Chapter 81: Finding the Dark Hand. 

Horace was losing his mind. The Shaw family had finally reacted. Only this time, it was not mere insult of taking their daughter. This was outright destruction. 

“Horace,” Martha breathed, her hand rising to cover her mouth in horror. “What did you do to them? What did you do to make them come after us like this?” 

Her husband’s gaze was haunted, his skin sallow and slick with cold sweat. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words died in his throat as a plaintive voice echoed from the second -floor balcony overhead. 

“Dad?” 

Both Horace and Martha whipped their heads up in unison to see their youngest daughter, Selene, standing frozen in the shadows above. Horace felt his heart plummet into his stomach. as realization bloomed across the young woman’s face. 

“It… It was because of me, wasn’t it?” She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

She looked hollow and weak. She had barely survived the Shaw family’s dungeons, now this? 

“Whatever you did, it was because of what happened with that Anya and me a little while ago, right?” She seemed sure her father was just avenging her. 

Horace shook his head mutely, unable to offer any reassurance as his world seemed to crumble around him. 

How could he explain that it had very little to do with her? How could he explain that he had been stealing from the Shaw this long and had even gone as far as to sell information to enemies? 

Chapter B1 Finding the Dark Hand 

Selene watched her father’s look of despair and really almost regretted being this obsessed with Daniel. She had always known he was dangerous but did not think he would go this far with her family. 

If her family lost its place, their enemies would tear them apart. 

As her mother’s sobs echoed off the walls around them, she knew in her heart that they were all about to pay the ultimate price. 

In another city, a plane landed on a private strip. 

In seconds, a black SUV came screeching to a halt beside the jet; the tinted windows rolled down to reveal Jerry’s scarred features twisted into a scowl. 

“You’re making us late, boss,” he growled as Daniel climbed into the back beside him. 

“Just drive,” Daniel barked, already scrolling through messages on his encrypted phone. 

It was a short journey through Angelo City’s winding streets, the low–built buildings and loud vendors selling their goods making the city more lively than others as they drove past the cityscape into the dark side of the city. 

Daniel paid the chaos no mind, his jaw clenched tightly, his cold eyes radiating impatience bordering on rage. 

Their destination was a dark alleyway bar wedged between a pawn shop and Chinese herb store 

-the kind of place built for making deals in the dark. 

Jerry flashed his sidearm at the bulking bounce who stepped aside with a light nod, letting him pass through. 

Chupd/2111 Faideug the Dark Hand 

The hazy interior was filled with cold air, a stark contrast from the desert heat outside. 

One could smell the thick scent of cigarette smoke and the stench of stale beer everywhere, over the beat of loud music. 

Jerry led them to a dimly lit back room, giving the slightest of nods to the server, who slipped inside to announce their arrival. 

They did not even let a few minutes pass before they swept through the curtains and entered the room. 

Inside, a tall, heavily built man in his early thirties with rich brown skin and glittering predator’s eyes stares at them. 

The man saw Jerry and let out a slight grin as Jerry and Daniel approached him. 

“Jerry, my man,” the man greeted in a gravelly drawl, stopping his bodyguard’s hand from reaching for a gun and pulling Jerry into a half–embrace. 

“Long time no-” he started to say. 

His words caught in his throat as Daniel stepped out from behind Jerry and approached the battered sofa, fixing the man with an icy glare. 

2019 

“Jon,” Daniel said, his voice devoid of any warmth. 

Jon swallowed hard as his fight or flight instincts kicked into overdrive even as he saw Daniel. But he held back and pasted a broad, winning smile on his face. 

“Well, I’ll be… if it isn’t the big dog himself back on my humble streets.” His gaze drifted towards Jerry. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your…esteemed company?” 

Chapter 51: Finding the Dark Hand 

“Cut the 

shit, Shadow,” Daniel warned, his tone terse. “We’re not here to make small talk” 

“No?” Jon replied with an arched eyebrow. “Then what can I do for Mr. Shaw, who is too far from home?! 

“The list,” Jerry interrupted, extending his palm expectantly. “We need what you’ve got on it. I want the updated one, past ones, archives, everything.” 

Jon’s expression sobbed instantly at the mention of this list. It was the underworld’s most notorious task blacklist. It covered every task, from abduction to assassination. 

A troubled frown stole Jon’s face at this moment 

“Listen, man… You know I got honor, I can’t just go handing over that kind of intel without proper compensation.” 

The next second, Daniel was before him, his polished Italian shoes pressing into the smaller man’s chest before he could blink. 

The man looked to Daniel’s hands to find there was a gun on his temple. Jon’s bodyguard wanted to react, but he raised his hand to stop him. 

“How’s this for compensation–you give us the intel we want, or I splatter your brains all over these walls?” No more talking.” 

Jon froze, his eyes wide with terror, for a fraction of a second before instinct kicked in. 

“You know I will be in trouble for this. If I spill, I would not make it alive,” Jon said. 

“Chapte=&1 Firiding the Durk algod 

Jerry’s sidearm was already level at Jon’s head. 

“The assassin, Jim, you were the last person to call him,” Jerry said, and Jon’s eyes shrank 

“I only called to stop him from doing anything stupid,” Jon hurriedly explained. 

“Then, informed the list of his death too.” Jerry asked. 

“He was a friend,” Jon said with a light sigh. 

“Start talking,” Daniel ordered. 

The standoff lasted only seconds before Jon started rambling, yet nothing he said made sense 

nor was of relevance to.. 

“Enough. There’s no need to be around the bush.” He fixed Jon with a hard stare. “My wife is back home waiting. So you’re going to give me what I want, and now. And I don’t care how much it costs you in the way. There is only one way this ends: the list or your life.” 

Jon met Daniel’s piercing gaze, giving a curt nod as he slowly returned his knives to the sheaths under his coat. 

“Alright, alright. I get it. Give me ten, and I’ll have whatever data you need.” 

Within moments, a worn briefcase was brought over. It was stuffed to overflow with encrypted hard drives, printouts, and data chips. Jon handed it over without care. He really regretted calling Jim that day. 

Daniel accepted it with a short nod, turning on his heel and striding back for the exit. 

Jerry glanced at the Jon for a second before turning to leave. 

Jon let loose a tight smile that didn’t reach his haunted eyes. “Tell the man I hope he finds what he’s looking for,” he shouted at their back. And that I wouldn’t wish his path on my worst enemy.” 

Jerry shook his head as the pair disappeared behind the curtain. Jon sank onto a bar stool and poured himself a triple shot of whiskey. He downed it in one gulp, a violent shudder passing through him. Daniel Shaw always got what he wanted, no matter the violence left in his wake. As he stalked down the dimly lit hallway of the abandoned office building, his encrypted phone buzzed insistently in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered the call without checking the caller ID. 

Chip 62 Found