As Hobbs walked out of the police station, he and his team boarded a helicopter; although he was the leader of the task force, he always stayed on the front line with his men, which earned him genuine respect and loyalty.
The helicopter quickly lifted off, leaving New York behind as it sped toward the northern border.
A team member handed Hobbs a file.
"Boss, this is Luca Greco's intel file. He's technically Mafia, but he has a pretty solid reputation with New York authorities. He's cooperated with the police multiple times—helped solve cases, captured criminals."
"Using official power to eliminate rivals?" Hobbs flipped through the file, scanning the records of Luca's past involvements.
Aside from one vaguely documented religious murder case, everything else was surprisingly detailed—especially the arrest of drug lord Frank Lucas, where Luca had ultimately convinced him to confess; there was also the confession of a Colombo family boss, which Luca had been involved in.
Hobbs lowered the file slightly, noting that every case listed involved criminals Luca had helped bring down.
And now… Simon Gruber.
That gave him pause.
Interesting.
A thief crying "stop thief"?
They were being awfully enthusiastic.
As a member of the Diplomatic Security Service, Hobbs usually operated overseas and rarely got involved in domestic matters; if Simon hadn't been German—and if the stolen gold hadn't made this case so sensitive—he wouldn't have stepped in at all.
After staring at the file for a long moment, Hobbs smirked.
New York had produced quite the "model citizen."
The $140 billion worth of gold had stirred too many interests, and almost every major authority in New York State had mobilized.
---
Under such a tight net, Simon's convoy didn't stay hidden for long.
All the way north, Simon had maintained a perfect cover—paying tolls, following traffic laws, acting like a legitimate transport convoy.
It worked—at first.
Then the news hit him.
Police were closing in.
"…What the hell?" Simon's face darkened. "How did they catch up to us? Shouldn't they still be out at sea fishing for gold that isn't even there?"
He had created that explosion precisely to divert attention.
Now it was backfiring.
"The northern border's on lockdown," came a report from a mercenary stationed ahead. "Heavy military presence—full inspection on every vehicle. They're waiting for you."
Other informants chimed in: Newburgh, Albany—police units everywhere, setting up blockades.
"Simon! They're coming for you! The convoy's compromised!"
"Damn it!" Simon nearly crushed his phone.
How could the response be this fast?
Were they targeting him specifically—or had they already realized the gold wasn't in the ocean?
Had someone betrayed him?
The Dove?
But Luca had never opened the cargo containers; logically, he shouldn't know what was inside—nor should he have the power to mobilize the entire state's law enforcement.
Still…
There was one way to find out.
Simon dialed the number, fully expecting it not to connect.
Instead—
"You finished the delivery already?" Luca's voice came through, light and amused. "Efficient. I thought you'd take a few more days."
Simon frowned.
Nothing sounded off.
If Luca was acting, it was flawless.
If it wasn't him… then what went wrong?
Suppressing his frustration, Simon forced himself to focus.
"Dove, I need your help," he said. "We can work together again—I'm willing to pay more."
Albany, New York.
The convoy rolled past a gas station and into the underground parking area of an auto repair shop.
Under dim industrial lighting at the far end, a gray-haired man stood waiting.
"Dove sent me," Jimmy said, stepping forward. "Leave your cargo here for now. Take it back after the police finish their search."
"Leave it here?" Simon frowned, stepping closer. "That's not what he promised. He said he'd get me out of the United States."
"Not right now," Jimmy replied calmly. "The police are everywhere, border checks are tighter than ever. Under these conditions, your cargo isn't going anywhere."
"And this place is safe?" Simon challenged. "They'll find it eventually."
"For now, yes. But we need to switch vehicles—those trucks are burned."
Lights flicked on overhead.
Rows of trucks appeared behind Jimmy.
"But before that," Jimmy added, "you need to explain what you're transporting—and why half the state is chasing you. If it's too risky, Dove might walk away."
Simon's mind raced.
Tell them it's gold?
