The Master Programmer-Chapter 181: Leverage 1

Jason Cross strode further into the room of his family’s stolen empire, his polished leather shoes clicking rhythmically against the marble floor as he gazed at the hyenas that were surrounding him only moments before, who now stood rooted in confusion and maybe a bit of trepidation.

The way he looked at that moment, standing there like he owned the place, made Martha grit her teeth in anger. She wanted to bite his neck off.

So what if they had no leverage? He was still in their house!

What the hell did he want to do?!!

Harold and Frank, and his aunt, Martha, turned to each other and nodded, and Martha took out a remote control, clicking the button to call the guards. Jason watched this happen. This progression was good too. Show them your capabilities.

As they flooded in, they surrounded Jason even while protecting our people who stood on the other side, with Jack continuously sending out all manner of communication and then getting absolutely nothing back from them, his face now visibly panicked.

Jason’s relatives’ smug expression faltered when they caught sight of his confident smirk. Jason exuded an aura of control that sent a chill down their spines, though none dared admit it. It reminded them of that one man who passed away a while back.

Why was he so calm even while knowing that he might never leave this place? That look… He was just like his annoying father.

"Jason," Martha began, her voice sharp yet trembling ever so slightly. "What do you think you’re doing here? If you try anything, we won’t let you get away with it."

Hearing those words, Jason knew now that he had unnerved them enough. And now it was time to do something else. Something different. He needed to make them understand that he was playing at the same level as them.

Jason’s smirk deepened as he came to a deliberate stop, hands in his pockets. His tailored suit hugged his athletic frame. He tilted his head, his piercing gaze sweeping over them in a way that would have sent chills going down their spines if they weren’t so prepared and experienced...

"So what if you called security?" he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement as he saw those big guys. "Do you think they’ll stop me? You’ve had nothing on me all this time. And you still don’t have anything. Now you’re standing there, shaking, trembling even while there’s 20 of you and only one of me... You’re afraid of me..."

He took a step closer, his words laced with an undeniable charm that compelled attention. "Face it. I’ve always been in control—always will be."

Jack stepped in front of Martha as if to protect her from Jason, and when he did that, the guards also began surrounding Jason even tighter, looking like they might take action at a moment’s notice.

Jason smirked, seeing the guy look at him in the way only someone who had killed before would. It was pretty funny was it not? This guy was a good actor...

Martha’s hand twitched at her side, her bravado cracking as she exchanged uneasy glances with Harold and Frank.

Jason’s presence had that effect. His tone, carefully measured with Programmer techniques, targeted their subconscious fears and doubts. By confidently asserting dominance and planting seeds of their inadequacy, he ensured they felt cornered. And this was not all he did.

He did so much more and it was obvious now that everything he had done since his entry, his calm calculation, his revelation of the fact that they had nothing on him, and now his calm in the presence of these dangerous-looking people who were all around him.

Jack would not let this go though, his snake-like face twisting into a sneer as he blocked Jason while the Security Guards came ever closer. "Enough theatrics, Jason. Let’s get to the real question. What did you do with my men? And what did you do to Tim? You better give us the truth, otherwise, you will never see the end of it. We have ways to make you disappear. You know we can do it. I can do it. Don’t fuck with me!"

"You talk a lot for a guy whose men got taken care of, Jack?" Jason said and watching the man narrow his eyes, he smirked unwaveringly.

"And Tim?" he echoed, feigning innocence. "Last I checked, your golden boy’s problems are self-inflicted, especially after all the sex he’s been having with hookers. Who knows what disease he picked up in all that filthy action? But if you think I’m responsible, feel free to check. No prints, no evidence. No case…"

Jack narrowed his cold, viper-like eyes. "Then why does he keep screaming your name? Why is it that you were the last person he saw before he started acting the way he does? Come on, Jason! Do you really think we’re idiots?"

"What did you do, Jason, you must have done something!!" Martha said, now having lost all composure. Jason turned to her. Well, it seemed she did have an emotional bone on her body after all. Funny how all it took was someone else talking about her fat son for her to remember it though...

