Novels by Albs Pen

The pulse of light faded almost as quickly as it had appeared.Yet the effect remained.Invisible.Far-reaching.And immediate.Brandon stood motionless in front of the activated device.The small object on the table looked unimpressive—nothing more than a sleek black unit with a faint glow at its center. But Brandon knew better.For years it had remained dormant.Unused.Reserved for a moment when observation became intrusion.When curiosity became pursuit.And when pursuit became danger.That moment had arrived.Across the city, Dave suddenly straightened.Every screen in the analysis room flickered.The analysts immediately became alarmed."What happened?""I'm losing access to several channels!""These pathways weren't here before!"Dave ignored the noise around him.His eyes remained fixed on the central display.The map was changing.Not breaking.Not disappearing.Changing.For weeks he had been tracing connections outward.Now the system was doing the opposite.It was folding

The shift didn’t announce itself.There was no alarm, no sudden collapse, no visible sign that anything had changed.But everything had.Dave saw it first.Not with certainty—but with instinct.He stood in front of the reconstructed model, eyes locked on the newest layer he had uncovered. It wasn’t part of the original framework he had been mapping. It wasn’t tied directly to Victor Hale either.It sat… beneath.Or perhaps above.A secondary structure that didn’t behave like the rest.Dave leaned closer, his voice low.“You’re not just part of it, are you…” he murmured. “You’re being managed.”The idea didn’t unsettle him.It intrigued him.Because if Brandon wasn’t at the top—and Victor Hale wasn’t the only axis—then the system had depth far beyond what anyone had assumed.And depth meant weakness.Every structure, no matter how well built, had pressure points.Dave just needed to find them.He picked up his phone and dialed immediately.“Reassemble the team,” he said as soon as the

The first crack didn’t stay small for long.Dave stood in front of the glowing screen for a long time after the room emptied out. The analysts had stepped back, giving him space, sensing that whatever he was looking at wasn’t just data anymore—it was direction.The map on the screen pulsed faintly, lines connecting unseen systems, financial pathways, and buried relationships that didn’t belong to any single company or family.It belonged to something larger.And at the center—still partially obscured—was Victor Hale.Dave narrowed his eyes.“This isn’t just influence,” he repeated under his breath. “It’s a network that predates all of them.”He stepped closer.“And Brandon is inside it… not outside it.”That realization changed the way everything he had assumed before now had to be recalculated.A few meters away, one of the analysts spoke carefully.“Sir… there’s something else.”Dave didn’t turn. “Say it.”“We found a trigger point,” the analyst said. “A node in the system that acti

Jessica stared at Brandon, her voice barely steady.“What truth?” she asked.Brandon didn’t answer immediately. He lowered his phone slowly, as if weighing whether speaking aloud would make it more real.“They accessed a sealed layer of records,” he said at last. “A list I didn’t expect them to reach this early.”Jessica’s chest tightened. “And what does it contain?”Brandon turned away from her slightly, gaze fixed on the distant city lights.“Names,” he said. “Connections. Roles people thought were erased.”A pause.Then, more quietly:“And my name wasn’t just on it… it was classified.”Jessica felt her throat dry.“Classified by who?” she asked.Brandon finally looked at her.“By Victor Hale.”The name landed heavier this time.Not as theory.Not as rumor.But as authority.Jessica took a step back. “So Dave is right—there really is something bigger behind all of this.”Brandon nodded once.“Yes.”“And you never thought this would come out?” she pressed.“I did,” he said calmly. “J

Jessica stood frozen, her eyes fixed on Brandon as his words settled between them like a quiet storm.“A past that changes everything?” she repeated slowly. “What does that even mean, Brandon?”Brandon didn’t answer immediately.He turned back to the window, his reflection staring at him as though it carried memories he had long kept buried. For a moment, it felt like time had paused—like the present had stepped aside to make room for something older.Something unresolved.“You deserve to know,” he finally said.Jessica took a step closer, her heart pounding. “Then tell me.”Brandon nodded once.And then he began.“I wasn’t always… this,” he said, gesturing vaguely to everything around him—the success, the control, the influence.Jessica stayed silent, listening.“There was a time,” Brandon continued, “when I had nothing. No connections, no opportunities. Just… survival.”His voice wasn’t bitter.It was factual.“I tried to build something the normal way,” he added. “I failed. Repeate

The name sat on the screen like a quiet threat.Dave didn’t blink.“Say it again,” he said.The analyst swallowed lightly. “We’re still verifying, but the pattern keeps repeating across hidden transactions, early-stage funding channels, and off-record approvals. The name is… Victor Hale.”Dave’s brows drew together.“Victor Hale?” he repeated slowly. “That name doesn’t ring anywhere in public records.”“That’s because it doesn’t exist in any official registry,” the analyst replied. “No corporate filings, no tax records, no verified identity. It’s like… a ghost.”Dave stared at the screen.Then smiled faintly.“A ghost that built an empire from the shadows,” he said. “Interesting.”He straightened.“Find everything,” he ordered. “I don’t care how deep it goes. If this Victor Hale is the foundation behind Brandon, then that’s where we break him.”At the same time, Brandon stood in a quiet, dimly lit room—far removed from the noise of the city.It wasn’t his office.It wasn’t his apartme

