Silent Threat

"Since you already have your suspicions, why bother asking me?" The man's expression darkened, and he turned his head away with disdain.

Idris simply waved his hand, signaling Steven to speak.

Steven nodded and looked up at the man tied to the wooden post.

Still in a white lab coat from when he was captured, the man hadn’t been tortured—he looked refined, scholarly even, harmless in appearance.

“Darren, do I really need to explain it again?”

Darren’s expression twisted slightly. “How do you know my real name?”

“Your skills in disguise and counter-surveillance are top-tier. The Rosetti cartel made the right call sending you.”

“At first, we didn’t suspect you at all. But your family just had to try and get their hands on our new tech devices. Greed always gets the better of people.”

Darren clenched his fists, clearly frustrated.

“You Hanks have been top of the food chain in Demerra for too long. Your upper ranks are corrupt and lawless—shouldn’t someone new come in and clean house? But