Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56"Yet again, another murder has been reported. The Secretary For Education, Michael Harvard has been found dead in his apartment. The sad incident was said to have happened at around 2 am this morning. The police swung into action immediately, and according to their reports, his sudden death is linked to an attack by a notorious gang known as TRYSIS"
It is a secret gang led by Al Albert - the most wanted criminal in the last three years. No evidential trace was found at the crime scene, except a bullet with a '002' inscription. Investigations are still ongoing about the secretary's death and more details will be revealed soon" "Now to the concluding segment of the news. President Greg Williams has allocated the sum of 20 billion dollars to the secretary for Housing and Urban Development's office. According to the president, this was done in a quest to foster tourism in the country. The Secretary for Housing and Urban Development - John Marvin disclosed in an interview with the CALLY TIMES MAGAZINE that he'd do everything in his power to carry out the President's wish. He also stated how timely that allocation was and how effective it'll be in making the United States a country attractive to tourists. This is all we have for you here at STAR TV. I'm your host - Benita Jackson. Good evening" ***** Dera let out a breath, she creased her eyebrows - eyes still fixed on the displaying TV. The dimly lit living room was filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee, and the soft hum of the TV provided an eerie background noise. She snuggled close to the table, reaching for the remote, her hand brushing against the soft cushion. She hit the power button. Her head went back to its initial position - Raymond's lap. His hand was still wrapped around her waist, his fingers tracing patterns on her skin, sending cold shivers down her spine. "I was watching that!" Raymond's voice echoed into her ears. Dera rolled over to meet him feigning a smirk, her eyes locked onto his. The funny look on his face made a giggle evade her lips. "It was just some boring news. I get sick of it sometimes." she yawned, breaking eye contact. "Why?" Raymond's voice was laced with concern, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. Dera hesitated for a moment, her heart racing in her chest. The worried look on Raymond's face triggered her to finish the sentence. "Because -" She hesitated for a moment. The worried look on Raymond's face triggered her to finish the sentence "I don't know." "I'm behind the murder?" Raymond interrupted. "I'm sure you know that already. That's my job." he grinned, his hand slowly caressing Dera's hair. Dera rolled over again, and the sheepish smile on Raymond's face made shrills of adrenaline run through her veins. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah," she muttered coldly. "I know you killed him." Dera clicked her tongue as she rose from Raymond's legs, keen to stride upstairs. Raymond grasped her by the arm before she took the second step. Goosebumps appeared on her skin and ecstatic sensations bubbled in her spine. Raymond's touch was like kryptonite, weakening her resolve and making her vulnerable. She felt a strong urge to surrender to his grip and kiss him with a mix of apology and desperation. But the anger in her heart won't budge. "You don't have to walk away," Raymond pulled her back on the sofa. Dera hesitated for a jiffy, but she gave in when his hands curled around her waist - giving him access to drag her back in - seamlessly. "I'm sorry," he muttered into her ears as the whiff of her cologne raced into his nostrils. Dera's heart palpitated. She's vulnerable whenever Raymond whispers sweet nothings into her ears, but at this point, she doesn't seem to budge. Not when she's in love with a serial killer. "Ray, what are you really sorry for?" A ball of fury clenched her throat and she shrugged off Raymond's arms - drifting to the side of the sofa. The chandelier's light accentuated the worry lines on her face. "You're sorry for being a part of a mafia? Are you sorry for being a serial killer? Are you sorry that you're always in the headlines? Are you sorry that you don't care about how I feel or how scared it feels to lose you?" Dera yelled - eyes stung with tears. Raymond tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat, and only a tense rasp escaped. His fingers dug into his palms as he shifted back, his hair caressing the edges of the sofa. The awkward stillness lasted for a minute. He raised his head to meet Dera's flitting gaze. He leaned close to her. "Dera, I didn't ask for this life. No one is happy being a murderer. But at the moment, this is how I earn a living. All the luxury and -" "There you go again!" Dera cut in, stomping her hand on the seat. "You always say that crap. Babe, you're wealthy now! You've saved up enough money. We can elope to another country and start a new life. This thing you call a job makes me scared. I don't want to lose you." "I don't want