Billionaire: Money and Power

A New Battlefield

The private jet cut through the night sky, sleek and silent. Joshua leaned back in his seat, watching the city lights disappear below. Across from him, Zara sipped her drink, eyes unreadable.

"So," she said, tapping her glass, "any second thoughts?"

Joshua smirked. "You don't strike me as the type who cares about my doubts."

Zara chuckled. "I don't. But the Order? They do. They don't like uncertainty."

Joshua glanced out the window. "Then I guess I'll just have to be sure of myself."

She tilted her head. "Good. Because once we land, there's no turning back."

Joshua closed his eyes for a moment. The Order's inner circle—he was finally going to see the people pulling the strings.

Whatever happened next, he had to be ready.

The Arrival

The jet touched down on a private airstrip. Black SUVs waited, engines humming. The air smelled of rain, the sky heavy with storm clouds.

Zara led the way. No words were spoken as they stepped into the vehicles.

The drive was long, winding through empty roads before reaching a massive estate hidden deep in the hills. High walls, armed guards, security checkpoints—this was a fortress, not just a mansion.

Joshua stepped out, taking in the sheer scale of it.

"Impressed?" Zara asked.

Joshua smirked. "I've seen bigger."

She shook her head with a smile. "Follow me."

The Inner Circle

The meeting hall was dimly lit, an oval table at its center. Eleven figures sat waiting, their faces shadowed by the low light. Each exuded a quiet authority, the kind that came from absolute control.

Zara took her place beside one of them.

An older man, dressed in a sharp black suit, leaned forward. "Joshua. We finally meet."

Joshua met his gaze. "And you are?"

The man smiled. "Names aren't important here. But for now, you can call me Chairman."

Joshua glanced around the room. "So, this is the Order?"

The Chairman chuckled. "This is a fraction of it. But we are the ones who make the real decisions."

Joshua crossed his arms. "And you brought me here because…?"

A woman to the Chairman's left spoke. Her voice was smooth, calculated. "Because you've made yourself a problem. And problems need to be dealt with."

Joshua smirked. "By inviting me to the table? That doesn't sound like a threat."

The Chairman's smile didn't fade. "You misunderstand. This isn't a warning. It's an opportunity."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Opportunity for what?"

Zara spoke up. "To prove your worth."

Joshua leaned back. "And if I refuse?"

The Chairman's smile vanished. "Then you won't leave this room alive."

Silence.

Then Joshua chuckled. "Well, when you put it like that…"

The Chairman steepled his fingers. "Good. Then let's begin."

The Test

A door opChapter 30 – "The Gathering Storm"

A New Battlefield

The private jet cut through the night sky, sleek and silent. Joshua leaned back in his seat, watching the city lights disappear below. Across from him, Zara sipped her drink, eyes unreadable.

"So," she said, tapping her glass, "any second thoughts?"

Joshua smirked. "You don't strike me as the type who cares about my doubts."

Zara chuckled. "I don't. But the Order? They do. They don't like uncertainty."

Joshua glanced out the window. "Then I guess I'll just have to be sure of myself."

She tilted her head. "Good. Because once we land, there's no turning back."

Joshua closed his eyes for a moment. The Order's inner circle—he was finally going to see the people pulling the strings.

Whatever happened next, he had to be ready.

The Arrival

The jet touched down on a private airstrip. Black SUVs waited, engines humming. The air smelled of rain, the sky heavy with storm clouds.

Zara led the way. No words were spoken as they stepped into the vehicles.

The drive was long, winding through empty roads before reaching a massive estate hidden deep in the hills. High walls, armed guards, security checkpoints—this was a fortress, not just a mansion.

Joshua stepped out, taking in the sheer scale of it.

"Impressed?" Zara asked.

Joshua smirked. "I've seen bigger."

She shook her head with a smile. "Follow me."

The Inner Circle

The meeting hall was dimly lit, an oval table at its center. Eleven figures sat waiting, their faces shadowed by the low light. Each exuded a quiet authority, the kind that came from absolute control.

Zara took her place beside one of them.

An older man, dressed in a sharp black suit, leaned forward. "Joshua. We finally meet."

