Elijah Schwarzenger Rises To Power

0016

It was getting closer to evening and the silence that came after each beep was deafening..Everyone in the store froze as the shrill alarm of the POS terminal echoed like a gunshot. The card machine’s screen finally glared in red: "TRANSACTION DECLINED – ACCOUNT FROZEN"

The lead attendant responding to Elijah, her face now twisted in rage and superiority continued to shove the terminal toward Elijah’s face. “Look!” she barked. “Are you blind or just pretending you don't know what's happening and why aren't you saying anything? Your so-called diamond card’s been BLOCKED! That shiny toy won’t pay for anything here.”

Gasps rippled through the store. Customers who had been grinning happily moments ago at Elijah’s offer were now looking so quiet like they'd touched fire. A few whispered, “He’s a fraud?” One laughed nervously while the rest just stared.

Elijah stood there, frozen not only with confusion, but with the pressure of trying not to explode the anger within him. His jaw tightened and his fingers also curled into fists by his side.

The attendant saw his silence as guilt and pushed further. “What kind of grown man walks into a tech store to show off a fake diamond card?” she sneered with pure disdain. “Is this how you planned to embarrass all of our customers? Flash and run? We should call the police right now!”

Another attendant leaned in to whisper something, but she snapped, “No! We can’t let people like this go!”

"You all should stop with all these accusations... before I regret letting this slide.” Elijah's nostrils flared as he spoke, the accusations started to get to him.

“Regret?” the attendant scoffed, tossing her braids back. “You’re about to regret ever stepping into this stor..."

And before she could finish, a loud hum of vehicles rolled outside the building and all heads turned towards the direction with the rumble growing louder.

Moments later, the front of the store lit up with the glow of headlights—dozens of them. A sleek, matte-black Maybach S-Class parked directly in front of the store. Behind it, two black SUVs flanked a bulletproof van with no plates, flanked by four guards per side, all suited, armed, and moving in precise formation.

The initial gasps from the customers graduated into panic and while some of them ducked, the others backed into corners, their eyes widening in fear as they thought the store's been robbed by Elijah's gang members.

The store doors whooshed open, and Maestro stormed in like thunder, wearing a velvet black coat over a steel-gray suit, his presence alone crushed the room into silence.

The store's staff noticed the gold pin on his lapel shimmered with the seal of House Schwarzenger.

He didn't speak as he approached the main counter, walking past stunned staff and trembling customers. Behind him, a guard in gloves wheeled in a silver suitcase, followed by six armed guards. The case was set down on the glass counter with a thud.

Maestro turned and finally spoke, voice like velvet sliding across steel. “Who amongst you dared humiliate the young master!?"

All heads snapped toward the harsh attendant then to Elijah—who stood still, his face unreadable and he said nothing.

The lead attendant stammered, her voice suddenly high-pitched and cracked. “S-Sir Lugard, I... he gave us a... blocked card—he—he tried to..."

“Silence,” Maestro cut her off with a single word. He opened the suitcase slowly, revealing neatly stacked bricks of foreign currency, bound and shimmering under the store lights and pushed it to the cashier. The sight made one customer almost faint.

Maestro looked at Elijah, ignoring everyone else. “My lord, the account was only blocked temporarily due to transfer protocols. The central vault security noticed a little spending spree which has been long that happened, sir. We were minutes away from resolving it when your card was tapped.”

Seeing that Elijah still didn't speak, Maestro immediately dropped to his knees and behind him, all the guards followed suit, kneeling in perfect unison, heads bowed to Elijah.

"Find a place in your heart to forgive us, master Eli." They all chorused.

Even the cashier stumbled back and dropped to her knees in confusion and panic, tears forming in her eyes.

“I beg your forgiveness,” Maestro said. “The delay was unforeseen.”

But Elijah’s eyes were distant. He wasn’t looking at Maestro or the money. His gaze stayed on the lady who had waved the card machine in his face, accused him without hesitation, and looked at him like scum.

He walked toward her but she didn’t dare meet his gaze. “Some minutes ago, you were apologizing,” Elijah said calmly. “Then you forgot yourself again. Is it your nature… or your pride that makes you this stupid?”

She shook her head in a panic. “P-please, I didn’t kn..."

“I didn’t ask for an excuse,” Elijah snapped, eyes narrowing. “And I don’t need your apology either.”

He turned to Maestro. “Pack the phone,” Elijah said coldly. “Nothing more.”

Maestro nodded. A guard picked up the boxed phone and handed it to Elijah like it was a crown. Elijah took it without a word, turned around, and walked toward the exit.

He stopped just before the glass doors and looked over his shoulder one last time. “You're one of the reasons I would no longer have mercy on people.” And then he walked out.

The convoy doors opened but Elijah went to his car instead and entered. The glass was tinted shut. In seconds, the engines roared to life, and the convoy disappeared into the sunset-drenched road.