Reclaimed Crown: The Ascension of Aidan Pierce

The Loyal Alley Returns

Except for the distant sound of waves breaking against the pier and the occasional groan of old metal, the warehouse was quiet. Now completely disguised as Ethan Blake, Aidan walked tensely on the chilly concrete floor, his mind racing with ideas for what to do next. Time now felt like an adversary, slipping away with each passing second, yet Jacob had gone the previous evening to set up a rendezvous with Claire. Knowing that Victor would not stop pursuing him, Aidan felt as though his already precarious strategy was coming apart with each passing minute.

He looked at his phone buzzing on the table. Jacob's message read, "Meeting arranged. Claire is on board. Prepare by midday."

With a leisurely sigh, Aidan tried to get rid of the mounting fear. Although unexpected, Claire's participation had been a comfort. She was the only one who was familiar with Pierce Industries' inner workings. Even when he wasn't fully aware of the danger they were in, she had always been loyal to him.

But he was starting to feel suffocated by the weight of the uncertainty. The mysterious messages from the unidentified number cautioning him not to trust anyone were continuously plaguing him. It was a persistent concept that fueled his paranoia. But what if Claire wasn't as reliable as Jacob said? What if Jacob didn't even realize what was going on?

The sound of footsteps echoing through the warehouse cut him off from his thoughts. Aidan stiffened, reaching reflexively for the tiny knife tucked away in his jacket pocket. However, neither Jacob nor Claire were there as the huge metal door swung open.

It was Marcus.

Aidan was surprised to see him—older, harsher, but unmistakably recognizable. Throughout the years of Victor's covert power struggles, Marcus had been a devoted ally and one of his father's best friends. Since Marcus had discreetly left the company following a falling out with Victor, Aidan had not seen him in years.

"Marcus?" Aidan's voice was a mix of bewilderment and incredulity. "Why are you here?"

The door creaked shut behind Marcus as he entered. His eyes remained piercing despite the deep creases and noticeable graying of his hair on his worn face.

Marcus grinned grimly and said, "Aidan." "Or ought I to say Ethan?"

Aidan instantly raised his defenses. Jacob was intended to keep his new identity a secret from everyone else. He took a step back and squinted. "How did you know that?"

In an attempt to soothe him, Marcus held up a hand. "Calm down, child. Jacob gave me your location. I've been observing Victor and obtaining intelligence with him for some time now. I came to lend a hand.

Although Aidan's suspicions remained, he let a tiny bit of relief creep in. Perhaps Jacob was unaware of the full scope of their scheme if he had included Marcus.

Aidan crossed his arms and remarked, "Jacob didn't mention you," although his posture had somewhat loosened. "What prevented you from coming forward sooner?"

"Because it wasn't safe," Marcus said in a stern but quiet voice. "Since your father passed away, Victor has been keeping an eye on me. I would have warned him off if I had moved too quickly. I had to wait for the appropriate time and keep quiet."

When his father was brought up, Aidan's jaw tightened as a familiar sense of anguish swept over him. For a minute, Aidan let the long-standing faith that his father had in Marcus take root.

"What have you got for me?" Aidan asked getting down to the topic .

Marcus took a step forward and reached into his coat pocket for a little thumb drive. He simply held it out to Aidan and said, "Proof. Evidence of Victor's actual activities. Money laundering, offshore accounts, and bribery of high-ranking officials are all present here. This is how we take him down," he said, tapping the thumb drive. "He's built an empire out of corruption."

Despite its diminutive stature, Aidan felt its weight as he took the drive. This was precisely what they needed to ruin Victor, if Marcus was telling the truth. However, Aidan wasn't prepared to believe anyone at face value anymore since trust was a risky game.

"How can I be certain that this isn't another trap?" With a hint of mistrust in his voice, Aidan inquired. "After my father passed away, you vanished. Victor might have been working with you the entire time."

The accusation didn't make Marcus cringe. Rather, he let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck as if the years had finally caught up with him. "I understand. There's every reason why you shouldn't believe me. But to me, your dad was like a brother. I couldn't watch Victor destroy the business, so I walked out. Since then, I've been compiling proof in the hopes of defeating him."

Aidan examined Marcus's face for any indication of dishonesty. However, he just saw fatigue from years of hiding in the shadows and waiting for an opportunity to present itself.

"I've been keeping an eye on things from the sidelines," Marcus added in a stern but quiet voice. "But we have a chance to stop him now that you're back."

Aidan gripped the thumb drive more tightly. He had been waiting for this opportunity to reverse Victor's position. However, a persistent nagging sensation in the back of his mind prevented him from completely trusting anyone.

At that moment, the door creaked open once more, and Jacob entered with a look of relief and urgency on his face. Claire, her face steely with resolve, trailed behind him.

Jacob replied, looking from Marcus to Aidan, "We're all here. A plan needs to be made now."

Aidan nodded, but questions continued to race through his head. He retrieved the chair from the table and took a seat, and the others did the same. Each of them knew the stakes they were playing, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Jacob laid out a city map on the table, highlighting important spots with red circles. He said, "Victor has control over the majority of the board. However, Claire has been working in the background, and some of our allies are beginning to doubt his ability to lead. We will have a majority if we can persuade them to support us. But persuading them isn't enough. We must provide indisputable proof of Victor's wrongdoing."

