With a sharp twist to Henderson's arm, the gun fell from his hand.
Henderson cried out in pain as the gun clattered on the floor. What followed was more painful as Noah's knee ca up swiftly, connecting with Henderson's midsection, forcing a wheeze from his lungs as he crumpled to his knees.
Noah leaned in close with a grin as his voice beca a chilling whisper. "Henderson, you put yourself into deep trouble. You should have just escaped the country and lived sowhere else, but no... you decided to act smart."
Henderson gasped for air, his body trembling as Noah stood over him, calm as ever. Reaching down, Noah retrieved the gun and aid at his head.
"You're done," Noah said simply, his gaze cold. "Where is my gold bar? Give it to , and I might consider sparing your miserable life."
Henderson's face was pale, his lips trembling as he stamred, "It's... it's in my room. I haven't given it to the loan sharks yet. Please, I'm telling the truth! Spare , I'll do anything!"
Noah stared down at him, unimpressed by the display of desperation. He tightened his grip on the gun and kicked Henderson lightly in the leg. "Get up and retrieve it. Now."
Henderson struggled as he got on his feet, clutching his side where Noah had struck him earlier.
His breaths were shallow and unstable as he stumbled toward his room, glancing nervously over his shoulder to see Noah following close behind, the gun still aid at him.
Reaching his bedroom, Henderson hesitated for a mont before opening a drawer in his bedside table.
"Don't move, otherwise you are a dead man," Noah said as he moved his position to see what Henderson was doing.
Henderson remained still not daring to move an inch, After getting a better angle on Henderson's hand, he nodded.
"Alright, continue."
Henderson nodded as he pulled out a heavy gold bar wrapped in a cloth.
"Here," Henderson said, extending the bar toward Noah with shaking hands. "This is it, I swear."
Noah took the gold bar, his eyes scanning it briefly before he stepped forward, keeping his aim on Henderson.
"Greet Franklin for ," Noah said, his tone calm.
Henderson's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you—"
The muffled sound of a suppressed gunshot echoed in the small room, cutting off Henderson's words.
A hole appeared in the centre of his forehead, blood trickling down his head as his body collapsed to the floor with a dull thud.
Noah lowered his arm, his face unreadable.
He glanced at the lifeless body sprawled before him, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "I never said I'd spare your life," he muttered, tucking the gun back into his jacket. "I said might."
The room fell silent, except for the faint dripping of blood onto the floor and Noah's breathing. Noah stood over Henderson's corpse, his gaze cold and detached.
There was no hesitation, no remorse.
After cleaning any evidence he left behind, Noah walked out of the room, feeling no burden from the act he'd just committed.
An act despised by many, but to him, it was nothing more than a click of a finger.
The world operated on 'use and get used' in his eyes.
Relationships, loyalty, and trust were nothing more than tools, to be used or discarded as needed.
To him, rcy was a weakness—an indulgence for those naive enough to believe in fairness or redemption of others.
rcy had no place in his world, especially not for those who betrayed his trust or caused chaos in his life.
People who stepped out of line, who disrupted his order, were liabilities to be removed, not problems to be solved and forgiven.
Entering his G-wagon, Noah adjusted his seat before taking his phone out and calling Lionel.
The call connected quickly.
"Boss?" Lionel's voice ca through.
"The so-called ghost is dead," Noah stated calmly. "You can go back to normal operations now."
There was a pause on the other end. "Boss, who was it? Was it another gang?"
"No," Noah said, his voice dropping. "It was your loyal custor."
"What!" Lionel's shock was evident even through the phone. "Henderson? I an… it makes sense, but why? Why would he do this now, after all these years?"
"He was being hunted down by loan sharks," Noah explained, his voice steady as he kept his eyes on the road. "He needed quick cash to sort them out, and he thought taking the gold bar was his way out. In the process, he killed his best friend, Franklin."
There was a mont of silence before Lionel muttered, "What a dog. Killing his best friend just to save himself…"
Noah smirked faintly at Lionel's reaction.
"Leo will be extra happy now," Lionel said. "Sorry boss, we are useless you had to do everything by yourself,"
Noah paused for a second.
