Clara took a deep breath, her heart hammering against her ribs. She peeked out from behind the pillar and fired a rapid, defensive blind shot to keep her mother from advancing further."Have you completely lost your mind, Mom?!" Clara screamed through the dusty air, her voice cracking with a mixture of fear and pure anger. "Are you really prepared to murder your own biological daughter?!"Without missing a beat, Valthera fired another aggressive, deafening burst of gunfire. The bullets chipped away the edges of the pillar Clara was behind.d"I do not have a daughter who protects the ultimate enemy of our family!" Valthera shouted back, her voice echoing coldly through the concrete hall. "If you choose to stand between me and the King's head, Clara, then you are not my daughter anymore. You are just another obstacle to be cleared!"Clara’s jaw clenched. She raised her gun again, aiming toward the flash of Valthera's muzzle. She pulled the trigger to return fire.CLICK.The sound was ho

She locked eyes with Nicholas through the rearview mirror, searching his face to see if he was in on the hit. Nicholas didn't look away. Instead, a subtle, daring smirk appeared on his lips. He silently mouthed the words: One... Two...On the silent count of three, Nicholas and Valthera exploded into action.Nicholas spun around in his seat, driving his elbow violently into the driver’s jaw. The car swerved wildly across the wet road. At the same moment, Valthera whipped out her knife, driving it upward into the chest of the gunman sitting directly next to her in the backseat.The fight inside the speeding car was incredibly visceral, tight, and brutal. The third gunman tried to raise his pistol, but Valthera grabbed his wrist, twisting it until the bone snapped loudly. Nicholas grappled with the driver, slamming his head repeatedly against the steering wheel until the man went completely limp. The car screeched to a halt near the rocky shore.Inside the quiet cabin, only Nicholas a

"You're very welcome," Ashley responded softly, offering a kind smile. "I brought some dry clothes for you. They are right in the trunk of my car. Please, feel free to change out of those wet things."Ashley turned around and hauled the King toward the back of her vehicle. As she lifted his heavy torso into the trunk, her eyes locked with his in the dim light. In that brief, silent second, the King’s eyes widened with a sudden spark of recognition. Ashley wasn't just a police officer. She was one of his undercover soldiers.With the King finally secured in her vehicle, Ashley knew the Obsidian Syndicate now technically had their ruler back. All she had to do to complete her secret mission was get rid of the only remaining witness. She had to kill Clara.Ashley quietly reached into her pocket, pulled out a sharp, silver pocket knife, and began walking slowly toward the rear of the car where Clara was standing."How come Henry has never mentioned you to me before?" ClEa asked while she

Henry glanced at her, a small, playful smirk on his lips. "Are you jealous?""Why would I be?" Clara shot back quickly, looking straight ahead. "We are no longer together. You're free to do whatever you want."Henry sighed softly, looking at the rain. "She's fun. We are still trying to figure things out, honestly."Meanwhile, back inside the dark, concrete underbelly of the station, Ashley used her security clearance badge to access the maximum-security block. She walked directly to the King's cell. Using her master keys, she opened the heavy iron gate."Moving time," Ashley whispered coldly.She escorted the weakened King out through a secluded back door that led straight to an abandoned, unmonitored courtyard at the rear of the building. She gave him a hard, forceful shove, sending him stumbling onto the wet pavement.The King stabilized himself, turning around slowly. He didn't look worried at all. In fact, throughout his detention, he hadn't been stressed because he knew Ashley

He raised his free fist in victory, tears of triumphant joy streaming down his wrinkled face. "Now, all the foolish heirs of the ruling council are gone! The Obsidian Syndicate is gone! There is no one left alive in this entire city to stop me! Who says the patient dog doesn't eat the fattest bone?!"The immense exertion proved to be too much for his frail body. His knees suddenly buckled, and he collapsed backward. But his quick-thinking men caught him immediately, gently helping him settle back down into his wheelchair. Alberto didn't care; he just sat there laughing manically into the morning air.Far away from the shifting power dynamics of the city, inside the hidden, fortified underground bunker owned by Adrian, Clara and Henry walked through the heavy blast doors to meet up with Grace, little Brian, and Dorian. They had absolutely no idea about the chaotic bloodbath that had just taken place on the surface streets."Clara!"Little Brian’s face lit up the second he saw her walk