Hollywood Zenith

"This means we have a lot of....people who are undermining your authority." Albert commented when they were alone.

"You don't need to sugarcoat it. There are spies in my own house and I don't even know about it. It looks like I have become to frail and old to demand the same respect as I once did. They are just waiting for me to kick the bucket-"

"Please your majesty, you should understand you still have many loyal people supporting you."

"I don't doubt your loyalty Albert but I finally understood what that boy was so persistent with this incident. Maybe they are right, I was blinded by my love for them."

Albert couldn't say anything to refute her. It would have been better to just find spies but there were many royal members involved in this deceit not to mention, the biggest one being her own son.

The list of things stated in the document could easily become the biggest scandal in Royal history. From shady deals to affair and lying about princess's lineage, it was a betrayal in the most primal sense.

"What are you going to do then?" He asked already knowing her answer.

"Convene a meeting, ask people who are trustworthy to appear before me in an hour without exception and...retract our forces. Issue a decree to ban supporting anyone and let the nature tale it's course."

"It will raise quite a stir especially when you were so agressive with your attacks. Many people will mock the royal family as they will consider this your loss."

"I know but they wouldn't be able to enjoy the moment for long. I am going to rid of these pests slowly reminding them why they feared me for decades."

With her decision made, Albert could only follow her command. The coming months wouldn't be quiet for the country but he knew some things needed to be done to restore the balance of power.

He remembered the young man that led to this development, he would become the biggest winner as well as gaining new heights and respect from their peers.

While Green family's downfall would incite some trouble, his handling of the Royal family will give them new ground to stand on and it was clear, others wouldn't just dismiss his growing power to casually tarnish his reputation, at least there will be consequences.

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Meanwhile, Samuel drove away from the palace. His eyes focused on one of the many vehicles he had identified that has been trailing him for a while.

He knew these belonged to Queen's division and he wanted to know what she will chose. The answer came in minutes after he drove around the city only to find them disperse suddenly.

He even scanned with his power and didn't find any hostile forces in the area but he kept cautious and drove around some empty streets to make sure.

After confirming he wasn't followed, he drove out of the city away from the constant prying eyes of the surveillance system which was definitely compromised.

He wanted to go see Clark. What he will do with him still remained a mystery even to him. It didn't take long for him to reach the abandoned construction site.

There were no people in a one mile radius making the place feel eerie and deserted perfect to house a captive.

He parked his car and with a sigh readied himself for the encounter while opening the underground hatch.

He would be lying if he said he didn't have murderous intent toward Clark. It will be swift and if he simply collapsed the cave, he doubted anyone will be able to find him hundred feet underground.

But then he remembered how Kate reacted to the news about him being involved in the fiasco which led to the whole Rothschild house convene for the meeting.

They didn't say anything neither blame her but knowing her and feeling her emotions, he could tell she felt guilty.

Maybe she will carry the scars for life but she would rather carry the pain than to involve him to take these drastic turns. After that first time when she told him the details, they never discussed it.

Whenever they were together, it was magic like she completely forgot about the past events. If not for Clark's goon threatening her after seeing her with him during the party, he was confident she would leave the path behind to finally move on.

But now that he had stirred up the old wounds, he didn't want him to have a easy life beside Kate wasn't his only victim. Him being alive will serve a much better purpose.

With his family losing support, they wouldn't survive either leaving them with nothing. Maybe leaving him to rot in jail was the best option.

After steadying his heart, he jumped down noticing Clark's traps at the bottom. Clark seemed defiant but he will surely feel his greatest shock when he learns what he did to his family in his absence.

"Impressive but insufficient. You wouldn't be able to take me down with some sharpened woods." Samuel strode inside only to be met by another spear. Clark came out of the corner but just as he was about to strike him, he saw his face which made him stop.

"You...How do you get here?"

"I was always here. Don't you remember me bringing food and ration for you few days ago."

"The masked man, it was you!" Clark was shocked. The young brat was more than he let on but a skillful fighter was still surprising.

"Yes and you must also know why you are suffering here. Everyone's past catches up to them and it's your turn."

"Fuck you and that bitch! I should have just-" Samuel lifted him up, grabbing his neck. The aura radiating from him reminded Clark how dangerous the masked man was.

"Insults are not necessary. You might want to save some of them when you find out how the world has changed outside."

"Do you think I don't know? You left me that broken radio remember, although they are gossiping about my family but we are strong. No matter what you do-" Clark saw him smile. It was dark with only one fire burning illuminating Samuel's face from below.

His green eyes buzzed with otherworldly light but what unsettled Clark was his teasing smile.

"Didn't your parents told you not to trust the media blindly? It can be manipulated and suppressed but not for long." He shrugged.

" At first, I thought I should torture you to death and bury you here so that no one will be able to see your hedious face but then I changed my mind."

"I wanted to pin you are a whistleblower rising up against your family's corrupt empire, it was more dramatic and the reveal would have been insane especially for you parents who have already started to buy my lies but then I thought, you can't be seen as a martyr that would be counter productive."

"What the hell are you talking about? You are crazy if you think you can do anything to us. This insane plan for yours to take revenge for something I did to that bitc... you should worry more about protecting her. When my family learns of this, they will-"

"They will do nothing. I think this is enough talk. I will take you out but I want something from you so that even of the justice system fucked up,I will be rest assured you wouldn't harm another girl like her." Samuel moved before Clark could register what he said.

With a chop to the back of his neck, Clark crumpled to the ground. Samuel channeled his powers as an intense heat began to eminate from his hand, he controlled the shape making it into something he could use.

With a swift flow of his fingers It danced through Clark's leg cutting of a section which made him wake awake in gutteral scream but Samuel knocked him out with his foot again.

With his foot still touching his face he channeled some of his healing power to heal off the burned part making it appear like he didn't have anything between his legs.

Samuel didn't want to know what would be the side effect of his brutal experiment but he will let the doctors figure it out while he awaited his trails.

He carried it up and left him at the front of the property even dialing the police number from a payphone so that he will be found out soon.

There would be no fun if he died at the sidewalks. Observing as the police took him away, he glanced at the setting sun as his mind relaxed a little.

Tomorrow the chapter with the Green will be over but his heart still needed to find out Talia before he could move on to do other things. He could feel her suffer every morning making him helpless as he didn't even know where she was.