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“Ah, there it is again,” Allvar interrupted smoothly, holding up a finger. “The great Howard Sinclair, victim of circumstance. Tell me, do you ever get tired of playing that role? Or is it just too convenient?”

“I’m telling the truth!” Howard insisted, his voice rising. “I didn’t know—”

“And yet here we are,” Allvar said, stepping away from the counter and walking toward Howard. His steps were slow, deliberate, his presence suddenly imposing. “Customers furious, your name dragged through the mud, and your precious reputation crumbling before your eyes.”

Howard backed up slightly, bumping against the counter. “I— I was trying to save the shop,” he stammered, his desperation evident. “Do you know what it’s like to struggle every day, to fight to keep something alive?”

“Save the shop,” Allvar repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. “That’s your excuse? You were trying to save the shop, so you what, decided to sell counterfeit antiques? Brilliant plan, Howard. Truly inspired.”

“I di
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  • 300

    Chapter 300 – Ashes and AftermathThe air was thick with smoke and the tang of gunpowder. Lights flickered wildly above. Explosions still echoed in the distance, muffled by steel and flame.“All units, push in! We’ve got visual confirmation—Allvar’s in the southeast quadrant!” shouted Mara over the comms, her voice sharp with urgency.Gunfire cracked through the chaos as rebels stormed the warehouse in waves, rifles raised, eyes burning with purpose.1. Rebel AssaultThe rebels moved like a storm—trained, silent, lethal. Smoke grenades rolled across the concrete, filling the space with choking clouds. Tobias’s men scattered, their confidence unraveling under the coordinated assault.In a back room, Allvar still sat slumped in the metal chair, head bowed, barely conscious. The explosion had shaken the entire building, but he hadn’t flinched. His wrists bled from the ropes, his breath shallow.The door burst open.“Allvar!”Mara rushed in, followed by Jerek and two others. Her eyes wide

  • 299

    Chapter 299 – “Breaking Point”The air in the deeper section of the warehouse was colder, damp with the scent of mildew and rust. The concrete walls were cracked in places, the flickering overhead light casting eerie shadows that danced along the grime-slick floor. Allvar was dragged into the new room, his boots scraping against the floor, his breath ragged from the effort to stay upright.Tobias followed behind slowly, taking off his gloves finger by finger, his eyes never leaving Allvar.“Put him in the chair. Strap him down properly this time. I don’t want him squirming.” His voice was smooth—too smooth. It sent a shiver crawling down the tall man’s spine.The tall man hesitated a fraction of a second before nodding. “Yes, boss.”Allvar was thrown into the metal chair, his arms shackled behind him this time, legs strapped to the legs of the chair with thick leather. A single bulb overhead buzzed ominously. Shadows danced across Tobias’s face as he stepped into the circle of light.

  • 298

    298Allvar didn’t answer right away. His mind was working, trying to come up with a way out, a plan, anything. But the truth was, he wasn’t sure he could escape. The pain from the slap still throbbed in his jaw, and the ropes around his wrists were too tight to slip free from. His muscles burned, his body heavy with fatigue from the earlier struggles.Tobias waited, watching him carefully. “Nothing to say? Interesting.”Allvar glared at him, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. His thoughts raced, trying to formulate a plan. But Tobias’s mocking gaze made it hard to focus. He clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together.“You’re not going to win,” Allvar said quietly, though he wasn’t entirely sure he believed it himself. “This will end. It always does.”Tobias chuckled darkly, his voice low and dripping with amusement. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”Allvar couldn’t help but snap. The frustration, the anger, it all welled up inside of him. “Why don’t you just get it o

  • 297

    297The stocky man shrugged. “Told you. He’s—”Without warning, Tobias slapped Allvar across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the warehouse. Allvar’s head snapped to the side, and a groan escaped his lips. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused.“There he is,” Tobias said, his voice dripping with mock sweetness. He crouched down again, grabbing Allvar by the chin and forcing him to look up. “Welcome back, Allvar. Did you have a nice nap?”Allvar winced, his jaw throbbing from the slap. He tried to pull away, but Tobias’s grip tightened. “Go to hell,” he rasped, his voice hoarse.Tobias chuckled darkly. “Oh, you’ve got some fight left in you. Good. I’d hate for this to be too easy.”The tall man and the stocky one snickered behind him, but Tobias silenced them with a sharp look. “You two—stand back. I’ll handle this.”They nodded quickly, retreating a few steps but staying close enough to watch.Tobias turned his attention back to Allvar, his expression turning

  • 296

    296The group moved quickly through the damp alley, their prisoner slumped between the tall man and the stocky one. Allvar’s body hung limply, his head drooping as though unconscious. His feet dragged against the ground, leaving faint streaks of blood in their wake. The men didn’t seem to care, their focus solely on bringing him to Tobias."Pick up the pace," the tall man growled, his voice sharp with irritation. His eyes darted ahead, scanning the darkened alley for any signs of danger. "Boss doesn’t like waiting."The stocky man grunted in annoyance. "What’s the rush? He’s not going anywhere. Look at him—barely breathing.""Yeah? And whose fault will it be if he dies before Tobias gets a word out of him?" the tall man snapped, shooting his partner a glare that could cut through steel. His grip tightened on Allvar’s arm as if to emphasize the point.The stocky man let out an exasperated sigh but said nothing. "Not my problem," he muttered under his breath, though his eyes flicked to

  • 295

    295“Careful,” the tall man said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don’t want him bleeding out before Tobias sees him.”Weston chuckled, shaking Allvar’s limp arm. “Bleeding out?” he scoffed. “Look at him. He’s practically swimming in his own blood already. Tobias’ll think we hit a slaughterhouse on the way.”Allvar could barely make out their words through the haze of pain, his vision blurring in and out. His muscles trembled, but he held on, fighting against the darkness threatening to swallow him whole. He clenched his teeth and managed to grunt, though his words came out in a painful rasp. “You… won’t win,” he hissed, barely audible, but enough to taunt them.The tall man stopped in his tracks, turning to lean down toward Allvar. He moved slowly, his breath hot and foul against Allvar’s ear as he whispered. “Win?” The man’s voice was thick with amusement. “Oh, Allvar, we already have. You’re just too stubborn to admit it.”Weston snorted behind him, clearly enjoying the

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