The only person who remained standing was Vincent Halbert. Not out of loyalty to Vance, but because he knew he couldn’t afford to run. Vincent was neck-deep in the wreckage. Most of the transaction trails led back to his company accounts, and his businesses had not only financed the assassins but had even provided the transport—his own trucks had carried the weapons and equipnt near the highway. If Vance fell and confessed, Vincent would be the first domino to follow. There was no escaping this for him.
Vincent looked down at the disgraced, kneeling Congressman, a mix of cold fear and fury in his eyes.
"Congressman Vance," Vincent asked, his voice low and tight with dread. "What should we do? We can still react! We can’t allow this to end this way."
-------------------------
Hours later, the Director’s office at Lexington was unrecognizable. The chaos was gone, replaced by a tense, opulent quiet. Ethan sat easily in the Director’s chair, still wearing his orange prison jumpsuit. Facing him were Congressman Thompson and his son Max, Mr. Stone, and the venerable Old Falcon. Lena Rossi and Cassandra stood slightly behind them, dressed in tailored, figure-hugging dresses that accentuated their professionalism and striking beauty. Director Hayes stood near the cabinet, and Director Brown hovered awkwardly by the wall.
"It worked exactly as we planned, Chief," Mr. Stone said respectfully, addressing Ethan directly. Though Stone officially served Old Falcon, he was keenly aware that Old Falcon intended to align himself fully with this young man, aning Stone would soon be under Ethan’s wing as well. "They fell completely into the trap."
A discussion began imdiately about the next steps.
"I spoke to Vance and offered him exile in exchange for silence," Congressman Thompson declared, adjusting his cufflinks. "It’s absolute nonsense, of course. I fully expect him to swallow the tale so we can destroy him even more easily. There is no one more invested in his downfall than I am."
Ethan lifted his empty glass of whisky. "Refill it, dear," Ethan told Director Hayes.
Despite the room being full of powerful n and won, Ethan treated the forr Warden like a servant. Director Brown watched the scene unfold, knowing Ethan’s actions were never accidental—he was showcasing absolute dominance to everyone present.
Hayes rushed forward and refilled his glass without hesitation or sha. As she passed, she paused, leaned down, and kissed Ethan on the temple. "Of course, darling," Hayes said warmly.
Cassandra and Lena exchanged sharp, silent glances, biting their lips in controlled fury. Everyone understood Hayes’ move: she was playing her own ga, establishing a claim and asserting dominance over Ethan’s other wons. The balance of power was subtle, but deeply marked.
"We should not forget Celestial," Ethan reminded the group, swirling the dark liquid in his glass. "They are the reason this whole ga started. We don’t know if they will support Vance to the end."
Congressman Thompson nodded, then extended a slim folder he had been holding. "I anticipated that, Ethan. As a sign of reciprocity for helping my political ambitions, I brought you a small gift."
Ethan raised an eyebrow and opened the envelope. His composure faltered slightly as he read the contents. He looked up at Thompson, surprised.
"I heard about your conflicts with Olympus and Celestial," Thompson explained. "I brought every piece of information we have on them."
"Olympus is a European mafia organization," Thompson continued, leaning forward. "They extend across the Benelux region—Holland, Belgium, and parts of the Rhineland. They use ports and legitimate businesses to fund their operations."
"The specific conflict they had was with a person I know," Thompson revealed. "A good friend of mine handed over the investigation and all the docunts linking them to recent cris. It would be simple to annihilate them if you wished. I only recomnd we wait a little. Their backing is strong; they have many politicians embedded. If you allow to beco Governor first, we can sweep them without any legal repercussions."
"Waiting is tactically unsound," Jason’s voice. "They tried to kidnap Ethan´s won and caused massive damage to Alfred’s pizzeria! We know a man nad Aaron Jenkins was the primary instigator. We should hit them now, hit them hard, and make them bleed!"
"Emotional decisions are dangerous, Jason," Cassandra argued, her voice cold and professional. "Thompson is right. We can use the power of the State—audits, tax evasion, legal maneuvering. We can destroy their entire infrastructure without firing a single illegal bullet."
"But the longer we wait, the more ti they have to consolidate or strike again," Max countered, worried for his friend. "A quick, direct action now would alleviate pressure and demonstrate strength."
"And jeopardize everything we just accomplished with Vance," Lena Rossi interjected. "If we go kinetic now, it confirms Royal is involved. We sacrifice the legal high ground."
"We can’t afford a repeat of the pizzeria incident," Mr. Stone warned. "A state audit is cleaner, but it takes ti. A quick, targeted strike is satisfying, but risky."
Ethan raised his hand, silencing the vigorous discussion.
"Quiet," Ethan commanded. "I know we want to destroy them as soon as possible, but we must be smarter than they are. We will maintain the façade. No one is to relate Royal to this incident. I will remain as the personal scapegoat, and the true political clash will be frad solely between Vance and Thompson to avoid raising any alarms."
Ethan looked directly at Congressman Thompson. "When the ti is right, we will end them all."
Thompson nodded, respecting the decision. "I accept. Thank you, Ethan."
"I will get you the address for Aaron Jenkins," Thompson promised. "I know he leads all their local operations. While a direct hit on him isn’t an attack on Olympus, they will take it personally. It should alleviate your differences while we prepare for the full eradication."
Ethan leaned back in the Director’s chair, his gaze sweeping over the powerful figures, from the Congressman to the beautiful wons.
"It’s nothing," Ethan stated, his voice low and firm. "We must think of everyone. I don’t want anyone to end up in prison for mistakes. Being cautious is key. That goes for everyone. I hope that before you think of selfish motives, you think about how they could affect everyone."
A chorus of agreent, sober and serious, rose from the group. "Yes," they all affird in unison.
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