Page 85 of Carry Your Debt

“The guy must have skeletons in his closet,” Ares’s roughened baritone cuts in. “Show me a politician who doesn’t?”

My fingers dig into the armrest of Zeus’s chair. He makes a good point. We could use any leverage to smoke him out.

Before I can voice my agreement, however, a third encrypted chime floats out across the room.

My stomach instantly sinks.

That sound can only mean one thing.

“C’mon, man,” D groans, dropping his head back. “I haven’t even cleaned my Rugers yet.”

“What is it?” Apollo demands imperiously.

Zeus doesn't bat a lash this time, too busy frowning down at his phone. There’s a small tremor in his index finger as he slides open a new update from the Herald.

I silently read over his shoulder, confirming my suspicion.

>>>>START OF ENCRYPTED MESSAGE

>>> THE TWELVE LABORS OF SUCCESSION

>> TRIAL I

>NOTICE OF LABOR TASK STATUS UPDATE

+STATUS: NEUTRALIZATION COMPLETE

+TARGET:SENATOR LEANDROS ADRIAN GEORGIOU, 43

+LOCATION:Fortunate Islands

+ACHIEVED:Proof of termination received 21 min from digital receipt of message

+VICTOR:ESCONDIDO CARTEL

Jesus fuck.

Less than half an hour has elapsed since the first Labor’s task was officially announced.

Twenty minutesfor a whollynewand whollyuntestedthird party to waltz into the Southern trenches and place their finger on the Crown.

When nobody answers Apollo, he tries again, “What does it say?”

Zeus’s eyes flick up, his expression now grim. “First Labor’s over—the new player already neutralized the target.”

“The fuck?!” Ares bellows after Zeus finishes reading out the message for everyone else. “Already?How?”

“Yes, the proof of termination was attached. Sabine?” Zeus angles his screen.

The now lifeless brown eyes of Senator Georgiou stare up at me in hi-res, the proof a neat entry wound in the center ofhis forehead. There are no other signs of trauma, and his olive skin has yet to show signs of lividity, further supporting that the photo was taken immediately after death. Everything about the hit was quick, clean, and professional.

“Clean,” Dio echoes my thoughts aloud, leaning down next to my cheek.

I hum my agreement, and confirm, “It’s definitely him.”

“He was apparently taken down somewhere only referred to as the Fortunate Islands,” Zeus continues. “I’m assuming the Red Court would do their due diligence, but I’d still like to double-check the location.”

Looking up, he pins Hermes with a considering look. I follow his gaze before I can catch myself, wincing when I see the still-morose look on the other end of it. “If I flick this over to you, can you verify the photo’s EXIF data?”

---