The rain off the river tasted like salt and diesel fuel. I stood on the damp sidewalk outside Sterling Tower, leaning back against the cold stone pillar while adjusting my coat collar. It was past ten at night. The city traffic hummed in the distance, a low blur of red taillights and wet asphalt.My earbud hummed with static before Ghost's flat, dry voice came through the encrypted link."You're busy watching water drop off the roof, boss?" Ghost asked."I am currently on security duty," I said softly, keeping my jaw steady so my lips barely moved. "Evelyn is upstairs finishing her late financial report. What do you have?""The trash gathered early tonight," Ghost replied. "The municipal code director, the chief port auditor, and two city council members. They are sitting in the back room at the Anchor Club down by the old dockyards. Drinking seventy-year-old scotch and celebrating their latest illegal permit held on Sterling's cargo ships."I checked my watch. Evelyn would be down in

The heavy smell of diesel fuel and rot hung thick over Gate 4. It was past midnight. River City usually looked polished under the highway lights, but down here by the water, everything felt greasy. Rust flaked off the iron fences. The ocean air carried a damp chill that bit straight through my cheap wool coat.Evelyn adjusted her leather gloves, her shoulders rigid beside me in the passenger seat. She was trying to look every bit the icy CEO, but I could hear her fingers tapping a nervous beat against her purse."They have three of our container ships sitting in the harbor," she said softly, staring out through the windshield at the dark silhouettes of cranes. "The dock managers won't even assign a crane operator. Every hour those hulls stay loaded costs us fifty thousand dollars in penalties.""Managers don't block cargo without a kickback," I replied, shifting the sedan into park. "So, who bought them off?""My greedy uncles, most likely. Or whatever regional syndicate they invited

Master Iron Oak barges into Sterling HQ to extort protection money. He tries chopping a solid marble desk to flex his martial prowess, but I stop his hand mid-swing and crack his wrist, dropping him instantly to one knee.The morning air in the upper-tier executive lobby smelled of fresh lavender, expensive leather, and unearned confidence. I stood two paces behind Evelyn's mahogany chair, hands folded behind my back, keeping my eyes fixed on the entrance doors.Being a personal bodyguard meant eighty percent waiting around, ten percent fending off corporate parasites, and ten percent dealing with self-proclaimed tough guys. Today looked like a ten-percent day.The double doors burst open with a loud thud that made the glass panels vibrate.Three men strode inside, wearing matching silk training tunics with heavy iron trim across the cuffs. The two guys on the flanks looked like brick walls built by someone who forgot to install brains. The guy leading them was built wider than a doub

Li Wei’s voice crackled through my earpiece, cutting through the low hum of the luxury sedan’s engine. "Lord Vance, I’ve locked onto the money trail. The regional syndicate isn't even trying to hide it anymore.""Give me the short version, Ghost," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the rearview mirror."Six municipal council members just received twenty million dollars in clean offshore accounts. The wire transfers originated directly from the Crimson Dragon Syndicate’s primary laundering front in the capital. They’re buying the city council’s votes to force a complete vote of no confidence against Miss Sterling by tomorrow morning."Sitting in the backseat, Evelyn Sterling was staring intently at her laptop screen, completely unaware of the digital net tightening around her enemies. She ran a hand through her hair, letting out a soft sigh. "The city council is calling a surprise press briefing at noon downtown. They’re claiming our supply contracts violate municipal safety codes. If th

The mayor signs protection guarantees for Sterling Enterprises to cover his own corruption, only to be terrified into signing without reading Lucas Vance's icy gaze; as they exit into the elevator, Evelyn confronts Lucas about where he obtained the confidential government files.The high-gloss finish on the mayor’s mahogany desk reflected the warm afternoon sunlight, but the air inside the office felt like the inside of a meat locker. Mayor Vance sat stiffly in his leather armchair, wiping a thin layer of sweat off his upper lip with a linen handkerchief. He had tried to play the role of the grand statesman for the first ten minutes of the meeting, talking about civic duty, public order, and the heavy burden of municipal leadership.It was a nice show. Too bad it was complete garbage.Evelyn sat across from him, her posture flawless, her tailored navy blazer without a single crease. She didn't say a word. She didn't need to. I stood two steps behind her left shoulder, keeping my hands