Chapter 300: Conflict (9)
Still in California, but, in another place, on a stretch of land that felt completely isolated from the outside world with how peaceful it was, there stood a building that radiated both grace and a sense of age.
Inside, in a moderately sized hall weighed down by a heavy atmosphere, a group of people had gathered.
"Patriarch, the Halden Group and Veltrix Technologies have both changed hands. They were sold to a single subsidiary company of Infinitel. And the people we were targeting—" the man paused slightly, his expression tight, "—they didn’t just run. It’s more accurate to say they vanished."
The speaker stood off to the side, glancing toward the head of the room, where a middle-aged man sat at the highest seat. He bowed his head slightly as he finished, his voice low and respectful.
The patriarch didn’t respond right away. He remained still, a frown etched across his face, his gaze distant. And the silence pressed in.
It had been a painful loss — someone strong like Nyra from the direct line of family had fallen.
His hand curled faintly around the armrest, and a slow breath escaped him as his thoughts churned. Was it because they had underestimated the chaos sweeping through the city... or had this group they have got themselves entangled with simply been more powerful than them?
"Can we be certain," he asked finally, his voice cold and quiet, "that the ones we sent weren’t killed by that Elias... or whatever his name was?"
The response came immediately.
"Yes. That is certain. He was seen outside the city when the battle happened yesterday."
Vortan Drevane, the Patriarch of the Drevane family, fixed his gaze on the man who answered him and fell silent once again.
Something about the whole situation felt suspicious.