Chapter 52 The Man Behind The Curtain
{SPECIAL CHAPTER}
The glass screen flickered then it cracked.
“Lies!” Hale’s voice thundered through the penthouse as the vase in his hand crashed into the television.
Sparks spat from the broken monitor before it went black, smoke curling into the air.
The news anchor’s words still echoed in his head.
“Director Hale Reed of Simmons Corporation is under investigation for allegations of treason, manipulation of internal defense contracts, and embezzlement of state funds…”
Hale’s pulse roared in his ears. The city lights beyond the window blurred as he tightened his jaw and crushed the remote under his boot.
Behind him, a soft whimper.
“Father… please…”
He turned sharply.
Olivia was crouched by the marble counter, her hands trembling over a small table as if it could shield her.
One side of her face was red , an imprint of where his hand had already landed. Her lip bled.
“Don’t you father me,” he hissed, snatching the half-broken baton from the counter. “You failed me, Olivia.”
“I tried…I tried to make him trust me…” she stammered, voice quivering.
Hale swung the baton. It landed hard on her shoulder. She yelped and crumpled.
“You tried? You think trying is enough?” He paced like a caged animal, his veins rising under his skin.
“I gave you one task. Seduce him. Keep him on a leash. Make him forget that damn girl!”
“Mark, he’s not easy to fool,” she cried, curling into herself. “He’s different, he saw right through me…”
“Then you should’ve tried harder!” he bellowed, slamming the baton across the coffee table. The glass split into spiderweb cracks.
“Do you know what this means for me? For our name? The Reeds built this city’s bloodline and you” his breath came ragged, “...you let a man ruin everything.”
He kicked a chair aside, breathing heavy. Olivia’s sobs broke the silence.
“I can fix it,” she whispered. “Please, father, I’ll make it right. Just tell me what to do.”
Hale’s expression twisted. For a moment, the fury in his eyes dulled, replaced by something colder.
He looked toward the wall where a family portrait hung. Himself in a navy suit, his wife smiling faintly beside him, a boy and girl; their children standing perfectly posed.
The Reeds, carved elegantly beneath the frame.
The reflection of the broken TV flickered over the glass of that portrait the perfect family now tainted by the chaos beneath.
“You were supposed to be useful,” Hale muttered, his tone low. “Not… this.”
Olivia wiped her tears, trying to speak, but he was already walking away. The baton clattered to the floor.
She watched as he grabbed his coat, his movements sharp and mechanical as if rage was the only thing keeping him alive.
The air outside was heavy, the city’s hum fading as Hale drove beyond the limits.
Past the industrial blocks, past the edge of civilization, to a dirt road lit only by the beam of his headlights.
He parked near a rusted shed. The world here smelled of oil, rain, and secrecy.
A figure was waiting; tall, wearing a dark leather jacket, a cigarette glowing faintly between his fingers.
“I thought you’d never come,” the man drawled, voice deep and edged with mockery. “You’re late, Director.”
Hale slammed the car door. “Did you get what I asked for?”
The man grinned, teeth flashing in the dark. “I always do.”
He reached into his coat, tossed a small flash drive into Hale’s hand.
“Every copy of the recording’s been wiped from the servers. There's no trace left. Your name’s safe, for now.”
Hale turned it over, frowning. “For now?”
“Yeah.” The man flicked his cigarette away. “Because I know what that file was worth to you. And I’m starting to think… you owe me more than just a few zeroes.”
Hale’s nostrils flared. “We agreed on a price.”
The man laughed under his breath. “Oh, we agreed, alright. But here’s the thing , I’m not just some delivery boy. I saw what was on that footage. The deals. The signatures. The body count, Reed.”
“Watch your mouth,” Hale warned, stepping closer.
But the man didn’t flinch. He tilted his head, eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
“What’s the matter? Are you afraid I might tell the world what you did to get that director’s seat?”
The silence was electric.
Hale’s fingers twitched toward the gun under his coat but before he could speak, the man smirked and extended his hand.
“Relax. I’m a businessman, not a preacher. I just want… a little more appreciation.”
Hale’s voice turned to ice. “How much?”
The man named a number,a sickening one. Hale’s jaw tightened. “You’re out of your damn mind.”
“Then maybe I’ll just leak the footage. I’m sure the press would love to know how their noble director sold out half the agency for personal profit.”
Something snapped in Hale’s composure. He lunged forward, grabbed the man by the collar, and hissed, “You think you can blackmail me?”
The man smiled, unfazed. “I’m already doing it.”
Then, calm and deliberate, he added: “Don’t make me your enemy, Hale. You wouldn’t like what I can do.”
For a heartbeat, they just stared at each other , predator and predator.
Then Hale released him, disgust curling his lips. He opened his wallet, peeled off several crisp bundles of cash, and shoved them forward.
“There. Now disappear.”
The man looked down at the money, then backed up, grin widening. “You really think that’s enough for me to leave the country?”
“You said you wanted more.”
“Yeah. But not this little.”
Hale’s temper flared again. “Name your price or..”
The man raised a finger, stopping him cold. “You really don’t remember me, do you?”
Hale blinked.
And then, the man said it softly, like a knife through silk.
“Asher.”
The name hit him like a bullet. His stomach sank.
Hale stepped back slowly, realization dawning. “You…You’re supposed to be dead.”
Asher chuckled. “Supposed to be. But the world has a funny way of letting ghosts come back… especially when there’s unfinished business.”
Hale spat the name like poison. “Asher, you son of a bitch.”
“Now that’s more like it.” Asher pocketed the money with a wink. “You’ll be hearing from me, Director.”
He turned toward the shadows, disappearing into the trees as quietly as he had come , leaving only the faint smell of smoke behind.
Hale stood frozen for a long moment, the wind biting at his coat.
Then he climbed back into his car, slammed the door, and pulled out his phone.
He dialed a number.
When the line connected, his voice was cold, stripped of humanity.
“Monitor that fool. If he makes any mistake…” He paused, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“…end him.”
He dropped the phone, exhaling through clenched teeth as the engine roared to life.