The underground hideout felt colder than usual. The dim light flickered above, casting eerie shadows across the cracked walls. Ochieng sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable, fingers tapping a steady rhythm against the wooden surface. Across from him, Sienna Kazuo sat with one leg crossed over the other, sipping from a glass of water with the same precision she used when wielding a blade.
Beside her, Abasi stood like a sentinel, his broad arms folded tightly across his chest, eyes burning with distrust. The room smelled of damp stone and aged whiskey, remnants of the world they operated in—a world filled with betrayals, alliances, and shifting motives.
"You said The Phantom betrayed your father," Ochieng finally spoke, his voice smooth but sharp as a knife. "What exactly did he do?"
Sienna exhaled slowly, her eyes darkening as memories resurfaced. "He was my father's greatest disciple. My father took him in as a child, raised him, trained him in everything—assassination, deception, survival. He was like a son to him." She placed her glass down, the sound ringing through the quiet space. "But The Phantom wasn't content with being a student. He wanted power. One night, he slit my father's throat in his sleep, set the estate on fire, and disappeared without a trace."
The air grew heavier. Abasi scoffed, shaking his head. "And now he's back, wiping out White Lotus like it's a personal vendetta."
"It is personal," Sienna murmured, her fingers tightening around the rim of her glass. "But not in the way you think. He doesn't just want them dead. He wants to erase them. He's making sure they never rise again. Every leader, every branch, every member—gone."
Ochieng leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. If The Phantom was truly after White Lotus, then for now, they had a common enemy. But a man like that wouldn't stop at just one faction.
He would keep going until no one was left.
Which meant they were next.
---
Sienna leaned forward, her gaze locked onto Ochieng. "I know where he'll be next."
Ochieng raised an eyebrow. "And you're just giving that information up for free?"
She smirked. "Let's call it an investment. You want him, and I want closure. When you catch him, I want a shot at him before you decide his fate."
Abasi frowned. "And you expect us to believe you won't try anything?"
Sienna tilted her head, her smirk widening. "Believe whatever you want. But if we don't move now, we'll lose him."
Ochieng exhaled slowly. He didn't trust her. But then again, he didn't trust anyone.
He stood up, his decision made. "Where is he?"
Sienna reached into her jacket and pulled out a small folded note. She slid it across the table. "He's attending the Crimson Auction tonight. The biggest underground auction in the city."
Ochieng picked up the note, unfolding it carefully. The Crimson Auction. A place where the wealthiest and most ruthless criminals gathered to buy and sell more than just priceless artifacts.
Weapons. Secrets. People.
"But The Phantom won't be there to bid," Sienna added. "He'll be there to kill."
Ochieng exchanged a glance with Abasi. The game had just changed.
"Let's move," he ordered.
---
The venue disguised itself as an elite gala, draped in luxury. Crystal chandeliers bathed the grand hall in golden light, illuminating men and women dressed in silk and diamonds. To the untrained eye, it looked like any other billionaire's party—where the rich indulged in excess and whispered deals behind closed doors.
But beneath the glamour, the true nature of the event pulsed like a hidden beast.
Inside, artifacts from ancient dynasties lined the walls. A diamond-studded katana rested on a velvet cushion, a handwritten letter from an emperor lay encased in glass. And then there were the darker items—bioengineered weapons, assassination contracts, and even slaves up for purchase.
Ochieng, Sienna, and Abasi entered through separate entrances, blending seamlessly into the crowd. Each of them wore sharp, well-tailored attire, their movements careful, calculated.
"Eyes open," Ochieng murmured into the hidden earpiece. "The Phantom is here somewhere."
Abasi, who had stationed himself near a group of Middle Eastern businessmen, scanned the room. "This place is crawling with killers. High-profile ones."
Sienna's voice was smooth. "Which means he's already inside."
Ochieng's eyes roamed the crowd. Where was he?
The auctioneer, a bald man dressed in a velvet suit, took center stage. He lifted a small golden hammer. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Crimson Auction. Our first item of the evening—"
Then the lights flickered.
The chatter in the room died instantly.
A cold voice rang out through the speakers.
"The highest bidder… will die first."
Then chaos erupted.
Gunfire. Screams. The sickening sound of steel slicing flesh.
In the center of it all, a figure in black moved like a ghost, weaving through the panic with deadly precision.
The Phantom had arrived.
---
Ochieng reacted instantly, ducking as a blade whizzed past his ear. He spun, gun drawn, only to see a masked assassin already mid-air, launching toward him with a dagger.
Fast. Too fast.
Ochieng barely had time to block. The dagger grazed his sleeve as he countered with a powerful kick, sending the assassin crashing into a table.
Sienna had already drawn her twin knives, slicing through two attackers with terrifying efficiency.
Abasi, a brute force of power, grabbed a man by the throat and slammed him into a marble pillar, cracking it.
But amidst the chaos, The Phantom moved untouched.
He was a shadow, a blur—one moment behind an unsuspecting guard, the next vanishing before a bullet could touch him.
Ochieng locked eyes with him across the room.
Time slowed.
The Phantom tilted his head, as if acknowledging him.
Then he moved.
Straight for the exit.
"He's running!" Sienna shouted, bolting after him.
Ochieng cursed, sprinting after them.
The hunt had begun.
---
The Phantom didn't run like a man escaping.
He ran like a predator leading his prey exactly where he wanted them.
Through back alleys, across rooftops, over chain-link fences—his movements were effortless.
Ochieng and Sienna kept close, pushing their bodies beyond their limits.
"Don't lose him!" Ochieng growled, heart pounding.
Suddenly, The Phantom skidded to a stop.
He turned slowly, his mask gleaming under the moonlight.
Ochieng and Sienna halted, catching their breath.
No one spoke.
Then, The Phantom smiled.
And in the next instant, he vanished.
---