Page 78 of Wild Ivy
“Things are going to be different now,” I say after a moment, my fingers tracing the rim of my mug. “With The Syndicate, with everything. Being Death... it changes things.”
Ramsey nods, exchanging a look with Josh. “They already are. But different doesn’t mean worse. The old ways of The Syndicate - the secrecy, the rigid hierarchy, the ‘eliminate first, no questions asked’ approach - maybe it’s time for those to change.”
“They need to understand what’s changed,” I say, setting my mug down. “The Syndicate continues, but under new management. My management.”
Ramsey nods approvingly. “You’ve already got a lot of the assets on your side. The handlers, too. They are pretty much just shit scared of the new boss.”
I giggle. “Too right.”
“We need to show them that Death, Life, Rebirth, whatever you are now called, isn’t just taking over—she’s offering them a better way forward.”
“Exactly,” I agree. “No more taking contracts on innocents. No more political assassinations for the highest bidder. We focus on actual threats—we deep dive before we accept, and we only take the ones who prey on others.”
“Works for me. Let’s just hope everyone who is not already on board falls in line.”
“They don’t have a choice,” I say firmly. “Death isn’t asking permission.”
Ramsey grins, that familiar gleam in his eye that always meant things were about to get interesting. “Ready to go explain to a room full of assassins that they work for you now?”
“Always.”
The Syndicate’s about to learn that this isn’t a democracy. It’s my way or the highway. It’s a promise of change, and whether they like it or not, things are going to be different from now on.
Ramsey and I leave Josh and head across campus to the underground bunker where The Syndicate operates in Thornfield.
We glide right in, and no one bats an eye as they continue their work, going about their business as if nothing has changed. Not everyone is here, and that’s fine. Word will trickle down, and that’s how it’s always been done. Death was never a main feature here. Fuck knows I didn’t have a clue he was the head of theorganisation until very recently, so I doubt anyone here knows either. Swann and maybe one or two others, if they’re lucky.
I spot Swann leaning over a rep and jabbing at the screen. He must sense me as he lifts his head up and then straightens, giving me a swift nod.
“Attention, everyone,” Ramsey calls out, his voice carrying authority. The bustling activity in the bunker grinds to a halt as all eyes turn to us. “There have been some changes in management, so listen up.”
The murmurs ripple through the crowd, and they are curious and concerned.
I step forward, feeling the weight of dozens of gazes. I take a deep breath, channelling the power that now flows through me.
“As of now, The Syndicate operates under new leadership.Myleadership. You don’t need to know who I am and what I do. All you have to do is listen and do. Things are going to be different from here on out.”
Murmurs ripple through the crowd. I catch snippets of confusion, concern, and more than a little fear. Good. A healthy dose of fear will make this transition smoother.
“We’re no longer taking contracts indiscriminately,” I continue. “No more political hits for the sake of it, no more targeting innocents for the highest bidder. From now on, we focus on actual threats—those who prey on others, who cause true harm.”
“And who decides what constitutes a ‘true threat’?” a rep calls out. “Us?”
“Yes. You need to deep dive these people. There will be no more quick turnaround. It takes as long as it takes to determine if these creatures are truly evil and need wiping off the face of the earth. You are all masters of the dark web, so take your job to the next level.”
“Do we get a pay rise?” someone else whines. “This sounds like a lot of work.”
“It’s only a lot of work if you don’t know what you’re doing,” I snap. “In which case, you don’t belong here. Do you belong here?” I fix her with a vicious scowl.
“Y-yes, ma’am,” she stammers.
“In that case, do your job, and we will reassess pay grades and also a new hierarchy. Some of you will excel, and some of you will remain stagnant. That is the nature of the circle.”
“Understood,” Swann says, giving me some much-wanted, if not needed, backup.
“This isn’t a debate or a negotiation. The Syndicate continues, but we pivot. If anyone has a problem with that, the door is right there, don’t let it hit your arse on the way out.” I pause, letting my gaze sweep across the room. No one moves. “Good,” I continue. “Now, for those wondering about the practical changes, all current contracts are suspended pending review. Ramsey and Swann will be overseeing that process. Any new contracts go through them first for approval.”
“What about our current targets?” someone asks. “Some of us are mid-mission.”
