"Logan - your ego's getting too big. How about we settle this tonight, at your place?" a rough voice called from one of the governors.

Logan swung his head toward the speaker. "You old fool. I thought you were long gone. Last I heard, you only had the courage to hit a young woman."

"Man or woman — anyone with an ego that big needs a lesson," Samuel said, laugh dry as old wood.

"Little Logan — we've tangled a hundred times. You've never beaten me. But that pride of yours... looks like it's begging for a lesson."

Logan's face burned red, fury fighting to cover the crack of fear.

He carried the weight of a powerful army, his strength known across the states — yet Samuel was different.

Samuel was a legend, a man whose very name made soldiers uneasy. And deep down, Logan knew it.

Logan's warning came out low and clipped. "Stay out of things that don't concern you. You're too old to start trouble."

"Too old?" Samuel barked. "Old's never stopped me. Trouble keeps me alive."

"Jericho Kane was my oldest friend-now his daughter's getting bullied by a coward like you, and you expect me to watch? I'd love to walk up and slap that arrogance right off your face."

For a heartbeat, Logan's eyes went cold enough to kill. He wanted to strike, to end the old man's grin with his fist. He didn't.

He swallowed the urge and spat venom instead. "You old man-your coffin's practically parked outside. Mind your mouth."

Samuel smirked, amusement flickering in his eyes. "My mouth's mine. If yours needs a few knocks, I'll gladly oblige." He turned to the governors gathered nearby. "So what do you make of Bella's video?"

Governor José of Colombia unmuted his mic, his voice steady but sharp. "Bella's footage makes it clear-Kingston is butchering his own people and feeding the riots."

“The unrest is out of control. He came to us begging for help to put out the fire he lit, and now the blaze is devouring his whole state."

"I agree," Sophia said firmly. "As Governor of Paris, I won't stand by while Alfred accuses the king of harming his own citizens. There's no record-no precedent- of such brutality from a ruler here."

"In Paris, it's the Guise family exploiting and enslaving the people. And that, we cannot ignore."

Lyra leaned in, eyes sharp. "I believe what happened in Vancouver was Kingwell striking the Chicago Outfit — the criminals who crawled out of my state. And here's the funny part: that Outfit's been laundering money through Los Angeles."

"Alfred Kingston, your fortune exploded this year. Tell me did you cut a deal with them for cash?"

A few governors glanced at one another. Doubt had a way of spreading in a room full of power.

Samuel, Logan's old nemesis, watched with the calm patience of a predator. Around him, Logan's supporters sat powerless, their teeth pulled in this fight.

"What bullshit are you peddling?" Alfred snapped, face hard as flint. "I'm innocent."

"Sure, sure," Bella said, laughter like a knife. "You don't even have the guts to admit you poisoned my father."

Alfred's hand curled into a fist. "What kind of nonsense is that?"

Bella said nothing more. She hit play.

the screen: Jericho Kane, smiling as he was sworn in as governor. A woman passed by, touched his arm a light, casual contact

knees, breath collapsing out of

zoomed on the woman's face until it

Kelly Kingston.

Kelly with a rare poison - one only Kingwell had access

said, voice flat. "You

and,

there be a record of something

footage," Alfred accused, but

smiled without humor. "Maybe. Maybe not. The King already has the data. I've been told Kingwell will open an investigation. Consider this a warning: your old comrades will

down like hot iron. Alfred's past flickered across his face - the years he

would be nowhere left to

a storm of

- now!" the secretary screamed, voice raw. "They're at the gate. The guards

stared at the governor's meeting still glowing on the

wouldn't come

argue. He rose, face hard, and walked out

stone. At the back yard the private plane waited, silver and impatient against the

a group of rioters burst

someone shouted as bullets spat across the tarmac. Alfred ducked his

a leather seat, small dog tucked under her arm

Now," Alfred barked

forward. In a handful of seconds the engines screamed and the plane

handful of desperate hands clawed at the wheel, then dropped as the craft rolled away

shouts and gunfire

us, Alfred?" Jessica

voice carried a

she

be safe at the Prime Hotel," Alfred lied to steady her, but his

pilot when

"Why?" Jessica demanded

take Los Angeles back. But if that fails, I'm taking Vancouver and I'll wear the Governor's seat

barely left her throat. "What

eyes. The doctor's words from

from the

Alfred said

may never recover. Leaving her at the

The words

between them was suffocating, heavy with everything they couldn't

weapons, hunting every Kingston, Jasmine was likely already

hospital roof, breath burning, people chasing, voices rising like a

please_wait!" his girlfriend cried, stumbling to keep up as the crowd pressed

slowed, breath ragged. Charles didn't

harder, boots eating the stairwell, Jungs burning. The lower floors were a sea of faces and fists; the mob had

s

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