Chapter 169 – A Night of Fire
James Barnett had stayed late in one of his legacy buildings, a sleek corporate hub that had been in his family for decades. The night was eerily quiet, the city lights glinting off glass towers as the rain softened the streets below.
"It feels too quiet," James muttered, pacing the office floor.
Georgia, monitoring from the safehouse, adjusted her laptop and scrolled through real-time feeds of their key assets.
"James... something's off," she said, tension in her voice. "There are unusual readings in the fire alarm system of the building you're in."
James frowned and called the building's security team-but the line was dead.
"They've cut us off," he said, heart hammering. "This is it... they're making their move."
Minutes later, Georgia saw the first flicker on the live camera feed: a fire erupting in the building's west wing. Smoke spiraled rapidly, feeding a growing inferno. Panic alarms blared.
James grabbed a fire extinguisher and raced toward the stairwell, shouting into his radio for any remaining staff to evacuate. Flames licked the walls as thick smoke filled the hallways.
"Everyone out! Move! Move!" he shouted, pulling colleagues toward the emergency exit.
Georgia, watching remotely, clenched her fists.
"This is Dominic's signature," she muttered. "He's not just after money... he's sending a message. He wants James vulnerable, emotionally and physically."
As James guided the last employees to safety, he glimpsed a figure moving in the shadows near the rooftop access. A black hoodie, indistinct in the smoke-but the intent was clear: Dominic's operatives were everywhere.
By the time firefighters arrived, the building was partially engulfed, flames consuming years of James' work. Papers, digital archives, and personal memorabilia were reduced to ash and smoke.
James stumbled outside, coughing, heart racing. Georgia's voice came through his earpiece.
"Are you safe?" she asked, panic restrained in her voice.
Before he could answer, his phone buzzed with a new encrypted message:
"This is just the beginning. Legacy can burn, but some things... can't be replaced. – D.R."
As James stared at the smoldering structure, he realized something else-the figure on the rooftop had disappeared, but not before leaving a calling card: a small black envelope on the ground. Inside was a photograph of James, Elena, and Georgia from earlier that week, marked with a red X over the building.
The fire wasn't just destruction-it was a warning, a calculated escalation by Dominic Reyes. And as the flames illuminated the night sky, James knew that the next strike would be closer, deadlier, and personal.
