that they might have enough information to leave the device unguarded," John said once they were inside the car.
"That's not good news," Alice replied.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" John asked. The car's consoles came to life as Alice turned on the ignition.
"I trust Richard," Alice said, her words more a personal affirmation than a response to John's question. "He's not that easy to take out, but let's get to Spectre headquarters as fast as we can."
“Headquarters?” John asked.
“That's the address in the paper Sara dropped,”
She handed the paper to John to look at. With her hands steady on the wheel, she adjusted the gear and accelerated in the direction of Spectre headquarters.
"That's where they took all their members," John voiced. “How many men can Richard pull together?” The imagined size of two gangs was enough to give one goosebumps. He glanced at the gun he'd barely fired and the flash drive he'd expected to be much harder to retrieve but was surprisingly easy. It raised questions. If the flash drive was no longer their top priority, what was Spectre's true aim?
“Richard would have the very best with him,” Alice responded. “The very best.”
"Did you manage to reach Richard?" John inquired, he believed for the fifth time.
"I tried calling him when we were at the computer room, but I couldn't get through," Alice replied. "However, I contacted the clean-up crew and instructed them to make a detour. We'll hit them with everything we've got."
"Draken style," John whispered, and they shared a knowing smile as the car sped forward and merged onto the freeway.
Meanwhile, Richard and thirty of his men stood in a well-maintained garden, surrounded by the Spectre gang members, all guns pointed at them. Xavier's voice echoed from their midst.
"Why don't you put down your guns, and we'll avoid unnecessary bloodshed?"
Richard's deep laughter resounded from the center of his men. He came here expecting an easy takeover of the hideout with minimal resistance, but Xavier's initial absence set off alarm bells. He'd ordered a tactical retreat, but upon reaching the garden, they found themselves completely encircled by Spectre.
The hideout was a grand mansion nestled within the forest, with the garden situated in the inner section to the left. Richard's keen eyes spotted a pillar near the garden's entrance with a small bush in front of it. He assessed the situation; they were surrounded on three sides, with the mansion behind them.
"Why don't you step forward where I can see you?" Richard replied, his voice carrying authority.
"You know I won't do that," Xavier retorted. "It's high time the old ways passed away. You might have the best men, but we outnumber you."
As Xavier spoke, Richard gave silent orders to his men to distract and shift their positions toward the garden's pillars, aiming to find cover. To Xavier, he shouted, "What's your goal? Why are you so desperate to see me dead?"
"We offered you the chance to join us, but you refused," Xavier responded. "The future belongs to us, the Spectre, governing not just this country but the world itself. No one can stop us, and all interference must be eliminated!"
"You're a fool," Richard retorted.
"Kill them!" Xavier ordered, and chaos erupted as gunfire echoed.
Just as the firefight began, John and Alice arrived at the scene. They stealthily climbed over the garden's low fence and made their way toward the mansion. Alice took cover and swiftly drew her weapon. Behind them, eleven more Draken men emerged, engaging the Spectre forces in a heavy assault.
With this much-needed support, Richard slipped behind the pillar for cover. He felt the warmth of blood seeping from his right shoulder and heard John's footsteps approaching to join them in the midst of the gunfight.
"Dad!" John exclaimed with worry etched on his face as he searched Richard's body. There were bullet wounds on his right shoulder and two on his abdomen.
"You called me 'Dad,'” Richard said, managing a bloody smile. "That sounds so good."
"Please, don't talk," John urged, his voice tense. "We'll get you to a hospital, get you the care you need."
John tore off part of his own shirt and pressed it firmly on the gunshot wounds on Richard's abdomen, trying to stem the bleeding.
"You have to hang in there, Dad," John pleaded. "We'll make sure you're alright."
The gunshots in the vicinity gradually faded into silence, leaving an eerie calm around them. Alice knelt beside Richard and hugged him.
"You'll have to step in son, I think I'm done." Richard said and chuckled.
"That's not funny," John retorted, his voice heavy with emotion. With great effort, they helped Richard to his feet. John and Alice each supported one of his arms. "I have every intention of keeping you with us. You'll be alright, you hear me? You have to be."
