Eventually, after a frantic and chaotic scramble, Ramon was successfully able to make it out of the research facility.
He hadn’t fled empty-handed. He had ruthlessly stripped the labs, taking all the proprietary tech he had personally overseen the creation of, along with several other key members of the Gilt Rats who had been operating undercover as researchers.
Legitimate corporate security within the facility had naturally been called in to stop him, but the situation was already out of Bobo’s control. There were far more people secretly on the Gilt Rats’ payroll than Bobo had ever anticipated. These moles actively sabotaged the lockdown protocols and created distractions, allowing Ramon and his inner circle to escape the perimeter rather easily.
When Ramon finally got back to his fortified manor on the edge of Notting Hill, dragging the stolen equipment with him, his face was contorted with unbridled fury. The humiliation of being outplayed by Max Stern in front of his peers was burning a hole in his pride.
However, as he entered his private garage, he noticed something else that was waiting there as well—something that instantly shifted his mood from blind rage to cold, calculating anticipation.
’The required equipment has finally arrived in time,’ Ramon said aloud, a dark smile spreading across his face as he used a crowbar to pry open one of the massive wooden shipping crates. He looked down to see all of the high-tech, interlocking metal parts gleaming in the dim light.
’I’ll call over the elite strike team immediately. With this fresh shipment of hardware, we can have at least seven of my best men fully outfitted with the combat exoskeleton parts.’
He ran a hand over a hydraulic gauntlet.
’Unfortunately, because of the rushed timeline Max forced on us, only I will personally be able to use the complete, full-body exoskeleton suit in time for this initial strike. But honestly? To take out an upstart group like the Billion Bloodline, seven enhanced soldiers should be more than enough. It will be a slaughter. And then, once I crush Max and seize his assets, I’ll easily have the liquid funds to give the entirety of the Gilt Rats exactly what they need to rule this city.’
Still, because of how much the Billion Bloodline group had already gotten in his way, and knowing full well the bad blood and history that existed between the groups, Ramon decided not to leave anything to chance. He pulled out his encrypted phone and made a priority call.
On the other end of the line, Darius, the ruthless leader of the Black Hounds, answered.
"Listen to me very carefully, Darius," Ramon barked, skipping any pleasantries. "Get the Black Hounds mobilized immediately. I want you to violently disrupt and take total control of every single part of the business empire that the Billion Bloodline group is currently operating in."
Ramon paced around the open crates. "Whether it be their legitimate front businesses or their underground activities, I want it all burned or taken. I’m guessing they quietly took over the Chalkline Boys’ old territory and businesses, as well as the remnants of the Rejected Corps. I want you to hit those locations hard. We will systematically stop all forms of cash flow that the Billion Bloodline group is relying on."
He gripped the phone tighter. "And while you bleed their businesses, we will take their main forces head-on as well. We are taking absolutely everything from them."
Ramon’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Then, when the dust settles and we take over their entire operation, we will finally have absolute, undisputed control of Notting Hill. And we will have as much money as we want to do whatever we want in this city!"
It was a terrifying alliance. The Gilt Rats, recognized as the largest, most powerful Syndicate in Notting Hill, and the Black Hounds, recognized as the largest and most brutal traditional Criminal Organization in the district, were now fully working together in a coordinated strike to completely wipe out one specific group.
Word travels fast in the underworld. All of the smaller street gangs, as well as other minor independent organizations that heard whispers of what was about to take place, went into hiding. The news of a mobilization this large was so massive that it couldn’t be contained; even rival groups operating entirely outside the district were hearing echoes of the impending bloodbath.
In particular, the shockwaves reached the ears of other major Syndicates. One such group, operating in a major city not too far away, was where the elite inner circle of the White Tiger group would gather.
The high-ranking lieutenants, known exclusively as the Cubs, had arrived at their main headquarters. It was an old-fashioned, sprawling manor situated out in the quiet countryside, strategically placed far away from the prying eyes of the bustling city life.
Inside one of the grand main reception rooms, luxurious leather chairs were lined up in a wide circle for each of the Cubs to sit in. These leaders represented the different, powerful divisions of the White Tiger group, and they were currently talking amongst each other, analyzing the fresh intel.
"Is the intelligence verified? There’s real news that the Gilt Rats are actually starting a full-scale war?" one of the Cubs asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.
"A war against another Syndicate gang? Is it a turf war with someone from another city trying to muscle in?" another Cub asked, pulling on a cigar.
"No," another replied, reading from a secure tablet. "It appears to be entirely from within their own city. An organized, independent group that has been rapidly on the rise recently in Notting Hill has apparently gotten their full, undivided attention. It’s a localized extermination."
The news was highly interesting to the White Tigers because it was exceedingly rare for established Syndicates to get involved in messy, all-out wars other than with rival Syndicates of equal standing. Usually, when a group reached that elite level, they preferred diplomacy and shadow games over open street warfare.
But things like this did happen occasionally. And when a Syndicate mobilized its full might against a lesser gang, it mostly meant nothing in the grand scheme of the underworld politics. It was usually a brief, violent blip.
The general consensus was that the Syndicate would just quickly and brutally deal with the problem, reassert their dominance, and that would be the end of it. So, most powerful people ignored the news, treating it as a foregone conclusion, and were simply waiting to hear the inevitable, bloody result of the matter.
Still, it was something that everyone had on their minds, even if it was just for a few fleeting seconds of curiosity regarding who was foolish enough to poke the Gilt Rats.
Meanwhile, back in the eye of the storm, Max was stationed in the heavily fortified old Fortis group building. Even before the chaotic boardroom meeting had taken place, he had accurately predicted this exact violent outcome. He had already preemptively called all the strongest, most capable members that were managing the different parts of their business empire back to the main base for defense.
This vital recall included heavy hitters like Rick, who could pack a devastatingly heavy punch and break lines with ease, as well as the other original, core members that had loyally helped Max create and build the group from the ground up.
They weren’t walking into this blind. The Bloodline group had been relentlessly training at their private gyms every single day. They had even been frequently brought in to spar aggressively against the seasoned Fortis group members, cross-training their skills and hardening their combat instincts for a day exactly like this.
Now, they were stood side by side in the main hall of the headquarters. Weapons were checked, armor was strapped on, and they were fully gathered, grimly ready to fight whatever the Gilt Rats would throw at them.
Elsewhere, all around the sprawling city of Notting Hill, the Gilt Rats and the Black Hounds were ruthlessly doing exactly what Ramon had promised.
Coordinated strikes hit simultaneously. All of the high-end restaurants and fronts that were secretly owned and operated by the Billion Bloodline group were suddenly breached. Armed gang members came rushing in, smashing windows, overturning tables, and violently attacking the staff and guards stationed there.
Because they hit so many locations at once, the Gilt Rats were able to get several of the smaller outposts by surprise. And although the Bloodline defenders fought back fiercely, meaning it wasn’t nearly as easy as the attackers thought it would be, the sheer numbers game allowed the syndicates to successfully take over the properties.
They didn’t stop there. They also went directly for the various legitimate gyms that were in the surrounding areas, causing a massive ruckus, destroying the expensive equipment, and forcefully stopping any form of daily business from continuing.
They headed for the lucrative clothes factories that the Billion Bloodline group heavily invested in, setting fires to the inventory. They even hijacked the fleets of the special delivery business that the Bloodline group was using to move their sensitive goods.
The opening salvos had been fired across the city. It was the brutal, undeniable start of the war between the two groups.