Santiago stood a few feet away, arms loosely crossed, watching him calmly. The signed contract from his meeting with Silas rested on the low table between them.

The man’s crooked jaw and slightly tilted head gave him the perpetual look of a beast sizing up its next meal. The fresh bite mark on his neck from earlier entertainment was still visible, a dark bruise against his pale skin.

"You met with him today," his voice low and rough from years of smoking. "How did our dear Silas react?"

Santiago’s lips curved into a faint smile. "He’s suspicious. Asked where I’m from. Tried to dig into me but he still agreed to sign. Seven percent, as we agreed."

The man left out a low, rumbling laugh. "Seven percent. The man is more stubborn than I expected. Still... It’s a start." He took a slow drag from his cigar, eyes narrowing. "And what about the person I told you to find. Any movement?"

Santiago’s expression remained neutral. "I haven’t been able to get his location, but I found out where his brother stays."

Viktor’s smile turned bizarre."Good. Let them have their little moment of freedom. It makes the fall so much sweeter." He leaned forward, tapping ash into a crystal tray. "I want somebody close to his brother, can you do that?"

"It’s very simple, the brother is an open line that can be exploited. He is easy to manipulate, what I need to know is how much my pay is for this."

"Perfect." Viktor’s eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction. "Keep building that friendship and confidence. When the time comes, you’ll be the one to deliver the final blow."

"My pay".

The man taps his hands rhythmically on the table in front. "Just do my job, you will be paid handsomely."

Santiago nodded once, but there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "And the parents? Any new information on their disappearance?"

Viktor’s face hardened. "Still buried. But I have people digging. If they’re alive, we’ll find them. If they’re dead... We’ll use their ghosts to break both brothers."

He exhaled a plume of smoke. "Silas thinks he owns the older one. But we both know the real prize is destroying the entire family line slowly."

Santiago remained silent for a moment, then asked quietly, "Why them? What did they have that was worth destroying?"

Viktor’s laugh was cold. "A bloody Information. The father stumbled onto something he shouldn’t have seen, thinking he could play hero. Instead, he became my favorite cautionary tale." His eyes darkened with old anger. "The mother must have known too much. They had to disappear for good, and now their sons will pay the remainder of that debt."

Santiago’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "I don’t get you, the parents are missing, and you are saying you killed them." Taking in a deep breath he continues. " Say the truth, were you involved in their parents mystery death?"

"You won’t understand, " Viktor said dismissively. "Just let it be at the back of your mind, the entire operation is not funded by me alone. There are multiple people after those siblings’ lives. But we very much have a ringleader and he is as bloody as his name." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Santiago’s brows bent upwards. "What do you mean, ringleader? What exactly is going on? Firstly I only planned an alliance with you. And now I’m hearing I work for multiple people, give a damn explanation, boy."

The man darkened and twitched, his eyes bore into Santiago’s skin. "Watch your mouth, Thiago. I don’t want to lose another partner."

"Partner, you call this a partnership. I don’t give a damn about what you call it. WHO IS YOUR RINGLEADER!?"

The man threw his head backwards and his laugh came out jagged, like a broken record. "You have quite the temper, Thiago. Like I said if you want to lose your head, you can keep talking."

Santiago took a long deep breath, then he dropped a pen on the table. "You really take me for a dumb person huh. Anyway, I do have my soldiers to kill, not just ten or a hundred but a thousand. Can you people handle it?"

A red beam of light shone on the one he placed on the table. Far away or near, there was a sniper ready to lung at the man’s head.

"Wow, do Terrifying. My body is shaking." The man’s palm hitting itself echoed in the entire room. "The ringleader has the power to call forth a million soldiers. Can you do that?"

Santiago’s line between his brows smoothed out. "I see, I will get back to you in a month."

"It was nice having this discussion with you." The man clapped his hands once and the door creaked open. A slender female stripper walks in and kneels between the man’s legs.

"You’re my hands, Santiago. My perfect weapon, I don’t want to lose. Keep playing the charming stranger with the younger brother. And when the time is right, we’ll rip it all away."

Santiago bowed his head slightly and sarcastic reply. "Understood, ’master’."

The stripper in between the man’s legs brought out his dick and began to stroke it."Good. Now go. As you can see, I have other entertainment waiting." He gestured toward the side door where soft music and low laughter could be heard. "Unless you want to join me, you do have a tight ass. Why don’t you try it first, I will go gently on you."

Santiago’s smile was polite but firm. "I’m preserving myself, remember?"

The man moans as the stripper dips his dick into her mouth. "Uhmm..mm. Still waiting for that special someone? How romantic. How foolish." He waved a hand. "Go. Keep the younger brother close."

Santiago turned and left the underground chamber without another word. The heavy door closed behind him with a dull thud.

Outside, in the cool night air, he leaned against the wall for a moment, eyes closed. The severity of his role pressed down on him. He had to find a breakout point, he wasn’t going to be a lap dog for the supposed ring leader. He picked up his phone to make a call.