Chapter 4 - The Hospital Ward
The three armored SUVs sped through the streets of Las Vegas, ignoring traffic lights and cutting through turning lanes with synchronized precision. Inside the lead vehicle, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Cassius sat in the captain's chair, a satellite phone pressed to his ear. "Talk to me, Marcus," he commanded into the receiver.
"Boss," came the voice of his head of security from the hospital. "We intercepted two operatives from the Vane crew on the fourth floor. They weren't there for a hit—they were trying to serve an illegal debt collection warrant. It turns out Maya took a personal loan from one of Vane's loan sharks three months ago to pay for Eli's school tuition and back rent."
Cassius's jaw tightened. "How much?"
"Fifteen thousand principal. But with Vane's interest rates, they're claiming she owes eighty thousand. They were trying to force her to sign over her guardianship rights or agree to work off the debt in one of their unregistered clubs."
Cassius closed his eyes briefly, letting out a slow, cold breath. "Where are the two operatives now?"
"In the basement security office, sir. They're... resting."
"Good. Hold the floor. I'm three minutes away."
Cassius clicked the phone shut and looked across the aisle at Eli. The boy was staring out the window at the passing palm trees and neon billboards. He had heard every word, but his face remained remarkably placid.
"You knew about the loan?" Cassius asked.
Eli didn't turn from the window. "I found the papers in her closet two weeks ago. She cried in the bathroom every night after I went to sleep."
"Why didn't she come to the casino management? The Wren Syndicate protects its workers from third-party predators."
"She was scared," Eli said quietly. "People say if you ask the Wren Syndicate for help, you end up owing something worse than money."
Cassius fell silent. It was a fair assessment. For twenty-six years, he had built a reputation based on fear, ruthlessness, and absolute control. To the outside world, he was a monster who ran an empire of vice. No one came to Cassius Wren looking for charity.
"Do you think I'm a monster, Eli?" Cassius asked, his tone surprisingly devoid of irony.
Eli turned from the window and looked Cassius dead in the eye. "My sister says monsters eat people because they enjoy it. You came to my school because I was alone. Monsters don't do that."
The SUV pulled up to the emergency entrance of St. Jude Memorial Hospital. Before the vehicle had even come to a complete stop, Cassius opened his door and stepped out onto the pavement, with Eli following close behind.
They took the private service elevator straight to the fourth floor. The corridor was unnaturally quiet. Two of Cassius's uniformed guards stood at the entrance to Room 412, their hands crossed in front of their waistlines.
When Cassius pushed the door open, the soft beep of a heart monitor greeted them.
Lying in the hospital bed was Maya. She looked tiny beneath the heavy white blankets, her face pale, dark circles carved deep beneath her eyes. An IV line was taped to the back of her hand.
When she saw the door open, her eyes widened in terror. But that terror vanished the moment she saw the small boy step out from behind the towering man.
"Eli!" Maya gasped, her voice raspy and weak. She tried to push herself up, but the monitor beeped frantically. "Eli... oh God, what are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?"
"I brought a guest," Eli said softly, walking over to her bedside and taking her pale hand in his.
Maya looked up at Cassius. She recognized him instantly. Everyone who worked in the casinos knew the face of Cassius Wren. She pulled Eli behind her frail frame defensively, her heart rate spiking on the monitor.
"Mr. Wren..." Maya stammered, her voice shaking uncontrollably. "Please... please don't hurt him. Whatever I owe... whatever the debt is... I'll pay it. I'll work three shifts. I'll do anything. Just leave my brother out of this!"
Cassius stood at the foot of the bed, his tall frame blocking the sunlight from the window. He looked at the exhausted young woman, then at the small boy holding her hand.
"How much do you earn a week at the casino, Miss Vance?" Cassius asked, his voice smooth and calm.
Maya swallowed hard. "Six... six hundred dollars, sir. Before taxes."
"And you borrowed fifteen thousand from Victor Vane's men?"
"I had no choice!" Maya cried, tears finally spilling over her lashes. "The landlord was going to throw us out on the street! Eli was sleeping in his coat! I couldn't let him freeze!"
Cassius reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek leather ledger. He opened it, pulled out his Montblanc pen, and wrote something quickly on a slip of paper. He tore the paper out and laid it gently on the small table beside her bed.
Maya looked at the slip of paper. It was a receipt of transfer from the Wren Syndicate Treasury, showing a full settlement of eighty thousand dollars paid directly to the Vane Organization's commercial account, followed by a legally binding purchase agreement of her original loan contract.
"Your debt to Vane is settled," Cassius said flatly.
Maya blinked away her tears, staring at the paper in disbelief. "I... I don't understand. Why would you buy my debt? What do you want from me?"
"You don't owe Vane anything anymore," Cassius said. "And as of five minutes ago, you don't owe me anything either. The loan is canceled."
Maya’s jaw dropped. "Why? Why would you do that for us?"
May you like
Cassius looked down at Eli, who was watching him with those same calm, unreadable eyes.
"Because your brother gave a speech today," Cassius said. "And I don't like my public relations officers working under financial distress."
