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The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 95: The Lieutenant’s Last Lie
Maria's heels scattered echoes through Ramirez's study as she strode in. The old man hunched behind his mahogany desk, nursing bourbon that caught the lamp's glow. His face, carved from decades of Chicago winters and bloodier business, held more darkness than usual."Mi amor," Ramirez's voice held gravel and honey. "Tell me you got good news."Maria's red dress whispered silk against skin as she settled into the leather chair. Her mind compartmentalized – FBI agent, criminal lieutenant, family informant. Tonight's performance needed Oscar-worthy precision. She's got this show to hit every mark perfect, like a bullet between the eyes."Define good." She crossed her legs, letting tension build. Years of undercover work had taught her timing was everything. "Got them feeds from that fancy-ass charity lunch you probably should be interested with."Ramirez's fingers went bone-white around his glass. Maria recognized that grip – it usually preceded someone's last swimming lesson in Lake Mic
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 96: Room 1503 Where Truth Bleeds
Maria stepped out of the biting autumn air and into the Drake Hotel's lobby, the weight of her three identities settling heavier than her winter coat.Today, she had chosen a sharp black pencil skirt that hugged her curves and a crisp white blouse that offered a stark contrast—a sort of armor for the battlefield of words she was about to enter. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, each step a reminder of her resolve to stand firm, ready to do battle against shadows that threatened to engulf her.The elevator ride to the fifteenth floor stretched eternal. Maria used the time to settle deeper into her skin – not the street soldier Ramirez expected, not Mason's lieutenant, but FBI Agent Maria Vasquez. The badge felt both foreign and familiar after three years undercover.Room 1503 waited at the end of the hall like judgment day. Maria smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from her jacket, a gesture that belonged to the society woman she sometimes played at King's parties. Three ye
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 97: How the Mighty Sweat in Winter
Burke's fingers did a nervous little dance on the table - like a junkie needing a fix. "Let's not go nuclear here, Vasquez. This operation's got... what's the word... nuances. The White House don't need to stick their nose in Chicago business.""Don't they though?" Maria felt that old South Side fire lighting up her belly. "Way I see it, this city's burning faster than a Bears season. I reckon even the Man Upstairs would need backup to keep the peace around here."The suits started whispering like altar boys before mass. Burke plastered on his politician smile - the kind they practice in mirrors - but his eyes were scared as a rookie's first shootout. "Now hold up." His chair squealed against the floor as he stood. "This ain't bigger than what we can handle in-house.""But it is, Commissioner." Maria put enough ice in that title to freeze Lake Shore Drive. "This thing's ready to blow sky-high, and you know it."Before the tension could spiral out of control, one of the men at the tabl
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 98: Room 1503 Where Truth Bleeds 2
The tall man, whose name escaped her, spoke aloud into the receiver beside him, "Mr. President, we have Detective Maria Vasquez in the room. She has intel on a current investigation that may change the course of operations. I believe she has urgent matters to discuss with you."The phone crackled and hummed, bolt after bolt of anticipation shooting through the air like a bright Chicago summer. Then, a smooth voice emerged, "Detective. Heard good things. What you got for me?"Maria shifted in her seat, years of working both sides of Madison Street evident in her voice - part South Side steel, part Gold Coast polish. "Much obliged for your time, sir. Got something heavy about them crime families that's been running our streets.""Floor's yours," the president urged, his tone making the usually chatty agents zip it faster than a Bears defense.Maria let out a slow breath, tasting the weight of her next words. "Before we dive in, gonna need some insurance - immunity for me and whatever co
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 99: Just Keeping It a Hundred
The gavel of her heartbeat thundered in her ears as the room went dead quiet, suits shifting like they'd rather be anywhere else."Director Vasquez?" the man at the table asked gingerly, looking up. "With the right guidance, we could make you the front of the FBI in the field. You have the knowledge. You know the players better than any of us ever could."She opened her mouth to protest but the current of the situation swept her along like a strong tide shifting. "You mean promote me over this?" Maria gestured toward Burke, who appeared on the verge of collapse."Yes, ma’am, which might even help repair the department’s image," he added, throwing Burke a sidelong glance.The silence buzzed, thick as fog. Maria needed to tread carefully here; she couldn’t afford to make fiery choices without thinking them through. "I gotta think about this.""Time’s a luxury we can’t afford, Maria." The President narrowed his focus, weighing her like he was sizing up pieces on a chess board in Grant Pa
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 100: Queens and Pawns
