The night was heavy with tension. Emerald City pulsed like a living beast, its underbelly crawling with unseen threats.
Ochieng adjusted the cuffs of his suit as he stepped into the war room beneath his penthouse. The air smelled of gun oil and sharpened steel. His most trusted allies were gathered—Tielen, Sienna, Linet, and Jeff. The table was covered in blueprints, maps, and surveillance footage.
"They think they've set the perfect trap," Ochieng murmured, his fingers tapping against the cold surface. "But they've forgotten one thing."
Tielen smirked. "That you don't just play the game. You own it."
A red dot blinked on the screen—a signal from their hidden informant. The enemy was closing in.
Ochieng exhaled slowly. "Let's welcome them properly."
---
Across the city, in a high-rise overlooking the skyline, Kieran Aldrin watched his men spread out. His suit was immaculate, his eyes sharp as ever.
"Ochieng won't run," one of his lieutenants muttered. "He's too proud."
Kieran smirked. "That's what makes this fun."
His fingers traced the rim of his glass. "Crush his people first. Then we'll see how long he stands."
A silent command, and chaos erupted across the city.
---
Before Kieran's men could settle in, an explosion rocked the docks. Flames lit up the sky.
Boom!
Seconds later, another detonation—this time in the industrial district.
Kieran's lieutenant stumbled back, eyes wide. "They knew!"
Kieran's smirk didn't fade. "Of course they did."
But before he could react, his phone buzzed. A live feed appeared.
Ochieng, seated in his penthouse, staring directly into the camera.
"Kieran," Ochieng said smoothly. "If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask."
Kieran's jaw tightened.
"You're making a mistake."
Ochieng's smile was cold. "No, I'm correcting yours."
---
Within minutes, the streets were flooded with shadows—Ochieng's forces striking from hidden corners, dismantling Kieran's network one piece at a time.
Sienna led an elite unit, moving like ghosts through enemy lines. Jeff shut down Kieran's offshore accounts, cutting off his funding. Tielen, ever the wild card, left a message in blood at one of Kieran's safehouses.
And Ochieng?
He walked into the storm like a man who had already won.
---
Midnight.
A single black car pulled up to Kieran's headquarters. The doors opened, and Ochieng stepped out.
He faced Kieran directly, the city burning behind them.
"You have one last chance."
Kieran's smirk faltered.
Ochieng's voice was calm. "Leave my city, or be buried in it."
Silence.
Then—
A gunshot.
The war had truly begun.