Chapter 045
1790 Words
Harvey Shaw stood motionless behind Titus King. The blade of his Bowie Knife rested against the pulse of Titus’s neck, steady as a rock. His left hand gripped Titus’s shoulder with a force that felt less like flesh and bone and more like a hydraulic clamp. It was a crushing, agonizing pressure that threatened to pulverize the joint if Titus dared to twitch.
"Listen closely, kid," Harvey whispered, his voice a cold rasp in Titus’s ear. "Kane is generous. He sees potential in you. That is a blessing, not an insult. Don't mistake mercy for weakness. We have eighty-one brothers in the Shadow Eagle Clan. Any single one of us could dismantle you and your little gym club without breaking a sweat. I’m not joking. You are playing a game where the ante is your life, and you don't have the chips to cover the bet."
Titus King took a shuddering breath. He had always been the apex predator in his world—the strongest, the toughest, the one nobody messed with. But facing Kane, who had fought him to a standstill with bored ease, and now this phantom behind him who moved faster than sight... for the first time in his life, Titus felt true fear.
"Who... who are you people?" Titus choked out.
Kane Adler laughed softly from where he stood. He ignored Titus and turned his gaze to Hank Steel, who was standing frozen, his face pale behind his silver-rimmed glasses.
"I just wanted to show you the reality of the situation," Kane said, his eyes burning with intensity. "I wanted you to see the gap between us. I'm not here to force you into servitude. I'm here to offer you a ticket to the big leagues. If you want to rot in this small city, playing gangster with high school kids for the rest of your life, then I'll walk out that door right now. But... if you have the ambition to conquer the nation... then we can talk business."
Conquer the nation?
Hank Steel’s eyes widened. The phrase hit him like a lightning bolt.
"What... what kind of business?" Hank asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"A wager," Kane said. "If I win, you and your entire organization swear absolute loyalty to the Shadow Eagle Clan. You merge with us. Unconditionally. If I lose..."
Kane reached into his pocket and pulled out a check. He placed it gently on a weight bench.
"One million dollars. It's yours."
One million dollars?
The students in the gym gasped. For teenagers living in a dead-end city, that was a lottery win.
But Titus and Hank didn't even look at the check. They exchanged a glance, a silent communication passing between them. Then, they looked back at Kane.
"What are the terms of the wager?" Hank asked.
Kane grinned, turning on his heel and walking toward the exit. His coat flared behind him.
"In one month," Kane announced over his shoulder, "the Shadow Eagle Clan will wipe out The Five Kings. We will erase The Five Kings from the South District."
Marcus Grady and the others chuckled darkly, falling into step behind their leader.
As they exited the gym and climbed into the black SUV, Kane turned to Marcus.
"So, Marcus, what's your assessment?"
Marcus rubbed his right elbow, wincing slightly. "Strong. He's got raw power that I haven't seen in a long time. And his reflexes are sharp. Honestly? If it came down to a death match... he might be able to go toe-to-toe with Tucker."
Harvey Shaw nodded in agreement from the front seat. "We don't know if the kid has any hidden techniques, but based on raw stats—speed, power, durability—he’s definitely in Tucker's weight class. He's a beast."
Kane smiled. "A tiger cub. I like him."
Elias Thorne, who was driving, glanced in the rearview mirror. "Boss, that strategist, Hank Steel... he has ambition. You saw his eyes."
Dante Romero, flipping a butterfly knife in the backseat, laughed. "Heh. Kane loves ambitious people. We don't fear ambition. We feed on it. What's he going to do? Outsmart us? Can his ambition escape the palm of the Shadow Eagle Clan?"
Harvey snorted. "I like that line. Hey, where to next?"
Kane stretched, cracking his neck. "Drop me off at the intersection ahead. You guys head back to Club Nightjar. I’m going to see Victoria. And Marcus... if you dare snitch on me to her, you're dead."
Marcus stiffened. "Uh..." He looked nervously at Elias.
Elias kept his eyes on the road. "Don't look at me. I'm loyal to the Boss."
"You traitor!" Marcus gasped.
Harvey reached back and squeezed Marcus's neck in a mock-threatening massage. "What's the matter, little fox? Thinking about becoming a double agent?"
"Get off me!" Marcus whined. "Why is everyone picking on me today?"
Elias smirked. "Because you're a pervert."
Kane patted Marcus on the shoulder. "Double agent. I see potential in you. Elias, pull over."
"Boss, let me come with you," Dante offered.
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Third wheel much?"
"I can protect myself," Kane said, opening the door.
But before his foot hit the pavement, Harvey looked at his phone.
"Boss, hold on. You might need to apologize to the sister-in-law."
"Why?" Kane asked, pausing.
"Text from Rex. We have a situation with The Five Kings. He says you need to get back to base. Now."
The Five Kings?