"This isn't your line of work, don't worry about it Lionel, just do as i say and everything will be fine,"
"Yes, boss," Lionel responded.
Without another word, Noah hung up.
As soon as he set the phone down, it buzzed.
Jackson
"Boss?" Jackson's voice sounded upbeat. "Rember the warehouses you were telling about? We've lined up a few options for your viewing. They're ready whenever you are."
Noah nodded to himself, gripping the steering wheel. "Alright, Jackson. I'll be on my way."
**
Standing in front of an empty warehouse, Jackson saw Noah pull up beside him.
"Boss, this is one of the warehouses I was talking about," Jackson said, gesturing toward the massive building.
Noah waved his hand dismissively, a faint smirk on his face. "There's no need for pleasantries when we're alone. Just keep it like before."
Jackson nodded with a grin. "Got it."
"So," Noah began, folding his arms, "how big is this warehouse? And does it have a supply of electricity?"
"Yes, it does," Jackson replied, his tone confident. "It's fully equipped, whether it's electricity, water, or even ventilation. The only thing you'll need is the machinery."
Noah nodded thoughtfully, his gaze lingering on the warehouse. "Alright, let's head inside and check out the size."
Jackson led the way, pulling open the large tal doors with a creak.
The warehouse had enough space for large-scale machinery, with room for assembly lines, storage, and even offices if needed.
After about ten minutes of inspecting every corner, Noah nodded in approval. "It's not bad. It's close enough to the city, and the size is more than enough. How much is it?"
Jackson paused, then replied, "The owner is asking for $1,500,000. It's mostly because of the size and its pri location, which makes transporting goods to key locations quicker and more ti efficient."
Noah raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Alright, sort it out. I'll send you the cash later."
Jackson grinned. "You got it, boss. I'll email you the contract; all you need to do is sign it."
Noah gave him a nod before heading back toward his car. "Good work, Jackson."
Turning back to face Jackson, Noah raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything going on recently? Any races or anything of that sort?"
Jackson blinked in surprise at the unexpected question before pausing to think. "Hmm... there aren't any car races happening right now."
"But," he continued, his expression brightening, "there is a sprinting competition coming up tomorrow. It's open to the public, too."
"Do you want to watch it?"
Noah shook his head with a mischievous grin. "I want to participate."
"Participate?" Jackson's eyebrows shot up, his expression bordering on disbelief. "Wait, are you also a sprinter?"
Noah shrugged nonchalantly. "Not really."
Jackson blinked a few tis, processing the response, before sighing in relief. "Alright, so you just want to try it out. I'll sign you up. I'll let you know the ti and location as soon as I confirm it."
"Good," Noah replied.
**
"Breaking news."
"The President of Country S has made the unprecedented decision to declare martial law, sparking widespread unrest across the nation. Protests and riots erupted almost imdiately in major cities, with citizens voicing their outrage at the sudden shift in governance."
"In a dramatic turn of events, an overwhelming majority of MPs voted against the president's move, citing concerns over constitutional overreach and public safety. Facing mounting pressure from both the governnt and the streets, the president was forced to reverse the declaration just hours after its implentation."
"While the situation appears to be stabilizing, analysts warn that the political fallout could have lasting effects on the country's leadership and future policymaking."
As Noah listened to the news, he let out a sigh.
"This is what happens when there's no decisive leadership," he muttered, his voice low but firm. "A fractured system breeds nothing but instability. You can't build an empire when everyone is pulling in different directions."
He glanced at the radio briefly before turning it down.
"A leader shouldn't just act—they should command loyalty, inspire fear when necessary, and eliminate opposition before it festers. That president... a weak move like declaring martial law without consolidating power first? He deserves to have his authority undermined."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought deeper, his voice becoming a quiet monologue to himself.
"If it were , I wouldn't just declare martial law without laying the groundwork. You don't just seize control, that's foolish. You weave it into the fabric of the nation. Loyalty isn't demanded… it's bred. Every piece on the board needs to be in your hands before you make such a move."
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