The last laugh.

Six: Silent power

I stared at the note for the tenth time that night.

> “You changed the world, Jay.

But don’t forget — the world can change you too.

Don’t become the king you once swore to destroy.”

Kenny’s words felt like a punch in the chest.

Not because they were harsh.

But because they were true.

I built everything to get revenge… but somewhere along the line, I became what I hated.

I didn’t just win.

I conquered.

And now I was left with a question no amount of money could answer:

Am I still the same man?

---

Back in Lagos – Carter Tower

Felix slammed the boardroom door behind him.

“We got five calls this morning. Three from global banks. Two from African presidents. They’re all asking the same thing.”

“What?”

“Who’s really in control now? You… or them?”

I didn’t answer.

Amber sat across the table, eyes low.

Nova looked restless, fingers tapping her tablet.

K-Six, our security head, stood in the corner like a shadow. Silent but alert.

Then Deek spoke up.

“They’re testing your silence. The Phantom Syndicate, the press, the world — they all want to know what move you’ll make now.”

I looked at him.

And then I stood.

“Call a press conference,” I said. “Tomorrow morning. No scripts. No notes.”

Felix stepped forward. “Jay—what are you going to say?”

I stared out the window.

> “The truth.”

---

The Last Press Conference

Every camera lens was on me.

Every news station, live.

It felt like the first time — when I shocked the world by showing up rich.

But now the world knew me.

Loved me. Hated me. Feared me.

And waited.

I stepped up to the mic and breathed in deep.

“My name is Jason Carter,” I said. “And I want to tell you what nobody tells you about power.”

---

The Speech

> “Power doesn’t just change your life.

It changes your soul.

It doesn’t come clean.

It comes covered in blood, broken friendships, and quiet regrets.”

> “I’ve built an empire. I’ve brought down giants.

I’ve crushed enemies who deserved it… and ignored people who didn’t.”

> “My brother is still alive. He joined a group trying to wake me up.

And today, I want him to know: I hear you, Kenny.”

> “I hear you.”

I paused.

Cameras clicked.

No one blinked.

> “So starting now, things change.

The empire will still grow, but not through fear.

Not through silence.

We’ll open every book. Reveal every deal.

No secrets. No hidden hands.”

> “And to the Phantom Syndicate: I’m not your enemy.

I’m not your king.

I’m just a man who forgot why he started.

And now… I remember.”

The room was dead quiet for a second.

Then it exploded in noise.

---

The World Reacts

In the next 24 hours:

#JasonSpeaks trended worldwide.

Protesters outside Carter Tower dropped their signs and watched in silence.

The Phantom Syndicate posted a simple response on the dark web:

> “We see the flame again.”

Even Wolfe’s old allies — the few that were still breathing — began to retreat.

Because I didn’t just win.

I rose again.

This time with my soul intact.

---

A Visit in the Night

Two days later, I walked alone on the rooftop of Carter Tower.

The air was still.

The city lights below looked small — like stars under my feet.

Then I heard a voice behind me.

Soft. Familiar.

“You finally woke up.”

I turned.

And there he was.

Kenny.

Alive.

Real.

No phone.

No gunshot.

No camera trick.

Just my brother.

I didn’t speak.

I just walked up to him…

And hugged him like I hadn’t in years.

He didn’t cry.

Neither did I.

But the silence between us?

It was peaceful.

---

Kenny’s Words

“I had to leave,” he said.

“I know.”

“You were going too far.”

“I know.”

“They told me you’d hate me for joining them.”

I looked at him.

“I could never hate you.”

He nodded. “I believe that now.”

We sat on the ledge, feet hanging off the side of a tower that used to feel like the top of the world.

But tonight?

It just felt human.

---

The Deal

Over the next few weeks, things changed fast:

I opened half of the Ash Empire to public audits.

Partnered with trusted leaders in education, housing, and finance — including voices from the Phantom Syndicate.

Rebuilt trust. Not with marketing — with transparency.

Created Carter Code, a global rule: no deal, no project, no investment could happen behind closed doors.

At first, some of my partners hated it.

But the people?

The people started to believe again.

---

The World Jason Built

One year later, things were different:

The Ash Empire had more branches than ever before.

Thousands of jobs in places ignored for decades.

Schools, shelters, and startups fully funded across five continents.

The media called it:

> “The Empire of Light.”

But behind the scenes?

I was still watching.

Because somewhere out there, I knew new enemies would rise.

That’s how power works.

It’s a cycle.

But this time?

I was ready.

Not with anger.

Not with revenge.

But with clarity.

---

Final Scene

On my desk sat two items:

1. The gold-sealed letter that changed my life.

2. Kenny’s note: “Don’t become the king you once swore to destroy.”

I placed both in a glass box.

And under it, I engraved:

> “The Last Laugh belongs to those who remember who they are.”

It had been one year since the world changed.

Jason Carter was no longer just a billionaire.

He was now a symbol.

People called him “The Builder.”

“The Flame.”

Even “Africa’s Answer to Elon Musk.”

But Jason?

He didn’t care about the names.

He just wanted peace.

And for a while… he had it.

Until the day his driver vanished.

---

6:17 AM – Abuja, Nigeria

Jason walked outside to head to a meeting.

The car was there.

Engine on.

But no driver.

Not in the front seat.

Not in the building.

Nothing was stolen.

Nothing was broken.

But the door was open.

Jason looked inside.

On the driver’s seat was a phone.

Old. Cracked. Covered in dust.

The screen was black.

But when he touched it…

It lit up.

A single message blinked:

> “You’re not the first to build a kingdom.

But all kings fall.

Watch your shadow.”

Jason stepped back, alert now.

His security rushed to him.

“Sir, something’s wrong,” K-Six said, eyes scanning.

Jason stared at the phone again.

Then said one word:

> “Begin lockdown.”

---

Back at Carter Tower

In the war room, the team gathered.

Amber. Felix. Nova. Deek. K-Six.

Jason dropped the phone on the table.

“This was left where my driver should’ve been.”

Felix looked tense. “Is this another hit?”

Nova shook her head. “No fingerprints. No camera trace. Whoever did this… knows how to stay invisible.”

Jason asked, “Where’s Tony?”

“Still missing,” said Amber. “His phone went dead at 2 a.m. GPS last pinged 200 meters from the tower gate.”

Deek muttered, “No signs of struggle. Like he just vanished.”

Jason’s jaw clenched. “This is different.”

Felix frowned. “Different how?”

Jason looked around the table.

> “This isn’t a threat.

It’s a warning.”

---

The Message Behind the Message

Nova cracked the phone in under 30 minutes.

No location data.

No origin.

But deep in the code, she found something strange.

A digital mark.

Three lines.

One small circle.

All drawn by hand in binary.

Amber whispered, “That’s old-school spy language.”

Jason said nothing.

Because he had seen that mark before.

Ten years ago.

Back when he was still broke. Still hustling.

He remembered the stories:

> About a man known only as “No Face.”

A man who helped build secret governments.

A man who erased powerful people without a single shot.

A man who didn’t kill with guns — but with silence, shame, and secrets.

Some said he wasn’t real.

Others said he was watching every empire, waiting for the perfect time to strike.

And now?

Jason Carter just got his first message.