ログイン"You said I could go when I wanted to, as long as I didn't do something stupid," Ralph steered the topic back to himself.He was looking forward to going back to his cabin for the weekend, after having spent almost two weeks in Bokonbayevo, sleeping in the empty storeroom at Nurlan's shop."Yes," Doo agreed, not denying what Ralph had just said."I have a cabin somewhere in these mountains, though I'm not sure how to point to it from here. I don't even know where we are exactly," Ralph said, sounding worried.Doo looked at him as if he were compassionate, but he only saw Ralph for what he could get out of him."You don't need to go anywhere. If you need something brought to you, I can arrange that. You'll have a space much more comfortable and warmer than what your cabin can provide," Doo tried persuading him.Ralph didn't have anything special back in his cabin, as he hadn't left New York with anything. His cabin provided enough warmth. Aldwin had chosen this place as a punishment fo
"What?" Ralph said with wide eyes, his voice almost a whisper.He told himself he wasn't hearing right. He hadn't escaped the Black Triad just to join another crime organisation in an unknown place."I look forward to a good working experience. Seeing that you know your onions, I can see the future already. Kora Bora will soar," Doo said, bending his head backwards as he released another puff of smoke into the air."No, please. I can't do this. Please, just let me go," Ralph begged. He didn't believe it when he wiped his wet face with the back of his palm.Was he crying? Unbelievable.Doo chuckled. He was enjoying this display – a grown-ass man crying out of fear."I like you already, Cross, and I can guarantee you that you won't regret working for me – unless you try to do something stupid… You know." He said with a shrug, confident that Ralph knew what he meant."You are not my captive. You only work for me. Of course, you will go, but don't think of running away. I have people foll
"I wanted him to come with us in case the files were still inaccessible, like the first time," Belduu said, expecting appraisal from the old man. The men would do anything to get on his good side. But Belduu received a reprimand instead."How many times have I warned you not to take rash actions without my command?" The old man asked casually, as if it wasn't a problem. Then he took his gun from the table and cocked it."This is not the first time, and it won't be the last. You never listen. If you had done your job properly by checking the tablet when it was handed to you, you would have known it was still locked, moron." The old man's crackly voice rose to a roar before he aimed at Belduu's leg and shot him."Ahhh!" Belduu cried as he fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding leg."Each time you act so foolishly, you put us at risk. He could be a member of any of the forbidden gangs," the old man said, throwing his hands in the air. He sounded casual, as if he hadn't just shot someo
They arrived at a location unknown to Ralph. They all stepped out and walked into the place. It was still afternoon, but inside looked dark, with only a few streaks of red and blue light illuminating the space.Ralph wasn't sure what to call it. It had several tables and chairs, and the men all looked like gang members, having a drink and cracking jokes about things he didn't understand. Of course, he didn't know the language.The men's noise toned down the moment Ralph and the others walked in. All eyes turned to the newcomer – Ralph. His heart thundered at the thought of what he had gotten himself into, and he felt he might die at any moment.He felt relieved as they approached the door. Belduu stepped inside, and Ralph was getting away from the many eyes and countless questions the men had directed at him.Inside, an older man sat at a massive ebony table. He was smoking a cigar, and surprisingly, the smell didn't irritate Ralph – it reminded him of apples. It was the one time he d
He meant it. And it seemed no one was going to question him for killing a nobody.Ralph's eyes widened at the sight of the gun.Is this how I finally get to die? he thought. His insides shuddered at the thought of dying."No, no," Nurlan quickly stepped in. "Belduu, it hasn't come to that. Besides, you haven't been able to find anyone to open it all this time." Nurlan spoke in a warm tone, trying to calm the grouchy man down.But Belduu seemed adamant, still pointing the gun at Ralph.Hasn't he been able to find someone to decrypt that? Ralph thought. He had done it within forty-five minutes – less, even – because he had taken more time going through the contents before encrypting it again. What surprised him was that Nurlan already knew what the tablet was about, and that they had been looking for someone to decrypt it but couldn't find anyone to successfully do it.At this point, Ralph told himself he was finally going to give them access to the information the tablet contained. He
Ralph watched as they left the shop, cursing them in his mind. He hoped they never came back. Their visit had unsettled him – the information he had found in that tablet, the thought of the Black Triad. He didn't see them as any different. *** Ralph felt it was time to see the world again, after almost a year of hiding away in his cabin. He needed a job to keep busy and didn't know where to look, but he had Yakov – who was going to do the looking for him. Yakov talked to his friend Nurlan, who owned a repair shop in Bokonbayevo and could use Ralph's help.Ralph wasn't in it for the money – though he was being paid a decent amount, but it was a chance for him to leave his space each day, meet people, and get familiar with the place.Yakov was glad Nurlan didn't object to it. It had been three months since then. Ralph loved the new routine. He would leave his cabin and only return on weekends, working the entire day until late, and crashing at bedtime in an empty storeroom at the wo
“Girlll! You are literally living my dream.” She whispered in awe.Just then, the man walked towards us.“Miss Kora?” He asked, his face stern.“Yes,” I replied.He gave a curt gesture towards the car. I waved at Lisa, still in disbelief, and followed him.He opened the back door, motioning fo
“He knows,” I said the moment Ralph answered his phone.“What do you mean he knows?”“He knows, Ralph. He has proof. I don't know how, but he was able to find out.”There was a brief silence on the other end, it felt more like Ralph was processing what I had just said.“What did you tell him exact
Aldwin's words still hung in the dining hall as he left me there and headed back to his room. He picked up his phone and called Lizzy. “Notify the board. I want everyone in the boardroom by nine,” he said in an urgent tone, completely ignoring Lizzy's greeting she had barely finished when she pi
“I will.” I played dumb, like I didn't know what that meant. Especially when it was coming from Aldwin. “Now.” His deep voice echoed. “Aldwin, I'm tired. I'm not in the mood for…” “It doesn't matter. Just do as you're told.” He was pulling down his pants now. “Can I pass on this…” “No you f