Marcus pointed to the thumb drive that Aidan had set down on the table. This is where it enters the picture. The board will be forced to turn against him once we reveal this to them. It's too significant to overlook.

Claire looked at the map and nodded. "For months, I have been sowing doubtful seeds. Although some of the board members already have doubts about Victor, they require a specific action to take. This might be it."

In an attempt to read Claire, Aidan glanced at her. Despite the fact that she had been by his side for years, he now recognized her as more capable and strategic than he had ever imagined. She was more than simply his helper. She played a crucial role in this match.

"How are Victor's other operations going?" Aidan inquired. "The politicians in his pocket, the people he has bought off. Eliminating the board is insufficient. We must stop providing him with any resources."

Before responding, Jacob and Marcus looked at each other. We have also been working on that. Victor has been using a number of shell corporations to launder money. We can freeze his assets and shut down his business if we can identify the source of the money.

Aidan's thoughts were racing. Although they had the rudiments of a sound plan, it still felt unstable, as if one mistake could bring everything to an abrupt end.

"And what about the external population?" Aidan inquired. Victor has law enforcement contacts. He might utilize them to escape even if we defeat him.

Claire's voice was steady as she talked. In the DA's office, I've been collaborating with a contact. We will have them on our side if we can provide sufficient proof. However, it must be airtight. Victor will use his power to destroy us if we make even one mistake.

Aidan nodded, but a startling sound—a slight beep from the thumb drive—cut short his thoughts. Everyone turned to stare at it, and the room fell silent. Before entirely shutting off, the small LED light on the side flickered twice.

"What on earth was that?" Aidan inquired, his heart pounding.

Marcus reached for the drive and scowled. "That shouldn't happen. It shouldn't—"

The warehouse fell into darkness before he could continue. They were left in utter silence as the lone bulb above them flickered and died.

"f**k!" Fumbling for his flashlight, Jacob swore. The laser beam that pierced the night only illuminated the chilly, deserted area surrounding them. There was a problem.

As he looked around the room, Aidan's heart accelerated, his intuition telling him they were no longer alone.

Marcus stated in a low but firm voice, "Stay together. There's someone here."

The sound of distant footfall followed a slight groan of metal sliding in the rafters above them. Naturally, Aidan's hand reached for the knife concealed in his jacket. All day long, he had sensed the tension rising, and it was now obvious that Victor would not wait for them to initiate contact.

The warehouse door suddenly flew wide, letting in a deluge of light. A number of black-clad people with masks covering their faces were silhouetted against the light. Aidan felt sick to his stomach.

Victor's men.

Aidan lunged for the table without thinking, snatched up the thumb drive, and shoved it into his pocket. Claire was being pushed toward the rear exit by Marcus, who was already in motion.

"Leave!" Marcus yelled. "We'll keep them away!"

After a brief moment of hesitation, Aidan ran after Claire, his heart racing as they ran to the far end of the warehouse. Shouting and the clang of metal then erupted behind them.

Marcus and Jacob remained behind, hiding behind the crates and retaliating against the trespassers. When Aidan turned to look behind him, he saw one of the masked men fall to the ground after taking a hit from Marcus's bullet. However, they were rapidly approaching, and there were much too many of them.

Claire took Aidan by the arm and drew him forward. "We must continue to move!"

They hid behind the warehouse in a dark lane after ducking through a small door. The chilly night air blew in Aidan's face, but he didn't have time to catch his breath. Behind them, the sound of boots stomping on the pavement reverberated, getting closer every second.

As they ran, Aidan's thoughts were racing. Victor had located them. Not only was the plan in danger, but it was collapsing before it had a chance to start.

Aidan noticed a fire escape leading to an adjacent building's roof as they turned a corner. He dragged Claire toward it without thinking, scrambling as quickly as he could up the rusty ladder. They arrived at the rooftop just as the men arrived at the alley below, though the metal moaned beneath their weight.

Aidan's breath came in rough gasps as he leaned his back against the brick wall. Claire kneeled next to him, her face stern but white.

"Now what?" Her voice could hardly be heard above the noise of their pursuers below as she spoke.

With the thumb drive in his pocket serving as a continual reminder of the stakes, Aidan's mind was racing. Despite having the proof, they were outgunned and outnumbered and fleeing. And Victor would prevail if they couldn't figure out a means to change the course.

However, he noticed a black automobile idling at the far end of the alley with its headlights flickering in the dark as he glanced down at the street below. And there was a familiar face in the driver's seat, just barely visible through the tinted window.

Jacob.

Aidan's throat tightened with breath. Jacob had managed to escape somehow. And they could yet have a chance if they could get through to him.

However, as they got ready to move, Aidan heard a low hum that was getting louder. When he looked up and saw what it was, his heart sank.

A helicopter.

Aidan was aware that Victor's brutal reign was only getting started and that their next move would be more lethal than anything they had encountered thus far.