to lose you too, Dera," Raymond cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs tracing her cheekbones as he gazed into her eyes. "I love you with all of me. What I do has nothing to do with us. I'm not doing it for the pleasure of it. I kill for every kid out there who has been stung by this evil society. I'm doing this to get back at these greedy folks who think they can keep extorting the less privileged." he said. Dera rolled her eyes. "You've done enough of that Ray. You've got too much blood on your hands." "Not innocent blood." "That's not enough reason to kill!" Dera retorted. She pulled her face off his grasp and drifted away. "If you love me, more than the thrill you get from taking lives, you have to stop. Because I'm sick and tired of waking up to the reality that someday you'd be killed too." she screeched, crossing her arms over her chest as she gazed into nothing. A sigh flew off Raymond's plum lips. "You don't have to say that babe. You know I love you and I can do anything to prove it. I - " "You?" Dera interrupted, cackling sadly. "Then prove it to us," she muttered, placing a hand on her stomach. Raymond crinkled his eyebrows - eyeballs widened in shock. "What do you mean us?" He asked as if his life depended on the answer to that question. "You're gonna be a father Ray," Dera announced. Raymond stepped back, trying to process what he just heard. For a second, he thought it was a dream, but clocks do not tick in dreams, right? Dera's stern look depicted reality. "You're joking huh?" "A baby is a huge responsibility, Ray. I'm not joking. I'm carrying our child, and I need you to be - " Raymond sealed her lips with a kiss. Her eyeballs dilated in shock. That wasn't the reaction she expected. But that sudden kiss depicted the joy of a hurt but now-fulfilled man. "You're pregnant? I love you so much. Thank you!" he pulled her into a tight embrace. They embraced for what felt like an eternity, until Raymond's phone beeped, a message. "002. Your attention is needed right now"
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Three (Trysis)
The HQ was a spacious room filled with the hum of computers, the glow of LCD lights, and the beeps of keyboards. The air reeked of smoke and stale air, and the walls were plastered with a collage of mugshots. Each face - a testament to the crew's dubious accomplishments, and sticky notes scribbled with cryptic messages and hasty reminders. Guns and drugs littered the table, a grim reminder of the crew's illicit endeavors.Raymond strode in, his eyes scanning the room like a ghost haunting its murderers. Tyler swiveled his chair, his gaze flicking from the computer screen to Raymond's tense expression. Ria stood by the map-covered table, her eyes narrowed as she studied the layout of Briarcliff, Texas."Tyler I got your text. What's going on?" Raymond said. He stood behind Tyler, hands folded across his chest. "We have a mission, 002," Tyler said. He leaned his back on the seat lazily, hovering his hand to the side of his face. "And it's too complicated for your dumb ass?" A stran
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Three (Trysis)
The HQ was a spacious room filled with the hum of computers, the glow of LCD lights, and the beeps of keyboards. The air reeked of smoke and stale air, and the walls were plastered with a collage of mugshots. Each face - a testament to the crew's dubious accomplishments, and sticky notes scribbled with cryptic messages and hasty reminders. Guns and drugs littered the table, a grim reminder of the crew's illicit endeavors.Raymond strode in, his eyes scanning the room like a ghost haunting its murderers. Tyler swiveled his chair, his gaze flicking from the computer screen to Raymond's tense expression. Ria stood by the map-covered table, her eyes narrowed as she studied the layout of Briarcliff, Texas."Tyler I got your text. What's going on?" Raymond said. He stood behind Tyler, hands folded across his chest. "We have a mission, 002," Tyler said. He leaned his back on the seat lazily, hovering his hand to the side of his face. "And it's too complicated for your dumb ass?" A stran
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Four (Reassurance)
Raymond flung his car keys on the table. He glanced at the entire living room, and his gaze settled on the sofa where he left Dera a couple of hours ago. But she's not there anymore. "Babe? I'm home!" Hands gliding on the hand drill, he strode upstairs. "Oh, you're back," Dera said almost immediately as he barged into the bedroom. Her pretty set of canines and incisors came into view when her lips pouted with a smile. That kind of smile that Raymond would kill any potbellied asshole to put on her face. "You came right on time." She zipped a bag. She shoved it to the side of the bed. She drew another bag closer to her "These are your clothes, I'm sure you will need them. Here! Guns, recorders, IDs, and your shoes are packed in here." She zipped that bag. She placed it on the floor. Raymond's lips pouted with a sigh. He let go of the door and walked towards the bed "Dera. Why are you doing this?" His tone sounded gloomy even if he intended it to sound despotic and strict. "Doing
