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CHAPTER SEVEN
ALEXEI
My office, a sanctuary cloaked in dim lighting and the scent of aged leather, served as the command center for the intricate web I wove through the city's underworld. The air carried the scent of cigars and the weight of untold stories.
Yaz, my ever-loyal second-in-command, lounged in a chair, while Ivan and Viktor stood sentinel-like by the door. The room exuded an aura of controlled chaos, a reflection of the world we navigated.
I leaned back in my chair, fingertips steepled as I surveyed the faces of my trusted comrades.
"Mikhail Volkov is becoming a thorn in our side, Alexei," Yaz spoke, his voice a low growl. "His operations are encroaching on our territory, and he's been recruiting our men."
I leaned back in my chair, fingers steepled in thought. Mikhail Volkov, a rival whose ambitions threatened the delicate balance I maintained. The city was a chessboard, and every move echoed with the potential for upheaval.
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