Gonda ended the call and kept the phone in his hand.

Sweat had gathered on his forehead. He wiped it once, then realized Kundra was watching and lowered his hand as if nothing had happened.

Kundra stood near the door of the private room.

"Sir?"

Gonda looked at the phone again.

"World Zone wanted information," he said. "I gave them some."

"How much?"

"Not enough to point at Wil. Not enough to point at me." Gonda exhaled slowly. "I am not going to be the man standing between two knives with his chest open."

Kundra did not relax.

"What did they ask?"

"Routes, names, and whether Tobin has met anyone from our side. They also asked if Bruno had spoken to Rust Gate before Maren died."

Kundra’s face changed.

Gonda saw it and lifted one hand. "I did not give Bruno’s name. I said everyone is moving through rumors right now."

That was not fully true. He had given them enough to keep them from thinking he was useless, but not enough to let them walk directly toward Wil’s bridge. A local boss survived by staying useful without giving stronger people a clean path to his throat.

Gonda understood why. Maren Voss was dead. Tobin had taken Rust Gate. World Zone had sent more people. Wil’s side had not shown a face, but every time Gonda told himself they might be smaller than they sounded, something happened to punish the thought.

"If World Zone learns we are hiding information..." Kundra began.

"Then we say we were still confirming it."

"And if Wil learns we spoke to World Zone?"

Gonda’s jaw tightened.

That was the worse question.

Before he could answer, the door opened and Bruno walked in.

He did not enter like a man being dragged into danger anymore. He entered carefully, but not weakly. That itself irritated Gonda. The man had become harder to press after Maren’s death.

"Boss," Bruno said with a respectful nod.

Gonda looked at him. "What?"

"Wil’s side will send more goods. They want us to move them through the black market. Same cut as before."

"They want more money."

"Yes."

"How much are they sending?"

"They did not say yet. Only that it will be bigger than before."

Gonda’s fingers tapped once against the arm of his chair.

"Bigger goods bring bigger eyes."

Bruno nodded. "I know. That is why I came to you first."

Bruno kept his face calm, but inside he was watching everything.

Gonda’s anger was there, but it was not the usual anger. Before, when Gonda looked at him, Bruno could feel the old threat in the air. One wrong word, one wrong breath, and Gonda might decide to finish the matter.

Today that old heat was weaker, and fear sat under it.

Bruno almost smiled, but he held it down. Maren’s death had changed the room. Gonda understood now. He had seen what Wil’s organization could do, and he had finally learned not to touch the bridge carelessly.

Still, Bruno had worked under Gonda for too long to be stupid.

This fear was not only because of him.

Kundra was tense too. His eyes moved toward Gonda whenever World Zone’s name was almost spoken, though no one said it aloud. Bruno caught that small movement and stored it.

’Something happened,’ Bruno thought. ’Boss is hiding something.’

He did not ask.

Men survived by knowing when a question was more dangerous than the answer.

Gonda’s phone rang again.

The name on the screen made him pause because it was Tobin Rell, and Bruno saw that pause.

Gonda answered.

"Speak."

Tobin’s voice came through loud enough for Bruno to catch pieces.

"I am ready," Tobin said. "Rust Gate will enter the alliance. The same international organization backing your side... I want a meeting with them."

Gonda’s grip tightened around the phone.

This was exactly what he had been afraid of.

If Tobin entered Wil’s line, then the nameless organization gained one more gang. If Gonda refused, Bruno would hear it. If he accepted, World Zone would become harder to satisfy. The road in front of him was closing from both sides.

Bruno stood in the room, silent and alert.

Kundra also understood the trap. His shoulders went stiff, but he did not speak. If he warned Gonda in front of Bruno, then Bruno would know there was another side to this problem. If he stayed quiet, Gonda had to answer alone.

Gonda forced his voice to stay even.

"Fine. We will meet. I will have Bruno speak to them and arrange contact."

Tobin answered with relief in his voice.

Gonda ended the call.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Gonda looked at Bruno.

"You heard enough. Tell Wil’s side that Tobin wants to enter the alliance. We will need a meeting soon."

Bruno lowered his head. "I will pass it."

Gonda looked at him and felt the old memory bite into him.

There had been a time when he could have killed this man with one order. He had left Bruno alive because greed and ambition had told him Bruno was still useful. Now that same man stood in front of him as a bridge he could not burn.

How quickly days turned.

"And the goods?" Bruno asked.

"Send them," Gonda said. "We will move them."

Bruno nodded and left.

In the corridor, his face changed.

Something was wrong with Gonda. Bruno did not know what it was, but he did not need the answer today. If Gonda was afraid, then the chair was closer than before.

He had seen Gonda angry many times. He had seen him cruel, calm, drunk, suspicious, and pleased. This was different. Gonda had looked at him like a man who had lost control of something dangerous.

That thought made Bruno’s blood move faster.

If even Gonda was measuring his words now, then Wil’s side had entered the room properly. Bruno only had to keep using that protection until the chair opened.

’A little more,’ Bruno thought. ’Just a little more, and that seat will be mine.’