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Five (Welcome To Nairobi)
NAIROBI, KENYA. After an eight-hour flight, Raymond touched down at Nairobi, Kenya. He booked a room in one of the luxurious hotels in the city. Raymond feels indebted to society at the beginning of every mission, and whenever he completes them it feels like baggage has been lifted off his chest. But this John Marvin's mission hits kind of differently. First, he is still obligated as he has always been, but this time - with a different objective. He intends to give back to society for the last time and move on to the next phase of his life. Years ago, the satisfaction birthed from murdering an evil doer fills him with glee and his hands itched to do more. But now, he's about to be a father and that makes him want to end everything. For the sake of the embryo growing inside Dera. For Dera's sake. For love's sake. She's the only family he has and the fact that another member is about to be added to that family makes him dread the responsibility that comes with being a father. His h
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Six (Black Lives Matter)
Raymond flung his phone on the bed, with a smile on his face. The smile he wears on his face whenever he gets off the phone with Dera. The lovebirds miss each other. It is been just two days since Raymond left, but for Dera, it is like a million years stapled in forty-eight hours. Raymond locked eyes with the golden glimmer of the rays - fleeing into the room from the window, and his heart wouldn't stop flashing and hurdling with joy. Joyful and can't wait to end the whole John Marvin chaos and go back to his family. Talking about the last mission, his hands still hurt from the altercation in the club restroom, and a little bit of sadness clamps his ridge because he murdered an innocent man. That's one of the detriments of being a serial killer. There's no lead to finding John Marvin yet, and hopefully, he doesn't squander the entire fund before Tyler comes up with a better idea of tracking him down. The beep from Raymond's phone took his attention off the window. A smudge of posit
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Seven (The Unexpected)
Raymond's heart missed a beat. He took a step back, his gun still pointing to Kira. He huffed when he caught sight of the intruder. "Thanks for the drink" the guy said, cackling scornfully. "You're welcome" Raymond grinned and the smile faded immediately "But stay out of this. Get the fuck out of here?" He cocked his gun and pointed it to the intruder. "Let the bitch go, you bastard" the guy said, taking a step closer to Raymond - still pointing his gun to Raymond. "You'll die in a second, stay away" Raymond yelled. He fired a shot - into the air. The guy got confused and Raymond jabbed his face with the base of his gun. Raymond picked his gun as the intruder fell on the floor, wincing in pain - still trying to recollect what happened two seconds ago. And when he finally did, Raymond was pointing two guns at his face. "Who are you? And why did you follow me out here?" Raymond yelled - his fingers itched to pull the trigger. The intruder winced in pain again, he hunkered his hea
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Eight (Captured In The Lion's Den)
A massive amount of water squirted over Raymond's face. He jolted back to reality for a moment, and all he recalled was him standing beside a couch next to Kira - asking her about his target - John Marvin. And there was pain and thick darkness thereafter. Now the sharp pain in his head won't let him concentrate on the aura, but then he noticed his hands had been tightened behind his back and he's fastened to a wooden seat - in the middle of a slightly lit up spacious room. He looked at where the considerable stream of water came from, and he saw a guy holding a huge can. His face was masked. Raymond jiggled, trying to loose himself from the grip of the chains and a voice echoed "Don't move" Raymond traced the voice to the lips of a light-skinned man - standing right in front of him. He squinted his eyes and flickered rapidly. That's the target. John Marvin. Four hefty men stood next to him. And surprisingly, Kira and the guy from the strip club - but his head was wrapped with a ban
THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT Chapter Nine (Escape Plan I)
Raymond felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and Kira's eyes met with his battered and bloodstained face. He let out a loud gasp. He was skeptical about what her intent was. Ever since she walked away with John Marvin a couple of hours ago, she hasn't - no one has returned. He's been kept in the dark room. Kira's sudden appearance felt like a reason to torture. ".....what do you want?" Raymond muttered, his voice stuck somewhere between pain and discomfort. Kira didn't say a word. Instead, she pulled out a plastic bottle from the back pocket of her jeans. "I was told that serial killers get thirsty" she mumbled and twisted the cap of the bottle. Kira held the bottle above Raymond's mouth as he gulped down the water in its entirety. He led out grunts thereafter. Kira took the bottle out of sight and hovered it back into her pocket - her eyes fearfully scanning every angle of the room - like John Marvin or any of his cronies would surface at the drop of a hat. "Thank you" Raymo
