pte

es Beneath

ing long shadows through his blinds. The anonymous voice from the phone

ed. Rebecca's words returned, too

hollowed his face. His instincts screamed, but he didn't know where to run.

etter slid under a judge's desk. A church elder wept behind her vei

thonia had become something more something dange

oning was coming. The web he spun was

e dark, a phone hung

a problem. She was a victim once. But the s

hat followed was an initiation into a culture too sinister to name: extortion under the badge, backro

nd closed doors, they were businessmen in unif

ted her received a commendation. She received threats. The women of the cit

n Anthonia refus

gs documents left carelessly on desks, late-night deals sealed with drin

to keep h

Officers' faces. Dates. Victims. Judges who t

with stories like hers. The city police claimed gang activity, but Anthonia knew better. On

she wa

The officers weren't just abusing p

nts behind errands. She met with old friends, survivors who'd

ey formed a w

cers, all ranking, who had sworn to silence those who'd seen too much. They u

ecorde

mity. Phil, opportunist that he was, took the bait a

d the tr

ened with work. Their wives lived quietly in fear, afraid that speaking would m

was one of hundred

rs. And she wa

mes, times, photos. One copy was already with Rebecca. Another hidden in a church c

the corruption ran. Not just cops, but media heads, cler

ust exposing

to burn the w

the leak, the cit

. A child's laughter echoed from inside, pure and unaware. She reached into her bag

to you," she said. "Just

he street before he

st rumors for now, but pulsing. He poured himself a

police convoy hovered under the words INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY. He downe

she'll do it

alread

with a radio earpiece entered the bar, sc

w," Rebecc

zzed again. O

was too late. The door

t had tr