Gerald flicked to another name. "I'm sending Callous into Kadmon. She'll investigate from the inside. I want to know if anyone in your ranks is compromised."

Clara's breath caught. Callous wasn't like the others. Where Stray was subtle, Callous was… ruthless. She left no room for mistakes, no mercy for betrayal. Her reputation in the underground was legendary—an enforcer with a smile so cold it could freeze blood. And if she was going to dig through Kadmon? Clara wasn't sure anyone would survive her gaze.

"And finally," Gerald added, tapping the third and final name, "Whisper. I want him watching Jacob. He's the best surveillance operative I have, and no one ever knows he's there. He'll follow Jacob's every move and make sure no one touches him."

Clara almost felt a wave of relief hearing the last name. Whisper was efficient but far less brutal than the others. A specter known for his ability to blend in with shadows, to be anywhere and nowhere all at once. If Whisper was on Jacob, Clara knew her nephew was in the safest hands possible.

"Gerald," she began carefully, "you know what this means, don't you? If you unleash them—"

"I know exactly what it means." Gerald's voice was hard, colder than she had heard in a long time. "This isn't just about me, Clara. This is about my family. I won't let them be pawns in someone else's game. If they think they can come for Jacob, they'll learn the hard way what it means to cross the Hek family."

Clara exhaled, feeling the weight of what was about to happen settle heavily between them. There would be no stopping the hunt once Gerald set it in motion.

The hunting dogs—Stray, Callous, Whisper—they were on the move now, and nothing short of death would keep them from their targets.

Gerald turned to face Clara once more, his expression unreadable, but his voice carried a chilling promise. "They'll either tell me who's behind this, or they'll regret being born. Either way, this ends on my terms."

He flicked his wrist, and the holographic messages shot out into the ether, each one summoning an unseen force of destruction that would ripple through the underworld like an impending storm.

Clara nodded, the gravity of the situation clear in her mind. The Hek family's power was deeper than she had ever realized. And now, it had been fully unleashed.

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The Hunting Dogs were infamous, one of the few facets of Gerald's power that he allowed the world to know. It wasn't secrecy that Gerald relied on—it was inevitability. Once the Hunting Dogs were released, it was only a matter of time before the targets were cornered. Even now, the only confirmed detail anyone had about them was their gender, a trivial fact that was of little use to those desperate for more.

For years, people had searched relentlessly for information—shadowy deals, hushed conversations, spies infiltrating networks—all to no avail. What little was gleaned was nothing substantial. Rumors whispered that they had been raised by Gerald from a very early age, groomed for this life in the dark. Once, Clara had even asked Abigail about them, hoping for some insight into Gerald's enigmatic force.

Abigail's response had been perplexing: she knew nothing about the Hunting Dogs. Her answer was blunt and simple. "If time has taught me anything," she'd said, "it's that there's no point trying to interfere in Gerald's affairs."

That had left Clara even more baffled. How could Abigail, his wife, be unaware of such a critical part of his empire? But then again, Gerald was nothing if not deliberate. He only showed what he wanted the world to see.

Now, with the Hunting Dogs unleashed, Clara could feel a strange sense of relief, tinged with unease. Whatever had happened—whoever was responsible—would soon face the full force of Gerald's wrath. It was only a matter of time before the mystery behind the object was unraveled and dealt with. With the Dogs out there, Clara knew one thing for certain: it would be solved, and it would be solved brutally.

Meanwhile, atop the towering Sigdra building, two figures stood in the dim glow of the city's lights below, their faces partially obscured by shadows. The air inside the room felt thick, weighed down by the gravity of their conversation.

"How bad is it?" one of the figures asked, their voice barely above a whisper, yet sharp with tension.

"They know everything," the other replied, their tone tight with unease. "All because of the attack a few days ago. The data stolen during the breach—it's out there. We have no control over it anymore."

A tense silence followed as the first figure absorbed the news. "So, we'll have to accelerate our plans," they said, their voice quieter now, as if trying to contain the rising dread.

"And are we in a position to do that?" the first figure asked, more pointedly this time, the weight of impending failure looming over them.

"We should be. The final preparations were set in place today," the second figure answered, though the edge of doubt was clear in their voice. "But we have no choice. If we wait too long, there will be questions, and it won't take long for them to connect the dots."

"Good," the first figure murmured, though their gaze remained distant, flickering with uncertainty. "Then in a few days, we move."

"Yes," the other echoed, though both knew the days ahead were now far more precarious.

The first figure shifted, concern deepening their frown. "Are we sure they won't realize what's coming?"

"Vastian Hek has disappeared to an unknown location. Him and Gerald are the only ones who pose a real threat," the second figure replied, their confidence more measured. "As long as we don't give Gerald a reason to dig deeper, we should be fine. No one else has the reach or capability to disrupt us."

The first figure nodded slowly, but their tension hadn't eased. "That data was never supposed to fall into anyone's hands. Gerald's reach is vast. If he gets even a hint that we're involved—"

The other cut them off with cold certainty. "We keep quiet, no mistakes, no sudden moves. We don't give him a reason to intervene. Without it, he won't get involved. We just need to keep a low profile until it's done."

They exchanged a final glance, both knowing that any misstep would unleash far more than they could handle. They turned back toward the city, the lights below reflecting their silent resolve, the darkness of their plan cloaking them like the night outside. Somewhere in that vast expanse, their stolen data threatened to bring everything crashing down, but for now, they clung to the shadows, hoping the Hek family would remain unaware of their presence—until it was too late.