CHAPTER 8

  Thomas and Vivi tear through the city at mock speed, heading downtown toward the red-light district of the CBD. The whole area makes Thomas uneasy no Kravitz affiliation, no ties to Sebastian, nothing familiar. Just trouble.

  Vivi directs him toward an unpopular motel on the city’s edge. A place even night workers avoid.

  “I hope you remember I asked for Matthew’s location, not your work address.” Thomas said with a tone of pessimism.

  “Don’t insult me. I’d never get caught dead in a dump like this. But I’m sure Matthew is here.” Vivi replied.

  Thomas parks near the motel but not inside the actual parking lot. No point losing the element of surprise.

  They get out. Vivi shows him the room number. The motel is a single floor, rooms lined up like cheap coffins.

  Vivi, finally done playing tour guide, asks, “Can I leave now? Like I said I charge by the hour, and yours expired ages ago, old man.”

  Thomas, focused entirely on the room, barely hears her.

  “Stay, leave, I don’t care. But if you get in my way, we’re going to have a problem again.”

  He crosses the road toward the room. Vivi slips off—not leaving, just relocating. She suddenly wants to see how this plays out. She climbs onto a rooftop with a perfect view.

  Thomas stands silently at the door.

  Eight voices. No more. Should be quick. They should’ve brought at least twenty times this if they wanted to stop me from strangling that snake Sebastian…

  Then—

  Someone’s standing right behind the door. Poor bastard.

  Boom.

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  Thomas kicks the door open.

  The door slams straight into the first man’s skull, dropping him instantly. Thomas steps inside, boots planting on the lifeless body.

  Everyone in the room tenses. weapons fully drawn. Eyes lock on the giant framed by the doorway, one corpse already under his feet.

  Thomas scans the room. No Sebastian. But Vivi hadn’t lied—Matthew is here. And with him, six men. Big, disciplined, dangerous. Not your bargain-bin Kravitz soldiers. Real killers.

  “Where’s Sebastian?” Thomas asks. “Tell me, and you might leave here walking.”

  No one reacts. Not a blink.

  Thomas sighs.

  “Yeah… I figured. None of you look reasonable. Guess tonight’s one of those nigh—”

  Bang.

  Matthew fires. But the doorframe is empty. Only moonlight spills in.

  Thomas’s voice echoes from outside the doorway.

  “Damn kid, you’re not even gonna let a man finish a thought. What’s your name again?”

  Matthew’s expression sours. The old man dodged before he even pulled the trigger.

  “It’s Matthew, old man.”

  “Okay then, Maxcey. Give me Sebastian’s location. I’m tired of asking. Me and him have business to discuss man to man. I don’t have time for kids.”

  Thomas said as he hid behind the wall next to the door.

  “ He left. I don’t know. But maybe if you live long enough, you’ll see him when he gets back. But—”

  Bang. Bang. Bang.

  Three more shots punch through the drywall. No blood. No scream. Just more moonlight through more holes.

  Annoyed, Matthew leans closer to the window.

  Big mistake.

  Thomas smashes through the glass, grabs Matthew by the skull, and hurls him outside like trash.

  Matthew hits the concrete hard, face bloody, glass shards embedded everywhere. Strangely, Thomas’s hand is untouched no cuts, no blood.

  One of the six calls out, “Bossman, you need help? Since it looks like you can't handle one old man?”

  Matthew spits blood, grinning like a lunatic.

  “Stay out of this, you lot are just backup.”

  Thomas steps closer, each step heavier, towering over him. Moonlight paints him like an executioner.

  “You sure about that, boy? I don’t think you'll last until Sebastian shows up. I’d really hate to kill one of his pets. It would make the next meeting awkward you know.”

  Matthew’s grin stretches wider—white teeth drenched in red.

  “You don’t get it. This isn’t your usual dance with Sebastian. You’re dancing with me now. And the family sent me to put you back in your place. To remind you what you really are dirt.”

  Yeah, the kid’s crazy, Thomas thinks.

  But something else clicks.

  Why the trained killers? Why no Sebastian? Why send this clown?

  Then it hits him.

  This shit isn’t authorized, is it?

  No head of the family especially Vigo would dare go for Thomas knowing exactly what he’s holding over them.

  Questions for later.

  Right now, Matthew is still trying to kill him. And brought backup.

  Thomas’s face shifts eyes narrowing, focus sharpening, breath slowing.

  He loosens his tie. Drops his coat.

  Enough games.

  Time to hunt.