Dominic

24

_________

The smell of burning wood and gunpowder still lingers in my mind as we approach the warehouse. My chest feels tight, not from fear, but from the anticipation of what’s about to unfold. Conrad and Reyes have been ahead of us at every turn, but tonight, it ends. One way or another.

Eva sits beside me in the SUV, her posture tense, her fingers gripping the edge of her seat. She’s been quiet since we left Kane Enterprises, her thoughts no doubt racing as fast as mine. Adrian drives, his focus razor-sharp as he navigates the narrow streets leading to the docks. The suffocating tension doesn’t hinder me—it fuels me.

“Adrian,” I say, breaking the silence, my voice sharper than I intend. “What’s the intel on the warehouse?”

“It’s an old shipping facility,” he replies, his tone clipped. “Abandoned for years, but recent activity’s been flagged—unmarked trucks coming and going at odd hours. If Reyes and Conrad are running operations out of there, this could be their hub.”

Eva turns toward me, her brows furrowed. “What happens if they slip through our fingers again?”

“They won’t.” I glance at her, my jaw tightening. “They’ve shown their hand. We end this now.”

The warehouse looms ahead, a hulking shadow against the dim city lights. Adrian pulls the SUV into a concealed spot behind a stack of shipping containers, killing the engine. The night air is cool but thick with tension.

Adrian’s team is already in position, moving with silent precision. He hands me a comm device, his expression grim. “We’ve identified three entry points: the main door, a side entrance, and a loading dock at the rear. Surveillance confirms Reyes and Conrad are inside, but we can’t confirm their manpower.”

“We assume the worst,” I say, sliding the earpiece into place. I turn to Eva, my tone leaving no room for negotiation. “You’re staying here.”

Her eyes narrow, defiance flickering to life. “We’ve already had this conversation, . I’m not sitting on the sidelines.”

“This isn’t a conversation,” I snap, the words harsher than I intend. “This is a war zone. I can’t keep you safe in there.”

“And I don’t need you to,” she fires back, stepping closer. “I’m not some damsel waiting for rescue. I’m your partner in this—whether you like it or not.”

Her conviction slams into me like a freight train. Before I can respond, Adrian cuts in, his tone calm but insistent. “She’s right. Eva knows how these people think. She’s an asset.”

I glance between the two of them, my instincts screaming to keep Eva far from danger. But logic wins out. I nod, relenting. “Fine. But you stick with me. No heroics.”

“Deal,” she says, her voice steady.

The team splits into groups, each heading for a designated entry point. Adrian and his operatives take the side entrance, while Eva and I follow two others toward the loading dock. The darkness cloaks us, muffling our movements as we creep toward the rusted metal door.

One of Adrian’s men kneels by the lock, his gloved hands working quickly. The mechanism clicks open, and the door swings inward with a groan. The stale air inside smells of oil and neglect.

The warehouse is a labyrinth of shipping containers and industrial equipment, the faint hum of machinery betraying recent activity. My grip tightens on my weapon as we move deeper into the building, the shadows shifting with every step.

“Clear so far,” Adrian’s voice crackles in my ear.

“Keep moving,” I reply, scanning the area.

Rounding a corner, we stop short. Voices echo faintly from the center of the warehouse. I motion for Eva to stay behind me, her presence steadying even as my focus sharpens.

Peering around a stack of crates, I see them. Conrad and Reyes stand near a makeshift command center, a row of monitors displaying images of Kane Enterprises, the estate, and other key locations.

“They’ve been watching us,” Eva whispers, her tone tinged with disbelief.

I nod, anger flaring. “Not for much longer.”

“Stay here,” I whisper, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Before she can object, I step out from behind the crates, my gun trained on Conrad. “Game over.”

Both men turn, surprise flashing across their faces before their usual masks of disdain slide into place.

“ Kane,” Conrad sneers, his tone dripping with mockery. “Always so predictable.”

Reyes smirks, his composure unnerving. “I must say, your persistence is impressive. Misguided, but impressive.”

“Drop the act,” I snap, keeping my aim steady. “We’ve got your operation. Your men are in custody. This ends now.”

“Does it?” Reyes’s voice is smooth, calculated. He steps closer, his hands raised in mock surrender. “You think taking us down will fix anything? You’re playing a small game, Kane. The real players haven’t even entered the board yet.”

“Save your threats,” I growl. “You’re done.”

