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2024-10-29 19:42:56The city was teetering on the edge of chaos, and Luis could feel it.
Each call that came through his phone confirmed what he already knew: the empire they had built was unravelling, piece by piece, just as they had planned. The Southside was destabilised. The dockyard had fractured.
The Eastside was already a battleground for rival factions, all of them scrambling for what remained of the territory Luis and Maria had left behind.
Everything was falling apart, and for the first time, Luis wasn’t trying to stop it.
Standing by the window of the penthouse, Luis looked out at the city. Even now, as it devoured itself, the lights shimmered beneath the dark sky, still beautiful, still alluring.
It had taken him years to understand that the city wasn’t just a place—it was a living thing, a beast that demanded sacrifice. And he had sacrificed plenty.
Maria’s heels clicked against the marble floor as she crossed the room, a tablet in her hand. She stopped beside him, handing over the latest report. Her expression remained calm, but Luis knew her well enough to sense the tension beneath the surface.
“They’re moving faster than expected,” Maria said. “The Dockyard’s leadership collapsed overnight. Miguel’s people are turning on him. They won’t last the week.”
Luis scanned the report, his expression unreadable. “Good.”
Maria folded her arms across her chest, her gaze sweeping over the city below them. “The Southside crews are already making moves on the dockyard. They know something’s wrong, but they don’t realise how deep it goes. Not yet.”
Luis nodded, though his mind was already moving ahead, calculating the next steps. They had planned for this, meticulously unravelling the connections and power structures that had held the city together. But even now, as everything began to collapse, Luis couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t enough.
“They’ll come for us,” Maria said suddenly, her voice steady but knowing.
Luis didn’t need to ask who she meant. Kane. Miguel. Any of the other vultures circling their empire, waiting for the right moment to strike. They wouldn’t let Luis and Maria walk away easily—not with everything they had left behind.
“I know,” Luis replied, his voice hard. “Let them.”
Maria watched him closely, her sharp eyes searching his face. She had always been able to read him, even when no one else could. And now, even as the collapse of their empire unfolded exactly as planned, she knew he wasn’t fully at ease.
“You’re not worried?” Maria asked.
Luis turned away from the window, his gaze steady. “No. This is what we wanted.”
Maria raised an eyebrow, her scepticism evident. “Is it?”
Luis didn’t answer immediately. He could hear the distant hum of the city below them, the quiet chaos spreading like a disease. They had orchestrated it, yes, but now that it was happening, Luis found himself wondering if they could escape the consequences. The city had a way of pulling you back, no matter how far you tried to run.
“We’ve planned for this,” Luis said finally, his voice firm. “Everything is in place. By the time they realise we’re behind it, we’ll be gone.”
Maria nodded slowly, though her eyes remained on him, her expression still sharp. “Kane won’t stop. You know that, right?”
Luis’s jaw tightened. Kane had been a problem for years, lurking on the fringes of their empire, waiting for a chance to strike. And now, with everything crumbling, he would see this as his opportunity. But Luis had anticipated that.
“He won’t get the chance,” Luis said coldly. “We’re taking care of it tonight.”
Maria’s lips curled into a small, dangerous smile. “Good.”
Luis moved towards the desk, his fingers brushing against the surface of the tablet Maria had handed him. The reports from bones were coming in fast now—one after another, confirming that the collapse was spreading. Everything they had built was disintegrating—but for Luis, it was more than just a dismantling of power. It was a final act of control.
“There’s no going back after this,” Maria said, her tone shifting slightly, a hint of finality in her words.
Luis nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. He had known this from the start. Once they set the fire, there would be no turning back. The city would burn, and they would walk away—ghosts, untouchable.
“Do you regret it?” Maria asked quietly.
Luis looked up at her, his expression unreadable. “No. We did what we had to do.”
Maria’s gaze held his for a long moment before she nodded. “Then let’s finish it.”
Later that night, the final stage of their plan began. Bones had sent confirmation that Kane had been lured to the Dockyard, where the last pieces of their empire were falling apart. It was a trap; one Kane wouldn’t see coming until it was too late.
Luis stood in the dimly lit penthouse, the city flickering outside the windows like a dying flame. He could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of what was to come. Kane was smart, but Luis had outmanoeuvred him before. This time, there would be no second chances.
The phone buzzed on the table, and Luis picked it up without hesitation.
“Bones,” Luis said, his voice steady.
“It’s done,” Bones replied. “Kane’s in the Dockyard. We’ve got him surrounded.”
Luis didn’t flinch. “Good.”
“We’ll make sure he doesn’t walk out,” Bones added, his tone firm.
Luis nodded, though the gesture was unnecessary. He trusted Bones to get the job done. Kane had been a threat for too long, but tonight it would end. By morning, there would be no one left to challenge their exit.
“Let me know when it’s finished,” Luis said before ending the call.
Maria was watching him from across the room, her eyes sharp and calculating. “And that’s it?”
Luis set the phone down, his expression hard. “That’s it.”
Maria smiled, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Then we’re done.”
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