The seal was of two capital letters, S facing each other and an X drawn in their middle from the tips to both ends, coupled with two circles surrounding the letters. Once that symbol was stamped on your name, your fate was sealed!
Silver Seal, a mysterious and most feared occult of the most skilled assassins, the members of this secret organization were called shadow, because of how stealth they were.
Dating back to thirty-five years ago, before they became an organized secret syndicate under the ruling of the Riggs after the mystical death of their leader.
Silver Seal worked for loan sharks and a few individuals who sought out for their service.
An illegal investment and loan business, called Riggs Firm, were their regular customers.
Riggs Firm was controlled by five people, Mr. Cole Riggs, the founder of the group, Belize Riggs, the younger sister of Mr. Cole, Mr. Conrad McNeil, a business owner, Edmond Riggs, Mr. Cole's cousin from his paternal side and Bolivar, Mr. Cole's friend.
These quintets presented themselves using Mr. McNeil's business as a legal financial service to desperate customers in need of monetary help and to scam people.
They made the clients to sign a contract, which seemed normal at a glance, but those contracts stated that the receivers of those loans must have an asset of value that can be used as collateral before they pay back the credit. In the event of death or delay in payment of the loan after the due date, the collateral taken from those clients becomes the property of the Riggs and anyone of their clients or clients relatives who opposed to that or wanted to expose them were dead the next day.
This went on and on for a year, the Riggs Firm and the Silver Seal came close after having a smooth business-relationship going on for months, Mr. Cole and Silver, as the leader of Silver Seal, a former special agent, was called.
He met and developed into acquaintances with Mr. Cole.
Mr. Cole, especially, has always wanted to meet with him and was over the moon when Silver summoned for him.
After having a drink and a few chats together that day with Mr. Cole, Silver died in his room two days later, a case of poisoning. He had broken one rule he made.
"Under any circumstances, the relationship between clients should be strictly business."
The coroner's report stated that his kidney tissue was loaded with calcium oxalate crystals, which meant that they poisoned him with ethylene glycol.
A colorless, odorless and easily mask-able poisonous liquid.
All investigations on finding the perpetrator were brought to an end when his suicide note was found, some shadows refused to believe that the death of their leader was a suicide but, they didn't refute those claims and continued work as usual while a few of them wanted to dig deeper to the bottom of the not leaving any stone unturned to drag to the deepest pits of hell their leader's killer and among them was Lucy, the youngest assassin, being twenty-five years of age.
She had feelings for her leader, and although she kept it a secret from him, she was close to him the most and knew for a fact that Silver would never commit suicide for any god-damned reason.
Her number one suspect was Mr. Cole, who suggested that Silver Seal become a part of their illegal business operations in the Riggs Firm under his government just a few weeks after Silver's death.
Some conceded to it and some opposed, the groups who disagreed left the secret group to work on their own, but that was after signing a non-disclosure contract about the group to anybody, organization or the law enforcement with a thumbprint of blood.
The ones who conformed to it started working under Mr. Cole and Lucy was among them.
She wanted to be close to Mr. Cole as possible to find out the truth about Silver's death, even though it meant betraying her loyalty to him.
Mr. McNeil came up with a brilliant suggestion and decided to share it with Mr. Cole, and that became the beginning of his downfall.
He told Mr. Cole to turn the illegitimate loan business into a legit financial group where they can make more money and be equal on both sides of society, dealing in both legal and illegal operations.
Mr. Cole liked the concept and proceeded with a plan to drive it to a reality.
He started organizing connections with the higher-ups in society, including some local politicians and climbed through the ladder by black mailing politicians and wealthy business executives into generating investments in his company.
He went through records and secret information on the previous cleints of Silver Seal during Silver's leading.
There he found the names of influential people who had soughted out for the service of the shadows, and he used that to blackmail them.
Belize was a vicious and sly woman who used, to the full potential, the power of her looks.
She assisted her brother in any way she could and was the brain behind most of the cruel things her elder brother did.
Prostituting herself in disguise for the sole purpose of drugging preyed men either into signing management rights of their properties to her brother's name or committing insurance fraud.
Five years later, the company was established in the country's capital, with strong backing from the affluent and with the support of the masses, who viewed them as a great resource to boost the economy better than the current government.
