The narrow, dark hallway was completely silent now, save for the painful groans of broken men. Splatters of thick red blood covered the yellowed wallpaper, the ceiling, and the slippery stone floor. All thirty syndicate enforcers lay scattered across the corridor floor, clutching their crushed ribs, broken jaws, and shattered arms. Their iron bars and knives were scattered uselessly in the dirt.Ethan Vance stood in the middle of the destruction, his broad shoulders heaving with deep, steady breaths. The sharp wooden chair leg in his right hand was stained dark red, and his crisp white shirt was ruined, soaked with the blood of his enemies. He dropped the wooden piece onto the floor tiles, where it landed with a quiet clatter.He did not look back at the thirty groaning men. His dark eyes remained cold, focused entirely on the heavy oak door at the end of the hall. He turned around, stepping over the fallen bodies, and walked back into the Syndicate Boss's private office.Inside th

The cold wind blew through the dark fog, carrying the smell of wet earth and wet gravel. Julian Sterling stood beside the open door of the lead black SUV, his head bowed low in a fake show of respect. The thirty armed guards surrounding the muddy yard stayed completely silent, their fingers resting near their weapon triggers.Ethan Vance stared at the slick advisor with pitch-black eyes. Every single muscle in his body was tense, screaming at him to charge forward and snap Julian’s thin neck. But his mind remained sharp and clear, like a freshly polished blade.He knew this was a dangerous trap. Walking into Silas Vance’s stronghold was like jumping straight into the mouth of a hungry dragon. But Julian was right about one critical thing. Lily’s time was running out fast. Even if Ethan drove back to the city right now and handed the paper formula to Dr. Evans, making the cure from scratch in a lab would take precious time. His sister might not survive the wait. Silas already had the

The grand dining hall fell completely silent. The hundred burning candles flickered softly, casting long, dark shadows across the cold stone walls.The thick stack of legal papers sat on the smooth dark wood right next to the small crystal bottle. Inside the bottle, the glowing blue liquid swirled gently, holding the power to save Lily’s life.Silas Vance sat back in his heavy carved chair, a cold, satisfied smile resting on his face. He held the gold fountain pen between his fingers, waiting for Ethan to break down. He had waited five long years for this exact moment. He was completely certain that his young nephew had no choice left. A brother who loved his little sister would sign away every single penny on earth to keep her breathing.Ethan Vance stared at the glowing blue vial. His heart beat fast inside his chest, and his broken ribs burned like hot fire. The physical pain was heavy, but his mind remained sharp and deadly. He knew his uncle was a heartless snake who could neve

The grand dining hall exploded into complete and utter chaos. The deafening sound of shoutings, breaking wood, and heavy iron weapons clashing echoed through the huge stone room. Outside in the courtyard, hundreds of Cynthia Thorne’s underworld fighters were swarming Silas Vance’s private guards like an unstoppable tide of angry hornets.Inside the dining room, smoke from the flash charges rolled along the ceiling in thick grey clouds. The remaining private guards on the main floor panicked, turning their handguns toward the ruined doorway where Cynthia and her elite fighters were stepping into the room.Up on the second floor balcony, two snipers shook off the blinding light. Coughing through the smoke, they quickly grabbed their long rifles from the cold stone floor. They looked down into the dining hall, searching through the haze to find Ethan Vance. Their red laser dots danced wildly across the floor tiles, trying to lock back onto Ethan’s broad chest to take a clean, fatal sho

The loud siren wailed endlessly through the grand room, its high sound bouncing off the stone walls like a screaming metal whistle. Red emergency lights flashed across the ceiling, casting weird shadows over the messy dining hall. Silas Vance lay on the cold floor tiles, his face twisted into a crazy smile as he rocked back and forth, clutching his broken wrist. Ethan Vance stood tall, his broad shoulders squared and his sharp eyes locked onto his uncle. He checked his inner suit pocket one more time to make sure the precious blue vial was safe against his chest. His little sister Lily was cured, and the true antidote was tucked away safely under his ruined white shirt. Cynthia Thorne moved quickly through the flashing red lights, her dark coat flapping around her legs. She pointed toward the open doors, shouting orders to her fighters over the loud noise of the alarm. "Get ready to move out," Cynthia barked, her voice clear and strong. "This crazy old man has rigged the building.