“BlackScorpion, what do we do now?” SilverWolf asked, glancing over for direction.
BlackScorpion’s face was tight, his mood even worse. Hearing how many of their people had gone down, he couldn’t sit still any longer. He stood up so fast his chair nearly toppled. “Let’s go outside. I want to see who’s coming at us and why.”
“Got it!” SilverWolf said, hurrying after him. A few more men fell in behind as they headed out.
They’d heard reports about what was happening outside, but nothing prepared them for the real thing. When they stepped out, the sight hit them like a punch. There was a massive army, stretching so far into the distance you couldn’t see the end. Helicopters circled above, tanks lined up on land, warships bobbing on the water. Every way out—sea, land, and sky—was blocked tight. BlackScorpion and SilverWolf just stared, their faces twisted in shock.
For a second, they had the same thought as everyone else. Was this the end for them? What could they have possibly done to bring an enemy like this down on their heads?
BlackScorpion was shaken, but he pulled himself together. He yelled out, “Who are you people? Why are you coming at us like this? Sure, Red Spider plays in the shadows, but we’ve never done anything to threaten this country. Why are you trying to wipe us out?”
The words echoed out. Then a man stepped down from a car on the other side, clicking his tongue. “So you’re BlackScorpion. Took you long enough to show your face.”
BlackScorpion squinted at Mr. Byron, looking him over. He found nothing familiar. He turned to SilverWolf. “Do you know this guy?”
SilverWolf instantly shook his head. “If I knew him, would I have messed with him?”
BlackScorpion faced Mr. Byron again. “Who are you? Did we offend you somehow?”
Mr. Byron’s voice rang out, calm but icy. “Oh, you offended us. Way more than you realize. Today, Red Spider is going to disappear for good.”
Everyone in Red Spider went pale.
SilverFox spoke up quickly, trying to keep things from getting worse. “Maybe there’s a misunderstanding here?” Sure, Red Spider had done some shady deals over the years, but they’d always avoided crossing the line or messing with the nation’s interests. That’s the only way their organization had survived for so long. So what had gone so wrong this time?
Mr. Byron’s expression didn’t change. “There’s no misunderstanding. Let me ask you, did you take a job in the past few days to kill a woman? Two days ago, you had your people chase her car, then kidnapped her.”


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