Blood for Power: The Mercenary's Return

Chapter 8: The Empire's Heart

Marcus's boots echoed on the cold, shiny floors of Quincy Knight's mansion. With each step, they got heavier. He felt like he was going to die from the weight of what he had just learned about his mother's role in Quincy's empire, but he didn't have time to think about it. The war was on, and every second mattered.

His team had gotten into the heart of the mansion, and now they were pushing deeper, past the outer layers of security. But Marcus could feel the walls closing in on him, both in a real and a figurative sense.

Malik said, "We're close," and his voice stayed steady even though the tension was rising. "The inner vault is right in front of us. It's where the real power is.

Marcus's jaw got tight. The vault was where Quincy kept his real power, and Marcus wasn't sure if he was ready for what was inside. But he had to do it. He had to take apart the Vultures, and this was his chance to do it.

Marcus's phone buzzed as they got closer to the vault. A message from Jaxon flashed on the screen: "The Vultures know you're here." They've already made a trap. "You've been hacked."

Marcus felt like the floor had fallen out from under him. His heart rate sped up. He had thought that was the case, but seeing it confirmed was a whole different story. He was being watched, no, played. The Vultures knew what he was going to do before he did it. His plans and strategies had been used against him.

“Jaxon,” Marcus said quietly, “How long?”

The answer came right away: "Longer than you think." Don't trust anyone, Marcus. "There's a traitor among you."

Marcus felt a cold shiver run down his back. A traitor. The word echoed in his head like a death sentence. He had thought that the mole was on his team, but this proof hit him harder than any bullet. He couldn't put his faith in anyone. Not even the people who were closest to him.

"Did you hear that?" "Why?" Marcus asked, his voice shaking with rage.

Malik nodded, but his face was blank. "We'll take care of it after we get what we came for."

Marcus didn't say anything. He couldn't afford to lose his focus right now. But the idea of betrayal ate away at him, and every step forward felt heavier than the last.

The vault door was right in front of them. Marcus took a deep breath and nodded to Malik. The lock was complicated, but Malik was skilled at breaking in, so it wouldn't take long.

Tyrese's voice came through the comms as Malik worked. "Marcus, you need to know this: I just found something big. The Vultures are serious about what they're doing. They've been keeping an eye on you, but they've also been keeping an eye on your mother.

Marcus stopped moving, and his heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Tyrese's voice got lower and more tense. "Your mother... she's not just a part of the operation. She has been running a different one. Behind your back, she's been making deals with rival groups. Marcus, she's playing both sides. "She's the one who really put a target on your back."

Marcus was hit by the shock like a sledgehammer. He thought he was finding out how deeply his mother had betrayed him, but this was something else entirely. His own mother, who was his own flesh and blood, had been secretly running the war and using him as a pawn.

"Are you sure?" Marcus's voice was barely audible.

Tyrese said, "I'm sure." "I have the proof." I will send it. But you have to hurry. "The vultures are getting closer."

The vault door clicked open before Marcus could say anything. Malik stepped back, his face blank. "We're in."

Marcus hesitated for a split second, still thinking about what Tyrese had said. His mother had always been working against him. She had used him to get what she wanted, and now he was facing an empire built on lies.

He didn't have an opportunity to think about it all. Not yet.

The room inside the vault was full of expensive technology and stacks of papers. They could see Quincy’s empire, but Marcus didn’t need the tech. He didn't need the papers. He needed answers right away.

He looked around the room and saw a file on the desk. The file was thick, had the Vultures' logo on it, and had his mother's name written on it. He couldn't breathe when he opened it.

The papers inside confirmed everything he had been afraid of. His mother had been running a secret alliance with a few rival groups to bring down Quincy's empire from the inside. But that wasn't all. Marcus was truly shocked when he turned to the last page of the file.

It was a full ledger. And at the top of the list were Marcus's old team members, his friends and brothers in arms, who were listed as "assets" in his mother's secret dealings with Quincy. Not only had she killed his team, but she had also sacrificed them as part of her plan to take over Quincy’s empire from the inside.

Marcus's hands shook as he read the last line.  "Marcus Carter, the Vultures' future heir."

That moment changed everything for him. His mother, the woman he had trusted, had planned the deaths of his team so that he could take Quincy’s place.

Out of nowhere, the door behind him slammed open.

"Marcus," a voice called out. It was Sierra. She walked into the room with her gun drawn and a tense look on her face. But the way she stood made Marcus's heart race. It wasn't just the stress. It was the way she looked at me. She had a sad expression on her face. "We have to go. Now.

Marcus, on the other hand, didn't move. He looked straight into Sierra's eyes and saw that she was unsure. This was the same doubt that had been growing in their relationship.

"You knew," Marcus said in a cold voice. "You knew about my mom, didn't you?"

Sierra's face got harder, but she didn't say no. "I didn't know it all." But I knew a lot.

Before Marcus could say anything, the sound of footsteps coming closer to the room broke the silence. He understood what that meant.

The vultures were getting closer.

When Marcus turned to face Sierra, the air around him became heavy with the truth of his situation. He was all alone. The woman he trusted was part of the web of lies he was trying to get away from. And even worse, his family had turned against him.

An explosion shook the mansion out of nowhere. His heart raced as he saw the door. He whispered, "We're not alone," as the walls shook around them.

There was a deep, scary voice that echoed down the hall. "We've been waiting for you, Marcus Carter."