Warbound: Rise of the Street General

Chapter 2: Blood in the Water

Enzo stumbled into the dark alley, his heart still racing from the close call. He ducked into a small doorway, and the heavy door closed behind him with a soft click. The cold of the night stuck to his skin, but he didn't care. The air tasted like danger was coming.

Serena Voss was inside, facing away from him, and the light from her laptop screen lit up her face in the dark room. She didn't look up when he came in, but the tension in the room made it clear she knew he was there.

"You are late," she said, her voice a mix of dry humour and something darker.

Enzo didn't answer right away; he looked around the room. There were papers, old files, and computer screens all over the place. He finally said, "I didn't think you would be alive." His voice was steady, even though he was feeling a lot of chaos inside. "I thought I was done with you."

Serena turned slowly, and her cold, calculating eyes met his. "Ghost, you're not so lucky. You're in deeper than you think, and I'm the only one who can help you.

Enzo squinted. "Get me out?" You are the last person I would trust with anything.

Serena's lips curled into a smile. "You don't have to believe me. But you do need me. She stopped for a moment to let the words sink in. "Rossini isn't just after your head. He killed Damon Rourke so he could be in charge of everything. Damon was just a piece in a bigger game.

Enzo's chest got tight. The truth hit like a punch. He had thought Rossini was guilty, but hearing it confirmed made him feel like the weight of reality was on him.

He moved closer and spoke in a low but harsh voice. "What's your part in all of this?" What do you want?

Serena got up, walked to the desk, and picked up a file. She opened it. "To bring Rossini down. To put an end to what he's done to people like us. She paused and looked back at him. "I'm not doing this for you, Ghost." I'm doing it for myself. For redemption."

Enzo's eyes got smaller. "You think I trust you enough to believe that?"

"I don't care if you trust me," Serena said, not looking away. "But you need to work with me, or Rossini's men will kill you before you can get to him."

He could see that she was telling the truth, but that didn't mean she wasn't lying about what she wanted. There was a cost for everything in Havencroft.

"Why should I work with you?" Enzo asked, his voice full of doubt.

Serena leaned forward and spoke in a quiet but strong voice. "Because you have no other choice. And that's because Rossini is already playing a game you don't get. You need someone who knows how to play.

Enzo's mind was racing, but he didn't say anything. The words between them had settled into the space between them, thick with the tension that only people who played in the dark could understand.

Serena's fingers hovered over the keys on her laptop, and the screen flickered. She went on, "There's a lot you don't know about Rossini," as if she were talking to herself. "He's not just a drug lord. He's involved in everything, from politics to law enforcement to the military. You can't touch him. And you're the only thing that can keep him from getting to the throne of Havencroft.

Enzo's throat got tight. Those words felt heavy in his stomach, like lead. Not able to be touched.

"So," he said in a low voice, "we take him down." You, me, and everyone else he's angry with. I can't promise that I'll trust you, but I can promise that I'll use what I have.

Serena's eyes met his, and for a moment, they both understood each other. She was aware of the price. She had seen the damage Rossini had done, and she had lived there long enough to know there was no going back.

"First, we start with what we know," she said. "Rossini isn't as careful as he thinks he is." We can take advantage of the cracks in his empire.

Enzo thought of Bianca Rourke, how cold and calculating her eyes were and how she had turned her back on him. He didn't need any more friends like her, but if he wanted to get rid of Rossini, he would have to deal with the people who had power.

The next few hours were a blur. Serena took him through a maze of encrypted files, government ties, and illegal business deals. It was like they were digging through an endless maze of dirt, and every time they found something, it just made them have more questions.

Enzo was starting to understand how big the web Rossini had spun around Havencroft really was. Rossini had ties to more than just the city's crime groups. He was in charge of everything, from the dishonest people in the mayor's office to the arms dealers in the dark.

They stopped all of a sudden when Serena pulled up some video from the surveillance cameras. The time stamp caught Enzo's eye. He squinted and said, "That's Rossini's compound." "What are we looking at?"

Serena hit a key, which made a man entering Rossini's compound look bigger. "Someone who shouldn't be there." Julian Serrano. He works for Rossini as a hitman. I saw him sneak in with a briefcase. It's bad news, whatever's in that case.

Enzo clenched his teeth. "Now we take it from him."

Serena shook her head. "Not that simple. Serrano won't go anywhere without help. If you make a move on him, the game is over.

Enzo was very nervous as they put their plan into action. He was on a thin line. Someone was always watching what they did, but he had to do it. He would have to go into the lion's den if he wanted to take Rossini down.

They followed Serrano for days, waiting for the right time. The trap was ready. Enzo and Serena were in the shadows of a warehouse, watching the man walk into a quiet part of Havencroft.

They hit quickly. There was a gunshot, but the bullet didn't hit Enzo. It missed by a few inches. They were in the middle of it.

Julian Serrano came out from behind a stack of crates as the shadows moved. He smiled in a mean way. "Did you think you could get past me, Ghost?"

Enzo's hand automatically went to the gun at his side, but before he could pull it out, he heard footsteps coming from all sides. Rossini's men had him cornered.

Enzo had no way out and enemies were closing in on all sides. He made a quick decision. He ran towards a nearby exit, but when he turned the corner, he ran straight into Bianca Rourke, Damon's daughter, who was armed and ready to kill him.

"Did you really think you could run forever, Enzo?" She sneered as the cold barrel of her gun pressed against his chest.