Meanwhile.
The heavy, metallic scent of oil and old dust permeated the air inside the enormous warehouse.
The vast, cavernous space was filled with towering stacks of crates and long-forgotten machinery, all partially hidden in the thick, oppressive gloom of the night.
In the very center of this hollow shell, a small island of light and luxury existed.
Several high-backed couches had been arranged into a makeshift lounge, looking entirely out of place against the backdrop of cold concrete and rusted iron.
On the left side of the arrangement sat two men. They were dressed in sharp, midnight-black suits that seemed to absorb the dim light around them. Their faces were partially obscured by intricate masks that covered only their eyes, leaving their mouths visible...
mouths that were currently curved into expressions of cold indifference.
They held delicate, crystal cups between their fingers, occasionally sipping a thick, viscous red liquid.
The liquid caught the light with a dark, ruby glint, appearing more like fresh blood than any wine found in a common cellar.
Opposite them sat a woman.
Her silhouette was elegant and sharp, highlighted by a well-tailored gray suit that emphasized her lithe, athletic frame. Like the men, a mask hid the upper half of her face, leaving only her chin and a pair of thin, expectant lips visible.
She wasn't drinking. Instead, her gloved fingers moved with a restless energy, fondling the walkie-talkie in her lap. She traced the edges of the device over and over, her movements betraying a deep, simmering eagerness.
The silence of the warehouse was only broken by the distant, rhythmic dripping of a leaky pipe and the faint hum of the city outside.
Finally, one of the men in black set his crystal cup down on the low table with a soft clink. He adjusted his posture, leaning back with an air of practiced ease.
"When is he going to arrive?" he asked.
His voice was deep and resonant, carrying an undeniable weight of dignity.
However, beneath the polished surface, there was a sharp edge of arrogance... the tone of a man who was used to having the world move according to his schedule and who found the current delay to be a personal insult.
The woman did not change her expression.
Her gaze remained fixed on the device in her lap for a heartbeat longer before she looked up with a slow, deliberate grace.
"He will arrive soon, Sir," she said. Her voice was as smooth as silk, carrying a professional calm that seemed to fill the hollow space of the warehouse.
She paused, her lips curving into a practiced, mask-like expression. It was the kind of artificial, bright smile one would find on a high-end merchant or an experienced dealer.
"In the meantime, you can look at the other items we have secured," she added, her tone light yet persuasive.
"Hmph."
The man huffed, the sound echoing sharply against the cold concrete walls. He shifted his weight on the expensive couch, his eyes reflecting a deep, bored indifference.
He looked at the surrounding crates as if they were nothing more than piles of common trash.
To a man of his standing, ordinary treasures were simply not worth his interest.
The woman did not seem offended by his reaction. Instead, she reached to her side and pulled a heavy, dark bag onto the low table.
With ease and practiced movements, she loosened the ties and opened the bag. The fabric fell away, and she began to pull the contents out, one by one.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
She placed eight chess pieces onto the surface of the table.
The two arrogant men, who had been leaning back in a state of lazy boredom, suddenly stiffened. Their eyes widened behind their masks, and their breaths caught in their throats.
The sight of the eight black pieces... objects that appeared simple but carried a weight of hidden power... made them completely shocked.
The air in the warehouse suddenly felt much heavier, as if the presence of the pieces had altered the very gravity of the room.
"This—"
One of the men finally broke the heavy silence. He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he leaned forward, his gaze piercing as he looked directly into the woman's eyes.
His expression had shifted from boredom to a sharp, burning intensity...
A look that demanded an immediate explanation.
"As promised, our organization has successfully completed the mission assigned by you noble souls," she said. Her voice was filled with a thick, flattering tone, designed to appeal to the vanity of the two men sitting across from her.
She paused, allowing the weight of the eight black pieces on the table to sink in before continuing.
"What you see here is only half of the items," she added, her voice shifting back to a smooth, professional tone.
"The other half has already been secured and is currently on its way to this very location."
She leaned forward slightly, the light from the warehouse shadows catching the edge of her gray suit.
"We seek nothing but perfection in our work. We want every mission to be executed perfectly," she stated.
Then, the warmth in her voice vanished, replaced by a sudden, icy sharpness.
"And in return, we hope you fulfill the promises you made to us."
The shift from flattery to a cold threat was so sudden that the two men felt a visible shiver run down their spines.
For a moment, the arrogant air around them faltered, replaced by a primal instinct of caution.
However, they were not common thugs. They were men of status and power.
Within a heartbeat, they regained their composure, their faces returning to their usual masks of calm indifference.
The second man, who had remained silent throughout the entire meeting, finally spoke.
His voice was steady, carrying the weight of someone who rarely felt the need to raise his tone to be heard.
"Of course," he said, his eyes fixed on the eight pieces. "A promise is a promise. We have never broken our word, and we do not intend to start today."
__________________________________________
Hello guys, Ashburn here.
I'm just a new, aspiring author trying to bring my imagination to life.
Hope you enjoy the story and support me.
If you have a minute, I'd love it if you could leave a review, it really helps the webnovel reach more people.
Thanks for reading! ☺️☺️. (And don't mind the title..)