The next day, news of the Brotherhood's downfall spread through Hell's Kitchen.
The Brotherhood was gone.
Not a single survivor remained.
Hell's Kitchen was shaken to its core.
The Brotherhood might not have been the strongest organization, but it still held a place in the neighborhood's underworld. Now that it had been erased, a massive piece of territory was suddenly left unclaimed.
As for how the Brotherhood had been wiped out, or why it was destroyed so brutally, no one cared.
Only the Clinton District police were on edge.
They had seen the crime scene. The sheer carnage did not resemble the aftermath of a firefight at all. No, it had been a massacre.
That same morning, Nolan called for a shareholders' meeting.
The minor shareholders were clueless, but the major ones looked grim. They all had their own information networks, and with the Brotherhood's annihilation making headlines everywhere, none of them could feign ignorance.
From the start to the end, Nolan quietly studied their expressions.
"Mr. Locke," began Simon Phillips, the company's CEO, his tone full of energy, "the first wave of sales for the K-01 has ended. So far, our profits have reached an astounding eight hundred million. And once the K-01 enters more factories, we expect a second surge in demand. There is no doubt the company has staged an incredible comeback."
Before the K-01's release, Simon had been the most anxious. He had served as CEO of Locke Technologies for ten years, and his life's work was tied to the company. Seeing it return to stable operations filled him with relief and pride.
After Simon's report, Nolan suddenly spoke.
"Gentlemen, have you heard the news about the Brotherhood being wiped out yesterday?"
At once, Campbell and the others stiffened.
Why would Nolan Locke bring this up now?
Campbell had never considered that Nolan might be connected to the Brotherhood's destruction. But Nolan would not have mentioned it without reason.
A cold weight settled in Campbell's stomach. Did Nolan have some hidden background he hadn't uncovered?
Nolan took in all their faces one by one, paying particular attention to Campbell. His reaction stood out clearly from the rest.
Beneath the table, unnoticed, several button-sized micro-robots crawled forward and latched onto the clothing of key suspects.
Once this was done, Nolan leaned back with a pleasant smile.
"Alright. This matter doesn't concern Locke Technologies. Since the company is moving in the right direction, it is time we work together to push even further. I want Locke Technologies to rise to the top. Three years from now, when people talk about the giants of technology, our name must be among them."
With that, Nolan stood and left the room.
The other board members, some excited and some troubled, soon filed out as well.
Campbell watched Nolan's departing figure, torn between hesitation and dread.
He had signed a deal with Nolan Locke. If everything went smoothly, he would soon acquire Nolan's shares. Yet Nolan's words and actions today unsettled him deeply.
Once outside the building, Campbell cast a dark glance at Locke Technologies, then drew a deep breath.
No. He could not allow Nolan Locke to live any longer.
If the Brotherhood's demise really was Nolan's doing, then he was far too dangerous. He had to be eliminated before it was too late.
Campbell quickly made a call.
"Claw, you must have realized it too. Nolan Locke might already suspect us. Maybe he even orchestrated the Brotherhood's downfall himself."
What Campbell didn't know was that a tiny robot hidden under his jacket was transmitting every word straight to Nolan's computer.
Beside Nolan, Charles sighed.
"So it really was Campbell," he said, his expression complicated for reasons Nolan didn't notice.
"What do you plan to do?" Charles asked.
A flash of cold light flickered in Nolan's eyes.
"Campbell was right about one thing. I have found some new partners. Since he made a move, I cannot sit back and wait. Uncle Charles, I wanted you to hear this because I need you to stabilize the company once the dust settles. I intend to shake Locke Technologies to its core."
Charles froze for a moment.
"You mean to deal with them directly?"
"That's right."
Nolan's face was frighteningly calm.
If he could help it, he didn't like to let grudges linger overnight especially ones that could threaten his life. This time, he would strike first.
Meanwhile, Campbell was still on the phone with Claw, oblivious.
Claw had not been directly involved, but Campbell could tell he was reluctant to push further.
After a moment of hesitation, Campbell blurted out, "To be honest, Nolan Locke signed an agreement with me not long ago. I loaned him money, and if he fails to repay it, all his shares come to me."
The other end of the line went silent.
Just as Campbell was losing patience, Claw's cold voice finally replied.
"Meet me at my warehouse on the docks tonight. Be careful you're not followed. And Campbell, Nolan Locke signed the same agreement with me."
When the call ended, Campbell's face twisted in fury.
"Damn it!"
What was Nolan Locke playing at? How dare he! This wasn't just reckless it was criminal.
Campbell made more calls, only to discover the same thing again and again. Nolan had signed identical agreements with all of them.
That night, they gathered at the warehouse. Every man wore a grim expression.
Until yesterday, each of them thought he would walk away as the biggest winner in the power struggle. In truth, Nolan had played them all for fools.
"Kill him. We have to kill him!" voices echoed, filled with rage.
"Campbell, the Brotherhood you hired couldn't even handle one man. They were slaughtered like dogs!" one spat.
Campbell snapped back, "If I failed, then go ask the Russians you're in bed with to save you!"
The man froze, shocked that Campbell had uncovered his secret.
Campbell glared at the room. "We all face the same problem now. If Nolan Locke lives, none of us will have peace."
Claw's voice cut through the tension, calm and cold. "Agreed. The real question is, how do we get rid of him?"
"Maybe…"
None of them realized that Nolan was already outside the warehouse.
He glanced at the luxury cars parked by the entrance and sighed.
"So it really is all of them. Not a single one missing."
He had expected treachery, but to see every major shareholder unite against him… it was almost disappointing.
Killing one man was simple. But if they all died together, even a fool would realize something was wrong.
Inside, Claw spoke again. "Gentlemen, we don't know what forces Nolan Locke has backing him. I suggest we hire professionals for this task."
The others nodded in agreement.
They had ties to local gangs, sure, but compared to hitmen, the gangs were clumsy and unreliable.
"Fine. I'll find the right people," Claw said, since it had been his idea.
And then
A slow, mocking clap echoed through the warehouse.
"Well said. That's a very smart plan."
Everyone's faces turned pale at once.
"Nolan Locke!"