"I'm not interested in any silly poker game," Alexander said flatly. "I have actual competition challenges to complete."Ethan's laugh was harsh and mocking. "Oh, that's adorable! You think you have a choice? That's not how things work up here, Alexander. This isn't Floor One where you can just run obstacle courses and solve puzzles. Up here, we play by different rules.""He's correct, Mr. Howard," the Floor Master—a distinguished older man in an immaculate suit—stepped forward. "Per competition regulations, any competitor on the same floor may issue a challenge with stipulated stakes. Once issued and announced publicly, the challenged party must either accept or forfeit their position on the current floor immediately.""So either I play, or I'm dropped back down?" Alexander asked."Precisely."Ethan's smile was vicious. "So what's it going to be, Alexander? Are you going to run away like the coward you are? Or are you man enough to face me?"The crowd had grown considerably, drawn by

Floor Seventy-Five had a private bar tucked away from the main common areas—an intimate space designed for quiet conversations and strategic alliances.Dark wood paneling, soft leather chairs, ambient lighting that cast everything in warm shadows.It was the kind of place where deals were made and enemies were identified.Vanessa sat at the bar nursing a glass of scotch, her mind running through the events of the day.The missing Stanford proxy. The whispered conversations among the five families.The growing certainty that someone in this building was hunting for Alexander.She'd positioned herself as a target, tried to draw attention away from the lower floors. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing something crucial."Excuse me, barman," a commanding voice cut through her thoughts. "Why don't you take a break? Go have a smoke. Come back in fifteen minutes."Vanessa looked up to see Cornelius Goth standing beside her—patriarch of the Goth family, a man whose manufac

Cornelius watched Vanessa's hand slide into her bag with a moment of genuine wariness. Guns were banned in the Twin Towers—the security screening was too sophisticated to sneak them through. But knives, tasers, chemical weapons? All fair game under the competition's surprisingly loose rules about self-defense.Then Vanessa's hand emerged holding what was clearly a small aerosol canister—the kind you could buy at any pharmacy. Pepper spray.For a moment, there was absolute silence. Then Cornelius threw his head back and laughed—a genuinely amused sound that echoed through the bar."Pepper spray?" he managed between laughs. "After all that tough talk, all that posturing about being prepared—you brought pepper spray?"The two proxies joined in, their deep voices rumbling with mirth. One of them—a scarred brute with hands like sledgehammers—actually had to wipe tears from his eyes."Oh, this is rich," the proxy said. "Lady, I've been pepper sprayed by cops, by security guards, by angry ex

Cornelius stared at his two proxies—men he'd hired specifically for their loyalty, their ruthlessness, their absolute obedience to him and only him—as they knelt before Vanessa Sterling like worshippers before a goddess."This is a joke," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You're pulling some kind of prank, right? Marcus? Rex? Get up! Stop playing around!"The proxies didn't move. Didn't even acknowledge he'd spoken. Their focus remained entirely on Vanessa, waiting for her next command with the patience of machines."I said GET UP!" Cornelius's voice rose to a shout. "I'm your employer! You work for me! Do as I say!"Still nothing.Vanessa's smile was small and cold. "They can't hear you anymore, Mr. Goth. Or rather, they can hear you, but your words don't matter to them. Not while they're under the influence.""What the hell did you spray them with?" Cornelius demanded, his earlier confidence completely shattered. "What was that?""A gift," Vanessa said calmly, placing the canis

Brandon Carlson was practically vibrating with excitement, his smile so wide it threatened to split his face. He looked at Alexander like someone watching their favorite TV show reach its climax."It's too late now," Brandon said gleefully. "Even if you apologize, even if you get on your knees and beg—which you will—there's nothing and no one that can stop what's about to happen to you."His friends were laughing, already recording on their phones. This was going to be legendary. The nobody from the lower floors getting absolutely demolished by Brutus Kane. The video would go viral within hours."He's going to destroy you," one of Brandon's friends called out. "You stupid bastard, you don't even know what you've gotten yourself into!""Money rules the world!" another shouted. "And people like you? People without it? You're meant to get stepped on!"The crowd was building, more competitors drawn by the commotion. All of them looked at Alexander with a mixture of pity and contempt. He w