At exactly 8:00 PM, the disposable phone Ramos had given Ace vibrated harshly against his thigh, the sensation jolting him like a physical shock. He pulled the cheap burner from his pocket. The screen displayed only a string of numbers, map coordinates and a time: nine o'clock tomorrow morning at Pier 14 South Warehouse. There was no greeting, no signature; only a direct command.
Ace stared at the screen, feeling the familiar cold dread tighten inside him. Ramos had given him his first task, which felt more like a test than real work: find the leak. The image of Marcus's scarred face and threatening eyes filled Ace's mind. He knew failure wasn't an option. Ramos punished failure with punishments far worse than just paralysis.
