Did Sophia perform the surgery for a charitable organization? Carol nodded to herself. That would make sense since Victor had no money to compensate such a top-notch doctor. Perhaps the same organization also paid the original six hundred thousand demanded by Springfield Hospital.
Carol wanted to clarify this from Sophia but did not dare to ask. The female doctor had an intimidating personality which made her unapproachable. Moreover, she had just saved Edgar's life, and it would be rude and ungrateful to ask such intrusive questions. The celebrity doctor was at par with her in looks, but her confidence and attitude made her even more attractive."Can you hand me your husband's unlocked phone?" Sophia asked Carol. "I need to save my number."Carol was confused by the unconventional request. Why wasn't she directly asking Victor to save her contact number? Regardless, she obliged and handed his phone to her after unlocking it. Sophia was expressionless while she typed a number, gave a missed call to her own smartphone, and then saved the contact.Victor's wife eyed her with unease. Was there something between Sophia and her husband? Would something happen between them if they stayed in touch? Victor was middle-class but tall and handsome. It was shocking how someone like him could stay in such good shape. Perhaps it was good genetics. What if the celebrity doctor was looking for a random hook-up while she was in Springfield? Carol shook her head to rid herself of paranoia. She should be grateful to the doctor rather than be suspicious of her.Victor scowled. 'Sophia Baker is insidious,' he thought. 'She used underhanded methods since she dared not talk to me directly. She created an excuse to contact me later. And finally, the vixen used my wife to gain my number. Now that I have returned to the NWO, I must put up with such rude intrusions into my personal space. This is just the beginning. My life will soon be taken by storm.'As Sophia returned Victor's phone and walked away, she thought about Carol. 'That woman is as good-looking as I am, but she doesn't deserve to be with Caesar. The bitch doesn't understand that she's married to a remarkable human specimen. Such a legendary man deserves a suitable match who'd complement him. Someone like me! I'll do whatever is in my power to snatch him from her!'***Outside Springfield Global Hospital, a Ferrari cruised to a halt at the parking lot's end. The side window rolled down, and James Colbert's face appeared. Beside him was Josh Atelier, Carol's brother. He had a devilish grin across his face. James chuckled as he got off the phone. "I just talked to the Hospital Director. He has done everything possible to delay Edgar Damone's surgery. I've also paid off Dr. Trucker, the only cardiac surgeon qualified for this operation. And to be safe, I also bribed all private hospitals in the city. The respective administrators were asked to reject all requests from Springfield Global."Josh joined in the laughter. "You are brilliant, big bro James. In fact, I should already call you brother-in-law. After Edgar dies, Carol will realize how impotent her husband is and will divorce him without delay. She'll come running into your arms in no time."James nodded. "Yes. Once I marry your sister, I'll purchase Edgar's dying company and make you the CEO. You'll get your reward for cooperating with me, sport."Josh's eyes lit up. His poor management contributed to the Atelier company's downfall, but the Damone company had good managers. It only lacked investment, which James Colbert had agreed to provide. He could rest on a comfy chair while others do his job for him. "That's awesome, bro! You are too generous. Your disposition is opposite of that miser Damone family.""We wouldn't have to wait that long to see Victor suffer," James added. "I've been planning this forever. I tipped their competitor company when Edgar fell ill about his impending demise. The competitor has already poached the key people in Damone Industries. Today, Victor will receive the shock of his life."Both began to abuse Victor Damone mutually and discussed what other tactics could be applied to make his life a living hell. Just then, a helicopter flew in and landed on the roof."What the hell?" James exclaimed. That looks like a Johns Hopkins chopper. Has some bigwig celebrity come to Springfield Global that they had to fly in staff from the top hospital?"After fifteen minutes, he received a call from the corrupt Hospital Director of Springfield, Dr. Hodge. He shared the news that the celebrity cardiac surgeon Sophia Baker had arrived and was about to operate on Edgar."This is bullshit!" James barked, seething in anger. "Everything was going perfectly according to my plan! How did a popular cardiac surgeon find Edgar? What kind of weird coincidence is this?" The billionaire stepped out of his car and rushed into the hospital.
