ARGENTUM JOB

At 1:13 a.m., Veyra City belonged to people who had no intention of being seen.

Rain slid down the black glass of the Argentum Exchange, turning forty-two floors of steel and concrete into a towering mirror of the city below. Neon signs bled across the wet streets, expensive cars cut through puddles outside nightclubs, and somewhere beneath the music, money was changing hands in rooms where nobody asked where it came from.

The Argentum Exchange was different.

Its clients were politicians, corporations, foreign investors and criminals wealthy enough to pretend they weren't criminals. The building held fortunes behind biometric locks, reinforced vaults and armed security teams, but tonight it was protecting something far more valuable than money.

Something that had already been sold.

Three floors below the vault, a security guard stared at his monitor and frowned.

"That's strange."

His partner looked over.

"What?"

"Camera thirty-six just went offline."

Before the second guard could answer, every monitor in the room went black.

The lights died.

For two seconds, there was complete darkness.

Then a red emergency light came alive.

A voice came through the intercom.

"Evening, gentlemen."

Both guards reached for their weapons.

A black-gloved hand appeared behind the first guard's chair.

"Don't."

Silas, the Panther, stepped into the red light.

The first guard turned.

Silas struck him across the jaw before he could reach his gun, catching him as he collapsed. The second guard fired, but Silas moved behind the desk, grabbed the man's wrist and slammed it against the console until the weapon dropped.

The guard groaned.

"Who the hell are you?"

Silas picked up the pistol and examined it.

"Someone having a better night than you."

He tossed the weapon aside and pressed a device against the security terminal.

Every camera in the building flickered.

Then the screens came back.

Except now, every feed showed the same thing.

An empty corridor.

Silas touched his earpiece.

"Building is blind."

A voice answered.

"Good."

The elevator doors opened.

Caleb, the Lion, stepped out.

He wore a black three-piece suit beneath a long dark coat, his mane immaculate despite the weather, his expression composed enough to make the armed guards surrounding the floor look like inconveniences rather than threats.

Four figures followed him.

Viktor, the Tiger, came first, broad and heavily built, his striped fur contrasting sharply against his tailored suit. He looked like somebody had forced a tank into formalwear.

Behind him walked Iris, the Leopardess, elegant and cold, carrying a slim metallic case.

Julian, the Leopard, followed, adjusting his cufflinks as though he were arriving at a private dinner.

The fifth member of the Pride, Silas, joined them from the security room.

The five stood together.

The Pride.

The most feared criminal organization in Veyra City.

Not because they were the largest.

Not because they had the most guns.

Because they were disciplined.

They had spent years taking pieces of the city away from people who thought they owned them, and unlike most gangs, they didn't advertise their victories. There were no photographs, no tattoos, no flashy declarations.

People simply woke up one morning and discovered that their territory belonged to the Pride.

Caleb looked at the others.

"Everyone knows the plan?"

Julian smiled.

"You've explained it six times."

"And?"

"And I'm still hoping you've changed it."

Viktor laughed.

"He's scared."

Julian turned toward him.

"I'm not scared."

"You're sweating."

"It's raining."

"We're inside."

Julian looked at his forehead.

"Fuck you."

Viktor grinned.

Caleb walked past them.

"Save it for the drive home."

They entered the next corridor.

Two guards appeared at the far end.

Viktor moved before anyone could give an order.

He hit the first guard hard enough to send him through a glass partition.

The second raised his weapon.

Iris kicked the gun from his hand, caught him by the collar and drove him face-first into the wall.

Silas walked past without even looking at them.

Julian glanced at the broken glass.

"Subtle."

Viktor looked over his shoulder.

"You want subtle?"

He grabbed a fallen security barrier and threw it through another camera.

"That's subtle."

Julian shook his head.

"You're a fucking idiot."

"And you're still alive because of me."

"Unfortunately."

Caleb stopped.

They immediately fell silent.

Ahead stood the vault.

It occupied the center of the floor behind a reinforced security door thick enough to withstand military-grade explosives.

Iris opened her case.

"Give me two minutes."

Viktor looked at the vault.

"Can I just blow it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because we're trying to leave without the entire police department shooting at us."

Viktor shrugged.

"Fair."

Julian leaned against the wall.

"Personally, I think blowing it up would add character."

Caleb glanced at him.

"You have a strange definition of character."

Julian smiled.

"I've been told that before."

Iris connected two wires.

The vault's electronic lock flashed red.

Then yellow.

Then green.

The door unlocked.

Nobody spoke.

The five entered.

Inside the vault was a collection of sealed cases belonging to some of the wealthiest people in the country.

Gold.

Documents.

Foreign currency.

Jewelry.

Encrypted drives.