Before I can move, Reyes presses a button on the console behind him. A piercing alarm blares through the warehouse, and the monitors flicker to a new feed—one showing Eva and our operatives near the loading dock.

“!” Eva’s voice comes through the comm, sharp with panic. “We’ve got company!”

Gunfire erupts from the far end of the warehouse, shattering the uneasy stillness. Conrad lunges for a weapon, but I’m faster. My shot knocks it from his grasp. Reyes, ever the strategist, moves toward a hidden lever on the wall, triggering a concealed passage.

“Adrian!” I bark into the comm. “Reyes is heading for the exit. Cut him off!”

“We’re pinned down!” Adrian’s voice crackles through the chaos.

Conrad shoves a stack of crates toward me, using the distraction to dart into the passage after Reyes. Cursing under my breath, I regain my footing and race toward the exit.

I burst onto the loading dock to find Eva crouched behind a container, her weapon drawn. She’s firing back at a group of armed men who are trying to cut off our escape. Relief floods me at the sight of her alive, but it’s quickly overtaken by the need to end this.

“!” she calls, her voice steady despite the chaos. “They’re blocking the exits!”

“I’ve got you,” I reply, taking position beside her. My shots are precise, each one inching us closer to clearing the path. Adrian’s team regroups, their firepower overwhelming our attackers.

The tide shifts, and the remaining gunmen retreat. But the damage is done—Reyes and Conrad are gone.

As the dust settles, the warehouse is eerily quiet. The team secures the remaining attackers, while I stand with Eva near the exit. Her face is pale but resolute, her green eyes blazing with determination.

“They got away,” she says, frustration lacing her voice.

“For now,” I reply, my tone grim. “But this isn’t over.”

Adrian approaches, holding a tablet. “We found this in their command center. It’s linked to the same offshore accounts we’ve been tracing.”

I glance at the screen, the numbers and names forming a trail that could lead us to Reyes’s next move. “It’s a start.”

Eva steps closer, her hand brushing mine. “We’ll finish this, . Together.”

I meet her gaze, the weight of her words grounding me. “Together.”

As the night stretches on, one thing becomes clear: this war isn’t over. But for the first time, I feel the tide turning in our favor. And I’ll do whatever it takes to see it through.

The warehouse stands silent, a hollow shell of chaos. The dim lighting casts eerie shadows across the walls, their jagged shapes a reflection of the fractured night we’re enduring. Adrian’s team moves swiftly, securing the last of Conrad’s men, but my focus is razor-sharp on one thing: Reyes and Conrad have escaped. Again.

“Adrian,” I bark into the comm, my voice a low growl. “What’s the status on that tunnel?”

“Still clearing it,” he responds. “Reyes set up a failsafe. It’s rigged to collapse if tampered with.”

Of course, it is. Reyes doesn’t leave loose ends unless he wants them found. I clench my jaw, the weight of this setback pressing down on me. He wanted us here tonight, wanted us distracted, and we played right into his hands.

Eva steps beside me, her breath still uneven from the fight. Her hair is slightly mussed, her jacket smudged with dirt, but her eyes burn with fierce determination.

“This wasn’t just about escaping,” she says quietly. “He wanted us focused here, looking for him.”

I nod, my thoughts aligning with hers. “It’s a diversion. He’s shifting the board.”

Adrian approaches, his expression grim as he hands me a tablet. “This was pulled from their command center. It’s encrypted, but based on the timestamps, they’ve been monitoring us in real-time for weeks.”

I skim through the files, the images of Kane Enterprises and key assets flashing across the screen. “They’ve been gathering intel,” I mutter. “Every move we’ve made, every step forward—we’ve been feeding them information without even knowing it.”

Eva peers over my shoulder, her voice edged with frustration. “And now they’ve got a head start on whatever’s next.”

Back in the SUV, the ride is tense and silent. The city’s neon glow flickers past the windows, a surreal contrast to the gritty reality of the night. Adrian sits in the passenger seat, his fingers flying across the tablet as he works to decrypt the files. Eva sits next to me in the back, her gaze locked on the road ahead, her silence heavy with unspoken thoughts.

“They’ve shifted assets,” Adrian says suddenly, breaking the tension. “A series of offshore accounts tied to Reyes were emptied yesterday. The funds were rerouted through a holding company in Singapore.”

“Singapore?” I echo, my mind racing. “That’s outside our jurisdiction.”