“So he runs north, hiding like a wounded animal,” Vale growled. The words came out low and heavy, filled with pure hatred. His hand tightened into a fist before he slammed it violently against the table. The thick wood shook under the impact, and the sharp sound echoed through the chamber like a gunshot. “Then go!” he roared. His furious gaze locked onto the group of men assigned to hunt Alexander Leeds. “Go to that town and bring me his head. I don’t care how you do it, and I don’t care how long it takes, but Alexander Leeds must die!” Vale barked. The men immediately straightened. “Yes, sir!” several of them responded at once. None of them dared question him. Vale’s temper was well known throughout Dawn City, and no one wanted to be the man who tested the limits of his patience. Without another word, they turned and hurried toward the exit of the chamber, eager to leave before his anger exploded again. Their boots had barely reached the doorway when Vale’s voice sudd

Back in Dawn City, Vale was furious beyond measure. The report that had just reached him struck like a spark falling into dry powder. The men he had personally entrusted with the task of eliminating Alexander Leeds had failed—utterly and completely. The news ignited a storm of rage inside him, one that spread quickly through his entire body. His lips curled into a savage snarl, and his teeth showed as if he were some wounded predator ready to tear apart anything that dared stand before him. The room fell into a suffocating silence as everyone present sensed the danger in the air. “What do you mean he’s still alive?!” Vale suddenly exploded, his voice crashing against the walls like thunder. His furious gaze fixed on the trembling messenger who had delivered the report. “Did you send idiots to do my bidding? Or are my men now too incompetent to finish a simple task?” The messenger lowered his head immediately, his body shaking uncontrollably. Sweat gathered along his temples, b

The moment Alexander called the Governor of Aurora a “bastard,” a heavy silence fell over the grand living room. For a brief second, no one moved. Then the room erupted with fury. The governor’s face darkened, veins rising along his temples. Around him, the men who had captured Alexander stiffened, their hands instinctively drifting toward their weapons. “You insolent fool! How dare you speak to me like that? Do you even understand the consequences of your words?” the governor roared. Alexander’s eyes burned with rage. His chest rose and fell as anger surged through him. “Consequences?” he shot back. “You think you can threaten me, you tyrant? You think your wealth, your title, and your army frighten me?” He stepped forward, his voice sharp with contempt. “I’ve crushed your pawns! I’ve exposed your lies. And you—” He stopped just long enough to spit on the floor near the governor’s polished shoes. “—you’re nothing but a coward hiding behind guards and walls!” The

Alexander’s grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. Rage and disbelief surged through him. He sank deeper into the seat, struggling to process the weight of the news. The thought that his mother and siblings had been killed so brutally gnawed at him. “They will pay,” he said at last, his voice calm but laced with deadly resolve. “Every life taken will be avenged. I will find the ones responsible… and I will deal with them myself.” The call ended, leaving only the quiet hum of the engine inside the vehicle. Alexander stared ahead, devastated. The loss of his mother and siblings felt like a wound that refused to close. Just then, the vehicle in front of them suddenly swerved sideways, forcing the taxi he was riding in to stop abruptly. Another car slid in from the side, blocking the road completely. Alexander’s trained eyes instantly recognized the setup. This wasn’t a traffic accident. It was an ambush. “…We’re blocked,” the driver said nervously.

Smoke and fire poured into the night sky from the entrance, and from the smoke emerged the men Alexander had been warned about. They were heavily armed and their movements were precise and coordinated. Their eyes glimmered with a cold fury as they stormed into the mansion, stepping over debris and the shattered remains of the entrance. “We want Alexander Leeds!” the leader barked, his voice echoing across the marble hall. “If he is not produced immediately, we will take the lives of every single member of this family!” Panic rippled through the rooms. Members of the Leeds family scrambled from their beds, terrified at the sounds of explosions, shouts, and the heavy footsteps that now reverberated through the mansion. Alexander’s mother tried to shield others, tears streaming down her face. “We don’t know where he is! He was here last night, but… he’s gone now! Please, don’t—” Her words were drowned out by the men’s fury. The attackers advanced with brutal efficiency and

The following evening, the entire Leeds family had gathered to celebrate Alexander. They had invited him to dinner to honor his new position as the leader of Dawn City. Laughter and conversation filled the grand dining hall, and hours passed quickly. Eventually, Alexander leaned back in his chair and glanced at the clock. “It’s getting late,” he said. “I should probably head home.” His mother shook her head, alarmed. “No, you’re not leaving tonight,” she said firmly. His sister chimed in eagerly, “Yes! Stay here. We hardly see you anymore.” Even his father nodded in agreement, so he agreed to stay. Later that night, a sharp ring pierced the silence of his room. Alexander’s eyes snapped open. He reached for the clock. It was 3:00 a.m. Half-asleep, he grabbed his phone and answered. “Hello?” But then, he heard a woman’s urgent and low voice. “Mr. Leeds, listen carefully. You must escape the house—right now.” He frowned. “Who are you and what are you talking about?” “I'm Jay