rain had finally stopped, but it left behind a heavy, metalli

had left beside his coffee. It contained every lie, every secre

it was al

the kitchen. Her eyes were rimmed with exhaustion,

d. "Then we dig unt

have to be smarter. Kane is ahead of us at e

d we're the ones

no

her man from Dominic's crew. She hadn't said a word since

Isla more than any

t broker-inside an abandoned cathedral on the city's edge. Sunlight slash

pt over them as they

flinch. "You'

a pew. "Inside-everything I have on Lorenzo. His habits, his

hort on cash

ng shipments through Eastpoint next week. Drugs, weapons, and girls. A fu

e quickened

He's got buyers flying in from six countries. Thi

burned. "Then w

the trade sat in Eastpoint's industrial grid-a no-man's land where the police rarely vent

ed intel.

said, scanning the satellite im

ed slowly to

"You can't

sla said. "She's the only o

nodded. "Get her ready

. Her eyes were hollow, her cheeks sunken. A

back in," Is

lowly. "You're s

re giving you a chanc

tion," Mara whispere

ring him down.

s warehouse with a hidden mic strapped beneath her bra. Isla listened throu

meras flickered. Her voice

ment's marked with black tape. Two fl

the girls?"

pa

. Cages. Young

stomach

ce cut in. "P

id suddenly.

eath caug

his is the last thing I do

ackled. Th

onizing minutes before

ding feed to

d sharply.

a s

nf

at

ar

le

ury on his face.

d like a ghost through the shadows, gun in hand, heart thu

s had scattered. Guards fought d

ack wall, blood blooming on her stom

e whispered. "Ch

is knees, pressing h

h us," Is

"Tell my sister... I

yes c

red the w

wo girls

nzo

that would haun

footage uploaded. Girls locked in cages. Kane shaki

screen, bile ris

crime. It was an em

He handed her a glass of

g she made it righ

hispered. "But it

said, voice lo

footage until the

e city held

ows, the wolves

had been bandaged-shallow but painful, a graze rather than a deep wound.

was still

, he wa

f the city displayed on the wall-a patchwork of locations, red dots, and fli

stribution lines," Kye reported, tapping through encrypted

ith nothing left to lo

yes sharp. "He's cornered.

finish this before he f

ater, they s

ing yard Kane was using to smuggle out the last of his human car

d like ghosts-silen

he couldn't watch from a distance anymore. Not while chil

the operation-a man named Vargas, with ties to Kane and L

o I work for," he sp

d coldly. "Yo

t pull th

nic

wenty-eight gi

is time-clearer, louder. Faces of victims. Footag

he authorities c

investigations. Protests erupted. The c

rld was c

ery victory

r bomb under his apartment, detonate

ll. Dominic stood frozen, jaw tig

w. Beyond justice.

was

hin sheets, blurring the skyline. She held Kye's cracked g

inic approach until

ty-three," she sa

ed softly. "And we will honor

to him. "By

t to the grou

phone bu

as N

Kane and Lorenzo. Tonight. On

he

ve protection, but not a full

ed at Isla.

"Then we g

fast, bruta

team. No more games, no more leaks. I

wed sound and light. Cargo containers formed a ma

airs, weapons dra

ots rang out

eath ragged. She took down two guards with clean shots to the ches

on Lorenzo. Far end, h

"Kane's with hi

ard, blood pound

n she s

rrounded by crates and guards. Kane had a gun pre

he called out,

stepped

d I'll give you

ney? Power? I already had that. No

s like a whisper. "Then I'

ai

sh

ground, safe-just as Kan

Three shots-che

e f

nzo

he could reach the boa

dn't ki

t

ial. Public, bru

sisted

stood in front of the mirror,

as o

children safe. The ring dismantled.

ered quietl

d it,"

s streaking her

ard, pulling he

despe

in p

e firs

hem, the ci

ok

al

r