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Garth had called him to accept his offer. He\'d told Ezra of a warehouse in the docks that held the cash of the Red Orphans. He had agreed to meet Garth here to negotiate the takeover of the Red Orphans. After securing the cash, he\'ll call in the Black Spider gang members to cart it away. He could almost taste his victory. The Red Orphans gang would soon be his.

He navigated the maze-like alleys of the old docks, every sense on high alert. The familiar scent of saltwater and rust filled the air, but there was something else tonight, something off. As he moved deeper into the labyrinth, he couldn\'t shake the feeling that he was being watched.

He glanced around but saw no one. He strained his ears and all he caught, apart from the natural sounds, was the heartbeat of a single man. He followed it to meet Garth, standing alone in an alley between warehouses. "Garth." He stated, causing the man to jump in fright.

Garth wheeled around to see Ezra standing there. "Gah! You scared me."

He tilted his head, staring at Garth. Something was definitely off. Maybe he should have accepted Olivia\'s offer. "Where\'s the money?" He asked, voice low.

"Not so fast." Garth raised a hand. "I want something out of this. Just my life isn\'t enough."

Ezra considered for a moment. "Speak." He commanded.

Garth paused as if waiting for something.

Ezra stiffened. He knew the night was silent, too silent. He heard the faint sounds of rushing footsteps and in a second, bodies flooded the alley. Red Orphan gang members all stood, armed, all focused on him. They blocked the alley on both sides and some were even on the roof. He turned staring at them.

Some of them were even holding cameras, focused on him.

He heard footsteps walking towards him through the throng of gang members behind him. He turned and found himself face-to-face with Malachi. The short vampire stood there, his deep voice resonating in the narrow alley. "Ezra, you should have known better than to come here alone."

Ezra\'s eyes narrowed. "I really should\'ve known." He glanced at the grinning Garth. "This is your answer?"

Malachi smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice. "There\'s no deal, Ezra Matten. This is your end. Look around you. See the cameras. We\'re streaming everything here to another location.

One use of an ability and you\'ll find yourself standing once more before an Arbiter. There\'ll be no escape this time. One\'s a mistake. Two? Definitely not."

Ezra glanced around him. He stared at the few gang members holding cameras. They were scattered among the crowd and he couldn\'t take them out with a strike. Using his vampire abilities in front of humans was not an option. The Law of Secrecy was clear, and breaking it again would mean certain death if he survived this.

He glanced around, assessing his options. Malachi had chosen his location well. They were in a secluded part of the docks, but not isolated enough to risk revealing his true nature. Ezra fought back a wave of panic as the humans closed in, their weapons glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Malachi watched, his expression one of smug satisfaction. "You see, Ezra, I\'ve learned from our past encounters. This time, you won\'t escape."

Ezra took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He had to think clearly. There has to be a way out. Malachi won\'t kill me here. A single bullet isn\'t enough to destroy a vampire\'s heart. If he tries and I survive, he\'ll also be on trial for breaking the law of Secrecy due to his actions.

"You\'re a coward, Malachi," he spat. "Using humans to do your dirty work."

Malachi shrugged, unfazed. "It\'s effective, isn\'t it?"

The humans moved in, and Ezra fought back with everything he had, careful not to reveal his supernatural strength. He dodged and weaved, landing precise blows that incapacitated a few, but there were too many. One of them swung a baton, catching Ezra across the back of the head. He stumbled, keeping up the masquerade of being a human. The cameras were rolling and watching his every move.

Taking advantage of his stumble, the humans overwhelmed him. They wrestled him to the ground, binding his hands and feet with heavy chains. Ezra struggled, but the weight of the chains and the sheer number of attackers made it impossible to break free while still keeping to human limits.

Malachi stepped closer, his smile widening. "You\'re going to regret ever crossing me, Ezra."

Ezra glared up at him, fury burning in his eyes. "This isn\'t over, Malachi."

"Oh, but it is," Malachi replied, his voice dripping with triumph. "Take him away."

The humans lifted Ezra roughly, dragging him toward a waiting van. A woman he recognized as one of Malachi\'s wives followed them. Ezra\'s mind raced, searching for any way out, but the tight chains and the presence of the humans left him no choice but to comply. He couldn\'t risk exposing himself and endangering his wives.

They shoved him into the van, slamming the doors shut. As the vehicle rumbled to life and pulled away from the docks, Ezra felt a sinking feeling in his gut. He had been captured before, but this felt different. This time, Malachi had the upper hand, and Ezra was being taken deep into enemy territory.

The ride seemed to stretch on forever, the van\'s interior dark and oppressive. Cameras were attached to the walls of the van and Malachi\'s wife watched him closely.

Finally, the van came to a stop. The doors were thrown open, and Ezra was hauled out into the night. The place he had been brought to was like a fortress, its high walls and guarded entrances making escape seem impossible.

Malachi stood at the entrance, watching as they dragged Ezra inside. "Welcome to your new home, Ezra. I hope you enjoy your stay. It won\'t be long."

Ezra bit back a retort, saving his strength. He knew he had to bide his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. As they took him deeper into the stronghold, he memorized every turn, every guard\'s position, every potential weak spot.

They finally brought him to a cell deep within the building, tossing him inside and locking the door behind him. Ezra lay on the cold stone floor, the weight of the chains pressing down on him. He stared at the cameras in the cell and closed his eyes, sighing.

This wasn\'t the end. He would find a way out. Malachi had underestimated him before, and he would do it again. That was when he would strike.

**********

Malachi walked through the halls to his office. Count Solomon wasn\'t back from his meeting with the City Lord. When the count arrived, he\'ll present Ezra. The count would be glad to do the killing himself.

Malachi grunted in satisfaction. He had set the table for the count, all that was left was for the count to eat it.