Julian looked around.

"Jesus Christ."

Viktor laughed.

"See something you like?"

"Several things."

Caleb ignored them.

His eyes had already found what they had come for.

A small black case sat alone inside a transparent security chamber.

Iris followed his gaze.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Viktor looked around.

"All this security for that?"

Caleb walked toward it.

"Don't judge a book by its cover."

Julian raised an eyebrow.

"You're becoming philosophical."

"I'm becoming impatient."

Iris opened the final lock.

The chamber released with a hiss.

Caleb picked up the case.

Then the building alarm went off.

Every light turned red.

Julian stared at the ceiling.

"Well, that's fucking unfortunate."

Silas touched his earpiece.

"Security is back online."

Caleb looked at the others.

"How?"

Silas's expression hardened.

"I don't know."

That answer bothered Caleb more than the alarm.

He closed the case.

"Move."

The doors at both ends of the corridor opened.

Armed security poured in.

Viktor smiled.

"Now we're talking."

He charged.

The first wave hit him like a wall and disappeared against him like water against stone. He drove one guard into another, seized a rifle and threw it down the corridor before punching its owner hard enough to drop him.

Iris moved beside him, precise and economical, taking weapons, breaking wrists and putting men down without wasting movement.

Silas climbed onto the railing above them.

He fired twice.

Two rifles hit the floor.

Julian ducked behind a pillar.

Viktor noticed.

"GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

"I'm working!"

"YOU'RE HIDING!"

"I'm working from a tactically superior position!"

"You mean behind a fucking pillar!"

"Exactly!"

A guard rounded the pillar.

Julian looked at him.

The guard looked at Julian.

Julian sighed.

"For fuck's sake."

The guard raised his gun.

Julian slammed his forehead into the man's face, grabbed him by the jacket and threw him over the railing.

He straightened his tie.

Then he looked at Viktor.

"Happy?"

"Very."

Caleb walked through the chaos without breaking stride.

"Roof."

They followed.

The elevator was disabled.

The staircase was crawling with security.

So the Pride went through the emergency access corridor and reached the rooftop just as two police helicopters appeared above the building.

Searchlights swept through the rain.

Viktor looked toward the neighboring tower.

The gap was wide.

He looked at Caleb.

"No."

Caleb kept walking.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say."

"I know you."

Caleb stopped at the edge.

"We jump."

Viktor stared at him.

"You're fucking insane."

Julian walked between them.

"I'd like to formally state that I agree with the Tiger."

Caleb ran.

Julian swore.

"Son of a....."

He followed.

Caleb cleared the gap easily.

Silas followed.

Iris landed beside them.

Viktor crossed last, hitting the concrete hard enough to roll twice before getting back onto his feet.

Julian stood at the edge.

He looked across.

Then down.

Then across again.

"Absolutely not."

Viktor shouted from the opposite building.

"Come on, pretty boy!"

"Fuck you!"

"Jump!"

"I hate this family!"

Caleb looked back.

"Now."

Julian took a breath.

"Fine."

He ran.

He jumped.

His hands caught the ledge.

Viktor grabbed his wrist and hauled him up.

Julian lay flat on the rooftop, breathing heavily.

Nobody spoke.

He finally raised one finger.

"If anyone laughs, I'll kill them."

Viktor laughed.

Julian pointed at him.

"You first."

The Pride disappeared into the rain.

By 2:06 a.m., the city had no idea who had robbed the Argentum Exchange.

That was exactly how the Pride liked it.

Their headquarters occupied the top floor of a luxury building officially registered to a dead corporation. Inside, the room looked less like a gang hideout and more like the private residence of someone who had never heard the word budget.

Dark wood.

Leather furniture.

Expensive liquor.

Weapons concealed behind paintings.

A panoramic view of Veyra City.

The five sat around a long black table.

The black case rested in front of Caleb.

Viktor poured himself a drink.

Julian removed his wet jacket.

Iris examined the damage to her gloves.

Silas stood beside the window.

Caleb opened the case.

Inside was a small encrypted drive.

Viktor stared at it.

"That's what we nearly got killed for?"

"Yes."

"Looks like shit."

Julian picked up his glass.

"Careful. That ugly little thing is probably worth more than your entire family."

Viktor looked at him.

"Say that again."

Julian smiled.

"Your entire family."

Viktor stood.

Caleb didn't even look up.

"Sit."

Viktor hesitated.

Then sat.

Julian grinned.

"See? That's why he's the boss."

Caleb closed the case.

"Tomorrow morning, the buyer gets the drive."

Silas finally turned from the window.

"And the payment?"

"Already secured."

Julian raised his glass.

"Then tonight was worth it."

Caleb nodded.

