“Mayor, if I may,” Tommy interjected, his voice smooth and cutting. “Tommy Becker, representing the Becker family and the Concerned Citizens Alliance. Max Lucky’s actions are a disgrace. He’s a menace. He claims to be a protector, but he’s nothing more than a glorified thug. He talks about loyalty, but he brings disaster to our streets and our businesses. He’s a relic of a bygone era, a man who believes brute force and intimidation are the only ways to get things done.”He turned his gaze directly to the cameras, his words clearly aimed at a wider audience. “I, for one, am tired of his brand of ‘protection.’ This city deserves real leadership, real stability. Not some back-alley brawler pretending to be a businessman. Max Lucky, if you’re listening, I challenge you. A public debate. Televised. Let the people decide who truly cares about this city. Who is the true protector? You, with your violence and your chaos, or those of us who actually build things, create jobs, and uphold the la

“He’s probably just sulking. He wants his freedom. I get it,” Max conceded, running a hand through his hair. “But right now, his freedom is a luxury we can’t afford. Not with the feds breathing down our necks and the Beckers making their moves. We can’t have any distractions. Just keep an eye on him, but don’t obsess over it. Focus on the real threats, Lena. The Architect, the federal investigation, Tommy Becker’s public stunts. Those are the things that keep me up at night, not a moody teenager trying to sneak out for a joyride.”“Alright, Max. If you say so,” Lena replied, her shoulders slumping in resignation. She knew it was pointless to argue further. Max was too focused on the larger war to see the smaller, more immediate threat brewing under his own roof. “But I still think we should be careful. A bad feeling is usually right.”Max just grunted, already turning back to his holographic display. “We are careful, Lena. That’s why Magnus is here, safe and sound. Now, about these ne

No answer. Only the distant sounds of the alarm from the east wing and the muffled shouts of the guards.Nathan’s voice came through the comms, closer now. “Roland, I’m at the tunnel entrance. Did you see him?”“He’s in here! He must have slipped past me while I was getting here!” Roland yelled into his comms. “He’s heading for the storm drain, I know it! He’s been asking about maintenance schedules, about blind spots. He’s been planning this!”“The storm drain? That old thing? It’s sealed shut!” Nathan sounded incredulous.“He’s got help, Nathan! He must have! He couldn’t have done this alone!” Roland’s voice was tight with anger. “Max was right. We shouldn’t have let our guard down. Lena was right to be worried.”“Never mind that now! We need to catch him before he gets out!” Nathan’s footsteps pounded behind Roland as he entered the tunnel. “Which way?”“Straight ahead! He’s got to be trying for the river!” Roland shone his light down the long, dark corridor. “Magnus! Don’t force m

Hours later, the mansion felt like a tomb. The security team was on high alert, but the mood was heavy, a mix of anger and defeat. Max, however, was not one to wallow. He had a new problem, a new enemy, and he needed answers. The Architect.He found Sarai in the library, poring over old books, a small lamp casting a warm glow on her face. She looked up as he entered, her expression wary.“I need your help, Sarai,” Max said, his voice devoid of his usual arrogance, replaced by a raw urgency.Sarai raised an eyebrow. “My help? After everything?”“This isn’t about us right now. This is about The Architect. The person who funds your father. The person who’s trying to destroy everything I’ve built. And the person who helped Magnus escape last night.”Sarai’s eyes widened slightly. “Magnus escaped? The Whisper?”Max nodded. “Yes. And the way they operated… it was too clean, too precise. It’s their signature. I think The Whisper is The Architect, or at least a very close part of their networ

“It’s not just the fire, Tommy,” Frank explained, his voice grim. “Someone uploaded all our internal manifests, our shipping logs, our hidden accounts… everything. It’s all over the dark web, being picked up by every major news outlet. They didn’t just destroy the hub; they blew up our entire operation, publicly.”Tommy stared at the tablet, the words blurring. He remembered Max warnings, weeks ago, about a hidden enemy, an "Architect" who was pulling strings, causing chaos. He’d dismissed it, called it Max’s problem. He’d even used the harbor incident, the one caused by this very Architect, to his own advantage, hitting Kim’s businesses. He’d thought he was smart. He’d thought he was untouchable.“The harbor… Kim’s businesses…” Tommy muttered, the pieces clicking into place with a sickening thud. “This is retaliation. This is that Architect. Max was right. Goddamn it, Max was right!”His fury, initially directed at the unknown attacker, now turned inward, a bitter self-reproach. He’d