Looking down at the world from his top corner office, Wilson Monroe, the kingpin observed the societal hierarchy in its natural order: the poor cowering in fear, those of similar status getting along, and the wealthiest vying for the top spot. Everyone seemed to find their place without much effort.
"Sir, we have a situation," his assistant Vanessa's voice came through his earpiece.
"What is it?" He inquired.
"We just received word that the Floating Mary K9 has capsized and been destroyed," she reported.
"What happened?" The kingpin asked, puzzled.
"We're yet to confirm, but it seems like tidal waves," Vanessa replied.
"Tidal waves?" The kingpin's disbelief was evident. The Floating Mary was a top container ship for Monroe Logistics; a simple tidal wave shouldn't have been able to take it down.
"Yes, Sir," Vanessa confirmed.
"Alright, calculate our losses and contact the insurance company," Kingpin instructed.
"Copy that, Sir."
Despite the loss of the Floating Mary, Monroe Logistics still had seven more ships, so the blow wasn't catastrophic.
Suddenly, another call came in. "I have bad news, Sir. Another one of our ships has hit rock bottom."
"What? Another ship?" the kingpin was taken aback.
Losing a ship wasn't uncommon in the multi-billion-dollar logistics industry, but losing two within such a short span was unprecedented.
"Are you sure?" he sought confirmation.
"Affirmative," Vanessa replied.
"Tidal waves again?"
"It seems so, but there's something strange. The ships were miles apart, and according to the data, both shipping routes were clear," Vanessa explained.
"Alright, make the necessary arrangements and find out—"
"Sir, we've just lost another ship," Vanessa interrupted.
"What?" he began to panic visibly. Three ships lost in less than ten minutes meant immense financial losses.
"That's impossible…" he trailed off as another report came in.
"Sir, another ship has gone dark."
"And another" she said
The kingpin sprung up to his feet. Heouldn't comprehend how this was happening. Each ship cost around a hundred million dollars at least.
"Sir all eight ships are gone" Vanessa announced.
"The aircraft? how many are in the air?" he asked.
"Only one, Sir, the Imperial Falcon. The rest are in the central hangar," Vanessa informed him.
"Good, get the Falcon to land ASAP," he ordered.
"Copy that, Sir."
Suddenly, his phone rang. Though only his closest family had the number, the caller ID showed it as unknown. Despite the ominous timing, he couldn't ignore the call.
"Hello, who is this?" he demanded.
"What number are we at?" the voice on the other end asked with an unfamiliar tone.
"What?!" Kingpin was bewildered.
"Got nothing to say? Still processing? Well, maybe this will help."
The voice sounded familiar, but the tone was new and unsettling to Kingpin.
"What are you talking about?" he asked but was interrupted by Vanessa's urgent voice.
"The hangar, Sir," she interjected.
"What about it?" Kingpin questioned.
"It's on fire," Vanessa reported.
"What!!"
"Lesson one; when in doubt, set them ablaze," the voice on the phone interrupted again.
"Alexander!!?" The kingpin yelled, finally recognized
"Surprise," Alexander replied.
"No, this is not possible. You're just a live-in son-in-law, you can't have this much power," Kingpin struggled to comprehend the situation.
"Now who's the oblivious one? Your life is about to end, and that's what you're worried about?" Alexander mocked.
"Alexander, what do you want?" The kingpin asked, setting aside his pride.
"What do I want? It's amusing how even in your final moments, your pride remains intact. What I want is to destroy you and everything you own. I want to watch you suffer as I tear down your life, and that will be complete once I destroy your precious Imperial Falcon."
"No! You can't," Kingpin protested.
"Latitude 5 degrees north, longitude degrees west; that's its coordinates, right?"
"Please, Alexander, don't do this," Kingpin pleaded.
The Kingpin realized the gravity of the situation. He was losing it.
The Imperial Falcon was the crown jewel of the Monroe Logistics. The Imperial Falcon is a Boing 747-8 Freighter, which is one of the largest cargo planes in the world, with a 134 metric tons maximum payload used to transport big cargo like military vehicles, aviation engines, and oil drilling machinery. It was worth more than the entire company combined. Not to mention, the million pound loads of client goods boarded on the craft, most of them were illegal so no insurance could cover them.
The kingpin couldn't just sit back and watch get destroyed by a live-in peasant son-in-law. He had to think of some way to stop him.
"Wait, Alexander, let's be rational, I don't why, but for some reason you have worked so hard to build this pretentious life where everyone sees you as a pauper, I don't know your reason for this but what I am sure you don't want to lose it just yet. Now tell me, but what do you think would happen if you do this? I advise you to spare the imperial falcon so you never have to find out." The kingpin proposed desperately.
There was silence in the air, not a word was spoken not a breath to be taken. There was a tense silence before Alexander hung up.
The Kingpin, Wilson Monroe fell to his knees in relief. For a second he wasn't sure Alexander was going to buy into his threat. But none of it mattered now, what mattered now was that he could rebuild, and since he still had his imperial falcon, that could easily be done in the next couple of years. After that, he was going to find out who Alexander was, and make him pay; no man dared to bring the kingpin to his knees.