The playful atmosphere in the car evaporated instantly. Kane’s expression hardened.
"Marcus, get out. You go explain things to Victoria. Tell her I'll make it up to her. The rest of you... back to Club Nightjar. Step on it."
Marcus, who had been shoved out of the car, stood on the sidewalk and wailed at the sky. "Why meeeee?!"
Club Nightjar.
When Kane strode into the VIP room, he found the entire inner circle waiting. Jackson Hayes, Rex Dalton, Ethan Skyler, Owen Steele... the heavy hitters were all there.
Jackson Hayes wasted no time. He handed Kane a heavy, cream-colored envelope.
"Kane, this came forty minutes ago. It's from Cade North, the leader of The Five Kings. The messenger said it’s an invitation. Tonight. Ocean Manor."
Kane scanned the invitation. It was elegant, expensive, and dripped with implicit threat. He scoffed.
"Fast work," Kane muttered.
Rex Dalton leaned back on the sofa, his massive frame taking up two seats. "A Hongmen Feast? A trap?" He cracked his knuckles. "Heh. Let them try."
Owen Steele was meticulously cleaning his fingernails with the tip of a Bowie Knife. "Too bad Cade North isn't Xiang Yu, and Kane certainly isn't Liu Bang. History won't repeat itself tonight."
"Did the messenger say anything else?" Kane asked.
"Nothing," Jackson replied. "Just that they want to host you. But Shadow Division recon shows they’ve rented out the entire sixteenth floor of Ocean Manor. It’s a big event."
"Who owns Ocean Manor?" Harvey asked.
"Originally, a guy named Lee," Jackson explained. "But The Five Kings took a liking to the place, and suddenly Mr. Lee vanished. Now, it's a front for The Five Kings. Half the city officials have shares in it, so the police never raid it. It’s a fortress."
Bobby Santoro grinned, showing teeth. "I hear the food is good. The wine is better. Soon, it'll be ours."
Ford Slater, looking like a concerned child, spoke up. "Kane, The Five Kings are no joke. If they set a trap on the sixteenth floor... we could be walking into a kill box. And don't forget The Machete Crew, the third largest g**g in the South. They’re tight with The Five Kings."
Harvey sneered. "So what? Are we afraid of them? Even if they pack five hundred men in there, can they stop the Talons? If they push us, we s*******r them all."
Kane’s face darkened.
"Remember what I said," Kane’s voice was low and dangerous. "Last night's m******e was a one-time necessary evil. We are not in the Confinement Death Ward anymore. Out here, there are rules. You can kill ten, maybe twenty people and cover it up. But you cannot butcher hundreds every night. The government will tolerate a g**g war; they will not tolerate a g******e. Do you understand?"
The room went silent. The men straightened up, nodding. "Understood, Boss."
Ethan Skyler spoke, his voice calm and analytical. "Our actions last night shook the hornet's nest. The Five Kings are reacting. Tonight is a probe. They want to see if we will submit. We wiped out two major gangs in one night. They are terrified. If we bow our heads and join them, they get stronger. If we refuse... well, the knives come out."
Rex rubbed his chin. "Kane, what about that kid? Titus King?"
"I made a bet with him," Kane said. "One month to wipe out The Five Kings. If we do it, he joins us. If not, I pay him a million. But... it looks like The Five Kings are impatient. They might force Titus to pick a side sooner than that."
Rex grinned, a savage expression. "Tonight, we go meet these five tigers. I want to see if they have claws or if they're just house cats."
Ethan nodded. "It’s an opportunity. If we can decapitate their leadership in one strike... the South District descends into chaos. We thrive in chaos."
Dante Romero frowned. "But if the South burns, the Wolfpack in the North and The Brotherhood in the Central District won't just sit and watch. We have eighty men. We can't fight the whole city at once. Fighting a multi-front war is a nightmare."
Elias Thorne scoffed. "Let them come. We swallow one bite, digest it, and then swallow the next. If they try to steal our meal, we cut their hands off."
Kane laughed. "Don't worry about the North and Central districts. They won't cross the line. Remember our 'official' status? We are... sanctioned. Hahaha."
The men chuckled. Right. They were holding a "License to Kill" from the "Federal Government"—or at least, that's what the Police Chief thought.
Kane stood up. "Elias, call Marcus. Tell him the plan. Before he comes back, tell him to pay Titus King another visit. Update him. Jackson, transfer The Execution Unit to your command temporarily. I want eyes on every single one of the five 'Kings'. I also want surveillance on the leaders of The Wolfpack and The Machete Crew. I want to know when they sneeze."
Rex stood up, cracking his neck loudly. "Another night of blood. I love this life."
Ethan took a deep breath, adjusting his cuffs. "I'm starting to enjoy being a gangster. It’s... liberating."
Owen Steele sheathed his knife. "The Five Kings better have good food. Or they’re going to be the main course."
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