C514 The Order To Kill

"Already?" Kiddo asked, looking at Cipher in surprise. "We just started resting!" Survivor frowned as she sat up. "I thought we were all supposed to rest after such a big day. We fought a battle, drove the enemy back, and spent hours working on the wall. Don't tell me there's another problem already." Chipmunk ignored her complaint and looked directly at Cipher. "What is the update?" Pixel appeared worried. "Is it about what I did?" Cipher turned toward her. "No, Pixel. It has nothing to do with you." Pixel sighed in relief. Cipher then looked around at the group. "The boat has returned. Stacy went to allow it to pass through the border again." I sat up straighter. "The same boat?" Cipher nodded. "Yes. However, Trojan Horse One has just informed me that she used the Archer to place a tracker on it." Everyone turned toward me. "Cracker, you should check your system," Cipher added. I took out my equipment and began examining the information coming through the tracking system. For a few minutes, nobody spoke. The others waited while I worked. Finally, I raised my head. "Yes, I've got it." Bighead leaned forward. "Where is it heading?" "Glasgow." His expression changed. "Could it be connected to the Harris Cartel?"

He turned toward Cipher. "Cipher, last time, you asked your grandfather whether there was any connection between Hanna and Charlie. Did you find anything?" Cipher frowned. "Grandpa said there was no relationship between them. As far as he knew, they had no family connection." I looked at the tracking information again. "Then could it be that Charlie asked Hanna for a favour when she wanted to kidnap Emmanuel, and now Hanna is returning that favour by helping her boat move through the border?" Silver shook her head. "It doesn't make sense." She looked at Cipher. "If they aren't related, how did they meet in the first place? And why would Hanna help Charlie? Remember, Hanna was fighting Willy's men here at the border when she was still leading this army. If there was no connection between them before all this started, why would they suddenly work together?" Chipmunk shook her head as well. "Exactly. Something isn't right." She folded her arms. "Did they know each other before Emmanuel was kidnapped? Or did someone introduce them?" Nobody answered. The questions were becoming more complicated than we had expected. We knew Charlie had taken Emmanuel. We also knew Hanna had used the situation to kill Emmanuel. But we still didn't understand how those two women had come together or what they were planning now. And the boat's movement through the border had given us another mystery to investigate. Cipher studied the tracker on my screen. "There's only one way to find out." She looked at us. "We follow the tracker." Bighead nodded. "That makes sense. If the boat is connected to Hanna or Charlie, following it might lead us directly to them." "Or to someone working with them," Survivor added.

Cipher agreed. "Exactly. We shouldn't assume we already know who is behind this. We follow the evidence and see where it takes us." She paused before continuing. "However, I have another suggestion." Everyone looked at her. "We stay here for a few more days. We finish preparing the defences, make sure the soldiers understand how to use them, and strengthen the wall's protection. Once everything is ready, we can return to the city and continue investigating the tracker." Kiddo let out a relieved sigh. "So we really are not going to rest?" Cipher smiled. "We'll rest when we have time. For now, we have work to do." Kiddo shook her head. "I knew it was too good to be true." Bighead laughed. "Welcome to the team, Kiddo." She gave him a look. "I've been part of this team for a long time. I know exactly how you people operate." That made us laugh. For a brief moment, the tension eased. But as I looked at the tracking information again, I couldn't help wondering what awaited us in Glasgow. The boat was moving for a reason. And until we discovered that reason, we couldn't afford to let our guard down. At the Gupta residence, preparations for the funeral continued. The atmosphere was heavy with grief. Family members and servants moved around the estate, making arrangements for the ceremony while trying to come to terms with the tragedy that had struck their family. Miller and Victor were the only ones personally overseeing the major arrangements. Except Darry. He had not left his villa.

While the rest of the family worked to prepare for his older brother's funeral, Darry sat alone, lost in his thoughts. He had chosen a quiet life for himself. Unlike the others, he had no desire to become involved in the family's constant struggles for power. He had spent years keeping his distance, believing that staying away from the conflict was the best way to protect his peace. But now his brother was dead. And no matter how much Darry wanted to continue living quietly, he couldn't ignore what had happened. His older brother's death could not go unpunished. Darry leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He had spent almost half a day thinking about what to do. Should he remain where he was and allow the others to handle the situation? Should he trust Victor to discipline Alicia? Or should he take matters into his own hands? Every option came with consequences. But the longer he thought about it, the more certain he became that doing nothing was no longer possible. Finally, he reached for his phone. There was someone he needed to speak to. The call connected after a few rings. "Boss?" Darry recognised the voice immediately. "Tim, do you still remember why I asked you to join my younger brother's army?" "Yes, Boss." Tim answered without hesitation. "You wanted me to observe his army and keep an eye on everything happening there. You asked me to report my findings to you." "Good." Darry leaned forward. "Now tell me what you've discovered. I want to know everything, especially what you think about Alicia's leadership."

Tim's expression brightened. "Boss, Alicia has introduced some excellent strategies." Darry frowned. "Excellent strategies?" "Yes, Boss. Today, we faced an enemy attack after completing the wall. The soldiers were uncertain about her decisions at first, but she had a plan." Tim continued enthusiastically. "She deliberately allowed the enemy to approach the gate. Once they followed our soldiers inside, she ordered everyone to attack. We managed to force them to retreat." He paused. "Honestly, Boss, if you had been here to witness it, you would have applauded her yourself." Darry remained silent. He hadn't expected that answer. He had sent Tim to observe the army, expecting an objective assessment of Alicia's failure. Instead, Tim sounded as though he had become one of her supporters. Darry cleared his throat. "Tim." "Yes, Boss?" "You work for me, not Alicia. What's wrong with you?" Tim immediately realised that he had spoken too enthusiastically. "I'm sorry, Boss. I didn't mean to sound as though I was taking her side." Darry said nothing for a moment. Then he spoke again. "I have a job for you." Tim straightened. "I'm listening, Boss." Darry's expression hardened. "Alicia killed my brother." Tim froze. He had heard about the death, but hearing Darry speak about it so directly made him realise how serious the situation had become. Darry continued. "I want you to kill her."

Tim remained silent. "This must be done quickly," Darry added. "I don't want unnecessary delays, and I don't want you giving her an opportunity to escape." Tim swallowed. "Understood, Boss." Darry ended the call. For several seconds, he remained seated, staring at the phone in his hand. He had spent years avoiding the family's conflicts. Now, he had just ordered a killing. Darry slowly lowered his phone. His older brother was dead, and he had convinced himself that this was the only way to settle the matter. Meanwhile Tim was conflicted. He had witnessed Alicia's first win. It was strategic and the damage was limited. He himself applauded for her success. He didn't want to commit such an offense.