Later that night, Jamal met with khalil and Malik in an abandoned warehouse. Malik looked skeptical. “So, what did you give Rico?” Jamal smirked. “Let’s just say I still have friends in the right places.” Khalil shook his head. “You’re playing a dangerous game.” Jamal’s smirk faded. “I know.” Malik sighed. “So what’s next?” Jamal’s expression hardened. “We start taking back what’s ours.” Khalil chuckled. “And how do you plan to do that?” Jamal turned to him. “By hitting them where it hurts.” The fight wasn’t over. It was just beginning. Striking First Two nights later, Jamal stood on the rooftop of an abandoned building overlooking one of The Syndicate’s storage facilities. It was a warehouse near the port, a key part of their smuggling operation. Jamal adjusted the earpiece Malik had given him. “You in position?” Malik’s voice crackled through. “Yeah. Cameras are looped. You’ve got five minutes before someone notices.” Jamal nodded and signaled Khalil, who was waiting b

Jamal had drawn first blood, but he knew The Syndicate wouldn’t let it slide. Taking Vortex had sent a clear message, and now, the real war was about to begin.Sitting in Malik’s apartment, Jamal leaned over a map of the city, his mind racing through every possible move. Khalil sat opposite him, casually flipping a knife between his fingers, while Malik worked his laptop, gathering intel.“They’re going to hit back soon,” Malik said without looking up. “They’ve already tightened security at their other spots. No one’s making a move without direct orders from the top.”Jamal smirked. “Good. That means they’re feeling the pressure.”Khalil exhaled. “Feeling pressure and folding are two different things, bro. We just killed one of their guys. You think they’re gonna sit back?”“No,” Jamal admitted. “They’re going to come for me.”A Sudden AmbushJamal’s prediction came true faster than expected.Three nights after taking Vortex, he was heading to his car after a meeting with a potential

Jamal knew that if they want to reduce the blood shed, they had to take down the Syndicate’s leader. But first, they had to find out who he was. The problem? No one knew his name. The Syndicate wasn’t like The Dominion. They didn’t parade their power or flaunt their wealth. They moved in the shadows, leaving no loose ends. Jamal, Malik, and Khalil sat in one of Khalil’s apartment, going over every piece of information they had. “We know they own politicians,” Malik said, sipping his beer. “They control businesses, smuggling, and money laundering. But no one has ever seen their boss.” Jamal drummed his fingers on the table. “Every organization has a weak link. We just have to find it.” Khalil leaned back. “And I might know where to start.” Jamal and Malik turned to him. “There’s a man named Pascal,” Khalil continued. “He’s high up in the Syndicate’s money operations. If anyone knows who’s pulling the strings, it’s him.” Jamal nodded. “Where do we find him?” Khalil smir

Jamal sat in Rico’s backroom, staring at the map laid out before him. The Syndicate had pushed him into a corner, stripping away his resources, his allies, his money. But he wasn’t finished. Not yet. He traced his fingers over a marked location—one of their warehouses in Ajah. A potential target. Malik leaned back against the wall. “We need more intel before making a move. Rushing in blind is how we got burned last time.” Khalil nodded in agreement. “They already know we’re coming. We have to outthink them.” Jamal sighed. They were right. The Syndicate wasn’t The Dominion. These guys were precise, brutal. They didn’t make careless mistakes. If they were watching him, that meant everyone connected to him was at risk. His mind flashed to Nadine. She had already noticed someone following her before. That wasn’t a coincidence. If the Syndicate was tracking him, it made sense they’d keep tabs on anyone close to him. He had assumed she’d be safe, that laying low would keep her out of t

Jamal sat at a small, dimly lit apartment in the South Side, his fingers drumming against the table. The night’s ambush was still fresh in his mind. Across from him, Malik studied a blueprint of an upscale club in Victoria Island—Echelon. It wasn’t just a nightclub. It was Julius’s stronghold. The place where he conducted business, where Syndicate money moved in and out under the disguise of luxury. Jamal’s plan was simple. Take out Julius. But the execution? That was a different story. Khalil leaned against the window, checking his phone. “Julius will tighten security after last night. He won’t be easy to reach.” Jamal exhaled. “Nothing worth doing is ever easy.” Nadine, who had been silent, finally spoke. “You’re really going after him?” Jamal turned to her. “You saw what happened last night. The Syndicate won’t stop until I’m dead. Taking out Julius sends a message.” Nadine’s jaw tightened. “Then I’m in.” Malik chuckled. “You don’t have to do this, you know.” She folded h