The warehouse felt colder now. The silence wasn't just absence of sound—it was the weight of an unseen battle closing in. Ochieng clenched the envelope in his hand, his mind racing through possibilities.
His name was on the list.
Veyron wasn't just an enemy lurking in the shadows anymore. He was a predator, and Ochieng was his next target.
But who were the other four names?
The dim overhead light flickered, casting jagged shadows across the concrete floor. He pulled out the letter again, unfolding it carefully.
1. Lin Feng
2. Cassandra Wren
3. Marco Delacroix
4. Xavier Roan
5. Ochieng.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
Each of these names carried weight. They weren't just random individuals—they were key players in the city's underworld.
And now, they were all marked for death.
---
Ochieng didn't waste time. He had to move.
Within an hour, he was standing in a dimly lit room inside The Cobalt Lounge, a high-end but secretive establishment known for hosting meetings that didn't officially exist.
Across from him sat Lin Feng.
A man as unreadable as a locked vault. His sharp features betrayed nothing, but Ochieng knew better—behind that calm exterior was a mind calculating a thousand different ways to kill him.
"You called me here," Lin Feng said, sipping his tea. "That's not like you."
Ochieng slid the letter across the table. "Read."
Lin Feng's eyes flicked downward.
His grip on the cup tightened ever so slightly.
Then, he looked back up. "So… we're all on the chopping block."
Ochieng nodded. "And we both know why."
Lin Feng smirked, setting his cup down. "Veyron is making his move."
Ochieng leaned forward. "Which means we need to make ours first."
---
The door creaked open.
Both men turned sharply, muscles tensed, but the figure that stepped in was neither a threat nor an ally.
Cassandra Wren.
She moved with the confidence of someone who had nothing left to fear. Dressed in all black, with sharp eyes that missed nothing, she strode toward them without hesitation and took a seat.
"I assume you've both seen it," she said, pulling out her own copy of the letter.
Ochieng exchanged a glance with Lin Feng.
So. They weren't the only ones who got the message.
Marco and Xavier had likely received theirs as well.
"We don't have time," Cassandra continued, cutting straight to the point. "Veyron's message is clear. We either die separately or fight together."
Ochieng exhaled slowly.
Trust was a dangerous thing.
But hesitation?
That was lethal.
"I hope you have a plan, Cassandra," he said finally.
She smirked. "I thought you'd never ask."
---