Chapter 262: The Cost of Silence
Aron remained at the venue, stationed alongside the mercenaries, the same group he had hired during the search for Hercules. They recognized him immediately and were relieved to hear that this job wouldn’t be nearly as dangerous as the last. Just like before, they knew they’d be paid handsomely for their loyalty.
The mercenaries had efficiently surrounded the Black Hounds’ members and staff, confiscating every single one of their electronic communication devices. Phones, laptops, anything that could send a signal, were collected and locked away. No one was to make contact with the outside world.
While holding the area, they swept through the venue and gathered any trace of illegal activity they could find. At the same time, they wiped everything else clean, any unrelated records, footage, or digital files, so that if the Black Hounds came sniffing around later, they would have no clue what had gone down that day.
A few of the Black Hound members, realizing the gravity of the situation, panicked. They made a break for it, trying to force their way out in a last-ditch attempt at escape.
But the mercenaries? They didn’t need guns, knives, or batons. Just their fists. Even if the Black Hounds were skilled fighters, their bodies were already battered, bruised, and bloodied. They stood no chance against the well-trained mercs.
Around this time, Aron received a call. It was the police chief from the district they were in. He confirmed that he was on his way and that he was fully briefed on the entire situation. Aron hung up just as the venue manager approached him, rubbing the back of his neck and shaking his head.
"We made a huge mistake," the manager admitted with a grim expression. "One of our guys acted like a damn fool, and we assumed the younger one would be just as clueless. Thought it would be easy pickings for a quick payday."
He sighed heavily before continuing.
"Who would’ve thought he knew how to fight like that? And on top of that, he had someone as competent as you by his side."
The manager’s words were clearly directed at Aron. Sure, Chad had his own private security team, but none of them were anything like Aron. Aron went beyond the expectations of his job, above and beyond his pay grade, to protect the one he was assigned to. Maybe Max didn’t even realize how rare that was. Maybe he thought all bodyguards would act this way, simply because they were part of the Stern family.