Bernard F. Peterson was the Vice Governor of Vind State.

    At fifty, he was still considered young for a politician, and his ambition burned hotter than ever-he wanted the Governor''s seat.

    But that dream never found its me.

    Jose, the old but unshakable Governor, still held the people''s hearts.

    Every time Bernard tried to convince the public that Vind needed a younger, stronger leader to carry it into a modern era of weapons and technology instead of clinging to outdated agriculture, the people ignored him.

    Only the restless younger generation listened.

    "William, you''d make a fine Governor," Bernard told him again and again. "Your father is old. You should ask him to retire early."

    He never missed a chance to feed William''s ambition, whispering poison into his ear, urging him toward the throne.

    But Bernard knew the truth-William was useless.

    Ambitious, yes, but stupid, a fool with no brains.

    That made William the perfect fool-a pawn Bernard could use to strike against his own father.

    He worked from every angle-pressuring William through friends, nting a woman as his fake lover, feeding him poisonous ideas, even whispering that Jose might have to be killed.

    So William could take the Governor''s seat faster.

    The n was simple: if William killed Jose, Bernard would use him of murdering his own father and use it as the perfect excuse to eliminate him.

    Then Bernard would rise as the rightful Governor.

    He had been sharpening this scheme for years.

    But fate twisted the game. William died first.

    For Bernard, this wasn''t a loss—it was an opening.

    With William gone, Jose stood without an heir.

    And now, the path to power finally looked clear.

    But the news from his bribed nurse at Jose''s station crushed that fantasy.

    Jose had a granddaughter.

    Real or not, it didn''t matter-she stood in his way. And so, Bernard made his

    move.

    He called the Chief of Police.

    "Find the girl. Bring her to me. Before she even thinks of seeding Jose, she must be eliminated."

    Bernard knew Jose would rage, but what could the old man do?

    He was frail, diminished, a shadow of his former self.

    Bernard had even seen William beat Jose bloody once, the old Jose unable to fight back, only firing warning shots to scare people.

    The mighty Governor had grown weak-a lion with no teeth, capable only of roaring.

    Now, Bernard stood before him, staring into those weary old eyes.

    Angry and desperate, Jose snatched the Chief''s pistol and leveled it at Bernard''s forehead.

    Just as Bernard expected, Jose pulled the trigger-but he didn''t aim to kill.

    The bullet only grazed Bernard''s temple, proof that the old man no longer had the courage to finish the job.

    "Jose," Bernard sneered, grinning wide.

    "You''re finished. Too old, too broken. It''s time to retire. Let me take the burden off your shoulders."

    "I am still your Governor, Bernard!" Jose roared, his voice raw with fury.

    "Not anymore." Bernard''sugh rang out, sharp and cruel. He turned to the Chief.

    "You saw it. He pointed a gun at me, interfered with the police in their duty. Tell me, what does thew say?"

    The Chief Police gave a sly smile, professional but poisoned.

    "Sir Jose, even as Governor, you are not above thew. You took a police weapon, attempted to shoot your Vice Governor. This raises serious questions about your fitness to lead the State. Byw, you are subject to detainment."

    Bernard jabbed his finger toward Jose''s granddaughter. "And don''t forget the girl. She killed William and wounded Lucia. That blood is on her hands."

    The Chief of Police barked hismand, voice sharp and cold.

    "Officers, take that young woman away."

    "Stop right there!" Jose roared, raising his pistol, his frail frame shielding Josephine with what strength he had left.

    Bernard''sugh split the tension. “Just take her! That old man is all bark and no bite. He''s nothing but an obstacle tow enforcement."

    Then it happened.

    A crack echoed through the hall-louder than any gunshot.

    Bernard staggered, blood spraying from his nose as he crashed to the floor.

    Every eye turned. The silence was absolute.

    Alex stood there, his hand still raised. He had pped the Vice Governor across the face.

    "How dare you strike the Vice Governor!" the Chief of Police shouted, fury burning.

    Before anyone could react, Alex turned and delivered another open-handed blow -this time across the Chief''s face.

    The man stumbled back, humiliated and stunned.

    "I am the Chief of Police!" he sputtered, clutching his cheek. "How dare—"

    Another p cut him off, snapping his head sideways.

    The four officers drew back, enraged, and rushed him.

    Alex moved like a storm, his hands striking faster than they could breathe. Each

    man caught a p so brutal it dropped him t.

    One after another, they copsed, unconscious, sprawled on the floor like broken dolls.

    Only Bernard and the Chief remained upright, both staring in disbelief.

    "You bastard!" Bernard spat.

    Alex silenced him with another strike, the p ringing out like thunder.

    Every time Bernard or the Chief tried to speak, Alex''s hand answered.

    p after p, their noses broke, their teeth spilled onto the floor, blood smeared their faces.

    When they tried to rise, he knocked them back down.

    Soon they were crawling, bruised and beaten, forced to their knees, staring at him with swollen faces.

    They had never faced a man who refused to argue, who gave no speeches, who dealt only in merciless silence and ps.

    Finally, Alex turned to Jose.

    "Jose... you can''t protect Josephine. I''m taking her with me. And you''ll never see her again. You''re not worthy."

    He seized Josephine''s hand, dragging her past the Governor without a nce.

    "Wait!" Jose cried, voice breaking. "I can protect her!"

    Alex didn''t slow. "You can''t even protect yourself. If you want to die,

    indie alone. Don''t drag a

    into your grave."

    The words hit harder than any bullet.

    Jose''s heart clenched-because Alex was right.

    He was old, worn down, a man who dreamed only of retiring quietly to some farm.

    But if Josephine stayed with him, she''d inherit his enemies. Men with kady at his back would

    turn them on her. She would die for

    his weakness.

    As Alex''s figure vanished around the corner, Bernard rose, blood still running from

    his nose. His fury boiled over.

    "Old bastard Jose!" he spat, shaking with rage.

    "Who the hell was that? Who dares、 to p

    ene like this? I swear I''ll

    him, make my men p hin" ind

    he''s

    s dead!" Content belon

    sto

    He fumbled for his phone, rage dripping from every word as he waited for the call

    to connect.

    "Put the phone down, Bernard," Jose warned, his gun held steady.

    Bernard sneered, blood staining his teeth. "No, Jose. Someone needs to teach

    that animal a lesson after what he did to me."

    "I said... put it down," Jose growled, his finger curling tighter on the trigger.

    Bernardughed, not believing a word.

    The line connected. "Send all our people to the hospital now! I''m going to kill—”

    The shot cracked through the hallway.

    Bernard froze, eyes wide. He looked down to see blood blooming across his chest, soaking his shirt.

    His lips trembled. "You... you..."

    He never finished. His body toppled forward, dead before it hit the floor.

    "Old man!" the Chief of Police shouted, horror twisting his face. "You''re under

    arrest!"

    The barrel of Jose''s gun pressed cold and hard against the Chief''s forehead.

    Jose''s eyes burned with the fire of a man who had nothing left to lose.

    "Tell me," he said, his voice low and lethal, "do you think I have the courage to pull

    this trigger-or not?"

    The Chief of Police''s face went pale.

    Jose''s eyes never wavered. "Choose your words carefully. One wrong answer,

    and you die."