Adrian nods. “Exactly. But there’s more. Reyes has been making frequent transactions with a second company—Falcon Holdings.”

Eva’s head snaps toward him, her brows knitting together. “Falcon Holdings? I’ve seen that name before. It came up in one of the files I flagged during my initial investigation.”

“Then it’s not a coincidence,” I say, my voice hardening. “He’s moving his operation offshore, consolidating power before we can reach him.”

Eva shifts in her seat, her expression thoughtful. “But if we’ve tracked the money, we can follow the trail. Reyes might be ahead, but he’s not invincible.”

“He’s arrogant,” I agree. “And that arrogance will be his downfall.”

Adrian taps the tablet, a new screen lighting up. “We have a partial location for Falcon Holdings. It’s listed as operating out of an industrial district in Singapore.”

I meet his gaze through the rearview mirror, my resolve firm. “Then that’s where we go next.”

Back at Kane Enterprises, the office is eerily quiet. The hum of the overhead lights and the faint tap of Adrian’s team working in the background are the only sounds filling the expansive space. Eva and I stand in the private conference room, reviewing the decrypted files.

“They’ve been two steps ahead this entire time,” she says, frustration lacing her voice. “Every move we make, they counter it before we can gain ground.”

“Not this time,” I reply, my tone sharper than intended. “We have the upper hand now. We know where they’re going.”

“And they know we’ll follow,” she counters, turning to face me. “, Reyes isn’t just playing chess—he’s rewriting the rules.”

I pause, her words hitting closer to the truth than I want to admit. Reyes has anticipated us at every turn, his moves calculated and precise. But he’s also underestimated something—our resilience.

“That’s his mistake,” I say, my voice softening. “He thinks we’re predictable. That’s what we’ll use against him.”

Eva’s gaze sharpens, her expression shifting from frustration to determination. “Then let’s change the game.”

Adrian enters the room, a new set of documents in hand. “We’ve got something,” he announces, placing them on the table. “The Singapore operation isn’t just financial—it’s physical. Reyes and Conrad are consolidating assets into a private compound outside the city.”

“What kind of assets?” I ask, already anticipating the worst.

“Tech,” Adrian replies. “Prototypes, intellectual property—everything they’ve stolen from Kane Enterprises and likely more. If they secure it, they’ll have the leverage to fund their next move indefinitely.”

Eva leans forward, scanning the documents. “Then that’s where we hit them.”

I nod, my focus sharpening. “We don’t wait. We move now.”

Adrian hesitates. “It’s not going to be easy. The compound is heavily guarded, and we’re operating outside familiar territory. If this goes sideways…”

“It won’t,” I interrupt, my tone leaving no room for argument. “We can’t let them regroup.”

Eva straightens, her presence steady beside me. “Then we prepare. We’ve come this far, and we’re not stopping now.”

The next hours are a blur of preparation. Adrian coordinates with international contacts, securing transport and support for the Singapore operation. Eva and I work through every detail of the compound’s layout, identifying weaknesses and crafting contingencies.

As dawn breaks, the exhaustion weighs heavily on us, but there’s no time to stop. Every second is a reminder of what’s at stake—everything we’ve fought for, everything we stand to lose.

“,” Eva says softly, her voice breaking through my thoughts. I glance up to find her standing beside me, her expression both weary and resolute. “We’re going to win this.”

Her confidence is unwavering, and it steadies something in me. I nod, reaching for her hand. “Together.”

As we step onto the tarmac, the private jet gleams under the rising sun, a symbol of the next chapter in this fight. Adrian’s team moves efficiently, loading equipment and finalizing logistics.

Eva stands beside me, her gaze fixed on the horizon. “Do you think they know we’re coming?” she asks, her voice quiet but steady.

“They always know,” I reply, my tone grim. “But it won’t matter. This time, we’re ready.”

The sound of my phone buzzing pulls my attention. I glance at the screen, my chest tightening as I read the message.

Unknown Number: “Your move, Kane. Let’s see if you’re ready for the final round.”

My grip tightens around the phone, the weight of the message sinking in. Reyes and Conrad aren’t just preparing for their next move—they’re waiting for us.

“They’re daring us to come,” I say, meeting Eva’s gaze. Her expression doesn’t falter, her resolve mirroring mine.

“Then let’s not disappoint them,” she says.

As we board the jet, the tension crackles in the air, a promise of what’s to come. The board is set, and the stakes have never been higher.

This ends now.