The Ivory Room at the Drake lived up to its name, all cream and gold like heaven's waiting room. Helena King sat like she owned not just the chair, but the whole damn city – which, depending on who you asked, wasn't far from truth.Maria watched Chicago's queen mother reading between every calculated tea-stirring movement. Three sugars. No cream. The detective had watched her make the same drink a hundred times over three years of playing spy in her son's empire."Detective Maria, didn't think you'd show." Helena exclaimed in a perfect blend of cordiality and scrutiny. "Guess Detectives got curious these days."Maria's response came measured, her accent sliding between professional polish and native Chicago street: "Not curiosity, Mrs. King. Professional interest."Helena's laugh cut through the room's pristine atmosphere. "Professional. That's a fancy word for what we both know is happening."She leaned forward, every movement calculated. "Our boy Mason? He's not just walking into Le
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 101: When Queens Walk Away
"You mean the rules and how it's played." It wasn't a question.Maria's heart skipped. "So they do exist.""Sugar, in this family?" Helena's laugh carried generations of carefully curated cruelty. "Everything exists. Question is – what's your angle in all this?""My angle?""Please." Helena's hand swept dismissively. "You've been feeding me intel for three years. Playing both sides like a concert pianist. You really think I didn't see your own game running parallel to mine?""Mrs. King..." Maria's voice wavered."It's like chess, ain't it?" Helena continued as if Maria hadn't spoken. "Every piece has its purpose. Even pawns. Especially pawns." Her smile promised violence wrapped in Versace. "The thing about pawns, though? Sometimes they're exactly where they need to be. Right in the enemy's path."Understanding gradually crawled into Maria. "You want to use me as bait.""Smart girl." Helena's approval carried poison. "See, our boy Mason? He's playing a longer game than anyone realizes
The Underdog Turned Kingpin Chapter 102: Beneath Saint Patrick's
The old church stood like a guardian of stories untold, its gothic spires piercing Chicago's twilight sky. Saint Patrick's wasn't just another landmark—it was a confessional booth for the city's most dangerous souls. Mason Rivers knew this better than anyone.He'd arrived early, selecting a corner table that gave him full visibility of every entrance and exit. His contractor's days had him wired that way, even when he was playing the role of Leo King. The worn leather jacket he wore today wasn't designer—it was street armor, a stark contrast to the tailored suits he'd been flashing around lately.Mason absently traced the rim of his coffee cup, the steam curling up like the memories that haunted him. Each twitch of his fingers, every measured breath every micro-movement—survival instincts hardwired into his DNA. In this game, stillness wasn't weakness. Stillness was a weapon.The church basement reeked of old wood, stale coffee, and unspoken confessions. AA meetings and community gath
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Chapter 137: Burning Rubber, Burning Hearts
The air in the room shifted. Mason's eyes locked onto Eve while Sister Agnes's prayers buzzed in the background like white noise. The space felt cramped as a jail cell and big as Lake Michigan all at once, like the universe had condensed to focus on this single, volatile moment."Gotta lay this out straight," Mason said, voice rough as Chicago asphalt. "This ain't some walk in the park for me. These feelings for you... wanting you... still been burning me up inside for years. But I can't let you fall for some counterfeit Leo version of me. Not like this."Eve cocked her head, eyes sharp as a street hustler's. "You think you got exclusive rights to damaged goods, sugar?" Her words cut deep as a switchblade. "Maybe if you'd put in more effort finding me. Wasn't like I vanished into thin air."Mason's jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth, her words stinging worse than he'd expected. "I busted my ass looking," he growled, frustration bleeding through. "Hit up every damn foster joint,
Chapter 136: A Thirty-Three-Year Secret
Agnes’ trembling hands gripped the edge of the garden bench like it was her last lifeline, her eyes playing ping-pong between Mason's burning stare and the dirt she looked ready to sink into."Aha, it's you, ain't it?" Mason's voice sliced through the silence, raw and unyielding. "You're the one behind all this shit. The reason I got dumped there… abandoned. Split from my own brother, from a mother who—damn her struggles—at least wanted to step up! But you—" His voice broke, but not his anger. "You still got no kids of your own, right? Now I see why."Agnes took the hit like someone catching a bullet, her oversized outfit couldn't hide how bad she was shaking. Even Eve felt that one land. She moved in quick, laying a steadying hand on Mason's arm. "Easy, Mace. Look at her... she's breaking apart here."Just then, Agnes crumpled to the garden soil, folding in on herself like a house of cards. Her lips moved without sound, hands pressing against her ears like she could block out Mason's
Chapter 135: The Road to Reckoning
"Jesus H. Christ," Eve breathed, the words hitting the air like bullets. "Your life's one hell of a mess, ain't it kid?" Her eyes stayed fixed on Agnes, watching for any sign of deception.Mason's face hardened into concrete, jaw working overtime as his teeth ground together. "The fuck you trying to tell me?"Agnes met his gaze. "I'm saying you're the product of a night Ramirez will never admit to, a drunken encounter with Camila. She worked as domestic staff in his residence." A pause to make sure that part sinked. "Camila possessed both beauty and an uncommon kindness. She remained beneath his notice until that particular evening when alcohol clouded his judgment. He..." Her voice wavered slightly. "He took advantage of her. The following morning, in what I can only describe as a fit of shame-induced rage, he had her forcibly removed from the premises. He claimed she... disgusted him, that she had provided him with what he termed 'the poorest sexual experience of his life.'"Mason's
Chapter 134: Between Two Worlds
