Ochieng stood beneath the flickering streetlight, still holding the Ace of Spades in his fingers. The message from Veyron was clear—this wasn't over.
It had never been about money. It had never been about business.
This was personal.
The cold wind swept through the empty streets, but Ochieng's mind was burning with thoughts. He turned the card over, reading the elegant handwriting one last time.
"Your next move better be your best one."
A declaration of war.
Fine.
If Veyron wanted to play this game, Ochieng would make sure he regretted it.
But first, he needed information.
And there was only one person who could give it to him.
---
Thirty minutes later, Ochieng entered a dimly lit lounge in the heart of Emerald City's underworld.
A woman sat in the farthest booth, dressed in a silk red dress that contrasted against the darkness of the room.
Lina Sinclair.
A broker of secrets. A woman who thrived on whispers and traded in information.
"You're late," she said, swirling her wine glass.
"I wasn't invited," Ochieng replied, sliding into the seat across from her.
Lina smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You never need an invitation. Now, what do you want?"
Ochieng placed the Ace of Spades on the table.
Her gaze flickered to it, and for the first time, her expression hardened.
"So, it's begun," she murmured.
"You knew this was coming?" Ochieng asked.
Lina exhaled. "Veyron doesn't let things go. You embarrassed him. You shattered his control. He's not just going to come for you, Ochieng—he's going to destroy everything around you."
Ochieng leaned in. "Then tell me how to stop him."
Lina studied him for a moment before speaking.
"There's only one way," she said. "You need leverage. Something that makes Veyron hesitate. And I know where to find it."
Ochieng narrowed his eyes. "Where?"
She hesitated, then whispered a name.
"Elara."
Ochieng's blood ran cold.
Elara.
A name from the past. A name he hadn't heard in years.
And the last person he ever wanted to see again.
"You're lying," he said.
Lina shook her head. "I wish I was. But she's back, Ochieng. And she's the key to all of this."
---
Ochieng left the lounge with his thoughts in chaos.
Elara.
She was the one person who could match Veyron's influence. The one person who could tip the balance in this war.
And the one person who had betrayed him in the worst way possible.
As he walked through the city, his phone vibrated.
A message.
No name. No number. Just two words.
"We need to talk."
And an address.
Ochieng clenched his jaw.
Elara.
He knew meeting her was dangerous.
But in this game of power, there were no safe choices.
Only moves.
And it was time to make his.
---