The room fell into absolute silence.
The intruder stood at the threshold, his silver-rimmed glasses reflecting the dim light.
No one spoke.
Ezekiel's smirk had vanished. Dmitri's fingers tightened around his glass. Nadia's hand remained near her hidden weapon.
And Ochieng?
He studied the man carefully.
This wasn't someone ordinary.
This was a player—one who had just entered the game late but intended to take control.
The question was: Who was he playing for?
---
Ezekiel was the first to break the silence.
"I don't recall an invitation being extended to you." His voice was light, but there was a dangerous undertone.
The man smiled.
"That's the thing about power, Ezekiel. You don't always need an invitation."
His confidence was unsettling.
Dmitri narrowed his eyes. "Name."
The man took a slow step forward.
"My name is Veyron."
A single name—yet its weight sent an unmistakable ripple through the air.
Nadia's fingers twitched slightly. Dmitri's grip tightened.
Even Ezekiel, who never showed fear, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
Ochieng noticed it all.
"Veyron?" Ochieng repeated, his tone unreadable. "I assume you're not here just to watch."
Veyron chuckled. "Smart man. No, I'm here to play."
He glanced at the lockbox in the center of the table.
"And more importantly… to take what's inside."
---
Dmitri exhaled slowly, setting his glass down. "And what makes you think we'll let you?"
Veyron pushed his glasses up slightly, a glint of amusement in his gaze.
"Because unlike you, I don't need to play by the rules. I am the rule."
A single moment of stillness.
Then—
A gunshot.
Nadia's gun was out faster than anyone could react.
The bullet flew straight toward Veyron's head—only for him to tilt his head slightly.
The bullet missed.
No—
It had been dodged.
Ochieng's expression remained neutral. But inside?
This just became interesting.
---
Veyron smiled, unfazed. "That was rude, Nadia."
She didn't lower her gun. "And you're still breathing. Consider that my kindness."
Ezekiel sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright. Enough with the dramatics. Veyron, what do you want?"
Veyron tapped the lockbox.
"This."
Ochieng leaned forward. "And what's inside?"
Veyron's smile widened. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Then, he snapped his fingers.
And in that moment—
The entire casino's power cut out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Ochieng immediately moved.
Something was coming.
---