Victor Hale did not like waiting.
Patience had its place.
It was useful during negotiations.
Useful during acquisitions.
Useful when building strategies that unfolded slowly over time.
But when an opportunity appeared, Victor preferred to move first.
The morning after Damian's private meeting with Kendrick Walker, Victor sat comfortably in his office on the top floor of Hale Industries.
The room was quiet.
Glass walls surrounded him on three sides, offering a sweeping view of the city skyline. Traffic crawled along the streets far below. Sunlight reflected off rows of polished buildings. The world looked calm.
Orderly.
Predictable.
Victor knew better.
His assistant stood across the desk holding a tablet filled with fresh reports.
"We found him," she said.
Victor looked up from his coffee.
"That didn't take long."
"No," she admitted. "Once the media started circulating the photo, the search became easier."
Victor extended his hand.
The tablet was passed to him.
