The city at night looked calm from above, but I knew better. Calm was always a lie. Every quiet street, every flickering neon light hid threats—The Patriot, Dante, even the ghost of Siren.
I parked in the shadow of my parents' estate and stayed in the car for a moment, letting the tension in my muscles unwind. My people were still monitoring Liam, sending real-time feeds. He was restrained, silent, still breathing, but I didn't need to look at him to feel the weight of what he represented: knowledge, leverage, danger.
The house welcomed me with its false comfort. Marble floors, warm lighting, soft furniture—it would have been safe, if the world outside weren't collapsing.
It was a Calm Before the Next Storm
I made my way to my study, boots clicking lightly on polished floors. Jessica's encrypted messages flickered on my screen.
"Boss," she typed, "The Patriot is reacting. Laundered funds through relief programs. Four shell companies were compromised. He's trying to predict your next move."
I smirked. Good. Let them think they're ahead.
A chessboard is more dangerous when the queen moves silently.
I leaned back, eyes narrowing. The death of Siren wasn't just a loss—it was a message. My empire's walls had cracks, and I had to fill them before the predators noticed.
⸻
Flash back
I walked past Liam, silent as a shadow. He looked up, smug, still calculating.
"Why am I alive?" he asked, calm.
"You have value," I said coldly. "You see what I see, know what I know, and you tell me only what I allow."
He didn't protest. That's what I liked.
"Dante," I asked, tilting my head. "Does he know the woman beneath the mask?"
Liam hesitated. "No. Only you and I know that."
A thin smile tugged at my lips. One mistake from him, one slip from Dante, and he'd learn that Mask doesn't forgive mistakes.
End of flash back
I turned to my computer. Maps, movements, surveillance footage—all streams flowed across the screen. Every asset, every threat, every move of The Patriot and his operatives.
I called a small team through my phone : Jessica, Tiger, and Scorpion.
"Listen carefully," I said. "The Patriot is panicking. He's trying to anticipate my next move. Dante is watching quietly. We will not fight yet. We will prepare. We will bait. We will win without being seen."
Tiger raised an eyebrow. "You want to strike before they know?"
I didn't answer. I just pulled up a live map of the city, highlighting several locations. "Assets here, here, and here will be 'attacked.' It's a show. A distraction. While they chase shadows, we consolidate control."
Jessica's eyes glinted. "And Liam?"
"He stays alive," I said. "Every breath he takes should feed me information. Anything else, he dies."
I stood, boots echoing, and looked at the night beyond the window. The city hummed. My empire was safe—for now—but the storm was brewing.
My phone buzzed. A single encrypted message:
Nice mask.
— D
My chest tightened, a thrill I couldn't hide.
He knew. He was watching. Waiting. Calculating.
I picked up the phone and typed one word in response:
"Good."
Because if Dante was watching, if The Patriot was blind and desperate, then it was the perfect time to move.
And when I moved, no one would be ready.
If they're watching, I murmured, voice cold as ice, let them learn.