Chapter four

"Boss, I looked into her just as you instructed. You were right, she is the same Mariah Fillip you knew when you were a child," John said over the phone while Victor drove his Green Porsche in the streets of Blaze. He had a very important appointment that morning which would be the first thing he executes in his plan.

"I'm glad to see that she is alive and well. She's a lawyer now. But I saw her getting harassed earlier by some men over a debt. What happened while I was away?" Victor asked John.

"Well, boss, her mother was murdered. Mariah came back home from school to find out that her mother was missing. When a search was conducted, she was identified in another state dead on a farm. Mariah told the cops that Knight Incorporated had done it but she was not believed. Two months ago, Mariah took a case that sure Knight Incorporated to court, but she lost, and they made sure that no other firm ever hires her," John replied.

"I see. That means she is in this with us. I'll speak with her again. In the meantime, stay with Xavier and ensure that he is fine," Victor instructed.

"You got it, boss. What about Reggie? Still going to meet with him today?" John asked him. Reggie was a tailor who had access to a wide range of information. The tailoring job was just a front to disguise what he actually does. 

"I'm on my way," Victor told him and then hung up. He drove further until he got to Reggie's shop. Victor parked his car, stepped down, and then attempted to open the door. However, someone else did so from within, and Victor nearly scoffed when he saw Petra Knight standing there.

"You are a very difficult man to keep track of," Petra said to him as she stepped outside to stand with him.

"Petra, it's been just one night. And I did not expect to see you here," he said to her and she smiled.

"I came here to get a good suit for my father. Surely, you understand how delicate Reggie's work is, seeing as you are here yourself," she said and gazed into his eyes. She was playing the same game that he was: trying to get information.

"I couldn't agree more. And while we are on it, the transfer of nine billion dollars should be completed by now. You'll be notified soon," Victor said and then, she heard a ping in her phone. Petra checked and nodded. She was intrigued.

"Now, the document that solidifies my claim of thirty percent shares in your company," Victor stated without a smile on his face. She scoffed.

"Jeez, you're all business. Why don't we have coffee first?" She asked.

"I don't want to have coffee with you. This is business. Don't make it personal," he told her and she gasped. Her cheeks flustered with embarrassment. No one has ever spoken with her in that manner.

"I don't like your tone with me, Mr Storms. And just so you know, I can get anyone I want. Even the likes of you," she said with full confidence. Victor smiled and then took a step closer to her. She made sure to maintain eye contact while his larger frame overwhelmed her.

"Just so you know, those men hate you afterward. A lot of people do, actually. So, if I were you, I wouldn't add one more enemy to the list. So, the document. I know you have it," he told her and she shuddered. Petra fought back tears as she reached into her bag and took out a tab.

She brought out an electronic document that was highly secured. "You can sign with your fingerprint," she managed to say to him and he did so. As soon as the scanned fingerprint appeared, she sent a copy of the document to Victor's email which he shared with her.

"Have a great day, Petra," Victor told her and went inside. Petra froze on the spot while she tried to process what just happened. How could he treat her that way and why was she powerless against him?

She fought back tears as she quickly rushed into her car and drove off. 

Victor smiled at the receptionist in the shop and quickly took a lift to Reggie's office. As soon as he stepped into the office, Reggie grinned.

"Victor Storms! It is good to see you. After you saved me from a Hitman the last time, I have slept so soundly at night. Even my family feels safer," he said to Victor while they shook hands and then took their seats.

"I saw Petra Knight leave this place. What did she come for?" Victor asked.

"Information. About you. She said that you were her highest donor and she wanted to find you," Reggie replied.

"How deep does your business with them go, Reggie?" Victor asked.

"I keep it at the barest minimum. Sometimes, I give them something, other times, I don't. I am a freelancer, and when dealing with people like them, I have to be careful as well," Reggie told Victor.

"Good. Keep it that way. Don't let them know that we are working together. With that being said, I need information on Pan," 

"Pan? The whistleblower?" Reggie asked while arching a brow.

"Yes. He has the heart of the people in his hands with his blogging skills. I have something about Knight Incorporated that I want him to expose. That will shake them and tell my uncle that I am coming for him next," Victor replied.

Reggie began to type on his computer. "Pan is very secretive. He uses top tech to secure his stuff and his anonymity is well coordinated. However, I managed to find his email. I've sent it to you," Reggie told him.

"Do you know his identity?" Victor asked. 

"No. I even doubt he ever uses his real name so I didn't bother to look into it," was Reggie's reply.

"Thanks, Reggie. I have to go," Victor said and stood up after confirming the email. As he dashed out of the building, he began to compose the email that he would send to Pan the whistleblower.

As soon as Victor got into the car, he pressed send. Then he drove off. However, in Blaze Police Department, Lucas received an email on his phone with an attachment and the caption that stated "Hello, Pan. I have something that will intrigue you."

Lucas wondered who it was that managed to figure out his email. The sender read Victor Storms, and when he opened the file that was sent, Lucas gasped.