Pete Roger raised his gun, aiming the muzzle directly at Charlie Wade. He centered the crosshairs on Charlie’s head, ready to pull the trigger.


    From the passenger seat, Trevor saw this and shouted instinctively, “Mr. Wade, watch out!”


    Charlie Wade smiled faintly. In one swift motion, he pulled the syringe from his neck and hurled it toward Pete Roger at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.


    Just as Pete was about to fire, a sudden, searing pain shot through his wrist. His fingers went numb, and the gun slipped from his grasp. Looking down in horror, he saw the syringe lodged deep in his wrist, the plunger poised and ready.


    Charlie wasted no time. He yanked the syringe from Tawanna’s neck, strode to the front of the car, and towered over Pete Roger.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Panicked, Pete bent down to retrieve his fallen gun. But before he could locate it, Charlie was already upon him. Without hesitation, Charlie stabbed the driver in the neck with the second syringe. At the same time, he grabbed Pete’s wrist, his thumb pressing ominously against the syringe plunger.


    In a cold, steely voice, Charlie said, “Neither of you move, or I’ll inject this poison straight into your veins.”


    The driver, trembling with fear, pleaded, “Sir, please, don’t! I’ll do whatever you say!”


    Pete Roger, equally terrified, stammered, “What… what do you want from us?”


    Charlie pointed at the driver andmanded, “Take the next intersection, lose any tailing vehicles, and drive us back to the Dome!”


    The driver, desperate to stay alive, nodded frantically. “Yes, sir! I’ll turn at the next intersection!”


    But Pete Roger, realizing the gravity of the situation, protested, “If we go back there, we’re dead! They won’t spare us!”


    Charlie’s gaze darkened. “And you think I’ll let you walk away alive?”


    Pete clenched his teeth. “If I’m going to die anyway, I’d rather it be by your hand! At least it’ll be quick!”<fn19d3> ?????? ???? find?novel</fn19d3>


    What Pete didn’t say aloud was his real fear: the people controlling him were far worse. If they got their hands on him, his death would be drawn out and unimaginably painful. Compared to that, Charlie’s poison seemed merciful.


    Hearing this, the driver seemed to draw courage from Pete’s words. “He’s right!” the driver eximed. “Just kill us both now. Let it be quick. You can take the others back yourself!”


    Charlie, sensing their fear and guessing the source of their desperation, responded coolly. “If you cooperate, I’ll have Mitsui Yoshitaka protect you. Japan is his territory. No matter how powerful the people pulling your strings are in the U.S., they can’t touch you here if the Mitsui family intervenes.”


    Pete Roger hesitated. “Why would the Mitsui family protect us? We just tried to kill Tawanna on their turf. If anything, they’d want to execute us themselves to restore their honor.”


    Charlie sneered. “I just saved Tawanna, salvaging the Mitsui family’s reputation in the process. If they owe me that much and still refuse to protect you, then Yoshitaka Mitsui doesn’t deserve to call himself the head of the Mitsui family.”