The sky was overcast when Kai stepped out of his house the next morning — the air thick with the promise of rain. It felt right. Fitting.
By the time he reached the villa, the team was already gathered — tense, waiting.
Felix stood first. “So… what’s the move?”
Kai sat calmly, hands resting on the table.
“Logan thinks he’s untouchable,” Kai began. “Surrounded by muscle, fear… loyalty he bought. But every empire crumbles the same way — from the inside.”
Iris frowned slightly. “You’re thinking… we find his weak link?”
Kai nodded. “One of his people. Somebody who’s scared, angry… waiting for a way out.”
Evan leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “How? No one in that warehouse looked like they were ready to talk.”
Kai smirked faintly. “That’s because you weren’t watching close enough.”
He turned to Felix. “Rewind the footage. The kid Logan beat… the one kneeling.”
Felix blinked but obeyed — the screen flickered, rewinding until the moment the battered kid lifted his head just slightly.
Kai pointed. “Pause there.”
The frozen image showed the boy’s swollen eye, split lip — but also… something else. Defiance. Rage. A flicker of something deeper.
“That’s our crack,” Kai said softly. “The one they’re already breaking.”
Jonah exhaled. “And you think he’ll flip?”
Kai nodded. “Fear keeps people quiet. But anger… anger makes them reckless.”
He turned to Iris. “You’re going to find him.”
Iris blinked. “Me?”
“Yeah. You’re the least threatening. Less likely to spook him.”
Iris hesitated, then nodded. “Alright… what’s his name?”
Felix tapped away, scanning Logan’s known crew. “Name’s Marcus Hale. Age 16. Used to go to our school. Dropped out last year.”
Iris stood. “I’ll find him.”
Kai gave a single nod. “Be careful.”
Later — Downtown
Iris found him exactly where Felix’s data said he’d be — a busted skate park on the edge of the city. Marcus sat alone on a rusted bench, hoodie up, one arm cradling his ribs.
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Iris approached slowly, hands in her pockets.
“Rough night?” she asked softly.
Marcus stiffened but didn’t move.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” Iris added. “I just… I saw what happened.”
That got his attention — his eyes flicked toward her, sharp and wary.
“Who are you?” His voice cracked. “One of Logan’s people?”
Iris shook her head. “No. Opposite, actually.”
She sat beside him — not too close.
“You don’t deserve what he did to you,” she whispered.
Marcus scoffed bitterly. “What I deserve… stopped mattering when I took his money.”
“Doesn’t mean you’re trapped.”
Marcus let out a dry laugh. “That’s exactly what it means.”
Iris hesitated… then pulled something from her pocket — a simple phone. She slid it toward him.
“You want out? Take this. Call the number saved in it. One call — and it’s done. You’re free.”
Marcus stared at the phone like it might explode.
“Why… why would you help me?”
Iris stood, looking down at him.
“Because no one helped me… when I needed it.”
And then she left — not waiting for an answer.
Villa — That Night
Iris returned, silent until Kai finally looked at her.
“Did you make contact?”
She nodded once. “Gave him the phone. He’s scared… but he’s angry.”
Kai smiled faintly. “Good. Now… we wait.”
Felix frowned. “And if he doesn’t call?”
Kai’s voice was calm — almost amused.
“Oh… he will.”
Villa — That Night
Iris returned, silent until Kai finally looked at her.
“Did you make contact?”
She nodded once. “Gave him the phone. He’s scared… but he’s angry.”
Kai smiled faintly. “Good. Now… we wait.”
Felix frowned. “And if he doesn’t call?”
Kai’s voice was calm — almost amused.
“Oh… he will.”
Two Days Later —
The burner phone buzzed in Felix’s bag.
Everyone froze.
Felix yanked it out, answering fast. “Yeah?”
A shaky voice — Marcus. “I… I want out.”
Kai’s eyes sharpened. “Put him on speaker.”
Felix obeyed.