One man from the cleaning crew named Matthew stepped forward. The newcomer carried a bald head and a cleanly shaved chin, giving him an innocent appearance. But, it was his eyes that betrayed the experienced killer he was.
"We'll take care of the cleanup. There's a vehicle just outside the garden that will take all of you to Dr. James' place," Matthew informed them, his tone somewhat teasing. "I'm sure you'll enjoy that," he added with a smirk directed at Richard.
John raised an eyebrow at the mention of Dr. James.
"He's the family doctor. But first, we need to get out of here before I bleed to death." Richard said.
Outside the garden's gate, a car reversed into the clearing, crushing flowers and leaving tire marks in its wake.
"John, I'm sorry. Xavier got away," Alice whispered, her tone heavy with regret. John's face hardened, but he managed to offer her a reassuring smile.
"I'll deal with him later," John assured her.
Richard muttered under his breath, loud enough for those around him to hear. "Not the pretty flowers. Not the damned pretty flowers." Alice chuckled at his comment.
A man emerged from a BMW armored Jeep. He was dressed like a Catholic priest in a black robe with a white collar. John and Alice came to a stop, visibly surprised by the sight.
Richard, however, seemed to find it amusing. "It must be pretty serious for Anthony to show up in his priestly attire," he remarked to the man.
"May God have mercy on your soul," Anthony intoned as he opened the car door for John and Alice to enter, helping Richard as well. "You acted rather foolishly today," he added in a solemn tone before closing the door.
"Who are you?" Alice asked once they had started moving, her concern for Richard evident in her voice. "And drive fast. He's not looking good."
"I know he's not looking good, but Richard is tougher than he looks," Anthony replied, glancing at the mirror and sharing a reassuring smile with John. "You have your father's eyes, John. He'll be alright."
Anthony increased the speed of the vehicle but still focused on Alice. "I'm just a servant of the Lord who has a deep history with Richard. Nothing to be alarmed about."
"I still don't trust you," Alice said, tension evident in her voice. John raised his gun and aimed it at Anthony.
Richard, despite his condition, forced himself to speak. "It's okay. Put the gun down." John complied. "Take me to James, and we'll have to tell the kids the true story about Lisa, and our involvement in the current situation."
"Are you sure about that?" Anthony inquired. "It was in no way your fault. You couldn't have known at that point in time."
"Yeah, I'm not at fault, but I'm responsible. Now, drive, **fast**!" Richard said, his voice strained.
"Shush," Anthony admonished the others through the rearview mirror. "I know you want to ask questions, but there'll be time for that. For now, just make sure he doesn't die in my car. I'd rather not have his ghost haunting me."
The remark even got a chuckle from Richard. The Jeep sped deeper into the night, heading towards Dr. James's quarters.
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Anthony occasionally checked the left and right side mirrors to ensure they weren't being tailed. He sighed in relief when he was satisfied they weren't. Glancing at the rearview mirror above him, he saw Richard's pale face, with John holding down on the injury and whispering into his father's ear. Although John's words weren't audible from where he sat, a faint smile curved on Richard's lips. John glanced up and met Anthony's eyes. The other man nodded at him and then turned his gaze back to the road. "Just make sure you don't die," John whispered into Richard's ear. "We have a lot to talk about." Richard could only grunt in response, feeling a tingling sensation in his body as goosebumps spread all around him, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by Alice, whose eyes widened with concern. "How much longer until we reach his place?" Alice inquired urgently. "He's getting worse!" "We're here!" Anthony exclaimed. Alice and John looked outside. A white skyscraper came into view, its
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Anthony backed the hospital when John and Alice emerged from the building. He was gazing into the distance, a cigarette in his hand. The gentle breeze played with his hair, and he leaned against the doorframe, enjoying the cool sensation on his skin. He held the unlit cigarette between his lips. "Are you planning to light that?" John asked. Anthony's smile appeared somewhat strained to John, curving but not fully. They had come close to him without him noticing, a sign that maybe he was getting old. Anthony replayed the thought in his mind and decided it wasn't such a bad thing. "No, my smoking days are long gone, but you know, old habits die hard. I just hold it like this from time to time; it eases my mind," he replied and straightened up. "How's your father?" John remained silent, gazing into the distance, the word "father" causing a twisting sensation in his stomach. He tightened his grip on Alice's hand and took a deep breath. "Dr. James sent his regards. Richard has been mo
John's Domination Chapter 11
