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Once we’re inside, I don’t bother to get a drink. I pace, trying to think.
Dylan serves the others and has a glass for me that I ignore. The other men all sit.
Alex crosses his arms. “We need to shore up our defenses. If she’s making a move, it means she sees weakness.”
Jesse grins recklessly. “Weakness she won’t find. We’ll be ready.”
Despite the bravado, the tension in the air is palpable. Marlena’s move challenges the unity we’ve built within the Legion. Each member, entangled in their own struggles and demons, must confront the impending storm that threatens to tear apart the fragile threads that bind us together.
I pause my pacing and eye Alex. “We need information. Find out exactly what she’s after and how she plans to exploit our weaknesses.”
“I’ll get right on it,” he promises.
Dylan nods. “I’ll talk to some contacts too. See what I can dig up.”
Xavier cracks his knuckles. “If she wants a fight, we’ll give her one.”
The resolve is etched on their faces, a collective determination to protect what we’ve built. Marlena Voss may be a cunning adversary, but the Penumbra Legion is not one to be underestimated. As the city hums with the remnants of ourrecent victory and the impending clash with Marlena, I know that the challenges ahead will test the very foundations of the criminal empire we’ve forged.
CHAPTER 26
Naturally, Marlena Voss, a shadowy puppeteer in the criminal underworld, doesn’t take too kindly to my refusal to grovel, and she chooses a calculated assault on the financial heart of the Penumbra Legion. Her move is strategic, targeting the assets and connections that hold the criminal empire together. The initial reports filtering in suggest that Marlena is orchestrating a series of coordinated attacks on key businesses and contacts within our network.
It’s midday, and I have my lovers in The Black Lotus. I want to try to move around more so that no one can easily track my movements. Normally, I would be at my office at this time of day.
Alex has just finished explaining the latest grim report, and I grimace. “She’s hitting us where it hurts. Our wallets and our influence.”
Dylan checks his phone. “The attacks are widespread. It’s not just about damage. It’s a message.”
Xavier clenches his fists. “This won’t go unanswered. We hit back harder.”
As details emerge, it becomes clear that Marlena Voss has exploited the vulnerabilities within our web of connections.Businesses associated with the Penumbra Legion have faced theft, coercion, and attempted arson. The message is crystal clear, a declaration of war that aims to weaken our foundations and sow discord among the ranks.
Alex leans against the wall. “We can’t let this slide. We need to show strength.”
“We have more strength than she thinks,” Jesse promises.
The Penumbra Legion, despite the unexpected assault, stands resilient. While Marlena’s move has caused damage, it has also triggered a unified response from my allies. As we navigate the aftermath of the attacks, it’s evident that the next move will be crucial. The city awaits, a chessboard of shadows where every piece carries the weight of power and consequence.
As best as we can, we defend against everything she throws our way, not yet ready to do anything to counteract. We’re too on edge, and honestly, I’m still grieving my brother.
I hate Marlena almost as much as I hate Douglas Anderson.
Marlena Voss’s move against the Penumbra Legion unfolds like a shadowy dance, leaving a trail of uncertainty in its wake. The night is calm, the city bathed in the glow of distant streetlights, when a cryptic message finds its way to my phone. The digital display illuminates the text, unraveling Marlena’s gambit.
Vanessa, Fortune Oasis will crumble, and your empire with it. ~M.V.
The words are like a menacing whisper that sends shivers down my spine. Fortune Oasis is supposed to be legitimate. It’s supposed to hide all of my dirty, dark secrets. It’s not even fully built yet because of Damian’s sabotage, and now its beams and support stand on shaky ground. Marlena, always one to exploit weakness, threatens to dismantle the very foundation of my criminal empire. Without a way to laundry your money, your ill fortune remains unusable and pointless.
I grimace. I’m walking around, being as social as I can among the clientele of The Black Lotus, trying to put on a face, but that’s almost impossible now.
Dylan’s with the mayor tonight, and Alex is off checking over security elsewhere, but I motion Xavier and Jesse over.
“She’s going after Fortune Oasis,” I mumble.
Jesse clenches his fists. “We can’t let her destroy everything we’ve built.”
Xavier looks at the message. “This is personal, Vanessa. She’s hitting where it hurts the most.”
