Chapter 550:

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Dayna turned back to the masked man, uncertainty and dread flickering in her gaze. Whatever kind of order this was, it was built on fear, and the man before them wore it like a crown.

Some of the gunmen hesitated, lowering their weapons slowly.

The tattooed man, blood still trailing from the corner of his mouth, staggered upright with a snarl. “So what?” he growled. “If we take you out cleanly, no one will trace it back. I’ve put up with you long enough.”

He jabbed a finger in the air, barking, “Shoot him! Once I’m promoted, you’ll all be swimming in money!”

But no one fired. Not a single soul moved.

The masked man let out a quiet laugh—a low, pitying sound, like someone watching a fool dig his own grave. With one simple gesture, more shadows detached from the surrounding darkness. His men.

They emerged with silent precision, swiftly encircling the tattooed man’s group. They outnumbered them two to one.

𝗟a𝗍es𝘵 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝘱𝘁e𝘳𝘴 𝗈n g𝘢𝗅𝗻𝘰𝗏𝘦𝘭𝘀.𝖼о𝗆

Panic washed over the tattooed man’s face. He staggered backward, his voice cracking. “Wait—what the hell are you doing? You really going to kill me? You think the boss won’t care?”

The masked man calmly drew a sleek handgun from his coat and began walking toward him, slow and deliberate. His laughter now was cruel, amused. “You didn’t really think the boss was unaware of what you’ve been up to, did you? You’ve stolen enough. Now it’s time to repay—with interest.”

And just like that, he fired. One shot. Clean.

The bullet punctured the tattooed man’s forehead. His body sagged before it even hit the floor, a dark hole centered between his eyes.

Not a twitch. Not a sound.

Kristopher stood stone-still, a knot forming in his chest.

The threat had been that the tattooed man intended to rob them—but what if the masked man was no better? Possibly worse.

The masked man’s soldiers didn’t hesitate. On cue, they unleashed a storm of bullets, wiping out the tattooed man’s crew in a barrage of brutal, efficient gunfire.

The alleyway erupted into carnage.

Lucas instinctively stepped back, grimacing as blood sprayed across his shoes.

Dayna remained rooted to the spot. Her face was still, unreadable, but her eyes darted, calculating. These weren’t just criminals. They were cold-blooded professionals—and the group she stood with was dangerously exposed.

Though Kristopher had arranged backup in advance, they were too far to respond in time.

She caught Lucas’ eye and gave a subtle nod. He instantly caught her drift and raised his voice dramatically.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” he shouted. “I came here to negotiate. First, your people try to hijack my cargo. Now I’m being dragged into your internal squabbles? Is this what passes for business around here?”

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