The silence in the boardroom stretched and settled heavily. Members of the table exchanged glances, searching for the one who would break the silence. Alice, who stood beside John, wore a wide grin. She hadn't expected that John would leave them speechless, let alone stun them. The turn of events made her want to burst out laughing, but she managed to stifle it to a light giggle. Anthony, who stood to John's right, nodded in approval. Richard's kid wasn't half bad, he thought. He looked at Janet, whose face had turned ashen, and couldn't help but smile. On his very first day, the young man had managed to render a board of millionaires speechless. But one man remained unfazed. Anthony discreetly observed Gandalf from the corner of his eye and noticed that the older gentleman was making a great effort not to burst into laughter at the board members' expense. "When you say you're Draken," Janet asked as she stood up, dressed in a red suit that emphasized her middle-aged grace, "do you
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“What's that?” Alice asked. She moved her focus from the seat to rest on John. John smiled and gestured for her to come over. "Come and look at this," he said, pulling the high-backed chair back. Alice had a curious expression on her face but approached him regardless. John motioned for her to sit, and she took the seat. "What's this about?" Alice inquired. "I know you would have done a great job leading the company. Richard would be proud, but you gave that away. I can see the look in your eyes; you wanted this position," John said. Alice held her silence for a moment. She turned the chair until it faced John. "I may have been able to hold down the fort, but the best decision I've made is to give it up to the rightful owner. I have no doubt you'll do far better than I ever could, and I'll be here by your side if you'll let me," Alice said, locking gazes with John. John moved and sat on the table as a slight smile broke out on his face. "Okay, in that case, I'll be counting on
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Richard ignored John's statement and stared into space. His eyes seemed void of any present focus. John felt five long minutes run by this way, he could only flex his fist and grit his teeth to Richard's action because his mom was priority. Gradually, Richard shifted his focus and locked eyes with John. "The Dark Arts was a very ferocious gang back in my early days as a drug lord. The person who led that group was your mother. She was both fearless and ruthless in the pursuit of her goals." The shock widened John's eyes as he swallowed hard. He had imagined many possible situations, but this revelation was beyond what he had expected. Gangsters? His stomach twisted uncomfortably. Richard raised his hand to silence any potential questions and continued, "Back in those days, it was always difficult for the police to keep up with our activities. Some of them were even involved in our operations. But you see, your mother created a vigilante group to fight drugs, human trafficking, and
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John had ridden the elevator down in total silence, not that there was anyone with him, he just didn't feel like there was anything outside the mental comfort of his mind. When he came out of the elevator, he moved inattentively through the hospital's bustling environment. Nurses walked by, and some doctors rushed to an unknown emergency. He reached the receptionist, who greeted him with a wide smile. John nodded absently to her and stepped out of the building into the coolness of the night. The air felt refreshing, and he allowed it to soothe the turmoil of his thoughts. He took in a deep breath and exhaled, his mind filled with the last conversation he had with Richard. "John Draken, our son, I hand over everything to you. All that I have is yours, and everything is in your care. You may not be strong enough, but we'll start somewhere. Take care of them, John," Richard had said. At the same time, he'd given John a bear hug. In that moment, John had felt his father's longing and pai
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The room Elijah brought them into was luxuriously decorated with golden sofas. On the walls hung a series of paintings framed in gold. Across from the entrance, there was a small shelf displaying thirteen military awards. John took note of the count. Elijah led them to the sofas, his bodyguards stationed at the door, which they closed once the three of them were seated. John scanned the room, searching for any clues or hints about why Elijah had suddenly taken an interest in him. It was unusual for a person of Elijah's status to show such curiosity, but nothing in the room provided any clear leads. Elijah broke the silence, his gaze unwavering on John, who widened his eyes at the mention of his mother, Lisa. Alice sat up straight, ready to react if needed, and John kept his gaze fixed on Elijah, trying to maintain a calm and expressionless demeanor. Reacting aggressively now might worsen the situation. "How did you know that?" John questioned. His father had never mentioned Elijah,
