"I recently figured out about this, I'm so sorry," Bernardino informed me over the encrypted cellular connection.

"Tell me more..." I pressed, raising a sharp eye toward Black in the driver's seat.

He didn't seem to be paying any attention to the conversation, his focus anchored entirely on navigating the sleek sedan through city traffic. We had just concluded a private summit with a syndicate delegation who agreed to facilitate our narcotics distribution into Eastern Europe—it was time we expanded into the Ukrainian market.

Bernard had called me on my way back, opening with vague warnings about Taylor, but he had dragged his feet on the specifics until I cut...