Chapter 4

Max

Randy looked down.

His eyes widened slightly as he looked at the screen, "Boss, Seth.”

Max looked at him, "Put him on speaker."

Randy obeyed.

Paige’s scream still rang on.

Immediately Seth's voice echoed through the room, “Stop! Stop! Stop that nonsense for a minute!”

Max hesitated, then raised a hand, and the water splashing seized.

"What exactly do you think you're doing, Hardy?"

Max leaned back lazily, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

A brief silence followed.

Then Seth laughed softly, a laugh that sounded more mocking than nervous, "You hacked my device just to put on a show?"

Max's eyes narrowed.

Seth continued, "You crossed cities and spilled blood for this?"

Max's jaw tightened, "You seem unusually calm for a man whose daughter is sitting in my basement."

Seth was quiet for few seconds. Then, he said, "Let me speak to her."

Max studied Paige briefly before nodding.

One of the men carried the phone closer.

Seth's voice softened slightly, "Hey Paige."

Everyone watched.

"Hold on for a little longer."

A pause.

"I'll get you out."

Paige remained curled where she lay, already shivering.

She didn’t respond, not even a glance.

Max’s brows crowded. Something about that unsettled him.

Why wasn’t she reaching to her father for comfort like every other captive would do?

But he dismissed it.

Perhaps, she was exhausted from the splash. People reacted differently under pressure.

Seth spoke again, "Put Hardy back on."

The phone was returned.

"What do you want?" Seth asked.

Max's eyes remained fixed on Paige, "Half your empire."

Silence.

Then, laughter exploded through the room.

Several men exchanged uncertain glances.

Max's expression darkened.

Seth kept laughing till he was full.

"You think you can walk into this city and swallow empires?" Seth finally said, catching his breath.

His voice turned colder, "Do you know how men build what they own? Do you know what it costs? You've conquered a few territories and suddenly think everyone is prey?"

Max leaned forward, "No one worked extremely hard to build what they have like I did. And you, Seth, are my ultimate prey."

Silence lingered.

Then Seth spoke quietly, "A hunter should watch his prey carefully…"

The room felt smaller.

"…because not everything being hunted can be killed. Some might be too poisonous to touch."

Max smiled slightly, "I have antidotes for every poison, especially yours, Seth."

Another laugh. “I see.”

Brief pause.

"So, Mr. Hunter, tell me, what happens if I don't agree with you?"

Max answered immediately, "Your daughter dies."

Seth made a thoughtful sound, "Hmm," almost amused.

"Give me time to think."

Max stared ahead, "Three days."

Then he added coldly, "You're such an irresponsible father needing time to think before saving your own daughter."

Silence.

Then Seth said quietly, "At least, I am a father. Some people are too beastly they can’t even father an animal."

Max frowned as the words landed, because he knew exactly what Seth meant.

But he wouldn’t blame himself, life made him what he was.

No, not life; Seth.

It was Seth who made him choose this path, and he must pay dearly for it.

The line disconnected.

Silence returned.

Max looked briefly toward Paige's shivering figure. Something about her indifference still felt strange.

But he ignored it.

"Take her back."

Paige was dragged out the way she was brought in.

One after another, his men filtered out to their assigned positions while Max remained seated, eyes fixed ahead, though he wasn't truly looking at anything.

The heavy door opened and closed, opened and closed, until only Randy remained.

He stood near the wall, checking positions through his comms and ensuring the security arrangements had been carried out properly.

Everything was in place and under control, yet when he looked toward his boss again, his brows furrowed slightly.

He hadn't moved, and seemed to be in deep thought.

After a brief hesitation, Randy finally spoke.

"Boss?"

No response.

"What exactly is the plan?"

Max blinked once and slowly looked toward him.

Randy shifted slightly under the stare but continued, "You haven't really given a breakdown."

He rested his hands lightly on the holster round his waist, "And honestly... I don't think Seth is going to hand over half his empire."

Silence.

Then Max leaned forward, "I didn't expect him to."

Randy frowned.

Max's voice remained calm, "I only needed a concrete reason to kill his daughter."

Randy stared. Then his expression twisted with confusion, "But why his daughter?" he stepped forward slightly, "Why not attack Seth directly; slaughter his men, destroy his businesses, burn everything he built?"

Max said nothing; his face remained unreadable.

Randy studied him quietly. He still needed to understand.

He had seen his boss destroy powerful men before, but never like this; never with this much hatred.

Randy exhaled slowly, "Boss, I've hunted with you, conquered with you…”

Max's eyes lowered slightly.

"…bled with you," Randy shook his head, "But I've never seen you take a hunt this personally."

He looked directly at him, "Is there something else this is about?"

The silence in the room stretched. Max's jaw tightened.

For a long moment, Randy thought he wouldn't answer.

Then, he said, "Seth took something from me years ago."

Randy stayed silent.

"He killed my father," the words came out flat like facts he'd buried long ago.

Then Max paused, his eyes darkened.

"And..." his voice lowered, "He took something equivalent to his daughter."

Randy stared at him. The meaning settled heavily in the room.

“I want him to feel the pain I felt,” Max added after he swallowed.

Slowly, Randy nodded. Then he straightened.

"You already know where I stand, boss," his voice carried certainty, "Loyal forwards or backwards, loyal until my last breath."

Max looked at him briefly, then gave a small nod in acknowledgment.

He finally stood.

"Tighten security; in case Seth comes tonight,” a dangerous smile touched his lips, "He'll surely come for his daughter; any father would."

Then he walked toward the door, and disappeared.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Max leaned against the railing of his balcony, a cigar resting between his fingers and a glass of scotch in his other hand.

The city stretched before him beneath the fading darkness of dawn. The early morning breeze pushed against his face, cold and sharp, exactly what he needed.

His eyes remained fixed ahead, but his thoughts were somewhere else entirely…