Arnold felt he was going through a trap door when he arrived at the scheduled meeting spot to have supper with Kein. The weight of his emotions, both angry and frustrated, was dragging him down, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. Arnold had been feeling off-kilter since the killer and traitor had called a few days before, demanding dinner. He still couldn't shake the strange feeling that had overwhelmed him since that phone conversation, and it was getting worse by the minute. He walked inside the spooky eatery as if nothing was wrong and as if he had no ulterior agenda, but he knew better. Something was wrong. It wasn't even something minor. The entire evening felt strange. Arnold could also sense that something significant would happen tonight, and it would change the trajectory of his life. Tonight would make or mad Mr. Kein's destiny too, and as he pulled the restaurant door open, Arnold exhaled deeply. The entire establishment was deserted, devoid of customers, and he la
The dimly lit room echoed with the sound of a single gunshot. The silence that followed was broken when a lifeless Arnold discovered Mr. Kein's gunshot had hit him. The blood streaming from his ear was also warm and sticky, but it didn't appear dripping on him. It rained on the marble-tiled floor, collecting in a little puddle nearby. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!! Fuck!!! Arnold muttered to himself as he tried to shift his body and reach his feet, but he couldn't. His entire body was on fire, and his head seemed detached from his body. He couldn't breathe without wheezing in pain, and every time he moved an inch, it felt like he was being stabbed with a mass of scorching red embers. No! This was not how the evening was meant to unfold. He'd even prayed earnestly that if anything wrong happened, he'd be on the receiving end of something nice. This was not the case! Was this the end of his life? What would happen if he died right now? Who would look after Jia? Arnold tried to dismiss the frig
"Good day, boss. Arnold Stone completed the assignment successfully." The voice on the other end of the line kept talking. "Members of his gang took care of the body. It's safe to say that Mr. Kein, the target, has been eliminated." Mr. Black sat in his dimly lit office, phone to his ear, listening as one of his most loyal lieutenants confirmed Arnold's effective execution of the legendary gang leader, Mr. Kein. Earlier, Mr. Black had been apprehensive about picking up the phone when the call came through because it carried the news of his most lethal work yet. If he responded, he'd be mentally prepared to learn whether Arnold had completed the task. In this situation, either Arnold survived and blasted Kein's head, or the opposite occurred. He'd sighed slowly, his hands shaking violently, and swiped the answer button, and now he was here. "Oh, my goodness!" Mr. Black exclaimed, a rush of relief and delight flowing through him. He had to take a minute's break before proceeding. "T
The days following Mr. Kein's death flew quickly, and Arnold felt more at ease than he had in a long time. The events of that night lingered in his mind, gnawing at the back of his mind, refusing to go away, not that he wanted them to. Every time he remembered the gunshots, he’d fired one by one and the justice he’d done for each fucking person that Kein had wronged an odd calm settled over him like an osmotic gaze. Arnold was relieved that his desire for justice had not waned and that he could now channel it for a worthy cause. The fact that the person who had attempted to murder Mr. Xiu was now dead and that Kein would never have the opportunity to hurt anybody else to accomplish his selfish goals carried a sense of relief so profound that it nearly startled Arnold. This was payback, and it was well-deserved. Was it, or wasn't it? Whatever it was, Arnold was sure he'd done the right thing, and that was all that mattered—that and the fact that he'd completed his quest, with Nexus
It was a beautiful afternoon, and Mr. Xiu sat in his comfortable living room, waiting for Arnold. He'd sent for the younger man earlier today. They needed to talk about something serious, and Mr. Xiu had a lot of questions for his protégé. Mr. Xiu couldn't stop thinking about the news and the things they'd labeled Arnold as since he saw it last night. It made him concerned that Arnold was spiraling out of control. Most importantly, he needed to confirm that everything he'd heard and seen on television the night before was a lie, and only Arnold could confirm if it were genuine. Damn! The words of the reporter who had mentioned Arnold repeatedly repeated in Mr. Xiu's thoughts. There had been reports about the death of a notorious mobster, who had been none other than Kein, Xiu's childhood friend as well as the one he'd just reconciled with a few days before, and while he'd been surprised at first, he'd heard the most suspicious news. The suspects who had queued up in connection wi
Arnold couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd been asked to choose between the gang and Mr. Xiu, and he was now disoriented and confused. Arnold had never felt so helpless in his life. And he was torn as he peered at Mr. Xiu, looking into the eyes of the guy who had practically altered his life from wreckage to riches. Arnold suddenly found himself in a quandary as he sought to deliberate and consider his choices. Should he remain faithful to Mr. Xiu by severing all links with his gang, or should he do the opposite? Or should he take another drastic action? Arnold could influence Mr. Xiu, or he could try to be clever and be on the receiving end of both options. 'You're right, Arnold. You must consider carefully. You understand why you're doing this, and you understand how much you've sacrificed to get here. Mr. Xiu may want the best for you but remember that in the same way he helped you, you also benefited him. With Nexus, you both accomplished too many trading feats that no
"Damn, you, Arnold Stone!" Mr. Black mumbled, his teeth clenched. "You may be winning this battle right now, but I'll be damned if I let you claim victory at the end." The words were delivered with such malice that they almost sounded like a curse, but he didn't mind. Mr. Black returned his gaze to the television and listened as the news reporter went on and on about the recent gang activity in the city. Arnold, of course, was orchestrating these events. Arnold Stone was a lunatic, a brilliant individual, and Mr. Black would be lying if he said he didn't feel frightened by him. He was terrified at the prospect of Arnold ascending to the renowned throne as the leader of the dangerous world of underground crime. Despite his loathing and dread of the guy, Mr. Black couldn't deny the admiration, pride, and satisfaction he felt when he thought of his battle with Stone. It felt kind of... good. He felt better knowing that someone in the world would dare to issue such a challenge—not that
"Here's your chocolate drink, my love." Arnold replied, handing Jia the steaming mug he was holding, and she accepted it with a little smile. They were both sitting on one of Arnold's couches in his living room, and he was watching Jia sip from her cup with interest. She was lying in his arms, enjoying the nighttime cuddle session that had just become their thing. Her hand was resting on his shoulder, her fingers absentmindedly toying with his shirt buttons. Despite the intimate moment between them, a nervous aura hung over them. Arnold could tell Jia was feeling the same way. The air surrounding them felt thick and heavy, which wasn't a negative thing, but it didn't seem right either. Also, Jia had been staring into space for a long now, and her gaze would occasionally wander to the apartment's ceiling before returning to his face when she realized she was being watched. Even her fingers, playing with his shirt, would freeze and continue. It was a touch disconcerting, and Arnold