Chapter 98: The Drawing Board

Ezra, Gen, and Olivia sat around a large oak table in the center of their secure meeting room. Stacks of documents and files were spread out before them, detailing the vast operations and assets of the Three Axe gang.

As Ezra sifted through the papers, he began to understand why Macmillan had been so reluctant to let go of the gang. If it were him, he burn down the gang before handing the ashes over. Macmillan had to be some kind of accounting genius to have built this in Southside.

The Three Axe gang was more than just a criminal enterprise. It was an intricate web of operations that extended into almost every corner of the city's underworld. One of their primary operations was weapon smuggling.

The gang had established a network of contacts and routes that brought illegal firearms into the city, supplying them to other gangs and criminal organizations. The profit margins were quite hefty, and the influence it granted them was significant.

In addition to weapon smuggling, the Three Axe gang was deeply involved in loan giving. They ran several loan sharks who operated in the city's darker alleys, providing high-interest loans to desperate individuals. The gang used these loans to exert control over people, ensuring loyalty through debt and fear.

What truly impressed Ezra was the network of legal fronts the gang had established. These businesses ranged from small shops and restaurants to larger enterprises. They provided a legitimate cover for the gang's illegal activities, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace anything back to them.

The crown jewel of the Three Axe gang's empire, however, was their main loan company. Ezra picked up a file detailing its operations and couldn't help but smile. The loan company held the loans and assets of several major humans in the city.

Politicians, businessmen, and other influential figures were in debt to the gang, giving them leverage over powerful individuals. To top it off, there were even a few vampires who had borrowed from them, further extending their reach into the vampire community. All of this now belonged to him.

"This is incredible," Ezra said, looking up from the documents. "No wonder Macmillan didn't want to give this up. The power and influence we have now are immense."

Gen leaned back in her chair, grinning. "It's like a treasure trove. We can use this to our advantage in so many ways."

Olivia, always the strategist, nodded thoughtfully. "We need to be careful, though. This kind of power comes with a lot of enemies. We need to make sure we're prepared to defend it. Besides, it'll all be the new count's. Those vampires would want to clear their debt before the count arrives."

"Damn." Gen whistled. "When the count arrives, there'll definitely be a war of some sort. Territories to confirm, covens to distribute and resources to fight for." She grinned. "It'll be fun."

Ezra smiled before turning back to the document s. His thoughts drifted to his own debt to Count Griffin. "Speaking of power and influence," he began, "we need to discuss my debt to Griffin."

Gen's expression turned serious. "What's the state of it now?"

Ezra sighed, organizing his thoughts. "Griffin has waived the cash repayment for now. Instead, he holds the debt as a favor. It means that at any time, he can call on me to do something for him. Something significant."

Olivia frowned. "That's dangerous. Griffin is not someone who gives favors lightly. He'll expect something major in return."

Ezra nodded. "I know. We need to be prepared for whatever he might ask. It could be anything, and we have to be ready to comply or face his wrath. Besides, we can't trust him. He was the one who kept saving Macmillan and the one who summoned me to where the peacekeepers could catch me."

Gen's eyes narrowed in thought. "I think we should keep a close eye on Griffin. The more we know about what he wants, the better we can prepare."

"Agreed," Olivia said. "We need to gather as much intelligence as possible. But for now, let's focus on our next move."

"You know," Ezra began. "Now that Sarah's dead, I realized that I still don't know all the details between you and her. It never did came up."

Gen was silent for a moment before she sighed, leaning back on her chair. "It's... complicated."

"And it can be simplified." Olivia stated dryly.

"True." Genesis chuckled. "Sarah and I, we were peacekeepers together."

"Wait, you were a peacekeeper?!" Ezra raised both eyebrows in surprise. Searᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"Yup. Ten years of service." Gen grinned proudly. "As with all peacekeepers, we had to relocate to another city after our service, so we came here. First City."

Even Olivia leaned forward in interest. "And?"

"Well, we came here, just two ex peacekeepers enjoying retirement." Gen smiled before her expression changed. "Then, we got into trouble with one of Count Vladimir's coven. Macmillan's wife saved us. Took us into her coven. Of course, we didn't have any business with Macmillan. Until one day, around the house, Sarah accidentally broke the Law of Secrecy and had to kill the human who saw to keep it."

"The human turned out to be the kin of our savior but she still accepted us. Then, I found out that she truly didn't forgive us. She wanted to sell us to the coven we previously angered. Well, it was me or her, so I killed her."

"But Sarah doesn't know." Olivia said in realization.

"Yup." Gen grinned. "And when I tried to tell her, she didn't believe me. Just like always, it was either me or her. And I chose me."

There was silence as everybody took their time to digest the story. Ezra sighed. There isn't always only one side to a story. On one side, we have Sarah who believed that her friend killed her savior. On the other hand, we have Gen who killed a savior to save a friend. A story the world would probably never know.

He stared at Gen, taking in her smile which didn't reach her eyes. "You did well."

Gen startled, looking up at him.

"You did the best you could. You did well." He smiled at her. Gen looked away and he knew it was time to change the subject.

He looked back at the documents in his hand, his mind turning on a new track. "Now that the Three Axe gang is ours, we need to turn our attention to the Red Orphans. Taking them over will solidify our control and eliminate one more threat."

They began brainstorming ideas, each suggestion building on the last. Some plans were discarded quickly, deemed too risky or impractical. Others were considered more seriously, but none seemed quite right. Finally, Gen spoke up.

"Why don't we use Malachi's proxy?" she suggested. "We know he's still out there, probably trying to hold the gang together. If we can find him and turn him to our side, we can use him to take over the Red Orphans from within."

Ezra considered this, nodding slowly. "That could work. We just need to find him and convince him to switch allegiance. If he sees the benefits of joining us, he might be willing to help."

Olivia added, "We can also use our new resources to track him down. The Three Axe gang's network should have the information we need. Once we find him, we'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

"And take over the Red Orphans."