Andrew didn't suspect a thing. He grabbed a few soldiers and walked out to the waiting area. Lesner was already there, standing with some of his men. Dressed casual—white t‑shirt, black trousers, sneakers. Looked almost peaceful. Nothing like the monster from the wedding. Andrew stopped a few feet away. "What are you doing in my house?" Lesner smiled. Friendly. Too friendly. "Came to visit you. Brought a gift. Also, my weekly f*e. It's another week, after all." Andrew frowned. He didn't like this. Not one bit. "You don't have to come to my house to pay. There's a system. Direct to the cartel accountant. You know that." Lesner nodded. Still smiling. Andrew pressed. "And how did you know I was back? I didn't tell anyone I was arriving today." Lesner's smile flickered. Just for a second. Then he recovered. "I was on my way to the airport. Picking someone up. Saw your convoy. The whole Chappatti army. Hard to miss." He chuckled. "You're not exactly subtle." Andrew stared at him

The scene opens inside a dark room, thick with cigar smoke.Lesner ended a phone call, nodded a couple of times, then said, "Okay, boss."He turned around, a smile spreading across his face. Behind him, seven old men sat in leather chairs, cigarettes and cigars burning between their fingers, smoke curling toward the ceiling."Four o'clock today," Lesner said, "at Elysons Crave. Sounds like he's buying it."The oldest of the seven let out a slow stream of smoke. "You seem relieved," the old man said. "I remember you running here like a lost puppy when Andrew kicked your ass at the wedding. His little wife watching, his men surrounding you. That was what... two weeks ago?"Lesner's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue."The plan," another old man said. "What is it?"Lesner sat down across from them. "I meet Andrew, we talk strategy, I play along with whatever he wants. Make him think I'm loyal.""He already thinks you're loyal," the third old man said. "That's your advantage."Lesner nodd

A few hours after the divers finished their job, Lesner called. Andrew was still in his study, the lights dim, Emilia long gone to bed. The phone buzzed and he picked it up on the first ring. "Andrew, that was brilliant," Lesner said, his voice dripping with fake appreciation. "The fathers are furious, I mean really furious. They've sent messages all across the city, putting out feelers, trying to find out who hit their shipment. They're looking everywhere for the people responsible." Andrew didn't say anything, just let Lesner keep talking. "I heard you attacked the ship instead of the warehouse," Lesner continued. "You didn't tell me that was the plan. I was expecting something at the warehouse, but going after the shipment at sea? That was bold." "We don't tell everyone our plans," Andrew said flatly. Lesner laughed, but it sounded forced. "Fair enough, fair enough. So what's next? What's the next move? How are you going to take out the supplier? I need to know so I can

The forest was still smoking when Lesner and the Fathers climbed into their cars and drove away. In front of them was a convoy of armed men clearing the path, while behind them was another convoy providing covering. Their car was at the middle.No one spoke. The tires crunched over broken branches, and the headlights cut through the dark trees like knives. Lesner sat in the back seat of the black sprinter bus, his hands still shaking, his mind still replaying the moment he pulled the mask off that decoy's face. He was scared. Dead scared. He felt like Andrew could pop out of anywhere from the forest and kill him. A reason why he was surrounded by a convoy.They drove straight to the Fathers' hideout, the same smoke-filled room where they always met. The seven old men took their usual seats, but none of them lit their cigarettes right away. The room felt different now. Colder.Lesner couldn't sit. He paced back and forth, his boots clicking on the floor."He knows," Lesner said. "He k

Lesner's flight took off just before midnight.He sat in first class, a glass of whiskey in his hand, staring out the window at the lights of Boston shrinking below him. The city that had made him, the city he had ruled for years, was now a place he had to run from. A place where a handyman had become a king and turned Lesner into a hunted animal.He took a long sip and closed his eyes.Dubai. That was his destination. Somewhere far away, somewhere safe. He would let the heat cool down, let his allies figure out how to kill Andrew, and then he would come back and rebuild. That was the plan.But even as he thought it, doubt crept into his mind. A hundred million dollars was a lot of money, but money couldn't buy what Andrew had. Andrew had an army, he had spies, he had hackers who could track a man across the world. And worst of all, Andrew had patience.Lesner finished his whiskey and ordered another. He needed to believe that killing Andrew was still possible. Otherwise, what was he