The city lights flickered in the distance as Ochieng stood at the edge of the rooftop, his sharp gaze scanning the dark streets below. A war was coming, and he could feel it in his bones.
Behind him, Isabelle shifted uneasily.
"You're not hesitating, are you?" Ochieng asked, not bothering to turn around.
She scoffed. "I knew what I was signing up for the moment I stepped back into your life."
He finally turned to her, his gaze cold. "Good. Because hesitation will get you killed."
---
Tielen had worked fast. Within an hour, the strongest allies Ochieng had gathered over the years were in the underground meeting hall—a hidden bunker beneath an abandoned warehouse.
They were a mix of assassins, businessmen, fallen warriors, and powerful elites who owed Ochieng their lives.
At the center of them all stood Jaylen, a ruthless strategist who had built an empire in the shadows.
"Took you long enough to call," Jaylen smirked.
Ochieng didn't smile. "We're going to war."
The room fell silent. Then, one by one, they nodded.
---
"The Zenith Syndicate doesn't just take people," Isabelle spoke up. "If they have Magda, it means they want something from you."
Ochieng's fists clenched.
"Then we'll make them regret it."
Jaylen chuckled. "I assume you have a plan?"
Ochieng smirked. "Of course."
And just like that, the first move was made.
---