Leo Gambino A Thousand Foes

011 The Black Card

On receiving orders from their boss, the security guards immediately sprang into action, advancing on Leonard with clear hostility. What was planned earlier as a simple ejection had now turned into something far more sinister.

Their grips tightened around their batons, their eyes burning with malicious intent.

Victor and Felicity's faces lit up with vicious delight, now that things were finally escalating. Their earlier shock completely vanished.

"Make sure he never walks again! Crush those legs and hands until they're useless!" Felicity hissed venomously.

Her eyes gleamed with long-held resentment towards her ex-boyfriend. This was it! It would be such a treat to watch Leonard being beaten into a pulp.

"How dare a worthless piece of trash like him lay a hand on the elite guards of the Consortium?" Victor egged them on, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

He could already picture Leonard writhing in agony outside the building. "Break every bone in his body and toss him out like the garbage he is!"

"He brought this on himself!" a spectator guest sneered. "A nobody who dares to cause violence in this elite gala needs a proper punishment!" 

"Some people really don't know their place. How reckless can you get?" another chimed in.

The rest of the crowd nodded, staring at Leonard with open disgust and contempt. He was an outsider who needed to be put in his place.

Yet Leonard remained utterly still amid the storm. He stood like a silent statue, his expression cold and indifferent. The young man was completely unfazed by the approaching threat, the hurtful words, and the hateful glares.

"You've got some nerve hitting one of us, punk," the lead guard growled as they closed in. "What makes a lowlife like you think you can get away with that?"

Leonard offered no reply and didn't even turn in his direction. The man wasn't worth his breath.

This silence only fueled the guard's rage. How dare this street rat ignore him? With a snarl, he raised his baton and charged. The others followed him closely, with battle cries.

"STOP!"

The command thundered across the lobby just as the batons were about to strike. The guards froze instantly.

All eyes turned towards the source of the voice. The newcomer was none other than the lobby manager, Richard Holt. He was a high-ranking official who controlled entry and exit into the Consortium.

The man had the authority to ban guests and could take extreme security decisions. Victor reveled, knowing that Leonard was finished now.

"What the hell is going on here?" the lobby manager demanded, his tone icy. This was supposed to be a flawless day for the grand gala. Chaos like this was unacceptable.

The injured guard pointed accusingly at Leonard. "It's this bastard, sir! He's trying to force his way in with a fake exclusive card with the Eclipse Logo. I politely asked him to leave, but he attacked me instead!"

Felicity let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Of course it's fake. I dumped this loser just days ago because he was a penniless nobody. How could someone like him possibly have an exclusive card from the Eclipse Consortium?"

"Maybe he's trying to show off to us," Victor said, chuckling darkly. "You must be terrified right now, aren't you? Now that you're caught red-handed."

Leonard stayed silent. It wasn't worth the effort to answer Victor or entertain his insults. His own patience was running out.

The lobby manager's expression turned thunderous as he strode over and looked Leonard up and down. Disgust was written plainly on his face.

"You claim to have an exclusive card?" he asked coldly.

"Yes," Leonard replied flatly, holding out the black card. "Do you also think it's fake?"

"I can't believe he's still pretending," Felicity sneered. "He won't stop until he's completely humiliated and dragged out in a sack."

"Let him enjoy his little fantasy while it lasts," Victor said with a smug grin. "I want to see his face when everything comes crashing down."

Richard Holt glanced at the card. For a brief moment, his eyes widened in recognition. It looked exactly like the highest-level executive black card of the Eclipse Consortium.

But upon closer inspection, doubt crept into his mind. The design was slightly different from what he was used to. It had to be counterfeit.

Richard's face hardened with fury. "You dare try to sneak into the Eclipse Consortium with a fake card?" he roared at Leonard. "You assault my staff and then have the audacity to try and trick me?!"

He flung the card to the floor with contempt. "I authorize the use of electronic tasers! Take him down and drag him out of here!"

"Yes, sir!" Additional guards rushed forward, surrounding Leonard with threatening glares, their tasers ready, sparks flickering.

Leonard's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of cold anger stirring within him as the ring on his finger pulsed faintly. His face, however, remained expressionless.

"Hahaha!" Felicity's laughter rang out, full of spite. "Look at yourself now, Leonard. Still acting like you're somebody. You must be regretting this little stunt! Get on your knees already, or you'll be roasted alive!"

Victor stood beside her, thoroughly enjoying the unfolding drama.

The guards closed in, ready to taser him at his most vulnerable points. One solid contact would end it.

"Wait!" A powerful voice boomed through the lobby, freezing everyone in place. The authority behind it was undeniable. A middle-aged man marched in, his commanding presence making the entire crowd inhale sharply.

It was Gregory Hale, one of the vice presidents of the Eclipse Consortium.

"Mr. Hale..." the lobby manager began, but he was cut off sharply. "You didn't have to come… I had the matter handled…"

A fierce slap cracked across Richard Holt's face. "You idiot!" Gregory thundered, his expression twisted with rage.

The lobby fell into stunned silence. No one could believe what they were witnessing.

"W-what did I do wrong, sir?" Richard stammered, holding his burning cheek in shock.

"What didn't you do?" the regional manager shot back furiously. He pushed through the guards, bent down, and retrieved the black card from the floor with great care.

Turning back to his subordinate, he bellowed. "This card you just threw away and called fake is the highest-level black card issued directly by the Eclipse Consortium! Only one of them is in existence!"

Shock rippled through the crowd. The lobby manager's jaw fell open. The security guards also stood frozen in disbelief.

Victor, Felicity, and all the guests stared at the card in the Vice President's hand in utter astonishment.

"The highest-level black card?"

"In the hands of Leonard?"

"Impossible! He's a nobody!"

Gregory Hale ignored their stunned reactions. He turned to Leonard and bowed deeply with respect.

"Sir, please accept my sincerest apologies for this shameful incident. It is entirely my fault for not properly training my staff. I beg for your forgiveness."