---
Title: Vanishing Shadows
---
The office felt emptier than usual, a subtle void that tugged at Leo's nerves. Kai had resigned abruptly, leaving behind no explanation or trace of where he had gone. At first, Leo dismissed it as another fleeting employee leaving for greener pastures. But as the days passed, an unusual unease settled over him—a sensation he wasn't accustomed to.
It wasn't just Kai's absence. Something about the timing gnawed at him.
---
One Week Later
Leo was drowning in paperwork when Marco barged into his office, carrying a file with a smug grin.
"You're going to want to see this," Marco said, placing the file on Leo's desk.
"What now?" Leo asked, barely looking up.
"Remember that company we've been watching? Titan Corp? Turns out, they've been making moves into our territories—quietly buying out some of our smaller partners."
Leo's eyes snapped to the file. Titan Corp had always been a thorn in his side, but this was a bold move. He flipped through the documents, his eyes narrowing when he saw the name listed under Titan Corp's new senior strategist: Kai Erland.
For a moment, Leo's mind went blank. "Kai?" he said aloud, his voice laced with disbelief.
Marco raised a brow. "Yeah. Didn't think he'd show up there, did you? The timing's interesting, isn't it?"
Leo closed the file with a sharp snap. "Interesting doesn't even begin to cover it."
---
Later That Night
Leo sat alone in his private quarters, a glass of whiskey in his hand, replaying every interaction he'd had with Kai. Every smile, every offhand remark—each one seemed to take on a new meaning now.
"Did you play me, Kai?" Leo muttered to himself, swirling the amber liquid in his glass.
Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, the door burst open, and one of his men stumbled in, blood seeping through his shirt.
"Boss," the man gasped, collapsing onto the floor. "It's the Blackfang gang—they've set up an ambush near the docks. They're targeting our shipments."
Leo's expression darkened. He slammed his glass down and stood, grabbing his coat. "Get the others. We'll deal with this now."
---
The Docks
The scene at the docks was chaos. Crates were smashed, and gunfire echoed in the night. Leo's men were pinned down behind makeshift barriers, their faces grim with determination.
Leo arrived with reinforcements, his presence alone reigniting the morale of his men.
"They're trying to cripple us before Titan Corp can swoop in and take over," Marco said, ducking behind a crate as bullets whizzed past.
Leo smirked, his eyes alight with a dangerous fire. "Let them try."
With calculated precision, Leo directed his men, outmaneuvering the Blackfang gang. Amid the fray, he confronted the gang leader—a towering brute with a scar running down his cheek.
"Your mistake," Leo said coldly, raising his gun, "was thinking you could challenge me."
The gunshot rang out, signaling the end of the battle.
---
After the Fight
As Leo surveyed the aftermath, his thoughts drifted back to Kai. Was it possible that Kai had orchestrated this chaos to weaken him? The idea was both infuriating and oddly exhilarating.
Marco approached him, wiping blood from his brow. "Boss, we've secured the shipment, but we've got another problem. There's intel suggesting that Titan Corp might be working with the Blackfangs."
Leo clenched his fists, his mind racing. "If that's true, then Kai isn't just playing a game—he's declaring war."
--
Back in his office, Leo found Nero perched on his desk, holding a piece of paper in its beak. He took it, his eyes narrowing as he read the message scrawled in neat handwriting:
"The game has just begun. – Kai"
Leo crumpled the note in his hand, a grim smile forming on his lips. "If it's a game you want, Kai, then I'll make sure you regret ever starting it."
---