Later that night, Zayden walked into a private eting room.
But this wasn’t a sit-down with his team.
This was a eting with the underworld’s elite.
Zayden—actually, Hazard King— settled in at the head of a table in a reinforced room with no windows. A mask covered his face, totally black and pretty intimidating.
His voice ca out distorted and robotic, unrecognizable.
Around the table, five other figures sat, all masked and anonymous.
On screens on the walls, a dozen more faces appeared via video call, also masked and unknown.
This was how the mafia operated.
No one knew anyone’s real identity. Not even Hazard King.
Especially not Hazard King.
He was a legend, a myth. The king of the underworld. The guy who had more turf, more cash, and more power than anyone else in the cri world.
And tomorrow night, he was going to war.
"You all know why you’re here," Hazard King said, his altered voice echoing in the room.
Heads inclined in agreent, both in person and on screen.
"Maksim Karza has been a pain for all of us," Hazard King kept going. "He’s taken over territory, stabbed allies in the back, and ignored deals. He operates without any honor or code, and that ends tomorrow."
One of the masked figures at the table spoke in a deep voice with a European accent. "You’re asking us to go after Maksim all at once? Worldwide operations? That’s a huge coordination job."
"Yes," Hazard King replied. "But it’s the only way. If we hit one spot, the rest will run. We need to strike everywhere at the sa ti, overwhelm him, and give him no chance to regroup or call for backup."
Another voice from the screens jumped in, this ti a woman with a Russian accent. "So what do we get out of this?"
"His territory," Hazard King stated plainly. "Everything Maksim controls will be split among those who help take him out. Fair share based on what you contribute."
Murmurs went around the table and among the screens.
A third voice, male and Arican, added, "And what about Alpha Dark? We’re hearing you’re also going for him."
"Alpha’s my target," Hazard King asserted. "Not yours. Your focus is Maksim. I’ll deal with Alpha myself."
"Sounds ambitious," soone comnted.
"Necessary," Hazard King corrected. "Both Alpha and Maksim have been ruining things for too long. They traffic innocent people, break the code, and put all of us at risk with their chaos. It’s ti to take them out."
The European voice spoke again. "Do you have proof of their trafficking operations?"
"Yes. There is extensive evidence. It’s going public tomorrow night. Everyone will see what they’re really about, and we’ll be the ones to take them down."
The revelation sent a ripple through the room.
Because it changed the ga completely.
If Hazard King was going to call out Alpha and Maksim in front of everyone, that ant law enforcent would get involved, governnts and all sorts of attention.
This also ant everyone else needed to stay squeaky clean.
"You want us to co off like heroes," the Russian woman said.
"I want us to take out a threat while gaining public support," Hazard King replied. "Think about it. We take down the traffickers, save the victims, and work with the authorities just enough to look legit. Then, we can take control once it’s all over."
The room went quiet as everyone processed what he said.
Then the Arican chid in again. "Count in."
The European added, "My group is on board."
The Russian woman nodded, "We’re in, too."
One by one, around the table and on the screens, everyone in masks agreed.
A new voice cut in from one of the screens. "And if soone betrays this alliance?"
Hazard King didn’t hesitate. "Then they won’t live long enough to regret it."
Hazard King gave a slight nod. "Good. Here are your assignnts."
He pulled up a world map covered in red dots scattered across different continents.
"Maksim’s running operations in fifteen countries," Hazard King explained. "Weapons depots, drug distribution networks, money laundering spots, and human trafficking routes. We’re hitting all of them tomorrow night. At the sa ti. Coordinated hits happening right at 11:00 PM local ti in each spot."
He zood in on specific markers.
"Brooklyn weapons depot, Team Alpha, you take this one."
"Berlin drug distribution, Team Bravo."
"Moscow money laundering, Team Charlie."
He broke down each location, each team, and what they needed to do.
Fifteen targets. Fifteen teams. One tiline.
When he wrapped up, he looked around the table and the screens.
"Is there anything you want to ask?"
The European asked, "What’s going on with Maksim’s personal security? That penthouse of his is like a fortress."
"I take care of the penthouse," Hazard King replied. "That’s my turf. You focus on his operations, and I’ll handle him."
"And what if he slips away?" the Russian woman asked.
"He won’t," Hazard King said confidently.
No one questioned that.
Hazard King didn’t make empty promises.
If he said Maksim wouldn’t escape, then he definitely wouldn’t.
"Final confirmation," Hazard King continued. "Tomorrow night at 11:00 PM, we’ll launch fifteen simultaneous attacks. We’ll take down Maksim Karza’s empire in one shot. Is that understood?"
"Agreed," ca the chorus of distorted voices.
Hazard King stood up. "Then get your teams ready. This is going to be the biggest coordinated strike the underworld has ever seen. Do not fail."
The eting wrapped up.
The screens went dark.
The masked figures left the room.
Only Hazard King remained.
Alone in the dark room.
Zayden took off his mask and let out a deep breath.
Tomorrow night.
Everything is going to change tomorrow night.
Alpha Dark. Maksim Karza. The trafficking operations. The corruption. All of it.
One night to change everything.
He put the mask away and walked out.
*****
Back at the main tower, the team ca together one last ti.
Zayden looked around at everyone:
Aylin, who’d been through so much and ca out tougher.
Azalea, his sister, who lost her love but found what she was ant to do.
Leo, who was fighting for the woman he cared about.
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