Latest Chapter
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Eighteen (A void)
Tears trickled down Raymond's cheeks. When the first bullet pierced through his chest, he locked eyes with the barrel of a gun - clinging to Dera's hand. It felt like he was lost in a trance until the second bullet pierced through his chest. Raymond groaned in pain. Not only because of the excruciating pain from bleeding scar. But because this whole betrayal scheme had Dèra in it.He fell to the floor - eyes soaked in tears, a heart smashed into fragments, and a chest - pierced with two bullets. AI took the gun off Dera's grip. "You still have the mafia blood running in your veins." Al commended, mashing his mouth on Dera's lips. Tyler and Ria exchanged glances, their eyes - sticking out in terror. The last thing they expected Al to do was kill Raymond. He's the smartest and fastest killer in the gang. At first, Ria wanted to defend Raymond. But Al's ruthlessness sent shrills of fear down her gut. If he can kill Raymond without a flick of remorse, driving a knife into her throat w
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Seventeen (A Shot)
Raymond blinked his eyes rapidly to ensure he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. He flinched when Dera walked into the room. His lips - were wide open as if he had just seen a ghost. For a moment, he expected Dera to have lacerations on her skin, or blood gushing out of her veins. Because anyone abducted by Trysis is always beaten till their skin is unrecognizable. So what happened? But Dera was hale and spotless. Her face was even adorned with alluring makeup. Raymond squinted his eyes multiple times - unable to process what was going on. And the fact that AI introduced Dera as a surprise heightened his anxiety and shock. "Dera?" Raymond blurted - with a flitting gaze. "Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?" He gazed at Ria as if he'd found the answer to his question on her face. Ria broke eye contact and dug her fingers into her palms. Ria to disguise her surprise, her body language gave her away. Ria has got snakes in her closet. Tyler had a dismayed look on his f
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Sixteen (Shocker)
Raymond's punch didn't have that much effect on Al. Instead, he staggered backward a little bit. Raymond tried to punch him the second time, but Al blocked his hand. They locked eyes, and Al headbutted Raymond, and he staggered back. Raymond regained momentum and was about to run back to attack Al again, but he was welcomed with a gun. "Step the fuck back," AI said. Raymond's eyes widened, his heart still thumping with rage; it felt like he was getting the sharp edge of the stack, e and he couldn't seem to get that down his throat at the moment. "Where is she?" Raymond asked. His tone sounded tense and it felt like he was directing the question to everyone in the room, even though he was staring into Al's eyes when he asked the question. Al lowered his gun. He adjusted his iconic cowboy hat. He gave Raymond a blank stare and he slid to the side of the room and picked up a bottle of vodka. He gulped it down and walked back to where Raymond stood. "Where is who?" Al asked. "Don't
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Fifteen (Back Home)
Raymond walked through the entrance with a heart-thumping I'm ecstasy. He'd been away from LA for a couple of days and he had missed Dera and his unborn child to the moon and back. For the first time in a few days, he felt serenity. Serenity away from the pains, sadness, and chaos in Nairobi. After all, the whole storm is over but sadly - Kira had to go with the storm."Honey, I'm home," Raymond said, shutting the door behind him. He didn't hear any response, but the ransacked state of the living room caught his attention and he strode forward to take a closer look. Clothes were scattered all over the floor and on the sofa. One of Dera's underwear was drooping on the TV. Her favorite crop top was swaying on the hand drill and his favorite pants inhabited the dining table. Raymond rolled his eyes curiously, his mind rumbling with a thousand and one questions. Everything seemed odd and usual. "Dera wouldn't have been this disorganized," he thought. He dropped his backpack on the floo
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Fourteen (Nemesis)
