The Director's office door clicked shut, leaving a sudden silence in the luxurious space. Ethan, still in his orange prison jumpsuit, resettled himself in the leather chair. Director Hayes remained standing, while Lena Rossi and Cassandra watched her with unreadable expressions. Jason was still oblivious to the palpable tension.

"Good," Ethan said, picking up the glass of whiskey on the desk. "Now that all the politicians are gone, we can speak freely. Hayes," he addressed the Director, his tone possessive. "From now on, you are part of our inner circle. You will work directly with them. Ensure no one in this prison dares to interfere with our affairs."

Hayes nodded, her face professional. "Understood, Ethan. My loyalty is with you. And my authority in this prison has been restored."

Lena and Cassandra approached. Lena extended her hand to Hayes first, with a playful smile.

"Welcome to the club," Lena Rossi said. "A pleasure to have you, Hayes. I'm sure you'll enjoy your new... stay."

"Yes, we hope you enjoy your stay," Cassandra complemented, shaking Hayes' hand with a mischievous wink. "They say Ethan's member is quite popular these days. You know, for playing often."

A burst of laughter resonated in the office, instantly breaking the tension. Hayes laughed with them; the atmosphere immediately relaxed, mixing professionalism with complicity.

"Let's celebrate," Ethan said, standing up. Drinks were prepared. Cassandra, Lena, and Hayes poured wine, while Ethan poured a generous measure of whiskey. "Jason, make sure someone pours you a decent drink wherever you are," Ethan said, before taking a large sip that burned his throat.

"Now," Ethan continued, sitting back down. "I want the truth, no embellishments. What the hell happened during this time? The day I was arrested, I was told all hell broke loose."

Lena and Cassandra exchanged glances, and Lena began the story, with Cassandra complementing the details.

"That day, everything was on the verge of collapsing horribly, Ethan," Lena admitted, her voice still tinged with horror. "When your arrest was confirmed and chaos hit the city, Olympus attacked with everything. They weren't just gang members. They were military commands. They attacked almost all our controlled zones simultaneously."

"The casualties were horrible," Cassandra continued, her expression hard. "We had no way to stop them. Our men—our gang members—are no match for trained military personnel with high-level equipment. We were losing territory by the minute. We were ready for total collapse. Even I... I thought it was the end for Royal."

"And what happened then?" Ethan asked, remaining calm, though his eyes dangerously bright.

Lena smiled, a genuine hint of relief in her eyes. "That's where the Old Falcon came in. Just in time. He arrived with his men. They weren't many, maybe a dozen experts, but they took control of the area within hours. They took charge, established perimeters, and managed to stabilize the situation."

"Those men are killing machines," Cassandra confessed, with respect that bordered on fear. "His men now control our entire zone, and they are brutal and efficient. Seeing how powerful they are, I still can't understand how an organization like Celestial could destroy them. Right now, I have an immense, terrifying respect for those invisible monsters."

Ethan nodded seriously. "Agreed. Now we have an idea of what we're facing. What else happened? The property progress?"

"We have acquired all the properties, as you requested," Lena reported proudly. "We are remodeling some zones and demolishing others that are useless. We will start working on our condominiums and remodeling the zones under our command to build the bases for our expansion."

"Did you build and decide on the location for the building I requested?" Ethan asked, recalling his personal ambitious project.

"Yes, Chief," Cassandra confirmed. "The paperwork is ready, and the location is perfect. It's ready to start moving forward."

The thought of his condominium building brought an unpleasant connection to Ethan's mind. "Vincent Halbert..." he murmured.

"What are we going to do with him?" Jason's voice boomed through the speaker, full of rage. "We should finish him off once and for all. I can't believe that idiot dared to mess with us at this time. We should give him what he deserves, Ethan."

Ethan took another slow sip of whiskey. "Yes, Jason. When I get out of this place, I will mess him up. But right now, Thompson's threat is enough to keep him squirming. We'll let him writhe a little longer."

Ethan leaned forward. "However, if Vincent was directly involved in the federal convoy attack, we might be able to accelerate everything. I won't leave loose ends that can connect us back to Vance. Hayes, you have the full report from Brown. Did Vincent sign any documents linking him to the transfer or the payment of the guards?"

Director Hayes, who had been listening intently, walked over to the desk and picked up the folders Brown had brought, quickly leafing through the transfer documents and payment receipts. Her eyes scanned the signatures.

"Yes," Hayes confirmed, her voice precise. "Here are his financials for the security detail. And here, on the authorization for the armored transport route change... it's Vincent Halbert's signature on multiple sheets. He left quite a trail."

"It's perfect then," Ethan declared, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. "The idiot left enough fingerprints. It's absolutely excellent."

"Jason, listen to me. Return to the state prison immediately. Everything will be fine. We will try to get you out as soon as possible so you can retake control of the streets. Don't worry about me; I can afford to stay here a little longer so the political tension doesn't escalate prematurely."

"Understood boss" Jason's voice replied. "Be careful. And make sure you deal with that piece of trash."

"I will," Ethan promised.

Lena and Cassandra stood up, gathering their composure and their belongings.

"You shouldn't leave so soon," Ethan said, his voice dropping to a smooth, suggestive murmur as he looked at the two women. "Don't you want us to catch up?"

Hayes looked sharply at the two womens, her eyes narrowed with immediate, possessive jealousy. "I'd prefer not to," Hayes stated, crossing her arms. "I'm not a big fan of sharing my man in bed."

Ethan chuckled softly, amused by the power struggle. He met Hayes' gaze. "If you wait for a turn for yourself alone, it might take too long to arrive," Ethan teased. "You should learn to take advantage of opportunities, though I won't pressure you."

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