Fear

35 • Business is business

As I stepped outside the institution, I took a deep breath. The air was biting cold. I stared at the message on my phone screen and sighed heavily.

X: Remember our deal

I deleted the message and shoved it back in my pocket, feeling the weight of the deal pressing down on me. The mission ahead was fraught with danger, but business is business. It had to be done.

Jack and Nate flanked me, both ready and alert. We climbed into the waiting helicopter, and the rotors whirred to life, slicing through the crisp morning air. The narrow causeway from the island to the mainland always felt like a lifeline and a noose.

The helicopter lifted off, and the island quickly became a distant speck. Nate sat in the pilot seat, his face set in a determined expression.

Jack, my right-hand man, sat beside me, stoic and reliable as ever. Nate was Dylan's replacement, and while still an unknown quantity, he seemed competent enough.

"So, Boss, what is this mission exactly?" Nate asked over the noise of the rotors.

"We're meeting an old... acquaintance of mine," I said over the headset, tension lacing my words. "He's not someone to be taken lightly, so I need you to stay on your guard and follow my lead."

Nate nodded, his expression unreadable. Jack glanced at me, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The helicopter flew over the city, the buildings becoming more dilapidated as we neared our destination. Finally, we landed on a helipad near an isolated warehouse on the edge of the city. A tall, muscular dark-skinned man stood guard at the gate. He eyed us warily as we approached.

"I'm here for X," I said firmly.

The guard nodded and opened the gate, allowing us to pass. We walked towards the warehouse, Jack taking the lead as my bodyguard while Nate, new to the game, covered the rear. The warehouse loomed ahead, its dark exterior matching the ominous feeling in my gut.

Inside, the air was thick with tension. The dim lighting cast long shadows across the crates and shipping containers that filled the space. At the center, a makeshift office had been set up with a battered metal table and a few chairs.

X was already seated, puffing on a cigar, his eyes narrowing as he saw me. He was a tall man with a shaved head, dark eyes that seemed to pierce through me, and a large scar running down the side of his face. His suit was immaculate, and he wore a $30,000 watch. He radiated an aura of power and menace that made even me uncomfortable.

"Ty," X greeted, his voice smooth but carrying an underlying threat. "Glad you could make it. Sit."

I took a seat at the table, Jack and Nate standing close by, ready for anything, their hands hovering near their concealed weapons. X's gaze shifted to them, and he smiled coldly.

"New muscle?" he asked, his tone mocking.

"Just business," I replied evenly.

X leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled. "Business indeed. Let's get to it, shall we?"

We began our discussion, the topic carefully danced around to keep its true nature vague. Words like "exchange" and "security" were thrown around, but the real details remained obscured to avoid details getting out where they shouldn't. The tension in the room was palpable, each of us aware of the dangerous balance we were maintaining.

Suddenly, X leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "You know, Tyler, trust is a... fragile thing. One wrong move and it shatters."

A slight chill ran down my spine, but I maintained my composure. "I'm aware. That's why we're here, to ensure everything goes smoothly."

X's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Smoothly. Yes. But just so you know, Tyler, if there's any betrayal..." His hand moved to his holster, pulling out a sleek, black pistol, fully loaded. He placed it on the table slowly, the metal gleaming ominously. "There will be consequences."

In my peripheral, I noticed Nate shifting slightly, ready to act, but I raised a hand to calm him. "We understand each other, right? We're here to keep our end of the deal."

X's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before he nodded, a silent agreement passing between us. "Good. Let's proceed."

The rest of the meeting was conducted under a heavy cloud of tension. Details were discussed, agreements made, but the underlying threat remained. I knew one wrong move could spell disaster for not just me, but the institution, the patients, the staff-and most importantly, Emily. But for now, I'd managed to dispel the immediate threat.

One misstep could unravel everything I'd worked for. One wrong move could detonate a land mine and ruin everything. I had to be careful.

As we left the warehouse, the weight of the encounter settled over me. I glanced at Nate and Jack, both of whom seemed relieved to be out of X's presence as we returned to the helicopter.

The flight back was tense and silent. The city lights blurred past below us, and the island slowly came back into view. The rotors' steady hum was the only sound, a stark contrast to the turmoil in my mind.

I had a promise to keep, a future to protect. And I couldn't afford to fail.

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