It was exactly as Wolf had predicted. From the very moment he learned that Vivian was going to be present at the event, he knew with absolute certainty that she was likely to bring the group nothing but trouble.
She was a person who held a high ranking in the Black Hounds, but everyone in the underworld knew she didn’t hold that position due to her own combat prowess or personal power. It was her connections and her ruthless nature that kept her there. Because of this, Wolf knew she would rely on numbers and underhanded tactics.
Being a cautious man by nature, Wolf had wanted to prepare a secondary plan, a safety net just in case all else failed during the negotiation or the confrontation.
So, he had immediately called in the members of the Pit.
A large contingent of the Pit gang was already stationed in Nottinghill. This was largely because of the significant amount of time Wolf had been spending in the area recently, managing affairs and scouting. They had been discreetly moving into the district, blending in with the shadows of the city.
They were even currently looking for suitable locations, along with Max, to determine where the Pit could permanently relocate to. The expansion into Nottinghill was a major step for them, and they needed a new base of operations that matched their rising ambition.
However, despite the push into new territory, Max didn’t want Wolf to completely move out of Mancur City just yet. Nor did he want them to stop their operations there if other groups asked them to do jobs.
The main reason for this hesitation was strategic. Max still wished for critical information regarding the White Tiger gang and their movements. Mancur City remained the hub of that specific intel, and staying active there was their best bet to keep their ears to the ground. If they pulled out completely, they would go blind to the movements of one of their biggest potential threats.
Although Max didn’t tell Wolf this outright, Wolf was sharp enough to read between the lines of his leader’s orders.
Regardless of the reasons, because of Wolf’s cautious nature, the reinforcements from the Pit had arrived well in advance. During the course of the event, they had been working silently in the background. Whenever they saw a chance, they had been systematically taking out members of the Black Hounds who were patrolling the perimeter or guarding the exits.
It was a classic infiltration tactic. They would knock them out, drag them into side rooms or utility closets, and then strip them of their uniforms. Disguising themselves as Black Hound members, they slipped back into the crowd.
When a group got too large, like the Black Hounds had become, often the lower-ranking members didn’t know the faces of their own comrades. They relied on uniforms and armbands to identify friend from foe. It was a fatal flaw in their organizational structure.
The Pit was different. They were a close-knit family; they had bled together and fought together in the slums. They knew each other’s faces, names, and fighting styles. That tight bond was one of their greatest strengths, and the Black Hounds’ lack of it was a disadvantage that Wolf was all too happy to exploit.
The results of this careful planning were what was currently present in the ballroom.
Wolf had seen the subtle signal given by Sandra, informing him that the perimeter was secure and that his men were in position. With that confirmation, they had sprung the trap. They had managed to catch Vivian completely off guard, neutralizing her personal guards before they could even draw their weapons.
The room was tense, the air thick with the smell of violence.
"I know you probably have more Black Hound members in the hotel, likely stationed on the other floors and waiting in your pocket for a signal," Wolf claimed, his voice projecting clearly across the room to the remaining enemies. "But I think it would be best if you called them all off right now. That is, unless you don’t want to live to see another day."
He paused, letting the threat hang in the air.
"And since you tried to kill us a few times already, you should know by now that we aren’t joking about this. We don’t make empty threats."
Wolf then moved over carefully, his steps measured and confident. Joe and Chad followed close behind him.
Chad was in a state of utter disbelief. He looked around the room, his eyes wide. The Black Hounds, a massive gang that he had feared for so long, were being completely overturned by the members of the Pit. It wasn’t just a fight; it was a dismantling.
Of course, Chad now knew the wider picture of things. He understood that Max was behind things. But even with that knowledge, he was wondering how Max was able to create so many flowing parts, political maneuvering, gang warfare tactics, economic expansion, to be able to get to the situation they were in right now. It was like watching a grandmaster play chess while everyone else was playing checkers.
Finally, as they reached the center of the chaos where Vivian was being held, the group decided it was time to move.
Wolf turned to the terrified civilians and guests who were huddled near the walls.
"Guests, thank you for coming today!" Wolf shouted, his tone almost mockingly polite. "But it appears that the event is over, as you can see. So, it’s best you go home for the night. And as always, pretend something like this never happened in the first place! Forget the faces, forget the names, and you’ll live long, happy lives."
As he finished his address, he decided to take over custody of the hostage. He grabbed the knife from Sandra’s hand, his grip firm, and held Vivian himself. He pressed the blade slightly against her, just enough to let her know he was serious, before dragging her forward.
"Let’s go," Wolf commanded.
As they rushed off, Sandra took point.
"I’ll lead the way to the emergency exit," Sandra explained rapidly as they moved. "Our entire group will make our way down through there. We’ll then head into the kitchen and take the transport elevator down to the bottom floor! It bypasses the main lobby, so we should avoid any reinforcements coming in the front door."
"Thank you," Joe said, letting out a heavy breath. "I was honestly worried my legs were going to be shaking from going all the way down the stairs after all that fighting. I’m just happy that this day is finally over."
The group moved through the crowd like a shark moving through a school of fish. The guests parted ways instantly; it didn’t look like there was anyone foolish enough to try and stop them.
The civilians had no reason to intervene, no one thought they were getting paid enough to be heroes, and those who would have resisted, the loyal Black Hound enforcers, were already in pain, rolling about on the floor clutching broken limbs or unconscious from blunt force trauma.
As they managed to enter the emergency exit, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind them, they started to descend the concrete stairs. It was quiet here, the noise of the ballroom muffled. There looked to be no one stopping them.
"Do you even know what you idiots are doing?" Vivian spat out, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and fear. "You doing this... kidnapping a high-ranking member... this will start a full-scale war with the Black Hounds. You can’t survive that."
She struggled against Wolf’s grip, but he held her fast.
"And even if you are confident enough to take us on, the Gilt Rats won’t let you take us out. They rely on us for stability in this sector. They will get involved as well and fight against you. You’re turning the entire underworld against you!"
"We weren’t the ones that started this war," Joe said, his voice unusually hard. "You guys were the ones that went after the facility. You went after Sheri. We are just trying to protect our friends, you know. We didn’t ask for this fight, but we aren’t going to run from it either."
"And you have no idea what we plan to do, or the true extent of our strength," Wolf said coolly, pushing her down the next flight of stairs. "Our leader is a man in an extremely high position, and he is a person who can think several steps ahead of people like you."
Wolf smiled, though Vivian couldn’t see it.
"And the reason I know this is because he has hired a good person like me to execute those plans."
They reached the kitchen level. Wolf signaled for the transport elevator. As they waited for the doors to slide open, he leaned in close to Vivian’s ear.
"As for what you said about the war starting... I plan to make sure that, at least for tonight, the Black Hounds have no power to fight against us."
Wolf then looked back at Joe, who was leaning against the wall, looking ready to nap.
"I’m sorry, Joe, but you’re not going to be able to rest as much as you like just yet."
Joe looked up, confused. "What? Why not?"
Wolf tightened his grip on the knife handle.
"Because Vivian here is going to tell us the location of all the Black Hound venues nearby. The stash houses, the gambling dens, the fronts."
Wolf’s eyes glinted with a predatory light.
"And we’re going to hit every single one of them tonight. We’re going to make sure our boss gets a large payout."
***
[End of Chapter]
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