All Chapters of RED LABEL: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

Denkley considered that. My influence, he thought, secretly pleased with the idea. That only means one thing: in his eyes, I already have investigative weight, Denkley deduced. Daniel observed the detective's stillness—that particular quality of motionlessness that marked a man who had spent years weighing words before committing to speech. He leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them without appearing to move at all. "I don't need you to pull classified files out of some government archive." His voice remained measured, unhurried. "I need you to know who to call. Who to ask. What doors are worth knocking on and which ones are designed to waste your time." Denkley gave a slow nod, the gesture carrying the weight of a man who understood precisely what was being requested. "That's a different request." "Exactly." Daniel glanced toward Marcus Hale, who stood with his arms folded near the window, a silent observer to the negotiation unfolding in his office. "And that

Night had swallowed the city whole by the time Daniel Cole's feet touched the pavement outside HammerHand's domain. The moon hung suspended above the industrial district like a coin dropped into dark water, its reflection rippling across the windows of Victor Voss's private facility.He wasn't surprised when the security gate groaned open before he reached it. Victor Voss had been expecting him. And men like Voss did not invite strangers into their territory without first knowing exactly where those strangers had been. Who they had spoken to. Whether they had come carrying anything more dangerous than a briefcase. And—most importantly—how many heartbeats had passed between the moment the invitation was extended and the moment the visitor arrived.Daniel stepped through the entrance without hesitation.The inner checkpoint materialized from the shadows like a creature roused from slumber. A HammerHand operative in tactical black performed the ritual of inspection—hands that had kill

The commander shifted his weight with a slow shuffle. Calculation had replaced whatever surprise he’d harbored moments before.The silence between them stretched so thin only the dense low hum of the tactical monitors could be heard sounded like grinding gears."You want to train three HammerHand operatives?""To upgrade them, actually. Not me, of course. That's Mr. Nobody's work," Daniel corrected. "Upgrade?" Voss echoed."Make them better."A short, dry bark escaped Voss—a laugh born of habit rather than humor. "That's arrogant.""Probably. Though I prefer to call it a favor.""You think you can make HammerHand's best men better?""I know he can."The quiet certainty in Daniel's voice didn't rise to meet the commander's skepticism; it simply anchored itself in the room. Voss’s hollow amusement ebbed away. He leaned back, his eyes narrowing as he recalibrated his assessment of the man standing before him."What's the price?""The three men's time," Daniel said, not a beat missed.V

"I've been following a few things," Daniel reluctantly said. "What things?" Evelyn asked through the line."Things connected to what happened to you."Evelyn's voice lost its teasing edge entirely, replaced by a wary attentiveness he recognized from the day of her kidnapping."Did you find something?""I found some things.""What kind of things?""Nothing I want you worrying about yet.""That's not very reassuring.""It wasn't meant to be."Evelyn went silent, and the quiet stretched long enough that Daniel almost thought the call had dropped. Because he knew that silence. She was deciding whether to push him or wait, weighing her own stubbornness against whatever trust she'd placed in him.She pushed. "Nobody.""Hmm?""What happened?"Daniel glanced at the passing traffic, watching a taxi splash through a shallow puddle at the curb."I paid a visit to someone who may have information about the people who came after you.""The kidnappers?""One of them. But you already knew that.""A

Daniel laughed at Marcus's question. "Which planet am I from?" he echoed. "You seriously don't think I'm an alien, Marcus, do you?" "For a man whose identity cannot be traced and who officially does not exist in any known government records both military and civilian, being an alien seems the next possible explanation, don't you think?" Marcus explained. "Hmmm..." Daniel considered. "You have a point, Marcus. But I hate to disappoint you, my friend. I'm not from another planet. I'm just very good at hiding my true identity." "Then who are you, really?" Marcus asked. Seriously. "Who's the man behind Nobody's mask?"Daniel considered the question. Seriously too. "I'm sorry also, Marcus, but I can't tell you that, either," he replied honestly. "Why not?" Marcus pressed. "If you're going to be working with me as Evelyn's Preventor, don't you think I deserve to know who you are: even if not all of you?"Daniel considered the older man's premise. Logically, that should be the case. But