Rather than heading to his quarters to get some much-needed sleep, Max sat in the high-backed leather chair of the boardroom, evaluating everything that had taken place today. The city lights flickered outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, but his mind was focused on the internal ledger of risks and rewards. He was carefully considering the risks he had taken into account, as well as the ones he had completely overlooked.
Today had been an incredibly close call. Although everything had worked out in their favor, the margin for error had been razor-thin. There was a very real possibility that Darno could have been killed, or that the mercenary team wouldn’t have reached the ship in time. The issue was that if Max wanted to continue expanding at this breakneck pace, there would be many more close calls in the future.
That was simply the life of a high-level gangster. In the criminal underworld, those who rose to the top weren’t necessarily the strongest; they were the ones who managed to navigate out of impossible situations more often than their peers. Max knew this better than anyone. Even as the former head of the White Tiger, he had eventually met his end because he finally encountered one situation he was unable to escape. He didn’t intend to let history repeat itself in this new life.
To get a clearer picture of the board, he waited for the rest of the Rangers to return. The double doors of the boardroom eventually swung open. Joe and Wolf walked in side-by-side, their expressions weary but alert. Chad followed close behind them, wearing a smug, self-satisfied smile that instantly made Max want to punch him. Chad hadn’t done anything wrong, at least not yet, but he simply had one of those faces that invited a closed fist, especially after a long night of near-death experiences.
Lastly, Aron and Na entered the room. Na was wrapped in light bandages, his movements slightly stiff from the blunt-force trauma his body had absorbed during the mission. Sheri, their other associate, had already been safely escorted back to her residence. She had been given Aron’s direct number with strict instructions to call immediately if any trouble followed her home.
"Alright. It looks like we’ve all had a bit of a rough time," Max said, his voice echoing in the quiet room. "It wasn’t an easy day, but we’re all alive, which is the most important metric. I guess we should all share our stories so we can piece together what the Black Hounds were really up to. I’ll start."
Max informed them of the events at the high-society gala, how Jett and Darius, the formidable leader of the Black Hounds, were present, and the tactical nightmare of the meeting taking place on a massive, isolated boat. He detailed how Darno had stepped up to provide the muscle they needed and, lastly, the narrow window of their escape.
Throughout the story, Aron continued to flinch, his jaw tightening. It was clear he was fighting phantom enemies in his head; he was visibly upset that Max hadn’t brought him along. To Aron, being left behind while his leader was in danger was a personal failure, regardless of the logic behind the decision.
Once Max finished, it was Aron and Na’s turn to explain their side of the night. Na spoke about the elite fighter they had encountered, a man whose skill set was unlike anything they had faced recently, and the group he belonged to.
"The Gilt Rats," Max repeated, his eyes narrowing as he processed the name. "They’re the group that even the Black Hounds listen to. From the sounds of it, even Darius didn’t expect one of their operatives to be present during your mission. And of all people, it was the man known as Evon?"
Aron nodded grimly.
Max remembered that name. When he had visited Bobo’s pharmaceutical company during his investigation into the Stern family interests, he had seen Evon there. At the time, he had no idea why a high-level enforcer would be loitering in a medical research facility, but the connection was now becoming clear. Whether Bobo was consciously working with the Gilt Rats or was simply being used by them was hard to tell, but it confirmed that the pharmaceutical company was a nexus of criminal activity.
Max’s investment into that company was scheduled to go through soon. Part of him was already plotting a way to seize total control of the firm, using it as a vacuum to eat away at Bobo’s personal wealth. Doing so would make Max stronger and simultaneously eliminate a rival who could potentially target him as a legitimate heir of the Stern family. However, a hostile takeover would cost a staggering amount of liquid capital, money he probably couldn’t afford to spend while the Black Hounds were actively hunting them.
"We don’t have to worry about the Gilt Rats finding out our involvement just yet," Aron explained, breaking Max’s train of thought. "But there is a high probability that the Black Hounds will go to them for reinforcements after tonight’s embarrassment. However, the trip wasn’t a total loss. I managed to secure these."
Aron reached into a tactical bag and placed two sleek, metallic objects on the table. They were exoskeletons made of a strange, lightweight alloy, featuring glowing circular rings at the joints.
"This device... Evon was using it to artificially increase his strength and speed. It allowed him to go head-to-head with Na and even exceed his natural limits. I don’t have a use for it myself, but you can either have our tech team research it to reproduce it for the rank-and-file members, or you can give these prototypes to the Rangers right now."
This was a massive bonus. On top of the money Max had gained from his earlier trades, these exoskeletons represented a significant leap in their tactical power. The real question was who would benefit the most from the upgrade, and whether their scientists could actually replicate the complex internal circuitry.
Finally, it was Wolf and Chad’s turn to explain their actions at the second venue. They detailed the disruption they had caused and the aftermath of the event. Max finally realized why his phone had been buzzing with payment notifications long after they had left the boat. Wolf had acted as an independent agent, securing assets and "donations" far more effectively than Max had imagined.
"I’m going to have to give you a substantial bonus for that, Wolf," Max said, genuinely impressed. "That was unexpected."
"Right, but there is a lingering problem," Wolf said, his expression becoming serious. "Currently... Vivian is being looked after by the Pitt. And she’s right here in this building."