But his relief was short-lived. Vanessa's next report shattered any hope he had left.
"I'm sorry Sir" Vanessa began with an apology.
"It's okay I can easily rebuild my kingdom. The Imperial Falcon, what continent did it land"
"The Imperial Falcon didn't land, Sir."
"What! What the hell are you talking about?"
"It was blown to bits in the middle of the Pacific by an unidentified military-grade missile," Vanessa delivered the devastating news.
"What did you say" The kingpin could feel his mind breaking into pieces, as he fell to the ground
"Sir to lose all eight industrial container ships, and four shipment planes in less than an hour is unheard, of and seems too organized to random. You have stepped on the wrong toes this time Sir, and whoever it is, is a Devourer of Kings" she said and hung up afterward.
The kingpin felt his mind unraveling as he collapsed to the ground. Losing all eight industrial container ships and four shipment planes in less than an hour was inconceivable.
Kingpin Monroe remained silent for the next few moments, as Vanessa's words about stepping on the wrong toes echoed in his mind. The crushing realization that his life was over had rendered him mute. Suddenly, his phone rang again, an unknown caller.
"You bastard, how dare you do this to me?!" Kingpin yelled into the phone.
"To be honest, maybe I was going to destroy the Falcon, maybe I wasn't. But you were foolish enough to threaten me. So, as a king you once were, what would you have had me do?" Alexander's voice was chilling.
"Do you think this is funny? I'm going to expose you! I am going to tell everyone you are not who you pretend to be!" Kingpin threatened.
"Try it, and those shall be the last words you'll ever say," Alexander warned, his tone sending shivers down Kingpin's spine.
"yOu..R Are bLuFfinG" He stammered.
"Maybe, maybe not, heed to my advice and you will never have to find out. Understood"
Wilson Monroe realized he was no match for Alexander's power. "Yes, Sir," he replied instinctively.
"Good.Now tell me, how does it feel to know that peasant or king, in the presence of a god, you are nothing?" Alexander taunted and hung up.
All the while Alexander was seated on the mountain-pilled body of the kingpin's men.
….
"Where were we?" he asked, turning to his butler, Geoffrey.
"It's good to have you back, Sir," the butler replied.
"I wish I could say the same."
"So I was saying instead of assuming a full leadership position, I was thinking you could work from the shadows, helping the Conglomerate at its falling edges until you're ready to take over the Nebula Stellar Conglomerate."
"I could work with that. What's my first assignment?"
"The Maverick Production Company. It's one of the top companies in home appliances production in Pantheon Valley, with a net worth of trillions. Lately, it's been running into some problems. We've hired our best economic analysts, but none of them have been able to pinpoint the issue," he said, as a beautiful blonde woman entered the warehouse.
"This is Grace Pemberton, she's the assistant CEO of the company. The former CEO chose to be transferred, but she chose to stay and get the opportunity to work with you."
"It's nice to finally meet you, Sir," Grace said.
"Nice to meet you as well. Can I see the report file?"
Glancing over the report sheet, Alexander noted the problems: decreased efficiency and productivity, higher operational costs, outdated infrastructure, and limited space.
"We need new buildings... a lot of them."
"What? Sir, forgive me but are you sure that's what the company needs right now? Throwing away that much money into new construction when we're losing so much at the moment?" Grace said.
Alexander looked at her and then let out a deep sigh.
"One: Investing in infrastructure and building upgrades is crucial and the adequate solution for the Maverick Cooperation to maintain operational efficiency, reduce costs, and stay competitive," he lectured.
"Two: If you want to work with me, never question my resolve."
"Yes, sir," Grace said.
"I have to go now. My wife must be worried sick about me," Alexander said.
"Okay, Sir. I'll get the limos ready," Geoffrey said.
"No! I prefer to walk and remember; nobody can know about me and who I am. Got that?"
"Yes, Sir," they both said in unison.
"Good. I'll resume office in a few days. Till then, stay clear," Alexander said as he walked out of the room and out of the abandoned warehouse.
Once he left, Grace was filled with excitement, awe, and disbelief. She was in the presence of The Legendary Alexander Chase.
"Sir, is he as good as the legends say he is?" she turned and asked Geoffrey.
Geoffrey grinned and ran a mental race through memory lane. "No, he's better."
"How do you mean Sir" she asked.
"Master Caspian is and has always been a prodigy. By age the early age of 12, he had completed all levels of education, including his master's. He has an IQ of 430." Geoffrey answered as they walked out of the warehouse too.
"Wow"
"By age 15, due to a fatal illness that plagued his father, Alexander took full leadership control of the entire Stellar Nebula Conglomerate and grew its gross profit and conglomerate size by 300% in less than 6months. He was the true heir to the Stellar Nebula Conglomerate, one of the richest companies in the world. That is until he was involved in a ghastly plane crash that left no survivors"
"So how did he survive" She asked
Geoffrey paused and turned around, his gaze was fixated on the hill pile of brutally knocked out thugs Alexander left behind. The Caspian he remembered was smart and tough but sweet and innocent.
"That I do not know, but what I want to know is what manner of hell he had to go through" Geoffrey replied.