441 First Phase

Park Group

Damien was overseeing Zero's work in the tech room. He had requested not to disturb his men while they worked and though Frederick Park's tech team was hesitant, they didn't really have a choice.

A dark aura blanketed Damien's appearance, making him look unapproachable that his uncle's security team didn't dare to get in his way. He rarely visited Park Group and now that he was here for business, it made his visit very serious. Damien didn't do anything except accompany his men while they worked—well, while Zero pretended to work what was lost from when Amelia broke into the building a few nights ago.

Zero had set up his work station in the middle of the tech room and Damien sat in an armchair several feet away. Styles gave them a few working security feeds that they could show as if they were able to recover some, but among those, it would be impossible to get an ID of the two women—a few from a far distance, and one which was closer but didn't have a good angle.

A man came in and whispered to Damien, telling him that his uncle wanted to talk to him. So he got up and left the room after telling Zero to continue with his task. He was led to a room next to the tech room where Frederick Park was waiting.

It was a small meeting room with a sofa set, with cups of teas on the coffee table. His uncle sat in one of the armchairs and Damien strolled to join him.

"How was it?" Frederick asked as soon as Damien lazily sat on a sofa.

"My man's working on it at the moment. We should be getting news soon."

"Do you think I should replace my tech guys? I need better security in this building."

Damien had expected this from his uncle, but he didn't show it when he answered. "If you want my opinion, I think you need to make some modifications to your security system. This wasn't the first time it happened with the current security and tech team. Although you actually caught the intruders the first time, you don't want another one like the recent."

"So what do you suggest?"

"I'll provide some of my men from the tech team in Maverick Security. I usually only provide detail service but I can spare a few for your tech room to update the building's security. This happened once and this could happen again. I can also provide six highly trained men to replace those who are still in the hospital for the meantime." Damien had a casual expression as he suggested. Putting the delta team inside would be helpful.

Frederick thought about it for a second before agreeing, "All right. Just send me a contract and an invoice. I'd rather want to pay you than a stranger."

He could have done this a long time ago but he didn't have a compelling reason to meddle with the family business. However, before leaving the Park Estate yesterday, he overheard his uncle's men talking about a shipment that was coming in that night. Although he no longer took part in that side of the family business, he knew the usual places and routine of the operations. And what he heard was out of the usual.

So, Damien sent a few of his men to check on it last night and sure enough, it was what he was afraid to learn. Frederick had already dipped his foot in the drug business.

The Park Family's underground business mostly involved smuggling, selling of intel, having transactions that were deemed illegal because it's either unlawful in nature or those that fail to comply with the government's strict requirements—like selling banned weapons or providing illegal services. However, Lawrence Park—Damien's father—never liked drugs. That was the only thing he would never touch; even his grandfather who was a dictator never wanted to involve themselves with drugs.

Now, Frederick, who had complete reign over that business, was creating chaos, and Damien wasn't going to take any of it. So with their suspicion about Frederick's involvement with his father's death and this new knowledge about the illegal substance, Damien had to put a stop to it and he wouldn't be able to do that if he kept his distance.

It was going to be tough to get himself involved with this part of his family again; especially that while he planned to put an end to their family's clandestine business, he had to make sure it wouldn't harm his family's reputation—Nana and the others he cared about, as well as the legitimate businesses that they owned.

Damien's jaw ticked when he was reminded and he masked a sigh with a cough. His voice was low and unapologetic as he spoke, "Don't worry about it, Uncle Fred. What are families for? We have to take care of each other. Besides, I can't allow anyone to harm Park Group. It is our family's empire… Whoever ruins it will be ruined." Rotating his neck from side to side, a devilish smirk teased his lips. "Maverick Security won't charge for the tech service, only my men's wages." And without saying it out loud, he thought, 'After all, I'm not running a charity.'

"Of course. That's understandable. It's a good thing that I asked you." Frederick massaged his temple. "Did you know that William was here that night?"

Damien's brows knitted upon hearing this discovery. "William was here?"

"That son of mine…" He shook his head. "He saw them exit the south door right before his eyes. And he let the women get away."

Damien had no idea, but seeing as William didn't contact him about anything, that only meant that he didn't recognize Amelia and Katherine, right?

The installation of the software was done. And after ironing out agreements with his uncle, Damien left Park Group just in time to fetch Katherine from their place.