For a moment, the atmosphere relaxed.

Five criminals.

Five friends.

Five people who had spent years surviving things that would have destroyed ordinary men.

Whatever else they were, they were family.

Then the wall screen lit up.

An incoming call.

Not from one of theirs.

Caleb looked at Silas.

Silas was already at the console.

"Blocked number. Encrypted line."

"Answer it," Caleb said.

Silas hit a key.

The screen filled with the face of a thick-necked man in a silk shirt, gold chains gleaming, a cigar between his teeth. Two women and a bodyguard were visible behind him in some penthouse that looked like a brothel had vomited money all over it.

Darius, the Warthog.

He pulled the cigar from his mouth and grinned.

"Well, well. If it isn't the fucking Pride. Looking a little wet, kittens. Did mommy Lion forget to dry you off after your little swim across the rooftops?"

Viktor's hand went under the table.

Caleb didn't blink.

"What do you want, Darius?"

Darius laughed, smoke curling from his nose.

"What do I want? Shit, Caleb, I want a lot of things. I want a bigger dick. I want your apartment. I want to bend that pretty little Leopardess over that expensive table of yours. But tonight? Tonight I just wanted to call and say congratulations."

He started clapping slowly.

"Really. Robbing the Argentum Exchange? Ballsy. Stupid, but ballsy. You know what they say about a Lion in winter? He gets desperate and starts taking dumb risks."

Julian's smile tightened.

"Careful, Warthog. You're sweating through that cheap shirt."

Darius leaned toward the camera, his grin vanishing.

"Listen to me, you cufflink-wearing fuck. I don't need fashion advice from a pussy who jumps across buildings in thousand-dollar shoes. You looked like a scared bitch on that ledge. I saw the footage. 'I hate this family!'" He mimicked Julian's voice in a high pitch. "Fucking pathetic."

Viktor leaned forward.

"You got a point, or did you call just to cry about your small dick?"

Darius's eyes snapped to Viktor.

"Ah. The Tiger. The big dumb muscle. Tell me, Viktor, did you enjoy smashing through glass like a retarded gorilla? Or was that your subtle approach?"

He laughed again, harder this time.

"But that's not why I'm calling. See, I heard a funny story tonight. You know the southern docks? Your little private pier where you move your off-the-books merchandise?"

The room changed.

Caleb's expression became still.

"What about them?"

Darius's smile turned venomous.

"Gone. All of it. Every crate, every kilo, every fucking dime. Poof. Up in smoke."

Nobody spoke.

Julian slowly put down his glass.

Viktor's jaw tightened.

Iris looked toward Silas.

Silas was already watching Caleb.

Caleb remained motionless.

"How much?"

Darius spread his hands.

"Are you deaf, you old fuck? Everything. Your whole southern pipeline got skull-fucked while you five were playing dress-up. Must sting, huh? Knowing that while you were dancing for cameras, someone was ass-raping your entire operation?"

Viktor stood.

"Who the fuck took it?"

Darius shrugged.

"How the hell should I know? I'm just a humble businessman. But I'll tell you what I do know. They had manifests. Schedules. Guard rotations. That ain't luck, kitty cat. That's your people. Someone in your little zoo is wearing a wire. Or maybe they're just a greedy little cunt. Either way, you got a rat problem."

Viktor slammed his fist against the table.

"That's not a fucking answer."

Darius cackled.

"Then ask your own fucking people, you thick-headed shit. I'm not your goddamn detective. I'm just the asshole enjoying the view while you clowns step on your own dicks."

He took a drag from his cigar.

"One of your precious Pride members sold you out. And rats get hungry. Rats get greedy. And rats get caught."

Caleb slowly stood.

Darius winked.

"Look at that. The Lion's angry. Good. You should be. Because right now, every crew in this city is laughing at you. The great Pride. Robbed blind by a ghost in their own house. You want to know the best part?"

He blew smoke at the camera.

"I know you did the Exchange job. And I know you got nothing to show for it but that ugly drive and an empty dock. You're bleeding, Caleb. And when the sharks smell blood... well. You know the rest."

Caleb's voice was ice.

"This call is over."

Darius held up his hands.

"Sure, sure. Go find your traitor. Or don't. Either way, I'll be drinking your whiskey and fucking your reputation. Have a blessed night, you inbred pussies."

The screen went black.

Viktor looked around the table.

"That fat piece of shit. Somebody inside our organization is selling us out."

Silas said nothing.

Iris folded her arms.

Julian stared at the black case.

Caleb walked to the window.

Below them, Veyra City continued glowing beneath the rain as though nothing had happened.

Viktor broke the silence.

"Who knew?"

Caleb turned around.

"That's what we're going to find out."