Raymond grinned softly as he ended the call. Telling John that he had those conversations recorded felt like the smartest move he'd ever make in a blue moon. He picked up the gun next to him and sat on the bed - he knew John was going to barge in, a bid to rip him off the recording and make sure he kills him - even if it takes every trick in the book. Raymond's heart thumped in rage and a drizzle of pain, the wound in his left arm won't stop bleeding. His gaze met with Kira. Goosebumps shirked his skin at the sight of Kira's lifeless body. Tears stung his eyes, as he ambled towards her. He knelt beside her, caressing her cold hands. He slowly rubbed her bloodstained lips. At this point, Raymond's attempt to restrict the tears from cascading proved abortive as they trickled down like a waterfall. "I'm so sorry" he muttered amidst tears. He hunched his head - his lips trembling rapidly. "The system failed you," he said, and another stream of tears gushed down his cheek again. His he
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Thirteen (Caught)
John slammed the door behind him, leaving Raymond and the guy in the hotel room. John thought there was no way Raymond was going to come out alive. He's got a wound on his arm already, burying another bullet in his chest was enough to jolt him out of life. The guy cocked the pistol and was ready to pull the trigger. The eerie view of Kira and his mate lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He felt like the most loyal dude in the room, and he was ready to do anything in a voyage to uphold that newfound stance. He pointed the gun at Raymond's head, but Raymond caught him off guard as he punched his hand, and the gun fell out of his grip. Raymond gained the momentum to rise on his feet. The guy tried to reach for the gun, but Raymond kicked it and it went under the sofa - close to where Kira was lying. "So what now" Raymond said - letting go of his injured arm. "Let's fight this shit out, homie," Raymond said. A frown appeared on the guy's face. As he raced towards Raymond - hands
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Twelve (Close Call)
Raymond huffed at the sight in front of him. He paused and he locked eyes with John Marvin. It dawned on him that it was Kira on the floor. It became obvious that something had gone wrong - the same negative thought Kira had initially. "Don't hurt her" Raymond yelled, moving close to John. John pointed the gun at Raymond's face and he flinched. "Come close and you'd die first" John threatened - staring at Raymond with bloodshot eyes. John laughed hysterically when Raymond stopped moving and suddenly he pulled the trigger. The metallic zest of blood. Chaotic bleeding. Raymond's heart constricted when he caught sight of Kira in a pool of blood with a bullet hole in her head. His heart shredded into tiny fragments at the eerie view and the urge to revenge grew wild. The thought that Kira was lying lifeless on the floor made every vein inside him stick out like spikes. "Ahh" Raymond screeched. He sped to John and landed a huge jab on his face. John fell to the floor, but before Ra
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Eleven (Room 14)
Kira had her heart in her mouth when she stepped into the luxury hotel. She quickened her steps toward the receptionist - every step plodding in outright dread and uncertainty. It felt like she was doing the riskiest thing in the world and a single misstep could render all her efforts useless. "Hi," she muttered when she got to the receptionist. "I'm here to see John Marvin" she added coldly. "Room 14" the receptionist retorted without even giving her a look. Kira clutched her bag tightly as she strolled down the hallway. That wasn't the first time she'd be in this hotel - not only because of John. But for the men, she fucks on weekends. That's the only thing she's resorted to doing. Aside from doing the dirty jobs, John offers her once in a blue moon, shagging men was the only means that was never to an end. Kira felt a bit nervous to walk into the elevator. She strode toward the stairs. She paused at the edge of the stairs and pulled out her phone from her bag. She stumped its
- THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT
Chapter Ten (Escape Plan II)
Kira and Raymond sped into Raymond's hotel room. Their exasperated breaths inundated the room as they exchanged glances. Raymond ambled forward, and he collapsed into the bed. Kira stood by the entrance, her back on the door - her eyes staring and examining the luxurious room. "That was close," Raymond said. He sat up on the bed - staring at Kira. She took a step closer to the bed. "Yeah," she said. She moved to the side of the bed and sat on the seat next to it. Raymond had a lot of thoughts and questions running through his mind. He gave Kira another blank stare and rose from the bed. He approached the entrance of his bathroom and took off his bloodstained shirt. "What do you intend to do now?" Kira's voice resounded, causing Raymond to strike a pause. He took off his shirt and flung it on the bed. "I don't know" he muttered, spinning to face Kira. He walked close to her and sat on the bed again - he just postponed taking a shower. He heaved a sigh. "Why did you save me?" He co