Who knew what schemes the Mafia might have waiting.
"I want to see him," Simon said. "Face to face."
When Luca arrived, dressed in black with Leon at his side, the tension in the garage spiked.
Two dozen mercenaries watched closely, hands hovering near their weapons.
Luca walked up to the truck and casually tapped the container with the back of his hand.
"Gruber," he said lightly, "I didn't expect a single shipment to turn New York upside down. Do you have any idea how many people are hunting you right now? State police, FBI, Diplomatic Security—even the military. They've locked the whole place down."
His eyes locked onto Simon.
"Time to be honest, Mr. Gruber. Or should I say—Simon—the man who went on the radio talking about blowing gold into the ocean? If I'm not mistaken… these trucks are full of it."
The atmosphere snapped tight.
Mercenaries tightened their grips on their guns.
Simon raised a hand—no one fired.
A fight here would doom them all.
Luca didn't flinch.
"If the police hadn't made such a big move tonight, I might not have connected the dots," he added calmly.
Simon exhaled slowly.
There was no point denying it now.
"I fooled the entire city," he said bitterly, "and still failed. Those useless cops only become competent when they stand to lose something. You seem well-informed—friends in the police? FBI?"
"I have friends everywhere," Luca replied. "If I want to know something, I will. Now here we are—you want me to move $140 billion in gold out of the U.S., and you offer me a few million like a tip? That's how you treat friends?"
Simon had expected this.
In fact, he had already prepared for it.
"I'll give you half," he said, forcing calm into his voice. "On one condition—you get me and my share out of the United States."
Luca let out a cold chuckle.
"Or I kill you—and keep all of it."
Simon clenched his jaw, then delivered his argument.
"If you help me, you help yourself. The entire U.S. will be hunting me—I'll be the target, the distraction. All attention stays on me. You, on the other hand, can quietly enjoy your share."
"If you try to take everything, you'll become the target instead."
"Working with me is your best option."
Luca almost laughed.
It wasn't a bad argument.
But he had already chosen a different path.
This gold wasn't leaving the United States—and Simon wasn't walking out alive either.
Still, Luca let hesitation show on his face, as if genuinely considering.
He pulled out an Oreo and took a bite.
"How do I know you won't betray me?" he asked.
Simon's lips curled.
"I have this."
Under Luca's gaze, Simon produced a small golden disc.
A Blood Pact.
Luca's eyebrow twitched.
Of all things…
A Blood Pact—the High Table's strictest contract.
Once sworn, it couldn't be broken—unless one party died; otherwise, the offender would be hunted and executed worldwide.
Even someone like Baba Yaga had been dragged into a chain of death because of one.
And now Simon was offering it.
That meant real commitment.
Half his life, handed over.
"It proves my sincerity," Simon said quietly. "Now you have no reason to worry."
---
Not long after, a fleet of brand-new tanker trucks rolled out of the repair shop, splitting into multiple convoys and heading in different directions.
In one of them, Luca and Simon rode together, heading northeast.
Even after switching vehicles, they were stopped by a patrol outside Albany.
The officers insisted on inspecting the cargo.
But what could they find?
Inside a tanker truck—
Just darkness.
Oil.
They waved them through.
Once they were back on the road, Simon couldn't help but laugh.
"Dove, you're a genius. Hiding gold in oil? They'd have to drain the entire tank just to find it."
Luca smiled faintly.
"I told you—only I can get you out of the United States."
Simon shook his head, half amused, half impressed.
If he'd known Luca was this capable, he would've sought him out from the beginning—instead of wasting time with idiots like Gallo.
"Funny how it works," Simon said. "You only see who's really on your side after things go wrong."
He took out the Blood Pact, opened it, pricked his thumb on the hidden barb, and pressed a bloody fingerprint onto one side.
"Dove," he said, voice steady, "once I leave the U.S., it's yours. We'll notarize it at the Continental in Canada."
[Bond: Friends]
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As usual, each 100 Stones = 2 Bonus Chapters