Chapter 4: Time to Settle Accounts with the Looske Family

Words : 1494 Updated : Aug 14th, 2025

The night lay heavy when Elijah Quinny departed Phoenix City. Raven slipped after him without a sound, her steps feather-light yet urgent. "Northville Marshal, the Looske family already caught wind," Raven murmured gravely. "They have no intention of letting it go. They've even said they'll come after you." A cold smile tugged at Elijah's lips. "The Looske family, one of Riveria's Four Great Families? I'd like to see how much trouble they think they can stir up." He didn't raise his voice, but it carried enough weight to send a chill down your spine. "Notify Zero. Have him head to Riveria at once." His tone allowed no argument. "Yes." Raven pivoted away. In under ten minutes, she hustled back. "Northville Marshal, Zero replied. He'll be in Riveria within twelve hours." She paused, then lowered her voice. "TerraNet uncovered something. A few days ago, someone took Jolie straight from her school. The school acted like nothing had happened." She did not finish the thought; she did not have to. Elijah's face darkened by the second, his brow furrowing. The iron calm that had carried him through battlefields felt ready to shatter. Jolie had been missing for days, and the school had looked the other way. Someone had pulled strings in the shadows. He ground out, "It's time to settle accounts with the Looske family." From the dark, a TerraNet scout darted in and dropped to his knees. Thud. "Northville Marshal, we traced the vehicle that moved Jolie. By the time we got there, the kidnappers were all dead." A deadly aura rolled off Elijah. Crack! The floor beneath his boots split. You could almost feel the violence in the air. Everyone there felt a chill. Even Raven had to take a step back, her chest tightening. "No other leads?" Elijah asked, voice low, fury held on a short leash. "It was a very clean job. They left nothing," the scout answered, uneasy. "Take me there." They moved at a clip to an abandoned garage on the outskirts. Under a sickly yellow bulb, a white van sat in the corner. A handful of bodies lay inside, each throat slit with a single precise stroke. It was a textbook cleanup. Elijah's gaze swept the interior and snagged on a bracelet on the backseat-the gift he had picked out for Jolie before he left. The fire in his chest broke its chains. He threw back his head and roared. The killing intent rolled off him like a tide. The air thickened until breathing hurt. The scout nearly choked, and Raven blanched, a chill racing down her spine. The Northville Marshal's battlefield steel was on full display. No one dared meet his eyes. Forcing down her shock, Raven crouched to study the bodies. "Northville Marshal," she whispered, "this looks like Slok's work, that overseas organization." "Slok?" Elijah's frown deepened as scenes from past clashes flashed by. The outfit was ruthless and elusive. He had crossed them a few times, and each one was a close call. "If it's them, this gets messy," he said coldly. "Jolie cannot come to harm. Throw everything we've got at it. Get to the bottom of it. And arrange meetings with the Mayor and the Director of the Peacekeeping Bureau." Orders fell in quick succession, and the air grew leaden. Raven nodded and took Elijah back to the hotel to regroup. Meanwhile, inside Riveria's Red Rose Bar, another deal was quietly going down. Dim, hazy lights bathed the room, the air saturated with booze and perfume. Grant Spears, Director of the Peacekeeping Bureau, lounged on a sofa, women draped over him, bliss plastered across his face. Elliot Looske, the Looske family's third heir, sat opposite, lazily swirling his drink, a sly smile on his lips. "Mr. Spears, another round. You can really hold your liquor," Elliot said, all easy warmth as he poured. Grant chuckled. "You flatter me, Mr. Looske. Compared to the Looske family, I'm nothing." A few more drinks went down and the mood loosened. Elliot leaned in. "About that matter from earlier-think you can help? We were in the right." Grant flicked his hand. "Barging into a private residence and roughing up the house's security chief. Not hard to handle. Don't worry, Mr. Looske. I'll make sure that guy pays for it." Elliot's brow smoothed. Satisfaction warmed him. The night felt worth every cent. Grant's phone buzzed. Buzz, buzz. "Who's calling this late? Don't they know I'm off the clock?" he grumbled, answering with lazy annoyance. In the next instant his face changed. The alcohol drained from him. He shot to his feet. A woman reached to cling to him. He shoved her away. "Beat it. I'm not in the mood." He turned to Elliot. "Mr. Looske, I can take care of your issue, but something more important just came up. I can't stay." Elliot narrowed his eyes, fishing. "To shake you like this, it must be someone big. Care to share?" "King of Northville," Grant said, three heavy words. The air seemed to freeze. Elliot's face fell; his stomach clenched. In Riveria, everyone feared that name. Grant patted his shoulder. "The Looske family had better keep a low profile for a while. If the King of Northville fixes on you, no matter how great your resources are, you won't be able to protect yourselves." He walked straight out of the bar, leaving Elliot alone, looking troubled and silent.

Chapter 4: Time to Settle Accounts with the Looske Family

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