Joshua met his gaze. "And you are?"

The man smiled. "Names aren't important here. But for now, you can call me Chairman."

Joshua glanced around the room. "So, this is the Order?"

The Chairman chuckled. "This is a fraction of it. But we are the ones who make the real decisions."

Joshua crossed his arms. "And you brought me here because…?"

A woman to the Chairman's left spoke. Her voice was smooth, calculated. "Because you've made yourself a problem. And problems need to be dealt with."

Joshua smirked. "By inviting me to the table? That doesn't sound like a threat."

The Chairman's smile didn't fade. "You misunderstand. This isn't a warning. It's an opportunity."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Opportunity for what?"

Zara spoke up. "To prove your worth."

Joshua leaned back. "And if I refuse?"

The Chairman's smile vanished. "Then you won't leave this room alive."

Silence.

Then Joshua chuckled. "Well, when you put it like that…"

The Chairman steepled his fingers. "Good. Then let's begin."

The Test

A door opened behind Joshua. Two men stepped forward, dragging someone between them.

Bloodied. Weak. Barely conscious.

Joshua's eyes narrowed. He knew that face.

Chief Okon.

The man who had warned him about the Order.

The Chairman watched him carefully. "He betrayed us. Fed you information. Broke the rules."

Joshua kept his expression neutral.

The Chairman slid a knife across the table. "Kill him."

Joshua didn't move.

Zara's voice was soft. "This is how it works, Joshua. Loyalty isn't spoken—it's proven."

Joshua looked at Chief Okon. The old man's breath was shallow. His swollen eyes met Joshua's, searching for something.

Hope?

Regret?

Joshua picked up the knife.

The room went still.

He stepped forward, gripping the handle tightly.

Chief Okon coughed, barely able to speak. "You… you don't have to do this."

Joshua didn't answer.

Then, in one sharp motion—

He slashed the blade across the rope binding Okon's wrists.

The guards tensed. The Chairman's expression didn't change.

Joshua tossed the knife onto the table. "I don't kill on command."

Silence.

Then—

Laughter.

The Chairman leaned back, amused. "Interesting."

Joshua met his gaze. "You wanted proof of my worth? There it is."

The Chairman studied him. Then he nodded. "Very well. Chief Okon is no longer our concern."

A single gunshot rang out.

One of the guards dropped Okon with a bullet to the head.

Joshua didn't flinch.

The Chairman smiled. "You passed."

Joshua exhaled slowly. The game had changed.

And now, he was in.

Next: Chapter 31 – "The First Mission"

Joshua is now part of the Order—but what's the real price of admission?

ened behind Joshua. Two men stepped forward, dragging someone between them.

Bloodied. Weak. Barely conscious.

Joshua's eyes narrowed. He knew that face.

Chief Okon.

The man who had warned him about the Order.

The Chairman watched him carefully. "He betrayed us. Fed you information. Broke the rules."

Joshua kept his expression neutral.

The Chairman slid a knife across the table. "Kill him."

Joshua didn't move.

Zara's voice was soft. "This is how it works, Joshua. Loyalty isn't spoken—it's proven."

Joshua looked at Chief Okon. The old man's breath was shallow. His swollen eyes met Joshua's, searching for something.

Hope?

Regret?

Joshua picked up the knife.

The room went still.

He stepped forward, gripping the handle tightly.

Chief Okon coughed, barely able to speak. "You… you don't have to do this."

Joshua didn't answer.

Then, in one sharp motion—

He slashed the blade across the rope binding Okon's wrists.

The guards tensed. The Chairman's expression didn't change.

Joshua tossed the knife onto the table. "I don't kill on command."

Silence.

Then—

Laughter.

The Chairman leaned back, amused. "Interesting."

Joshua met his gaze. "You wanted proof of my worth? There it is."

The Chairman studied him. Then he nodded. "Very well. Chief Okon is no longer our concern."

A single gunshot rang out.

One of the guards dropped Okon with a bullet to the head.

Joshua didn't flinch.

The Chairman smiled. "You passed."

Joshua exhaled slowly. The game had changed.

And now, he was in.