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In the hotel room booked by Elijah. John stretched and yawned. There was a persistent beeping sound coming from the door to his hotel room. He found himself under a double blanket in a king-sized bed, the room shrouded in darkness, and two large A.C. units were running at maximum power. On the bedside counter, there was a single lit lamp, an open notepad with visible scribbles, a pen with its cap beside it, and at the far end, a landline telephone. The room was chilled, but underneath the blankets, John felt the warmth trapped by the bedding. He grunted when the beeping started again, determined not to get out of bed. After what felt like ten minutes, the beeping stopped, and John breathed a sigh of relief. He had begun to drift, his eyes heavy with sleep, and he welcomed the comfort that washed over him as he recognized the feeling. Then, the telephone by the bedside started to vibrate and ring. The sound made John sit up on the bed, the chill rushing over him, making his teeth ch
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"Rick, tell me how you got here." Jones asked. Rick managed to get himself to walk by putting one hand around Jones's neck. "At this point, it doesn't really matter how I got here. We have to get out of here before they find us.“Why? ” Jones frowned. "Why do we need to leave? We thought you would be banging and flexing your ladies.”"Believe me, if I had the choice, by this time I would be in bed, but I am here being supported by an ugly stinking man." Jones chuckled and handed Rick his gun. "Do you still know how to use one of these, or is a lesson required?" Rick grabbed it with laugther. "Yes, if I get to shoot off one of your toes!" “Passed successfully. I do not need to show you how to hang yourself with a rope. John thinks Alice murdered you."“No! She actually saved my life. There is a lot going on, and the Drakens are in greater danger this time, with John as the target. "What exactly do you mean?" "You and I both know that underneath all of that, John is still very so
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John jolted against the chains that held him to the metal chair and shivered as the cold splash of water ran down his body. His hand rattled and buckled against the tight chain that kept his hands locked behind the chair. He blinked and attempted to make out the shape of his surroundings, but all he could see were blurry figures and a moving light above him. There were two large windows on either side, and he could feel the breeze on his skin. Cold and unforgiving.It made his teeth chatter, and he hissed instinctively. The face above him was blurry, and he had to squint his eyes to see the figure. "Did you miss me?" Melissa smiled down at him. She patted his hair and gripped it hard enough to hurt. “We have a lot to catch up on dear John.” John chuckled and shook his head. “Am I in heaven ? Did Xavier send his bitch on his little errand? "Oh, I am so scared..."“Y-You...” Melissa's face distorted into a frown, and she punched John hard. He chuckled and stared at her, telling her
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The rate at which the wind blew across the scene made everything appear too small and insignificant. Jones, however, was unwilling to take chances.The hideout itself stood alone in the shadow of its surroundings. Pale, plain, and the type you will walk past without looking twice. To the untrained eye, it appears completely lifeless. Jones, who was pressed to the ground in hiding, raised his head to survey the surroundings once more. It appeared vacant. It appeared empty. However, his experience in the Mafia had taught him that nothing is as it seems. "Why would they have brought John here?" Jones said to himself. He reached into his waistband and pulled out a revolver. The handy fella had always been his go to in difficult situations. The location was on the body of one of the diseased men he had buried. He came here without expectation but thank God. He exhaled. The car he was driving was parked a long distance away; even now, he praised his quick thinking for walking the re
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“Four hours have passed.” Richard grunted while trying to raise himself from the bed he laid. He couldn't believe that the phone he called John on a few hours ago was dead silent and unreachable.“Sir, you need to rest or you'll open your wounds!” A nurse rushed to him and tried to prevent him from sitting up. He shoved her aside and tried to jump down from the bed.More nurses rushed into the room with five male doctors and managed to subdue him long enough to administer an injection that made him drowsy. “I'm sorry, I can't let you leave. If anything happens to you. John would have my head.” The head doctor said with a bow. “Come close,” Richard ordered and whispered a few words into the doctor's ears before succumbing to the darkness that is sleep. The doctor stood straight with a pale face. “Get me my phone!” he ordered the nearest nurse who ran out in haste. Sara, Gladiator and Veronica sat at a table with their heads bent over several spread out images with the criss-cross
