Page 34 of The Silencer

"Any luck?"I ask, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

Jer looks up, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he hasn't slept either."Some.The encryption is tough, but we're making progress.Looks like Lawrence was in contact with a group called the Boston Elite Syndicate."

I frown, the name unfamiliar."Never heard of them."

"That's because they're American," Jer explains."Five families that run Boston.The families have been working together since the sixties, if not longer."

I take a seat across from him, my mind racing."So they turned Lawrence?Offered him protection in exchange for what exactly?"

Jer nods grimly."Seems that way.From what I’ve found in their communications, they want power.They want to take over every criminal organization.But there's more."He turns the laptop toward me, showing me an email chain."Looks like Lawrence wasn't their only target.They've been reaching out to members of other organizations too."

My blood runs cold."Which organizations?"

Jer's jaw tightens."We're still working on decrypting the full list.But one name keeps coming up."He pauses, meeting my eyes."Henry Gallagher."

Christ, that’s fucking huge.They want to take over the biggest crime family in the world.The Gallaghers are fucking menaces, and they wouldn’t hesitate to take anyone out who comes after them.Doing so is suicide.

I lean back in my chair, processing this bombshell.The Gallagher family is legendary in our world—ruthless, powerful, and notoriously difficult to infiltrate.If the Boston Elite Syndicate is going after them, they're either incredibly ambitious or incredibly stupid.Possibly both.

"Jesus," I mutter, running a hand through my hair."They're playing with fire."

Jer nods grimly."Exactly.And if they succeed in turning even one Gallagher insider, it could spark an all-out war."

The implications are staggering.A war between crime families of this scale would be catastrophic, not just for those involved, but for countless innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.

"So what's our next move?"I ask, already knowing I won't like the answer.

Jer's eyes meet mine, his expression grave."We need to warn the Gallaghers."

"And I suppose you want me to deliver this message?"I say, my voice laced with sarcasm.

Jer's lips twist into a humorless smile."Not just you, Emmanuel.Maverick, Stephen, and I will be meeting with Henry.And after taking out Lawrence, we need to make sure this goes smoothly.Plus, having Henry Gallagher on our side means we’ll be able to find out who within the syndicate is behind this."

I sigh, knowing there's no way out of this."Fine.When do we leave?"

"Today," Jer says, sliding a file across the table to me."Everything we know about the Boston Elite Syndicate is in here,” he tells me, pointing to the file.“Study it on the flight.We're heading to Dublin."

I raise an eyebrow."Not long to study it," I quip.“But fuck, at least we’ll be home.”

"There’s that," Jer confirms."Henry is expecting us at four."

I nod, flipping through the file.There are a lot of details about the Boston Elite Syndicate.The Italians—the Mariano Famiglia, run by Cesare Mariano.Then there’s the Delaney Clann—the Irish Mafia, run by Ronan Delaney.The Bratva is next, the Morozov Bratva, run by Olezeka Morozov.The East Street Kings aren't a crime family in the normal sense of the word; there are four men who are more dangerous than meets the eye.The fifth family is the Harrington Mob, run by William ‘Mad Bill’ Harrington.

“There’s a lot of manpower with these families.Do we know if they’re all in on this?”

Jer's expression darkens."If they are then we're all in trouble.But I know that going against us and the Gallaghers is a certain death.We’ll not take it lying down."

“Whatever you need, whatever it takes,” I tell him.The Houlihan Gang isn’t just some gang; it’s my family, and Jer is the man I respect above all else.He was there for me when I hit my lowest point and helped me forge the life I was destined to have.Without him, who knows where I’d be.

As I stand to leave, Jer calls out one last thing."Oh, and Emmanuel?Be careful.The Gallaghers...they play by their own rules.Don't underestimate them."

I give him a grim nod before heading back to the bedroom.I need to get things ready for this afternoon.

I spend the next few hours poring over the file on the Boston Elite Syndicate, trying to commit every detail to memory.The more I read, the more uneasy I feel.These aren't just run-of-the-mill criminals—they're organized, ruthless, and incredibly well-connected.

By the time we board the private jet to Dublin, my head is swimming with names, dates, and potential motives.Maverick slides into the seat next to me, looking just as grim as I feel.

"Are you ready for this?"he asks quietly as the plane takes off.

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