Chapter 6: Silencing the Whisper
Location: A quiet alley near the docks, midnight.
Benji walked briskly, his breath fogging in the cold night air. His hands were stuffed deep into his jacket pockets, clutching a small envelope—payment for the information he'd shared with Marco earlier.
The docks were eerily quiet, save for the occasional creak of ships and the distant hum of machinery. Benji couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. He glanced over his shoulder, but the alley appeared empty.
"Relax, man," he muttered to himself, quickening his pace.
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The Shadow Strikes
He didn't hear the footsteps until it was too late. A figure emerged from the shadows, moving with deadly precision. Before Benji could react, a hand clamped over his mouth, and a knife pressed against his throat.
"Shh," a voice whispered, calm and composed. "You've been talking too much, Benji."
Benji's eyes widened in terror as he recognized the voice. "P-please, I didn't—"
The knife's edge pressed harder, silencing him.
"This isn't personal," the voice continued. "But loose lips sink ships, and I can't have my name floating around."
With a swift motion, the blade cut deep, and Benji collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The figure wiped the blade clean and stepped back into the shadows, leaving no trace of the encounter.
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The Aftermath
Location: Leo's office, the next morning.
Marco burst into the room, his expression grim. "Boss, we found Benji."
Leo looked up from his paperwork, his jaw tightening. "Where?"
"Near the docks. He's... gone."
Leo stood, his fists clenching. "Gone? How?"
Marco hesitated. "Knife to the throat. Clean, professional. Whoever did it didn't leave anything behind."
Leo's mind raced. This wasn't random. Someone had silenced Benji—someone who didn't want him talking.
"Did he say anything else before he left last night?" Leo asked, his voice cold.
Marco shook his head. "Just what he told us about that guy at the Skycracker Club. Kai."
Leo's eyes narrowed. The pieces were starting to fit together, and they all pointed to one person.
"Keep an eye on Kai," Leo ordered. "I want to know where he goes, who he talks to, everything. If he's involved in this, I'll find out."
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Kai's Perspective
Location: Kai's apartment.
Kai leaned back in his chair, sipping a cup of tea as he read the morning news on his tablet. The headline was exactly what he expected: Body Found Near Docks: Police Investigating Possible Gang-Related Incident.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Benji had been a loose end, and loose ends were dangerous.
His phone buzzed with a message:
"It's done."
Kai typed a quick reply: "Good work. No more loose ends."
He set the phone down and turned his attention back to his tea. Everything was going according to plan, and Leo was walking straight into his web.
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Leo's Suspicion Deepens
As the day went on, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that he was being played. Kai's calm demeanor, his unassuming nature—it all felt too calculated.
But if Kai was responsible for Benji's death, why? What was he hiding?
Leo stared out the window of his office, the city sprawled out before him. He had built his empire on knowing every move his enemies made, but with Kai, he was in the dark.
And he hated it.
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