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

It was unfortunate… Jason did not care about her feelings. Not anymore.

Jason stepped forward, his movements smooth and calculated even while guards stepped in front of him and practically blocked his gaze from the four.

"Perhaps," he said, leaning slightly closer to Jack, "it’s because he finally realized what happens when you cross me. Or perhaps…" His voice lowered, rich with suggestion, "You’re just looking for a scapegoat. I don’t know… you tell me."

Harold’s bulbous face turned red as he slammed a hand on the pillar.

"Enough of this! We didn’t bring you here to play games. We want answers. Where’s the Neural Flux Pill? Who’s the supplier? You have a connection with Troy! Tell us what you know and we’ll let you off!"

"Harold why are you talking about pills, my son–" Martha was just about to speak, but Frank interrupted her.

"Your son is nothing. And anyway, the pill is way more important. You felt it too did you not? It’s incredible. The pharmaceutical company has been experiencing some problems, and if we had the formula and the creation method for something like this, we could become billionaires within five years. No. Two years!"

Marhta’s eyes lit up even without her willing to admit it, and when she turned to Jason again, there was no mention of a son ever again in her heart. Jason stared at these people who forsook their families all for some benefit and he smiled. The smile soon spilled out in some laughter.

"Pfft, hahaha," Jason laughed, the sound low and menacing. "Ah, so that’s what this is really about. Not Tim. Not family. Just greed. Thank you for exposing yourselves."

Frank spoke up at that moment, "Jason, just because we share some blood doesn’t mean we won’t get you hurt if you don’t stop disrespecting us. Things are already at this point, and you’re still talking shit? Tell us about the pills!"

After saying this, Frank turned to his son. "Go take care of your issues, son. I can see that you are worried about your men. As for this bastard... let the guards take care of him." Frank turned back to the scene, a vicious glint in his eyes after everything he had seen and heard.

Jason watched this scene of father and son bonding and almost felt like crying. It was so beautiful. And perfectly what he was looking forward to seeing.

Jack turned to Frank, thanking him as he left, taking out his phone as he began talking to someone else animatedly. Frank watched him leave and turned back to Jason soon after. There’s no running away for you, boy.

Martha’s eyes flashed with anger as she stepped forward, her sharp heels clicking against the floor. "Jason. We all know you’re after power, just like the rest of us. So why don’t you cut the theatrics and tell us what we want to know? Who knows, we might be able to cooperate. Let you off with only a few scratches."

Jason’s smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. "Power? Let’s talk about power," he said, his voice now a low, dangerous rumble.

"You think you’ve built something unshakable, but your empire is a house of cards. And I…" he paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, "am the storm. But this storm has a sweet side… We can cooperate."

Cooperate? What the hell was he saying in a situation like this? He was surrounded and it was very clear, at least to them that they had him in the palm of their hands, but it seemed Jason was in his world, and he had plans of his own.

But one of the uncles sensed an opportunity, stepping forward and gesturing for the guards to let up only slightly.

"That’s right!" Harold said, flashing a wizened smile that one would only see from an older relative who you loved and trusted. "Cooperation. Because we are family, right? There’s no reason for all this fighting. Even what happened four months ago was... unnecessary. Everything is fixable. You get it, right?"

The two other older relatives turned to Harold with odd looks that soon glinted with understanding. Jason was a child after all. He had been devastated back then. And now too it was going to be the same. But if they promised him something, he might just take a step forward and rejoin them to get back the life he had lost before.

But what Jason was going to say next was going to turn their world upside down.

"That’s right.. Family is everything, after all," Jason said to them, sighing dramatically. And then with a resolute, saddened look, he spoke up. "As long as you give me the truth about my parents’ deaths, then I will be willing to cooperate as you wish."

Martha’s composure cracked as she exchanged glances with her brothers. "We… we’ve told you everything," she almost stammered.

Hah!

Got her.