Sister Agnes sat there looking like death warmed over, her face drawn tight as Mason and Eve leaned in close enough to catch a whisper. The old garden bench creaked under the weight of more than thirty years' worth of secrets.Agnes's fingers wove together like she was about to start praying, maybe for strength to get through this. "I wasn't meant to make it this far. Helena King, she made sure to clean up after herself - and we were the mess she needed gone." Her voice stayed level, but Mason caught that telltale shine in her eyes, the kind of tears tough old broads learn never to let fall.Eve stood rigid, immune to the waterworks routine. She'd seen enough crying games in her time to last several lifetimes. "If you're done with the drama show, maybe get to the part about how you're standing here breathing if you ain't meant to stay breathing this far."A sound escaped Agnes that might've been a laugh in another life. Her head shook slow, like she was trying to clear old cobwebs. "D
Chapter 133: The Truth in Tears
Mason nodded slow, hands still reaching for mercy. "I'm telling it straight. I'm Mason Rivers. Not Leo King. Never was."Eve's eyes narrowed to slits, her mind churning like the dirty waters of the Chicago River. Old memories leaked through the cracks in her armor - glimpses of a skinny kid with fire in his eyes who refused to let the orphanage break him down."Prove it," she spat, her voice a brittle edge. "Tell me something only the real Mace would know."Mason seized the lifeline like a drowning man. "Found you hiding in Sister Agnes's garden after you smashed that fancy china plate. Instead of selling you out, I split my chocolate bar with you." His lips twitched, remembering the exact words he used. "Told you sisters couldn't yell if your mouth was full of candy.""Fuck you!" The gun barked, sending dirt flying at Mason's knees. "I handed you that story myself at the damn luncheon, you two-faced bastard!""Wait... please... I'm not lying." Mason's whole body trembled, sweat mixin
Chapter 132: The Trigger and the Cross
Mason stood frozen, hands raised toward the sky. His mind raced through a lifetime of close calls, but this time felt different. This time, death wore Eve's face. His lips moved in a silent prayer - the kind reserved for men staring down the barrel of certainty.Eve's finger danced on the trigger, her eyes locked on Mason's every breath. Her chest heaved with each sharp intake of air, matching the hurricane of thoughts tearing through her head. Leo. Her teacher. The man who'd shown her how to survive when the streets wanted her dead. The same Leo who'd left bodies cooling in Chicago's darkest corners. Her head snapped side to side, trying to shake the memories loose. If she didn't end him here, now, she'd be next on his list. No way he'd let her walk after this.But before her finger could finish its deadly arc, Sister Agnes darted forward, her arms spreading wide like wings, standing guard against the violence crackling in the air."What are you doing?" Eve's words cut sharp. "Move i
Chapter 131: Checkmate in the Garden
She edged closer to the glass, assessing her surroundings. The garden was dense, its shadows deep and concealing. Perfect for an ambush if she played it right. Her eyes tracked possible escape routes as her mind tallied the odds. Agnes was terrified, which meant this could be a setup. Experience screamed that she needed to secure the perimeter before making her move. One wrong step now would get them both killed.Mason, unaware of Eve’s presence, leaned forward, closing in on Agnes like a shark that's caught the scent of blood, his gaze locking onto Agnes. "Why'd you do it?" he pressed. "Why'd you do it?" His voice scraped low, rough as broken glass. "Who's this woman you're talking about? The one you switched the babies for?"Agnes stuttered, her breath catching. "I... I was young." Her voice came soft, cultured - a reminder of her life before all this. "I didn't know better then. Could've gone to the authorities, yes, but..." She gave a bitter laugh. "They owned this city. What coul
Chapter 130: Between Lines and Choices
Agnes stumbled, her foot catching on an upturned root as she fled through the back garden. Mason stalked behind her, his breath coming in slow, measured exhales. He had no intention of harming her. His presence alone was a suffocating weight pressing down on her shoulders. When her knees finally gave out, she collapsed onto the damp earth, trembling hands clutching the hem of her worn skirt. Her tear-streaked face turned skyward as if seeking divine absolution. The garden's mint and lavender - normally so soothing - mixed with the metallic tang of fear coating her tongue."Please..." Agnes sobbed, her voice thin and cracking. "Don't kill me! I'll confess. I'll tell you everything. Yes... I switched... him. I switched him!" The words spilled from her like a prayer, desperate and raw.Mason crouched before her, his expression unreadable. Inside, his mind raced through possibilities he'd never allowed himself to consider. The words tumbling from her mouth were erratic, but the fragments
Chapter 129: More Pieces Missing Than Whole
Mason tore through the orphanage's corridors like a man running from his own shadow. He found Sister Margaret in the courtyard, her hands deep in the dirt, tending roses that had seen better days – just like everything else in this joint."Sister Margaret." The words came out with urgency."Mace?" She turned, concern etching lines in her face. "Didn't expect to see you back so quick."His throat worked like he was choking down bad booze. "Eva – she say anything about me? Anything strange?" The desperation in his voice would've gotten him killed in his other life, the one where Leo King ruled the Underworld with an iron fist.Margaret wiped earth from hands that had dried more tears than he could count. "You're shaking like a junkie in withdrawal, boy. Eva dropped by, played Santa Claus to the kids, took a walk in the garden. Nothing worth getting your shorts in a twist over." Her eyes cut through him sharper than a switchblade. "Though she seemed... thoughtful but harmless.""The gard
