Two weeks into what I'd privately begun calling the "Quiet War," the first results of our new approach began to manifest across the territories.
Alpha Blackwood's primary trade route mysteriously suffered a series of "accidents"—bridge collapses, rockslides, and bandit attacks that disrupted commerce for hundreds of miles. Alpha Voss discovered that several of his key allies had suddenly developed concerns about their association with him, concerns that coincidentally arose after they received detailed intelligence about his private communications and financial dealings.
Alpha Greystone, the eldest of my opponents, simply disappeared.
"No trace," Marcus reported during our morning briefing, his voice carrying a satisfaction that would have disturbed me months ago. "His personal guard fo
