It was Monday morning. Another normal day in the Basilisk Garrison. Another day for those with assignments to kill, maim or destroy to carry them out with brazen efficiency, while those without any work hung around, either smoking joints or playing games. Those who had other stuff to do were out of the grounds, on a frolic of their own. Whatever they had to do was none of the boss’ business; as long as they didn’t bring anything unwelcome back.

If there was anything Rex despised, it was one of his men returning to the grounds with a creditor demanding payment. If the said creditor was a sex worker, that only made matters worse. On a good day, both the man and the worker would be lucky to get away in one piece.

In his office, Rex took a sip from his cup of coffee, his eyes scanning the screen of his tablet as he checked the latest news items around the world. He snickered as he checked out the latest crime happenings in the United States. “Insurance fraud using a bear costume? Christ, the dumb shit some people come up with these days…”

The silence in the office was broken by the shrill ring of his phone. He picked it up, his voice low and gravelly. “Bruschi here.”

A woman’s voice, tense with suppressed anger, came through the line. “Good morning, Mr. Bruschi. Please, I need your help.”

Rex leaned back in his seat. “You’ve got my attention. Who am I speaking with, and what do you need?”

“My name is Mrs. Elizabeth Graham, and I need some help on teaching my husband a lesson. That two-timing, slimy son of a bitch thinks he can disrespect me after all these years of loyalty.”

Rex raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. Another case of a woman scorned and seeking revenge. How he loved these kinds of assignments!

“Hmmm. Go on, I’m listening.”

“My husband’s cheating on me. After years of sticking by his side and being his support when he was down in the dumps, he’s decided to repay me by finding himself some sleazy white girl who… who-who’s not even half the woman I am! I’ve seen the evidence myself. Naked pictures, lewd texts on his iPad with her. Talking about how sweet her breasts are, and she too, writing silly things about how sweet his dick is. They’re supposed to meet on Wednesday evening, and I want him to learn a lesson he won’t forget. He and that disgusting little tramp.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of Rex’s mouth. The woman was out for blood. Just what he loved. “Well, you’ve come to the right place, madam. Teaching lessons is what I do best. But you should know, this kind of work doesn’t come cheap.”

“Oh, Mr. Bruschi, I’m prepared to pay whatever it takes. Just make sure he understands the consequences of betrayal.”

Rex nodded to himself. “Consider it done. Once you pay upfront, we’re on it. What’s your husband’s name again? And the filthy little slut he’s fucking?”

“Philip Graham. Hedge fund manager at Quantum Leap Capital. And the slut is called Brianna. Stupid little girl.”

His smirk faltered.

He knew that name, and now he felt a bit… apprehensive.

Philip Graham wasn’t just any random man; he was the financier behind the Duplex, the rival outfit Rex had always ensured Basilisk Garrison steered clear of.

“Wait,” he asked, his tone now measured. “Philip Graham, you say?”

“Yes,” she confirmed, her voice steady, totally unaware of the complexity her demand was about to unleash.

Rex paused, his mind racing through the implications.

Ever since the Duplex had popped up, he and his men had moved to ensure they never had any encounters with any of their members. He knew their founder had left a few years ago and that the new leadership were quite ruthless and depraved. He didn’t fear them, but found no reason to compete with them. That decision had worked nicely for them so far, so this job… this job had the potential to stir a hornet’s nest. One he was not in the mood for.

Yet, backing out now would show weakness on his part, something he would never, ever accept. Rex Bruschi and weakness were never meant to be in the same sentence; they were as far from each other as the chasm separating heaven from hell.

He took a deep breath. “Well, no one betrays loyalty like that. I’ll handle it. Teach him and that whore a lesson they’ll never forget.”

“Thank you, sir! Thank you very much. Please, let your men deal with them very well for me. Stupid man. Now that he’s a respectable man with money, he’s chasing after useless prostitutes…”

***

A knock rapped on the door leading to Rex’s office.

He nodded. “Come in, boys.”

In stepped Koni and Benyi.