Marcus’s voice filled the room — raw, terrified. “I’ll tell you everything. But… you have to promise… you’ll protect me.”
Kai’s voice was soft. Deadly calm. “I promise.”
A pause — then Marcus whispered the words that changed everything:
“I know where the next drop is. I know when. And… Logan’s gonna be there.”
The room went silent.
Kai’s smirk was cold as ice.
“Good. Then this… is where the noose tightens.”
The villa was silent — everyone gathered, tense, as Kai stood before them. The air was heavy with what was coming.
Marcus’s voice still echoed from the night before: “Logan. Tomorrow. Warehouse by the tracks. Midnight.”
Felix broke the silence first. “If Logan’s there… this is our shot.”
Jonah nodded. “Yeah — but how? We can’t just storm in. He’s got muscle. Weapons.”
Kai smiled faintly — the kind of smile that chilled the room. “We won’t storm anything. We won’t need to.”
He turned, walking toward the Watcher Room. “Give me two hours.”
They all stared, watching as the door shut — locking Kai inside.
Inside the Sanctum
The room was dark — lit only by candles. Kai sat cross-legged on the floor, the pyramid symbol looming above him.
He closed his eyes, breathing steady.
“I don’t need to be there… if I see it first.”
Kai’s mind slipped — breaking through the layers of reality as he focused.
The warehouse. The rain. The darkness. He pictured it clearly — every sound, every shadow.
And in the center of it all… Logan Reyes, laughing, unaware the world was about to tilt.
Kai focused harder — until he felt it click.
The future… became a memory.
Kai emerged — calm, eyes colder than before.
“It’s done,” he said simply.
Evan blinked. “What… what do you mean?”
Kai smiled — that unsettling, quiet smile. “I’ve already seen it. Logan falls tonight.”
They waited for him to explain.
Kai’s voice stayed soft, controlled. “The watchers… will fill in the pieces.”
He turned to Felix. “Your job is to trigger the cameras when I say. Jonah — you’re driving. Iris — you watch Marcus. He runs, you stop him.”
They all nodded — too afraid not to.
Midnight — The Warehouse
Rain poured as Jonah’s car rolled to a stop. The team sat in silence — watching through hidden camera as Marcus led them in.
Inside, Logan leaned against his crate throne — laughing, unaware.
Marcus’s voice cracked. “Boss… I brought new buyers.”
Logan’s eyes gleamed. “Yeah? Bring them in.”
Kai’s voice came over their earpieces — calm. “Wait.”
They froze.
Then — thunder rolled, louder than nature should allow.
Kai, miles away in the villa, whispered — but it carried through the radio.
“Now.”
Felix hit the button.
The lights in the warehouse snapped — the entire place plunged into darkness.
A second later, hidden speakers — rigged earlier — flared to life.
Kai’s voice boomed, distorted:
“LOGAN REYES… THE WATCHERS SEE YOU.”
Logan froze — panic flashing across his face.
Felix watched from the feed, heart racing.
Kai spoke again — voice lower, colder.
“You crossed the line. Tonight… you pay the price.”
The steel beams above groaned — rigged by Jonah earlier. A rope, soaked by the rain, snapped — dropping a heavy metal hook inches from Logan’s head.
He screamed — falling backward.
“NOW, MARCUS.”
Marcus moved — fast — grabbing Logan’s burner phone and tossing it out the window.
Jonah’s car peeled out — cameras rolling as Logan’s men scrambled.
Kai’s voice came one last time — soft, deadly:
“The world saw tonight, Logan. You’re done.”
The Next Morning
News spread fast.
“Drug ring exposed.”
“Anonymous tip leads to raid.”
“Footage shows Logan Reyes threatening minors — full investigation launched.”
At the villa, Kai sat quietly — watching the news, sipping his tea.
Evan laughed. “They think it was a lucky break. Some cop ‘happened’ to find the footage.”
Kai smiled faintly. “No such thing as luck.”
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