The club reeked of blood and gunpowder. Smoke lingered in the air, mixing with the scent of spilled liquor and death. Elias pressed his back against the shattered remains of a table, his breath steady despite the chaos that had unfolded around him.
The African group had come in like a storm, guns blazing, tearing through Vescari's men without warning. It was meant to be a massacre, and in many ways, it had been.
Sheriff Cain was dead.
The words still echoed in his mind. The moment the gunfire stopped, someone shouted it, and panic spread through the survivors like wildfire. A dead sheriff meant the police would be all over this place within minutes, looking for explanations no one wanted to give.
Elias scanned the bodies littering the nightclub floor. Silvio Bellini and Eduardo Vescari lay among them, their blood soaking into the velvet carpet. The African gang had been brutal, but so had the Vescari Syndicate. The casualties were high on both sides.
With his head low, Elias moved carefully between overturned chairs and broken bottles, trying to blend in with the stunned survivors. Some were groaning, clutching wounds, others sitting in shock, unable to process what had just happened. He needed to leave before the police locked everything down.
Then, a hand grabbed his ankle.
Elias turned swiftly, his pistol raised, only to see a dying Vescari soldier looking up at him with bloodshot eyes. His mouth opened, trying to form words, but only blood came out.
Elias yanked his foot free, stepping back, watching the man's hand go limp.
It was time to disappear.
Escape from the Club
He moved towards the back entrance, where the club's private rooms were located. If the police were already outside, the front would be a death trap. He didn't trust the Vescari men, either—any of them could think he was involved in the ambush.
The hallway leading to the exit was dimly lit, shadows stretching long against the crimson wallpaper. Elias kept his gun low, his steps quiet. The club was still ringing with the aftermath of gunfire—groans, murmurs, the occasional scream.
Then he heard voices.
"Who the fuck tipped them off?" one man growled.
"Doesn't matter now. Adrian is going to tear them apart for this," another voice said.
Elias slowed, pressing himself against the wall. If Adrian Vescari didn't expect the ambush, then someone else had set this up. The Black Sun Syndicate? The police? Or… Dominic Graves?
His stomach twisted at the thought.
He didn't have time to stay and listen. Footsteps were approaching, and he needed to leave before someone recognized him.
A back door stood slightly ajar ahead. Elias stepped through it, into the cold night air.
Then he ran.
The Streets & Patrick "The Undertaker"
Elias weaved through narrow alleys, his mind racing. He needed a car, but stealing one near the club would be too obvious. The best move was to get as far away from the scene as possible before anyone started asking questions.
His heart pounded, but not from the running. Something felt wrong. The ambush wasn't random. The African gang came prepared, knowing where to hit, when to strike. That didn't happen by chance.
As he turned onto a quiet street, a black car idled at the curb. The driver's side window rolled down, revealing Patrick "The Undertaker," one of Dominic Graves' trusted men.
"Elias," Patrick said, his voice calm as ever. "Get in."
Elias hesitated, then stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind him.
Patrick pulled away from the curb, driving through the dimly lit streets as if nothing had happened.
"Dominic sends his regards," Patrick said, keeping his eyes on the road.
Elias exhaled slowly. "You knew where I was."
Patrick smirked. "Of course. Dominic always knows."
That didn't sit right with Elias. "Did he know about the attack?"
Patrick didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a cigarette. He lit it, took a long drag, then glanced at Elias. "Dominic wants to see you."
That was no answer.
Elias clenched his jaw, staring out the window as the city lights blurred past. He would get his answers soon.
Dominic Graves' Casino: A Confrontation
Patrick drove straight to The Ruby Palace, Dominic Graves' casino. The towering neon sign flickered in the night, welcoming sinners into its depths.
Inside, the casino was alive. Despite the bloodbath that had happened hours ago, the world hadn't stopped spinning. People laughed, drank, and gambled as if nothing had changed.
Elias followed Patrick through the casino floor, past blackjack tables and roulette wheels, until they reached a private elevator.
The ride up was silent.
When the doors opened, Elias stepped into a lavish office. Dominic Graves sat behind a polished desk, a glass of whiskey in hand. His sharp, calculating eyes locked onto Elias the moment he entered.
"You look like hell," Dominic said, swirling his drink.
Elias didn't smile. "You knew, didn't you?"
Dominic raised an eyebrow. "Knew what?"
"The ambush. The African gang. The whole damn thing."
Patrick shut the door behind him, leaving them alone.
Dominic sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Why would I set up an ambush at a club I have business in?"
Elias' fists clenched. "Because it benefits you. The Vescari Syndicate is weakened. The African group took a hit too. Meanwhile, you sit here, untouched."
Dominic chuckled, taking a sip of whiskey. "Clever. But if I wanted Adrian Vescari gone, I wouldn't have wasted time with an ambush. I'd have sent you in with a bomb and called it a night."
Elias didn't know whether to believe him.
Dominic set his glass down, leaning forward. "Let me give you some advice, Elias. In this world, trust is a currency. And right now, yours is running out."
A tense silence stretched between them.
Elias took a deep breath. "Was this a coincidence?"
Dominic smirked. "Coincidences don't exist in our world. Someone pulled the strings. But it wasn't me."
Elias studied him, searching for any sign of deception. If Dominic was lying, he was damn good at it.
Finally, Dominic stood up, adjusting his suit. "Your job isn't over. The mission is still in play."
Elias exhaled through his nose. "And if I fail?"
Dominic smiled coldly. "Then you'll be buried next to Jacob."
Elias felt his blood turn to ice. He turned and walked out without another word.
The moment he stepped into the hallway, his mind was already racing.
If it wasn't Dominic… who set this up?
And more importantly—why was he still alive?
The answers were out there. And Elias was going to find them.
No matter what it took.
WAIT FOR ("CROWNLESS KING"story) soon.