Aside his bodyguards Denny and V.A., these were the two most trustworthy men Rex had at his disposal. Koni’s supreme resourcefulness and intelligence, coupled with Benyi’s ice-cold ruthlessness and efficiency, made them a dynamic and dangerous duo that carried out most of his tasks. They were not far from becoming his second and third-in-command, and it was the worst kept secret that they’d soon get that appointment.

For now, Rex was going to seek their opinion on the new assignment.

He gestured toward the chairs, and they sat down, watching him expectantly.

“So, boys, I wanted to get your opinions on this little task that came through about half an hour ago,” Rex started, pouring himself some whisky in a glass before continuing. “So this lady wants her husband taught a lesson. Him and the woman he’s been sneaking around with.” He paused, swirling his whiskey glass. “The problem is, her husband is none other than Mr. Philip Graham. The one tied up with the Duplex. Their money man.”

Koni raised an eyebrow. “Duplex? Damn. Them niggas are crazy as fuck. I’ve heard about them. Trafficking drugs and women like it’s nothing.”

Rex nodded. “Yep. They’re in their lane, and we’re in ours. We don’t give a fuck about them, and I believe they don’t give one about us, either. But this… this is pretty dicey, isn’t it?”

Benyi, the quieter of the two, leaned forward, nodding in agreement. “You think Mrs. Graham knows anything about that, though?” he asked.

Rex shook his head. “Nahhh, I doubt it,” Rex muttered. “She’s just rich, pissed, and desperate. Doesn’t strike me as the type to poke around in criminal alliances.”

Koni shrugged, his tone dripping with nonchalance. “Then I don’t think it’s a problem, boss. This ain’t us taking a swipe at them. It’s just business, that’s all. Regular stuff, right? Married man is fucking another woman. Wife wants him dealt with. We deal with him. That’s it, that’s what we do. Mrs. Graham wants the guy roughed up for fucking around. It definitely ain’t about us making a statement, coz we ain’t even into that shit. We just did a job for a woman who wants her husband to remember who he’s disrespecting. End of story.”

Benyi nodded, folding his arms. “Koni’s right. If the Duplex gets wind of it and comes sniffing around, you tell them the truth. This wasn’t about them. This was a favour for a high-paying client. We’ve never gone after any of their niggas, and we sure as hell ain’t starting now.”

Rex leaned back in his chair, picking up a cigar from the ashtray. “Mmm, okay. So you two think there’s no problem with me taking up the job? Even if there’s a risk the Duplex might see it differently?”

Koni shook his head. “Not a single issue with it, boss. If the Duplex get their feathers ruffled over some bruises, that’s on them, not us. It’s purely business.”

“Besides,” Benyi added, “think about it. Imagine you told her you can’t take it. You know how these scorned bitches be like sometimes. She’d probably start rattling off to others how you’re a coward and all that shit. And that’s the last thing you wanna hear, boss.”

Rex’s face darkened. Indeed, calling him a coward was a quickfire way to number your days on earth. The last person to do that had suffered a most unpleasant fate; she was still reported missing on national media outlets.

“Exactly. These old bitches love to chat shit in the heat of their emotions,” Koni agreed. “She’d probably do that. So yeah, there ain’t a problem. It is what it is.”

Rex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he nodded. Their words resonated with the thoughts already swirling in his mind. He wasn’t a man who acted on impulse—his power was built on calculated moves. And this, as the duo before him had laid out, was just another transaction.

No intent whatsoever to fire shots at the Duplex. After this, there would be no other dealings with them.

“You’re both right,” he nodded, his voice steady but cold. “No need to complicate things or put myself in a position for anyone to disrespect me. The job is coming on. No names, no mess, and no heat. Since it’s an assault mission, Denny and V.A. can handle it. They go to the bitch’s house, rough her and the man up, and bounce. Simple as that.”

Benyi leaned back, shades of approval on his face. “Sounds solid to me, boss. Simple and solid. No complications whatsoever.”

Rex smirked as he lifted his glass of whisky to take another sip. “None at all. After all, it’s just business. Nothing more, nothing less. Koni, you get the intel on Graham and the little bitch, and convey them to Denny and V.A. as soon as possible.”

“I’m on it, boss.”

Hmmm, might be just business, but will the Duplex guys understand?