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- 284 The Final Test- Ashfield Academy rallied its trainees early the next morning. Kate Harper stood at attention in the front row of the elite squad.The initial training had been a brutal filter for most, weeding out the weak and the unprepared. However, for Kate, it had been a cakewalk considering her vigilante training.From thousands of applicants, only forty-eight remained. Hardened young men and women ready to claim their place in Springfield's military police.Sergeant Harlan, a grizzled veteran with a leathery face and a gruff voice, paced before them. "Listen up, recruits!" he barked."You've survived the basics. Forty-eight of you stand here today, the best of the best. And topping the charts is Recruit Harper. She's outshone you all in every metric. If the rest of you slugs can't keep up, you'll be washing out soon enough."Kate felt a momentary flush of pride, but then remembered her purpose. She was here to infiltrate the military police and learn more about Victor Cromwell.The girl had dom 
- 283 The King Returns- Valeria hesitated, her face a mask of shock and confusion. The Hand of the King was a latent ability Caesar had unlocked in them years ago. It was a surge of ethereal energy that amplified their strength and speed, drawn from his own essence.But with Victor Damone dead, it should have faded. "Fine. But since our master is gone, this won't work."She closed her eyes, focusing inward. Her right hand began to tremble, and to everyone's shock, including her own, a golden glow enveloped it. Energy crackled like lightning, surging through her veins.Valeria's eyes snapped open, staring at her hand in disbelief. "It... it works? What does this mean? This is unbelievable!"The room hung in tense silence for a few dramatic moments. Then Lance pushed himself up, rubbing his back. "Impossible. I wasn't given this power since I joined the NWO much later. However, the technology is clear. Without Victor Damone, there cannot be a Hand of the King. We mourned him."Maverick stared at Victor, suspic 
- 282 True Strength- Victor pressed the advantage on Lance. His hand darted forward in a blur, grabbing the General by the collar. "Where do you think strength comes from?" he asked rhetorically.The others watched in disbelief as Victor lifted the man off the ground with one arm and slammed him down onto the carpeted floor. The air whooshed from Lance's lungs, and he lay there gasping.The room fell silent as the laughter of the other Generals died in their throats. Valeria's green eyes narrowed, while Drew's sharp features tightened in calculation.Maverick scoffed. "That was probably a move you practiced for years to show off. Lance was the weakest link among us anyway."Victor raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Let's see what you got."Maverick growled and stepped up next, drawing two gleaming combat knives from hidden sheaths. "Knives are my game, Mayor. Let's see if you bleed like the rest. Don't worry, I'll try not to stab you fatally."He twirled the blades expertly as his scarred face twisted into a 
- 281 Five-star Generals- Victor Cromwell stood behind his massive oak desk in the Mayor's chamber. The city of Springfield sprawled below like a living organism, pulsing with the construction sounds at Fort Cromwell.He adjusted his tailored suit, a far cry from the rugged attire he once wore as Victor Damone. But today was not about appearances. It was about reclaiming what was his, piece by piece.The doors swung open, and Clive Baron, his head butler and a 4-star in the New World Order, stepped in first. "Sir, your guests have arrived."Clive was one of the first to know the Cromwell identity's truth. In his Napoli suit impeccable as always, he bowed slightly and gestured to the four figures entering behind him.These were Victor's erstwhile Five-Star generals—the elite core of his old team from the NWO days. They didn't know him as Victor Damone, codename Caesar, whose funeral they had attended.To them, he was Victor Cromwell, the upstart Mayor who had risen from obscurity to command Springfield's transf 
- 280 The Trials- Kate pulled up to the gates of Springfield's new military academy, Ashfield. Her old beat-up car rattled to a stop among a sea of shiny trucks and SUVs. Her adoptive parents wouldn’t give her a new vehicle. This was something she purchased for five hundred bucks at an old garage.Ashfield Academy was a fortress straight out of a war movie. High concrete walls topped with razor wire, floodlights mounted every few yards, and armed guards patrolling the entrance.Kate entered the academy after showing her pass at the gate. Inside, the place teemed with thousands of applicants. Excited youngsters jostled for position in the long registration lines.‘This is crazy,’ she thought, scanning the crowd. There were guys in tank tops showing off their gym-built muscles, and girls in athletic wear trying to look tough.Everyone here thought they had what it took to join Victor Cromwell's elite military police. However, Kate was here for answers, and not glory.The registration building was a squat 
- 279 Mass Production- Victor cast a sidelong glance at Atticus. "It's your plan, not mine. I never asked you to make GEN5 serum from my blood, or even manufacture large amounts of it. Now you want to mass-produce hybrids with my blood? I am beginning to doubt your plan."The Tribunal nodded, unaffected by Victor's disapproval. "Victor. We did not start this without your consent. Because of GEN5, Eva Atelier is still alive.""She is not Eva," the Mayor replied with finality."Okay. But her survival is an experimental success. We could replicate this. Build an army of hybrids to counter the Puppetmaster's changelings. Imagine it: unstoppable soldiers that are loyal and enhanced. No families to mourn them."Victor clenched his jaw. The idea, although not new, hung in the air like a dark cloud. "We're already playing with fire, Atticus. GEN5 links their lives to mine."Atticus leaned forward. "You saw the Puppetmaster's changelings with your own eyes. They are multiplying—grotesque, mind-controlled abomination 
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