The sun dipped behind the western hills, painting the sky in streaks of fiery red. The scene below—the wreckage of the bus, the scattered bodies, and the ruined hotel—stood in stark contrast to the blazing clouds above.
At the moment the 48-hour countdown hit zero, the once-silent Lighthouse Hotel sprang back to life. The underground training base reopened, and hundreds of assassins, armed with tools, began clearing the bodies from the hotel entrance.
Top Floor – Alex Cross's Room
When the time arrived, his phone rang precisely on schedule. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID: [Winston]
"Mr. Cross," the old man's voice crackled through the line, "first, on behalf of the New York Continental Hotel, congratulations… for holding out to the end."
"Thank you, Mr. Winston," Alex replied calmly.
"I'm calling about another matter," Winston continued. "I'm accompanying the High Table's adjudicator and should arrive at your location in about five minutes."
"Understood," Alex said, ending the call.
Nearby, Nikita handed him a brand-new bulletproof suit. He changed quickly, checked his reflection in the mirror, and descended the stairs with Anna, Fox, Nikita, and Duggan.
Outside, timing was perfect. A black limousine waited in the lot at the hotel entrance. Assassins continued clearing corpses as Alex stepped into the open.
The limousine door opened. Winston stepped out first. Then, from the back seat, a familiar woman emerged—the female adjudicator from the High Table, the same one Alex had encountered in the past.
Accompanying her were two High Table assassins and the No. 117 Harbinger.
The Harbinger's face was grim, almost defeated, but he straightened his suit and walked to a respectful distance from Alex. As always, he forced a faint smile and spoke:
"Mr. Cross, congratulations on surviving the High Table's purge… I will, on behalf of the High Table, execute the authority vested in me…"
He paused, glanced at Winston, then continued solemnly:
"On behalf of the High Table, I officially recognize… the Lighthouse Organization as holding equal status with other High Table-affiliated factions."
After saying this, his gaze fell once more, and he stepped aside.
Click-clack-click! The adjudicator approached Alex in heels. She extended her hand, showing her black badge, then turned to point at the Harbinger:
"As per the agreement, the Lighthouse Organization held out for 48 hours. I, on behalf of the High Table, will now enforce the terms."
With that, she clapped her hands. A High Table assassin drew a pistol, aimed at the Harbinger's forehead, and fired.
Bang.
The Harbinger collapsed, lifeless.
Meanwhile, another High Table assassin opened the limousine's trunk and pulled out a large chest, placing it before Alex. Duggan opened it to reveal neatly stacked gold coins.
The adjudicator's voice rang out again:
"These are all of the No. 117 Harbinger's possessions—5,000 gold coins. The one hundred million dollars has already been transferred to your Lighthouse Organization's account."
"Thank you," Alex said quietly, glancing at the fallen Harbinger.
He wasn't surprised by any of this. The High Table always operated this way—silent, methodical, ruthless.
The adjudicator's tone softened only slightly as she added:
"Mr. Cross, as the High Table's adjudicator, I must remind you: the High Table's rules cannot be challenged. I hope our next meeting will not be as enemies."
With that, she turned and returned to the limousine. Winston sighed, shaking his head:
"The enforcement squad answers directly to her. You killed over 500 of her subordinates—don't expect any favors. No wonder the High Table sent her… she didn't want you getting too comfortable."
Alex finally understood. He didn't bother with her attitude. A smile crossed his face as he looked at Winston.
"Since you're here, why not come in? Have a drink… a little celebration?"
"No, maybe next time," Winston replied, glancing at the still-idling limousine before politely declining. He got in and watched as the car slowly pulled away.
Alex turned and entered the hotel. Walking beside Nikita, he gave orders:
"Have Susie arrange to send Ares' body to Rome. Make sure the Camorra family supervises."
At the elevator, he pressed the button and turned back to Nikita:
"Also… contact Irene. Tell her to come to the hotel to see me."
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