"Yes!" Mack nodded frantically. "I joined! But it wasn't what they promised! The first job was simple—just surveillance. Watching someone. Taking photos. Easy money. But then the jobs got harder. More dangerous. And when I tried to quit, they said I knew too much. That leaving wasn't an option unless I wanted my family to have 'accidents.'"His voice dropped to a whisper. "I was trapped. So I stayed. Did what they told me. Tried not to think too hard about what we were really doing.""And tonight's job?" Darius prompted."Tonight was different," Mack said quickly. "They called it a capture operation. Said we were grabbing a target for questioning. High-value extraction, they called it. Standard procedure—disable the vehicle, secure the target, bring him in for interrogation by the client.""The client," Darius's eyes narrowed. "Who hired your organization to attack me?"Mack's face went pale. "I don't know! I swear I don't know! The organization keeps that information compartmentalize

"I—" Mack's voice shook. "I just realized something. If Skyclub has that kind of reach, that kind of power, then my confession here—it doesn't matter if you kill me or let me go. They'll find out. They always find out when someone talks."Tears were forming in his eyes again. "My family. Oh God, my family. Rebecca doesn't know anything about this. She thinks I work legitimate security. And the kids—they're just babies. They don't deserve—"His voice broke completely. "Please! You have to help me! You have to protect them! If Skyclub finds out I talked, they won't just kill me—they'll go after my wife and children! They'll make examples of them! That's what they do to people who betray the organization!""Where does your family live?" Darius asked calmly."Maple Street," Mack said desperately. "Number 247. It's a small house in a residential neighborhood on the east side. My wife is there right now with the kids. They're home alone. Unprotected. Vulnerable."He strained against his res

Douglas's car moved through the quiet streets of Duskfort, heading toward Riverside Heights where Darius's villa waited. The night was late now, the city mostly asleep, only occasional lights marking homes where people remained awake."War God," Douglas said, breaking the comfortable silence, "what's our next move? We have Richardson in custody. We have information about this Skyclub organization. How do you want to proceed?"Darius stared out the window, his expression thoughtful but troubled. "Send military personnel to Richardson's family residence. A full protection detail—at least six soldiers, armed, with orders to secure the premises and protect the occupants at all costs.""Six seems like overkill for protecting a civilian family," Douglas observed."It's not overkill if Skyclub decides to eliminate witnesses," Darius replied. "Richardson talked. His organization will assume he talked. They'll want to send a message about what happens to people who betray them.""Fair point,"

Alessia's head whipped toward the sound. At the end of the hallway, near the water fountains, Josh Romano had someone cornered against the wall.Emma.The small, timid girl was pressed against the wall with her books clutched to her chest like a shield, her eyes wide with fear. Josh loomed over her, one hand planted on the wall beside her head in a classic intimidation pose."Please," Emma was saying, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to—it was an accident—""An accident?" Josh's voice dripped with contempt. "You bumped into me. Made me spill my coffee on my shirt. This shirt costs more than your entire wardrobe, you pathetic little—""That's enough."Alessia's voice cut through Josh's tirade as she walked toward them with purposeful strides. Several other students in the hallway stopped to watch, sensing drama about to unfold.She positioned herself directly between Josh and Emma, forcing him to step back slightly or risk standing inappropriately close to her."Alessia, no—" Emma s

But Alessia didn't flinch. She stood her ground, her chin raised, her eyes locked on Josh's. "You won't do anything," she said with more confidence than she felt. "This is a university campus. There are cameras everywhere. Witnesses everywhere. You can threaten all you want, but you won't actually assault someone in broad daylight with dozens of people watching."Josh's laugh was genuinely amused now. "You think cameras matter? You think witnesses matter? Sweetheart, my family owns half the security company that monitors these cameras. And witnesses?" He gestured broadly at the students lining the hallway, all with their phones out. "These people will post videos online for about six hours before my father's lawyers get them taken down and the posters issued cease-and-desist letters. Then everyone will learn to keep their mouths shut."The bodyguards were close now, only feet away from Alessia."This is school property," Alessia insisted, though her voice wavered slightly now. "You ca