Chapter 404 Certain Death
On the other end of the line, Mark's voice was flat as a pancake, "Get your butt to my place, alone. No funny business, or you'll regret it!"
And just like that, Mark hung up, leaving Ryder no room to bargain.
Ryder turned to Rex and said, "Take me to the Houston estate!"
George, sitting next to him, looked like he just bit into a lemon. "Mr. Clark, isn't it kinda risky going alone? With things so heated between you and Mark, he's not gonna play nice."
"Yeah, I know," Ryder said, dead serious. "But to save Sarah, I'll walk through fire if I have to. Don't even try to talk me out of it."
George nodded, giving up on trying to change his mind. He couldn't help but be moved by Ryder's devotion to Sarah, which only made him more loyal to Ryder.
A guy with that much heart? No doubt he'd treat his crew right.
Half an hour later, Rex pulled up to the Houston estate. It was four in the afternoon.
A gentle breeze kicked up, sending leaves swirling. As they got out of the car, they looked up at the sky, where dark clouds were rolling in from the east.
"Looks like a storm's brewing," Ryder muttered, almost to himself.
He signaled to Rex and George in the car. "Stay put. I'm going in alone."
Rex nodded, his voice like gravel, "Ryder, if things go south, call me. I'll be there in a flash."
"Chill, I got this," Ryder said, taking a deep breath before striding up to the gate of the Houston estate.
He noticed that the guards who were usually at the gate were nowhere to be seen. Through the gaps in the gate, he saw a figure slowly approaching.
It was Brian, who walked right up to the gate.
Seeing Ryder, a shadow of something dark flickered in his eyes. "You actually showed up," he said coldly.
Ryder gave a faint smile, "Mark invited me personally; how could I refuse?"
Brian narrowed his eyes. "Ryder, you know what it means to walk through this gate today, right?"
Ryder shrugged, pointing to the dark clouds in the sky. "Honestly, instead of wasting time, why not open the gate? We might get soaked, and if we catch a cold, who's paying the doctor bills? You?"
"Keep that attitude up, we'll see how long it lasts," Brian sneered, opening the estate gate.
Ryder, hands behind his back, strolled into the estate like he owned the place, not a hint of tension.
The gate slammed shut.
Brian followed Ryder, close on his heels.
As Ryder walked through the estate, he couldn't help but notice it was a ghost town compared to his last visit. Not a single guard in sight, and the path and lawn were strewn with abandoned junk.
The place felt dead.
Ryder, puzzled, asked, "What happened here?"
"Mr. Davis let everyone go. It's just me and him now," Brian replied.
"Got it," Ryder nodded. It was clear Mark was ready for whatever was coming.
Just then, a low rumble of thunder rolled through the dark clouds above. The sky turned almost pitch black, like night had fallen early. Gusts of wind whipped through, making the trees dance wildly. Rain was definitely on its way.
Ryder followed Brian into the main villa at the front of the estate. Last time, he stayed in the smaller villa next door, where Kenneth used to live. This was his first time in the main villa, and it was massive and grand. But with the storm brewing, the place had an eerie vibe.
Inside, the villa was a mess. Furniture and vases were either knocked over or missing, like the place had been looted. Ryder didn't care about the mess and asked, "I'm here. Can you let my wife go?"
Brian shook his head. "That's not up to me. You'll have to talk to Mr. Davis."
He gestured for Ryder to follow him. "This way."
They climbed the stairs to the third floor and stopped at a door.
Brian knocked gently. "Mr. Davis, he's here."
Mark's voice came from inside. "Let him in."
Brian nodded and opened the door. "Go on in."
Ryder stepped into the room and was a bit taken aback by what he saw. The room was spacious and well-lit, with a square poker table in the center. A deck of cards was on the table. Mark sat on the west side, a cigar in his mouth, quietly smoking.
"Have a seat," Mark said.
Ryder didn't hesitate and sat down directly across from Mark. Brian closed the door and left, locking it from the outside with a click.
Ryder looked at Mark. In just one day, Mark seemed to have aged a decade. His once sharp and commanding eyes were now dull and tired.
"Where's my wife?" Ryder demanded.
Mark blew out a puff of smoke. "Relax. Don't be in such a hurry."
Ryder sneered. "Just answer me."
Mark spread the deck of cards on the table. "You want to see her? Fine. Play poker with me."
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