Warbound: Rise of the Street General

Chapter 10: The Price of Power

Every second that passed, the crown felt heavier. Enzo Dalca stood on the balcony and looked out over Havencroft. His hands were resting on the cold metal railing. The city was dark and spread out in front of him. He won. Carmela Santillo, Bianca Rourke, and anyone else who tried to stop him had fallen. But the taste of victory was bitter, like ash in his mouth.

Serena's voice broke through his thoughts: "You did it, Ghost." She walked quietly out to the balcony to join him, her presence as quiet and dangerous as ever. "You're in charge of the city."

At first, Enzo didn't say anything. He looked out at the skyline and thought about what he saw. It felt like a Pyrrhic victory. The price was always power. He had killed for it, lied for it, and now he had it. But what was left of him?

"Is it worth it?" Enzo asked in a low voice, so low that it was hard to hear over the noise of the city. "What's the point of having it all if you've already lost everything you wanted?"

For a brief moment, Serena's eyes softened, but the walls came back right away. "The cost of power is always high." But you already knew that, right?

Enzo looked at her, and his eyes hardened. "I knew it would cost a lot. But I didn't know it would cost this much. He stopped and looked at her. "You knew this would happen, right?"

Serena took a deep breath and kept her eyes on him. "You're right." Yes, I did. But you've always been too deep in this world to get out now.

Their partnership was getting worse every day, but for now, they had to keep going. Enzo couldn't stop thinking about Bianca, the woman who had once been his best friend but was now an enemy working with Carmela.

Serena opened the laptop and showed the plans for Carmela's next weapons shipment as they sat down to talk about what to do next. It was the key to their last push, but Enzo felt something eating away at him.

Serena said, "I know where Carmela is," and pointed to the screen. "She is already talking to Luca Moretti." We need to strike before they completely join forces.

Enzo nodded, but his mind was elsewhere even though his eyes were on the screen. The stress between him and Serena was no longer just business. There was something darker and more personal hiding beneath the surface that he couldn't ignore.

"Are you on my side or are you still playing both sides?" Enzo's voice was low and hard with doubt.

Serena looked him in the eye, and her face was blank. "I'm with you," she said in a calm voice, but Enzo saw something flash in her eyes. "But the game is bigger than you think, Enzo." You don't want to admit it, but the stakes are higher.

He squinted. "What does that mean?"

Serena didn't give a straight answer. Instead, she clicked on a few more files, and each one was worse than the last. "Luca is moving pieces on the board, and Carmela is already thinking about what to do next." We have to play better than both of them, or we lose.

As Enzo got ready to attack Carmela Santillo's compound, the stress among his crew became too much to handle. The quiet worry had turned into open distrust. Tristan Rocco, who had once been a trusted friend, had been acting strangely, and Enzo couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

The fluorescent lights above flickered, making the war room even more chaotic as Enzo paced back and forth. He thought quickly about the plan: break into Carmela's compound, take the shipment, and get rid of anyone who got in his way. But he felt like something was wrong. The pieces of the puzzle didn't fit together, and his crew, who he trusted the most, were starting to look more like problems than solutions.

"Tristan, get over here," Enzo yelled, narrowing his eyes and pointing at the financial genius who had been quiet for too long. "I need to know what's going on with the money." Why is the money flow slowing down?

Tristan hesitated for a moment, looking at Serena before stepping forward. "Hey, we're... We are having problems with the accounts in other countries. Carmela has been taking money to pay for her own business.

Enzo's heart raced. He asked, "How much?"

Tristan said softly, "Enough to change the tides in her favour." "Enzo, she's planning something bigger." More than we thought.

Enzo's hands were clenched. It wasn't just about weapons anymore. Carmela was trying to make herself the new queen of Havencroft. He could feel the ground shifting under his feet as the city slipped away from him.

Enzo called his crew together for the last push after the plan was set in motion. They would break into Carmela's compound, take her weapons, and put an end to her business for good. But a loud voice stopped Enzo as he was about to leave.

"Do you really think you can win this war, Ghost?" Enzo stopped in his tracks when he heard Bianca's voice echoing down the hall.

He turned to look at her, and his face grew hard. "Looks like you're still following Carmela."

Bianca smirked, and her eyes were full of poison. "You're not the only one who will do anything to win." Enzo, don't lie to yourself. You are just like me now. Willing to give up anything, everything to get the throne.

Enzo's throat got tight when he realized the truth. She is right. He wasn't the same man anymore. He had changed because of the city. The power had an effect on him. He had also lost sight of what he was really fighting for.

Enzo said in a cold voice, "We'll see who wins, Bianca." He was sure of himself, but doubt was eating at him inside. "This is the last time I'm going to ask you." "Get out of my way."

As Enzo moved forward, determined to take control, a loud noise broke the moment: the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.

Luca Moretti's voice broke the silence, cutting through the tension. "You think you can tear down everything I've worked for? "Do you think you've won, Ghost?"

Enzo's heart sank. Luca Moretti had always been one step ahead.

Luca stepped into the light, and armed men stood next to him. His smile was mean and sharp. "Enzo, you're playing a game you can't win." And now I have the cards.

Enzo's hand went to his gun, but the heaviness of the situation hit him hard. He held on tighter. The last battle for Havencroft was about to start, and this time it was all or nothing.