Chapter 87: The Politician’s Deal

Late night.

Manhattan, New York. A hidden, top-tier private club.

Sam Baker, a powerful New York State senator, was leaning back on a wide leather sofa.

He was heavyset, his face slick with oil, but his eyes burned with the greed and cunning that only a career politician could have.

Sitting across from him was a man wrapped head to toe in a black trench coat.

The North American envoy of the Nightfall organization.

"Mr. Baker..."

The man's voice was low and raspy, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

"Our organization is very interested in your gubernatorial campaign."

"Is... is that so?"

Sam forced a smile. "Well, that's wonderful."

"However..."

The man paused, his cold eyes locked onto Sam.

"We need to know, Mr. Baker, whether you have... enough sincerity."

"Sincerity?"

Sam swallowed. "Of course I do. As you know, running for governor takes a lot of money..."

"Mr. Baker."

The man slid a pure black Swiss bank bearer's check slowly across the marble tabletop toward Sam.

"This is a fifty-million-dollar bearer's check. Say yes, and another fifty million in campaign funds will be wired cleanly into your campaign account through thirteen legitimate shell companies."

"One hundred million dollars!"

Sam stared at the check and greedily licked his thick lips, but he didn't reach for it right away.

"Nightfall certainly doesn't hold back. With this kind of money, I'd have at least an eighty percent shot at winning the New York governor's race next year."

"But I know very well that your money doesn't come free. So tell me — what are the conditions?"

With this money, the governorship was practically his!

But he quickly steadied himself.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

If Nightfall was willing to put up this much money, they definitely wanted something in return.

"Simple."

The man reached inside his trench coat and pulled out a document, tossing it on the table.

"First, once you win and take the governor's seat, you give Nightfall absolute political cover for our operations in New York State. Customs, the police, even the local FBI field office — I want them to look the other way when it comes to our business."

"That's easy enough." Sam nodded. "Politicians working with organized crime is nothing new in New York. What's the second condition?"

"Second..."

The man's eyes instantly filled with venom and murderous intent.

"I want you to use every resource the state government has — official or otherwise — to crush one person. Whatever it takes."

"Who?"

"Leo."

At the name, Sam's fingers paused slightly, and his brow furrowed. He hesitated. "I've heard he's not someone to mess with. Even military people are wary of him."

These demands were way beyond a normal exchange of favors.

He lived in New York — how could he not know about the person named Leo who'd been making waves all over the city lately?

Even if he became governor, going after Leo wasn't something he could just do.

"This..."

"Mr. Baker. You seem hesitant."

The man's voice dropped even colder.

"Then let me ask you something else."

"Do you think... if your scandals came to light, you'd still have any shot at becoming governor?"

Sam's face went pale.

"You... you people..."

"Relax."

The man let out a cold laugh. "We just did a little digging."

"Mr. Baker, over the years, you've abused your position to take bribes, cover up crimes, and even get involved in human trafficking..."

"We have evidence of all of it."

He reached into his coat again and pulled out a USB drive, tossing it on the table.

"Everything on there is detailed proof of every crime you've committed over the past ten years."

"Whenever we choose, we can hand all of this over to the FBI."

"And when that happens..."

A flash of cruelty crossed the man's eyes.

"Mr. Baker, you won't just lose the governorship — you'll spend the rest of your life in prison."

Sam's whole body trembled, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

He knew he had no choice.

"I... I agree."

"Excellent. Mr. Baker, you are the future governor of New York." A hint of seduction crept into the man's voice. "Once you hold that power, all you have to do is slap him with a charge — 'threat to national security,' 'terrorism' — then send in the National Guard or the police to take him out..."

"No matter how good he is in a fight, can he hold out against military aircraft and artillery?"

"Deal."

Sam shoved the check into his jacket, a savage and deeply greedy grin spreading across his face. "Once I'm governor, that punk named Leo is going to wish he had never been born."

"Pleasure doing business." The man in the trench coat stood up and melted into the darkness.

But.

What this so-called future governor didn't know — the man who thought he had everything figured out — was that inside this private room, supposedly "completely shielded from all electronic signals," a military-grade listening device the size of a grain of rice was tucked inside an unremarkable smoke detector in the corner, blinking with a faint red light.

Thirty minutes later.

The Rosenberg Mansion. The study.

"...Once I'm governor, that punk named Leo is going to wish he was never born!"

Sam's arrogant, greedy voice came through the high-fidelity speakers loud and clear.

The recording ended.

The study fell completely silent.

Olivia stood in front of the desk and gave her report in a flat tone. "Boss, the intelligence network just intercepted this recording. The Nightfall organization has started buying its way into politics. They want to use official channels to take you out."

"Sam Baker — senior New York State senator, frontrunner for governor next year."

Olivia handed Leo a thick file. "Do you want me to take a team and deal with him now? We can make it look like an accident. Or a heart attack."

"Kill him?"

Leo leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, his long fingers toying with a solid gold lighter. With a click, the flame shot up and lit the cigar between his lips.

He exhaled a slow cloud of rich smoke, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Killing a greedy idiot is too easy. But if he dies, Nightfall will just go find the next politician."

"Since he wants to be governor so badly..."

A calculating gleam — the kind that made your blood run cold — flickered in Leo's dark eyes. "Then let's give him a little help and let him have exactly what he wants."

Olivia blinked. "Boss, what do you mean?"

"Politicians are the most obedient dogs in the world — as long as you've got something on them."

Leo held the cigar between his fingers and said casually, "Make ten copies of this recording and video evidence — all of it showing him colluding with an international assassination organization and taking a hundred million in dirty money. Store them in the Abyss's classified archive."

"After he takes Nightfall's money and uses their resources to win the governorship..."

Leo smiled coldly. "We throw this evidence right in his face."

"A governor that Nightfall spent a hundred million dollars grooming — and in the end, he'll have no choice but to get on his knees like a dog and do whatever I say."

A ruthless light gleamed in Leo's eyes.

"That's the price I'm going to make him pay."

"Understood, Boss." A flash of admiration crossed Olivia's eyes.

Getting your enemies to spend their own money raising a puppet for you — that was the Reaper's way.

"Get the private jet ready."

Leo stood up and crushed the cigar in the ashtray. "I need to make another trip to Miami."