[36]

“We will enter the harbor area.”

Damian nodded reluctantly. Glancing at his partner and best friend who looked excited. The slightly curly-haired man could see Marcus' meticulous preparations. Several sharp weapons had been tucked away wherever they could be stored.

“Did you have to do all that?” asked Damian with a dismissive look. “You know, it's useless.”

Marcus chuckled. “Hey-hey-hey, Damian. You shouldn't underestimate my preparation. At the very least, I should give a special gift to that bastard named Tedy.”

Damian grinned. “Don't let you mess up the plan.”

Marcus just snorted in displeasure. “A life should be paid for a life, not thrown in jail.”

“That little bit of vengeance of mine, you idiot!” Damian straightened his back. Their car had started to enter the harbor area where it could be seen that there were several officers conducting checks on each incoming vehicle. Including the car Damian was riding in.

“Good afternoon,” greeted one of the officers whom Damian immediately greeted by showing his face.

“Good afternoon, Officer.” Damian smiled slightly. “May we come in? I have some rather important business.”

The officer immediately bowed respectfully. “My apologies, Mr. Sawyer. I didn't know you were coming to visit.” He immediately opened the barricade and allowed Damian's car to enter the harbor area. Including Damian's escort cars-five in total.

“I'm sure he's your beloved uncle's informant, Damian,” joked Marcus, who was ready for the fun to begin. Damian was seen putting on his gloves. He was unwilling to dirty his hands with anything that could damage his image.

“Did you get the latest information?”

Marcus shook his head. “Take it easy, I'm sure I'll have news in less than thirty minutes.”

Damian nodded in understanding. The car continued to drive towards the place where Damian was used to making transactions. It didn't take long before the car stopped right in front of a large warehouse. Several tough-looking men stood guard around the entrance. Damian knew they were Leonard's people but... most of them were people he had intentionally placed around Leonard.

His uncle was just a stupid, greedy old man. Who didn't understand how the big game had to be organized in such a way to keep it running as it should.

Damian stepped out of the car calmly, his black suit looking impeccably neat despite the long journey to the harbor. Marcus followed behind him, like a shadow that was never far from him. The harbor being what it was, it was a busy place, the hustle and bustle of workers loading and unloading goods could be heard everywhere. However, Damian seemed like a king in his own domain. With one sharp glance, the workers bowed respectfully and continued their work without daring to stare for too long. Damian was their big boss. If they made the slightest mistake, their lives were at stake.

“Welcome, Mr. Sawyer,” greeted a man with a big smile. It looked very forced but Damian let it slide. Too many times he had seen the faces of sycophants who wanted to get close to him.

“Everything according to plan, Pablo?” asked Damian, his voice low but full of authority.

Pablo nodded enthusiastically as if waiting for Damian to ask this. “I have sent you the latest report. The goods are in the process of being unloaded. And I have also prepared the report in printed form but you may check it while enjoying the wine I have prepared.”

Damian took a quick glance at the man named Pablo. The man looked ridiculous with a wide smile, but Pablo's capacity was quite reliable although it sometimes made Damian angry as well. “You knew I was coming?”

“Absolutely not,” Pablo interrupted quickly. “But I can get the best wine and set up a cozy place for you in no time,” he says, clapping his hands. “You won't have to worry about getting bored in this place.”

Damian continued his steps towards the warehouse where the loading and unloading of goods that he needed to ensure right now was taking place.

“Mr. Leonard and his men are already in the warehouse area.”

Damian nodded slightly. “Do your best as always.”

Pablo nodded again like an obedient dog.

Unhurriedly, Damian and Marcus walked towards the warehouse area. There was no sign of tension on Damian's face. He looked relaxed, as if he was just doing a routine inspection. However, behind his relaxed demeanor, his mind was sharp, analyzing every detail around him. Upon entering the warehouse, the scent of wood and metal mingled with the smell of salt from the sea. In the corner of the room, Leonard stands with several of his men, overseeing the loading and unloading process.

Leonard smiled broadly when he saw Damian approaching. However, his smile was a little stiff, like a mask put on to cover up anxiety. “Damian! It's a great honor to have you stop by,” Leonard greeted in a friendly tone that sounded fake. “I didn't expect that in your busy schedule, you'd make time to come to this place.”

Damian only gave a small nod, not answering. His gaze was cold, scanning every corner of the warehouse before finally stopping on a pile of large crates that had just been unloaded from the ship. Leonard looked a little nervous, but he tried to hide it by giving orders to the workers in the place.

“We just received these goods. The shipment went smoothly, without a hitch. All on schedule, as usual,” Leonard spoke quickly, as if trying to distract Damian.

Damian remained silent, his eyes keenly watching Leonard's every move. Marcus stood beside him, silent but alert. The atmosphere in the warehouse was quite tense and perhaps for those who were not used to it, they would choose to avoid this place.

“I've unpacked the crates that came first. Pablo was watching and you can check the CCTV for the serial number of the car that brought the cargo, my dear nephew,” Leonard said with a contrived smile on his face.

“I'm sure you did your best, Uncle,” Damian said with a faint grin and a meaningful pat on Leonard's shoulder. “Pablo, where's my wine? Did you cancel your intention to give the best wine?”