In the next three years, Riggs Firm had spread outside their country home, far and wide, abroad and overseas, and they became universal.
They were active in more than one sector of the financial service market, life insurance, asset management, retail banking, investment banking and more.
They changed the name from Riggs Firm to Riggs Universal Holdings.
Mr. McNeil didn't like that the Riggs used their last name to establish the corporation without his knowledge after a change of name was brought to the board when the business was originally his.
Although the corporation was jointly owned, the Riggs were at the front lines, and he was just a figurehead.
He wanted to cut off all ties with them and manage the organization all by himself. He craved to bring their relationship to an end.
He suggested casually one day to see the reaction of Mr. Cole.
"Let me run the company, and you focus on the loan business".
He knew first-hand how wicked and greedy Mr. Cole could get, and learned how to tread carefully.
"You don't like the name? Belize came up with it". Mr. Cole replied indifferently as he scribbled on the paper on the table.
"What? I said nothing about the name of the company". Mr. McNeil laughed.
"So, why do you suddenly want to take over the corporation?". Mr. Cole asked, glaring at Mr. McNeil with his head bent slightly, stabbing the tip of the pen on the wooden desk.
Mr. McNeil didn't like the way the conversation was going, so he changed the topic, but it was too late. Mr. Cole had already caught on.
He wasn't one to overlook an upcoming threat.
~~~~~
"It's time for him to go. I don't think we need him anymore". Belize spoke with a devilish glare in her eyes, smiling like she had been possessed by a demon.
She had an air of sophistication, a bold aura, and a face that would stand out in a crowd.
With her mesmerizing eyes, sharp cheekbones, and luscious red lips, she commanded attention wherever she went. Yet, beneath her breathtaking exterior lay a cold and cruel heart.
She possessed an uncanny ability to manipulate others, effortlessly weaving her web of deceit and seduction. Her charm was like a venomous snake, enticing her victims closer until they were paralyzed by her charm. She thrived on the power she held over others, relishing in their vulnerability and dependence on her. She was a master of deception, adept at masking her true intentions with a disarming smile. Those who dared to cross her path soon realized the extent of her cruelty, as she reveled in their suffering.
She knew no bounds when it came to achieving her desires, using her beauty as a weapon to bend others to her will. She was a dangerously beautiful woman, a force to be reckoned with, and a cautionary tale for those who dared to underestimate her.
Everyone around her were fully aware of this fact.
----
Mr. Cole shrugged as he poured more red wine into his glass.
"That's a good way to see it, but he's still needed".
"For what?".
Mr. Cole raised his eyes from the glass and stared at his sister
"Colton likes his daughter," He replied and stretched the hand holding the drink forward, in a a manner of saying 'cheers'.
Belize released short laughter from her lips before shaking her head sideways in admiration.
"Ha, do what you want, when you are ready, tell me". Belize said, as she got up. She bent her face close to Mr. Cole's.
"I will make it look like an accident".
~~~~~~
Colton Riggs was the only child of Mr. Cole and Kate McNeil was the only child of Mr. McNeil.
Mr. Cole's high school girlfriend, Bisola, an African girl in his class, died weeks after giving birth to Colton.
He was eighteen at the time it happened, being so inexperienced and having a an infant would be a nightmare for some youthful lads at the time, but it made him over the moon, he was head over heels in love with her that he refused to get married or have any sexual relations with any woman since her death.
After her death, he promised her that he will take good care of their son and provide him with all his requests even though it required him to commit murder.
That was his way of mourning her death. Whenever he did something that made Colton happy, he would look into his eyes to meet his dead girlfriend.
He always thanked the stars for being lenient on him and granting him the desire to meet his Bisola in Colton's face.
Colton has shown interest in Mr. McNeil's daughter, and before he would let his sister do her thing, he was going to wed off Mr. McNeil's daughter to his son and transfer all the assets that Mr. McNeil had in his name to his son's, and he already has a plan to make it a reality.
"I have thought about what you told me the other day, I would only agree to it if you let my son, Colton, marry your daughter, that way we can become a family and I can trust your relationship with me, and otherwise we will continue running the business this way". Mr. Cole said to Mr. McNeil.
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