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Having dismissed Alice and Veronica, John allowed himself to slump into the hospital bed after he confirmed that the door was locked and secured. He raised his dress to reveal where a bullet had grazed him and was currently bleeding. Walking now, he staggered to a first aid box at the corner of the room and threw the contents and the bed, grabbing the neccesary items. Pouring the spirite content on his wound made him hiss and he had to grit his teeth from the sting. His phone flashed and a number displaying Jones names popped up. “Hey, I thought you wouldn't call!” John tried to sound normal and cheerful but having know John for long, Jones could catch the subtle hint in his voice. “What's wrong? What happened?” Jones enquired.“It's nothing serious, just a bullet scratch. Why do you sound so out of breath? Where are you?”“ I've been digging… graves. John you need to see this. It's serious and I'm not sure how to process this.” “Jones, where're you?”“I'm on the outskirt of tow
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Chapter 46
“Look around you, John.” Xavier shouted. “What do you see?” John looked around the empty factory building he had chosen with a few drops of water rolling off the ceilings and shoved Melissa’s forward. She stumbled forward and fell on her face. It agitated Xavier who raised his gun. John grinned. “You didn’t grace us with your men… I thought you never moved without a guard?” John asked with a grin. “You know what? This is like the first time we met. Now we’re here again in a slightly altered circumstance, making another deal. Isn’t that lovely?” John had bound Melissa’s mouth and the back of her hand. She struggled and tried to rush into Xavier’s arm, but John placed the cold end of his gun on her head. “Did you bring it with you?” John asked.Xavier raised a white nylon bag and brought out a couple of vials.“It’s more than enough and it’ll treat ten people.” “For your sake, let’s hope you’re right. How about we test it?” John asked and brought out a syringe filled with blood. A
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Chapter 45
At a graveyard in Los Angeles where the sky was moonless and the Earth hardened beneath your feet. Jones slammed the hard edge of the shovel into the earth and threw out dirt. The headstoned above Jones as he bent down, going about the digging, spelled the name “Rick” This was his friend's resting place but he's been having a feeling that all wasn't right and there was something missing. Once he had gotten enough dirt out of the hole he forced open the coffin. A foul stench rocked into Jones so hard he shielded his nose with his elbow, gagging and trying not to throw-up the breakfast he had eaten. But, he had seen what he wanted and he wasn't sure how he was going to handle this news. Whoever was in the coffin was dead, he was very sure about that but it wasn't Rick. “Damn!” Jones groaned and slammed the coffin shut and climbed out the grave. “Alice” he whispered to himself. “What are you after?”The drive back to the Motel he rented was without drama, being an easy ride he showe
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Chapter 44
“What is it that you're doing?” Melissa asked, crossing her legs and leaning into the driver side of her seat to get comfortable even though John had a gun to her head. “You think I'm here to joke around?” John growled and clicked off the gun's safety.Melissa turned sharply to face him, looking directly into his eyes.“There were cameras when you abducted me and in your famous car at that. Surely, you won't be so foolish as to assume that no one recognized the famous billionaire?” John chuckled. “Did I really kidnap you? I don't think you know much in the way of deception… no one there cares about your whereabouts because to them you're perfectly fine but you may not be if you keep testing my patience.” “I think you'll use the best of your time if you keep your eyes on the road. I won't want to be caught dead with you.” “Shut your mouth or I'll pull the trigger!” Melissa glared at John but otherwise kept silent while John floored the car till he arrived at a hideout west of La's
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The echoes of the man's feet as they hurried up the blocks, approaching the room, seemed to dig into his flesh. John could feel the sweat drop gather at the top of his brow, many parts of him felt like leaping out of control and launching savagely at Xavier's evil grin. John shook his head gently and smiled. “And what exactly makes you think I came here alone?” Xavier's brow furrowed and he brought the gun in his hand closer to Richard's head, pressing it firmly while looking out the window at the cars his men parked.“Whatever game you think you're trying to pull off won't work, lower the gun. Alice, take the gun from him.” Xavier yelled. “I can't do that…” she replied. Alice did not make an attempt to move because she was sure that with the cold gaze John directed at her she'll be dead before she can dislodge the gun. “With my men, you're surrounded… surrounded! Drop the gun and I'll give you a quick death.”“You actually believe that I'm surrounded, really look around, who do