Pablo stumbled over with the wine bottle and glasses. Behind Pablo, walked gracefully several beautiful women who Damian knew were comfort women. Some of the guards immediately made a place for Damian to sit down. Marcus who saw their behavior could only chuckle.

“Inspection with pleasure, huh?” Marcus chose to sit down first. “Ah, my back is so sore,” he complained.

“What can I do for you, sir?” asked one of the women who approached Marcus.

“I just need some sleep.” Marcus wagged his finger in displeasure. “Go away. I don't want to play.”

The woman scowled but then, turned to the other man-Damian. Who was already surrounded by several women who seemed to be flirting with the man. However... “Go away!” said Damian coldly. The man's look was one of dislike and annoyance. “Take this bug away, Pablo. I don't like anyone bothering me.”

Pablo's face was as pale as a corpse. He was afraid Damian would scold him too. He quickly asked the women to move away and tried to calm Damian down.

“You can't be pleased at all, Damian,” Leonard joked. The man took a seat next to Damian. “Though they are quite energetic young ladies.”

“And I got to taste the hole you've been in, Uncle?” Damian grinned. In his hand, the wine glass he was about to enjoy, shook gently. It caused quite a sensual movement before he downed it. “I'm not interested in sharing the same hole as my uncle.”

Leonard laughed. “Man, your sense of humor has really improved.” The man tried to be as casual as possible with Damian's arrival, which was not in his calculations. He did not expect Damian to check in directly after not visiting the harbor for so long. What made him do something like this? Was his business with Rebecca over?

They should be in a situation where Damian couldn't go anywhere, right?

“I heard good news about your family. Rebecca, right? The woman who managed to make you... a real man.” Leonard smiled slightly. “Congratulations on Rebecca's pregnancy, Damian. I didn't expect your relationship to be that harmonious.”

Leonard knew that these words could provoke Damian's emotions but... he needed to know how Rebecca was doing after his incitement a while ago. Damian completely abandoned Rebecca and only made her his wife, a useless display. The punishment for Rebecca's big mistake.

What a fool that woman was.

Damian turned his head slowly, his gaze piercing like a dagger. Leonard didn't care that he had brought up the topic. Instead he smiled slightly, trying to maintain his composure.

“Don't bother finding out,” Damian said in a flat but threatening voice. “You'll only be wasting your time. Just focus on the delivery and what you're hiding here.”

Leonard swallowed, but he tried to maintain his smile. “Of course. You know I'm always loyal to our agreements.”

Damian did not answer. He simply raised the glass of wine that Pablo had refilled. He drank it slowly while keeping his eyes on Leonard. The atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense. Marcus signaled to one of his men, and they started checking the crates in the corner of the warehouse.

Leonard tried to distract himself again. “You know, Damian, this business is getting complicated. A lot of new players are trying to get in. But I always maintain quality. I don't want any item to be damaged even a little. You can see for yourself, these dream pills are the best product on the market.”

Damian raised an eyebrow, as if not interested. He put down his glass and took one of the prepared sample pills. “Marcus,” he called briefly.

Marcus stepped forward, took the pill and examined it with the small device he had brought with him. After a moment, he nodded. “Content as agreed.”

Damian looked at the package Marcus had brought. Using the dagger Marcus handed him, he tore a bit of the contents of the packet. With his fingertips, he tasted the powder and grinned slightly. “This is the best,” he said.

Marcus chuckled. “You know, Catterpilar never runs out of customers to go through tons of this powder. It's because of the quality that Vladimir has always maintained since the beginning.”

“I never let you down on this, Damian,” Leonard interjected with a satisfied smile.

Damian handed the packet to one of his men. “Take this back to the mansion. Make sure to put it on my desk. And Marcus, tell Kayoko to make the payment. Make sure there are no problems and call Vladimir. I need to take good care of him.”

Marcus just gave his thumbs up.

“And thank you, my dear uncle. You did the best thing for me.”

Leonard smiled widely, feeling relieved. “Of course. You can always count on me, Damian.” However, behind his smile, Leonard hid a sense of satisfaction. He knew that some of Damian's belongings had been diverted for his own benefit. For him, Damian would never know.

“Well then, I guess it's time for me to go.” Damian stepped without hesitation out of the unloading area and left those who were still working. Marcus followed immediately, thanking Pablo for the meal.

When Damian and Marcus left the warehouse, the atmosphere was even more tense. Damian got into his car calmly, but Marcus remained vigilant, making sure the area around them was secure.

“You really don't want to wait for the best thing?” asked Marcus just before Damian got into his car.

“It's been thirty minutes and you haven't given me any information?” Damian chuckled in annoyance. “I don't like failure, Marcus.”

“Jeez, Joker's sulking.” Marcus laughed. “Ah, here comes the news we've been waiting for.”

Coinciding with Marcus' words, there were frantic cries from Leonard and...

Damian took out his gun. His right and left hands were immediately ready to shower anyone with hot lead. Not much different from Marcus-even his grin was completely satisfied that what he was waiting for had finally come.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DAMIAN?” Leonard pointed the gun directly at Damian's head. At such a short distance, if Leonard was a skilled shooter, Damian would have been nothing but a name.

“What did I do?” replied Damian with a mesmerizing smile. “Shouldn't that be what I'm asking, my dear uncle?”