THE LONG ARM OF CORRUPTION

SMOKE'S POV

The silence that had hung over us after Miguel’s disappearance was shattered the moment Daniel, Miguel’s cousin and a corrupt FBI agent, began making moves. He wasn’t like the Feds who had tried to intimidate me with their badges and empty threats. No, Daniel was playing a much dirtier game, one where the rules didn’t apply to him.

It started with two of my stash houses. They were supposed to be off the radar, hidden away from prying eyes. But Daniel and his crew found them anyway. They raided the locations, confiscating all the drugs I had stored there—weed, heroin, and cocaine. The loss was massive.

I was at the casino when Charles stormed in, his face pale. “Boss, we’ve got a situation.”

“What now?” I asked, already sensing the bad news.

“The stash houses on Belmont and Grove—they’ve been hit.”

My jaw tightened. “By who?”

“It wasn’t a rival gang,” he said grimly. “It was Daniel and his FBI crew.”

My fists clenched. “Are you telling me this bastard is using his badge to make his moves?”

Charles nodded. “They cleaned out everything, boss. Left nothing behind. It’s like they wanted to send a message.”

That evening, I received the confirmation of their intent. A black SUV pulled up outside the casino, and Daniel himself stepped out, his cocky grin making my blood boil. He walked in like he owned the place, his crew trailing behind him like vultures waiting for a kill.

“Smoke,” Daniel said, spreading his arms wide like we were old friends. “Nice setup you’ve got here.”

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “What do you want?”

“Straight to the point,” he said, nodding. “I like that. Let me lay it out for you. I know you’ve been running this city since Miguel and Renzo disappeared. I don’t care how you’re cleaning your money or moving your product. But here’s the deal—you’re going to start cutting me in.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Cut you in?”

“Fifty percent,” he said casually, as if he were talking about splitting a pizza. “Of all your weekly deals.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “You’re out of your mind.”

“Am I?” he asked, stepping closer. “Two of your stash houses are already gone. I know where the others are, Smoke. I can keep hitting you until there’s nothing left. Or you can make this easy and give me my cut.”

My fists itched to take a swing at him, but I held back. Daniel wasn’t just some thug. He had the law on his side, and he wasn’t afraid to use it.

“You’re no better than Miguel,” I said through gritted teeth.

He smirked. “Miguel’s gone, but I’m still here. And I’m going to finish what he started. So, what’s it going to be, Smoke? Are you going to play ball, or do I need to start raiding more of your operations?”

I didn’t have a choice. As much as it burned me to admit it, Daniel had the upper hand. If I fought back, he’d bury me with his badge and connections. So, I nodded reluctantly.

“Fine,” I said. “But don’t think for a second this makes us partners.”

“Partners?” Daniel chuckled. “Oh no, Smoke. You’re my puppet now. And as long as you keep dancing, we’ll get along just fine.”

The following weeks were humiliating. Every Friday, Charles or Jimmy would hand over a hefty envelope to one of Daniel’s men—a painful 50% cut of our earnings. The crew was frustrated, and morale was low. They looked to me for answers, but I didn’t have any to give.

Deep down, I knew complying wasn’t a long-term solution. Daniel wouldn’t stop until he had complete control, and that was something I couldn’t allow.

One night, as I sat in my office, Lena walked in. She’d been distant lately, still shaken by everything that had happened.

“You look like hell,” she said, sitting across from me.

“Thanks,” I said dryly.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice softer.

I hesitated for a moment before telling her about Daniel’s demands.

“He’s bleeding us dry,” I said. “And there’s nothing I can do about it—at least not yet.”

She frowned. “You’re smarter than him, Smoke. You’ll figure something out.”

Her faith in me gave me a flicker of hope, but it was short-lived. I couldn’t let her see how deep this problem ran.

The final straw came when Daniel raided another stash house, this time taking not only the drugs but also a shipment of cash I had hidden there. It was a direct slap in the face, a reminder that he could do whatever he wanted.

That night, I called a meeting with the crew. Charles, Jimmy, and a few others sat around the table, their faces grim.

“This ends now,” I said, slamming my fist on the table.

“What’s the plan, boss?” Charles asked.

“We’re going to take back what’s ours,” I said. “But first, we need to find a way to neutralize Daniel’s advantage. He’s hiding behind his badge, but everyone has a weakness. We just need to find his.”

The plan was risky, but I didn’t have a choice. Daniel thought he was untouchable, but he was about to learn otherwise.

For now, I had