Zarek released his grip, and Kaelen’s head slumped back into the dirt."He’s pathetic," Zarek muttered, stepping back. "He spent his life believing his money made him a giant, but without his network to prop him up, he’s less than the dust he’s digging in."Zarek turned toward the horizon, where the rhythmic pulse of distant shelling thudded against the air. "Shaw, get a medic over here. Not because he deserves it, but because I’m not finished with him.”“I want him awake when we reach the Border Wall. I want him to see the people who actually pay the price for his status before he finally breaks.""On it," Shaw replied, gesturing for two soldiers to haul the trembling billionaire toward the infirmary.As they dragged him away, Kaelen’s ruined shoes left two shallow furrows in the mud, the final, weak mark of a man who realized that in the eyes of the God of War, he was nothing more than a failed experiment.The infirmary tent was a symphony of agony and antiseptic. Kaelen was tossed

"Don't you dare speak to me like that!" Soren wheezed, his voice whistling through the surgical wires in his jaw. "The man who cost him everything? Me? I am a Mace!"His eyes narrowed. "My father didn't lose anything. He was probably just... negotiating! He’s been gone three days because he was stripping that Riggs animal of his rank, his badge, and his dignity!"Lipton remained a statue, his expression unreadable. "Sir, the tone of the caller—""I don't care about the caller’s tone!" Soren screamed, spraying a fine mist of blood and saliva onto his silk pajamas. He began to pace frantically, eyes wide and bloodshot. "My father is a businessman. Do you hear me? A businessman!"A hard, desperate look settled on his face. "He probably made Riggs stay out there in the dirt just to show him who really controls the logistics of this country. That’s why it’s taking so long. He’s teaching him a lesson!"He snatched a nearby tablet, his thumbs smearing the screen with sweat as he scrambled

"Immunity?" Soren let out a wet, wheezing laugh, stepping into the butler’s personal space.He poked a trembling finger into Lipton’s chest."You’ve spent so many years polishing silver that you’ve forgotten who provides the polish. My father is in a coma because of that animal. That isn't immunity, Lipton. That’s kidnapping. That’s assault. That’s a capital offense.""The High Command does not recognize civilian police authority in matters of—""Shut up!" Soren screamed, the effort making his eyes water from the pain in his jaw. "You’re a servant, Lipton. You’re a tool. You’re exactly what that bastard Riggs said we were. You think because you’ve lived in this house for twenty years that your opinion matters?”He sneered.“You’re a footnote on a payroll. If I want to go to the station and have the Commissioner put a warrant out for Riggs’ head, you will move, or you’ll be looking for a job in the slums by noon."Lipton looked down at the hand on his chest, then up at Soren. For a sp

"What are you all looking at?" Soren wheezed, his voice cracking as he struggled to find his footing. "You heard me! Arrest him! He’s a traitor to the city!"Manuel slowly wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand. He didn't look angry; he looked finished. "You think you're untouchable because of a name, Soren. But out here, in the real world, a name is just something we write on a booking sheet.""Assaulting a police officer," Manuel added, the words cutting through the murmurs like a blade. "In front of twenty witnesses.""Get off me! Let me go!" Soren screamed as four officers tackled him to the gritty floor. His white suit was instantly stained with the precinct's grey filth, the fabric tearing as they forced his arms behind his back. The metal zip-ties hissed shut, biting into his thin wrists."Look at the heir now," a young officer spat. They hauled Soren up, his face pressed briefly against the cold, dirty tile before being yanked toward the back."He’s still

Soren pulled a chair to the side of the bed. He didn’t speak. He didn’t complain about his aching jaw or his night in the cell. He simply reached out and took his father’s hand, the one still stained with the stubborn dirt of the Border Wall.For the first time in twenty-five years, there was no Mace empire. There was no Veldra Network. There were just two men, finally at peace because they had nothing left to lose.***With the Mace affair behind them, the weight of the last few days seemed to lift from Shaw’s shoulders.He looked out over the city skyline, then back at Zarek, who was already checking the encrypted coordinates for their next objective."So, what's the move, Boss?" Shaw asked, cracking his knuckles. "Back to High Command HQ, or straight to the Eastern Sector?"Zarek’s eyes remained fixed on the digital map. "The Eastern Sector. We need to move quietly. The Veldra lockdown caused enough ripples that every intelligence agency from here to the coast will be sniffing