The room did not feel safe anymore after the three messages and the symbol they saw. Who could have sent the messages?
What is the meaning of the symbol?
The silence that once felt like a place now felt like it was closing in on them, heavy and hard to breathe.
Dwayne stood near the table, having the phone in his hand, his jaw was tight, his mind was racing faster than the storm that had hit the city hours ago.
Rubby watched him carefully. "You said they were gone, " she said quietly. "People like that do not just go then come back."
"They do not, " Dwayne replied. "Then explain this, " Rubby said.
He did not because he does not know what he could respond with.
Across the city inside a lit office with wood and glass, Samson Tomlinson stood by the window looking out at the sky filled with rain.
The city looked calm, he knew better because a man like him always knew things like this.
Samson Tomlinson directed Herbert Robson to go and find Dwayne and he should make sure he protects and advises him.
"There is more, " Herbert added, which made Samson glance over his shoulder slightly.
"The shooting, " Herbert continued, "it was not just chaotic, it was planned."
Samson turned around, his presence filled the room, heavy and in charge.
Herbert stepped forward putting a tablet on the table and on the tablet were pictures from the conference hall.
The pictures were blurry and chaotic. One thing stood out "A man standing still while everyone else panicked".
"The man is not for us, " Herbert said.
"The man is not Covington, " Samson added.
Herbert nodded. ". There is something else."
Herbert zoomed in on the tablet, he saw a symbol on the man's wrist like a snake wrapped around a knife, seeing that Samson's face changed.
"I thought they were dead, " Herbert said quietly.
Samson was not quick.
His eyes turned dark, his face changed and he hit his hand against the wall angrily.
"They were supposed to be dead, " Samson said.
Meanwhile in another part of the city Covington was not quiet.
Voices were shouting through the halls.
Truman Covington stood in the middle of it all angry, confused and grieved.
Truman is a suspicious, aggressive and loyal person, like a storm contained in a human body.
"Find her " he ordered, his voice sharp enough to cut through the noise.
A man stepped forward cautiously. "We have sent teams over—"
"I did not ask what you have done " Truman snapped. "I asked why she is not here."
The man went silent.
Truman ran his hand through his hair pacing like a wild animal trapped in a cage.
"She has been with him, " he muttered.
Another man spoke up. "Do you think he took her?" Truman stopped.
Then he slowly turned around and his eyes became cold.
"If he hurt her " his voice dropped, deadly quiet "I will tear his empire apart piece by piece."
Then Priscilla Carr stepped forward elegant and confident, protective but powerless when things go wrong.
"Truman, " she said softly. "You are assuming she did not go willingly."
That statement by Priscilla hit something in Truman's mind, something dangerous.
Truman's jaw was tight. "Rubby would not."
"She is not weak, " Priscilla cut in, "She is not blind."
Silence filled the place.
Truman stared at her and he asked, "You are saying she chose him?"
Priscilla hesitated.
Back at the house Rubby paced around the room.
"You are not telling me everything, " she said.
Dwayne leaned against the table, his arms crossed.
"There is nothing to tell."
"That is not true " Rubby. They stared at each other.
"You recognized that symbol, " she continued. "That was not a surprise, that was history."
Dwayne exhaled slowly.
Then finally Dwayne told her "They were called the Virelli Syndicate."
Rubby. Said, "I have never heard of them."
"You were not supposed to, " Dwayne said.
He pushed off the table walking toward the window.
Dwayne explained to Rubby "They were not like our families."
"They did not fight for territory, " he said. "They controlled the people who did."
Rubby's face changed. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"They were above everything, " Dwayne said. "Every empire in this city answered them whether they knew it or not."
Her heart was racing. "That is impossible, " she said.
"It was real, " Dwayne said. "Until it was not."
"What happened to them?" Dwayne's gaze turned hard.
"They were betrayed, " he said.
"By who?" she asked.
Dwayne did not answer away.
Rubby's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Dwayne, who betrayed them?" she asked.
He turned to face her. Answered, "Our fathers."
The words hit her like a gunshot.
Rubby stepped back slightly. "No, " she shouted. "That does not make sense why would they?"
"Because power does not like being controlled, " Dwayne said. ". The Virelli Syndicate controlled everything."
Rubby shook her head, "So both families just want to destroy them?" she asked in a shaking voice.
"Not our families " he corrected. "Others too but Tomlinson and Covington led it."
Her chest felt tight. "This– is insane, " she stammered.
"It is history, " Dwayne said.
"No it is a lie " she snapped. "If something that big happened I would know."
"You know what they want you to know " Dwayne told her.
That shut her up because she knew that was true.
There was a knock on the door that made both of them freeze.
Dwayne's instincts kicked in instantly.
He moved silently, reaching for the gun hidden under the table.
Then another knock, slower and more intentional this time.
Rubby's voice dropped, "They found us."
Dwayne did not answer but remained calm.
He moved toward the door carefully, every step calculated.
Then a familiar voice said, "Dwayne open the door."
Dwayne realized the person knocking was Herbert.
As his friend and most trusted advisor he opened the door for him.
Herbert stepped in quickly scanning the room before his eyes landed on Rubby.
He relaxed slightly.
"You are both alive, " he said, "barely, " Dwayne replied.
Herbert's gaze turned sharp. "We have a problem."
Dwayne held up the phone. "We know."
Herbert's face turned dark as he saw the symbol. "So it is true " he murmured.
Rubby looked between them "You both knew about this?"
Herbert nodded once, "stories, rumors, nothing confirmed until now " Dwayne said.
Herbert became very serious, so he said, "Samson Tomlinson knows."
Dwayne stiffened slightly.
" He asked. "Is he mobilizing?" Herbert replied. "Not against Covington."
Silence filled the room. "Then who?" Rubby asked.
Herbert looked at both of them. Quietly answered, "At them."
Is Samson Tomlinson not in support of their love? Is he trying to protect Dwayne and Rubby?
Rubby stepped forward. "So what do we do now? Are we just going to sit and wait for them to attack us?"
"They are not ghosts, " Dwayne said.
"No, " Herbert added quietly. "They are organized."
That word hit harder than anything
"They wanted you alive, " Herbert continued, looking at Dwayne. "That message proves it."
Rubby crossed her arms.
Suddenly Dwayne heard some noise outside, he quickly moved to the window.
Then some men stepped out of a car that looked calm but deadly.
One of them looked up at the house where Dwayne, Rubby and Herbert were and he smiled.
"They are not here to scare us, " Herbert said, pulling out his gun.
Rubby's breathing became uneven. "We cannot stay here."
"We will not, " Dwayne said.
He looked at Herbert.
"Back exit, " Herbert nodded.
They moved quickly and slowly to the bar section of the room.
Herbert left both of them in the bar to check if the men were still looking at their room then realized they had already left.
That night Rubby went back to the room while Dwayne was still at the bar.
He wanted to drink to forget everything that had happened, the stress, war, fights, tension and bloodshed but he drank much.