Dominic

32

__________

The soft hum of the car engine fills the silence as we weave through the dim streets of New York. Eva sits beside me, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her face pale but composed. The weight of the night presses down on us—another trap, another near-miss. Reyes is still out there, orchestrating his next move. Conrad has vanished into the void he always seems to inhabit, leaving us with more questions than answers.

“Adrian confirmed the transport was rigged,” I mutter, my grip on the steering wheel tightening. “Reyes didn’t want Conrad talking. He made sure of that.”

Eva glances at me, her green eyes sharp despite the fatigue etched into her features. “Then why stage the transport at all? Why not kill him before the transfer?”

Her question lingers in the air, heavy and unanswered. Reyes doesn’t leave loose ends, but his recent moves have been brazen—reckless, even. It’s as if he’s daring me to react.

“He wanted us there,” I say finally, my voice cold. “To see it happen. To remind us that he’s still in control.”

Eva exhales sharply, her hands curling into fists on her lap. “Control,” she echoes bitterly. “That’s all this has ever been about for him.”

Her words hit home. Reyes thrives on manipulation, wielding information like a weapon to dismantle his enemies piece by piece. But this time, he’s underestimated me.

I pull into the underground garage of Kane Enterprises, the security gates clanging shut behind us. The sound reverberates through the quiet, a harsh reminder of the fortress I’ve built to protect everything Reyes is trying to destroy.

Inside, Adrian waits in the conference room, his expression tight with exhaustion. The glow of the projector illuminates a map on the wall, red markers scattered across continents like spilled blood.

“We’ve confirmed the scope,” Adrian says, gesturing toward the screen. “Reyes’s network spans across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Each marker represents a shell company, an offshore account, or a staging point for his operations.”

I step closer, studying the blinking red dots. Geneva. Berlin. Hong Kong. Cities of influence, each tied to corporate and governmental breaches.

“He’s not just stealing data,” Adrian continues. “He’s weaponizing it—blackmailing executives, selling secrets to the highest bidder, manipulating global markets. This isn’t about Kane Enterprises anymore. It’s bigger than that.”

My stomach churns at the scale of it. For years, I’ve fought to protect my company, anticipating every threat. But Reyes has elevated the game.

“And Conrad?” I ask, my voice flat.

Adrian shakes his head. “We lost the signal after the explosion. Whatever Reyes planned, he executed it perfectly. Conrad’s off the grid.”

Eva moves closer, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “So we’re back to square one?”

Adrian pulls up another screen, his movements brisk. “Not quite. We flagged a server farm outside Geneva—a central hub for Reyes’s data transfers. If we can breach it, we’ll have access to his entire operation. Names, accounts, transactions. Everything.”

“It’s a risk,” Adrian warns, glancing at me. “The facility is fortified, and Reyes will know we’re closing in. If we move, we need precision. No room for error.”

“Then we move now,” I say without hesitation. “Before he has a chance to cover his tracks.”

Two Hours Later – Geneva

The server farm looms against the Swiss countryside, a fortress of concrete and steel lit by floodlights. Layers of security fencing surround the compound, its stark contrast to the serene hills a testament to its purpose.

Adrian’s team has already breached the perimeter, disabling cameras and motion sensors. Eva and I wait in the shadows near the transport van, the tension between us palpable. She’s dressed in dark tactical gear, her hair pulled back, her expression unyielding.

“This isn’t your fight,” I say softly.

She shoots me a sharp look. “It became my fight the moment Reyes used me to get to you. I’m not sitting this one out.”

I don’t argue. There’s no point. Her resolve is as solid as mine, and deep down, I know I’d never forgive myself if I left her behind.

Adrian’s voice crackles through the comms. “Perimeter secure. Move now.”

We slip into the compound, keeping to the shadows. My pulse thunders in my ears as we approach the side entrance, where one of Adrian’s men waves us through.

Inside, the air is cool and sterile, the hum of servers filling the silence. Adrian leads us through the labyrinthine corridors, each turn etched into my memory from hours of planning.

We reach the central server room—a cavernous space filled with rows of blinking terminals. Adrian moves to the control panel, his fingers flying over the keys.

“This is it,” he mutters. “If Reyes has any weaknesses, they’re here.”

Eva steps beside him, her eyes scanning the screens. “How long will it take?”

“Minutes to pull the data,” Adrian replies. “But mapping Reyes’s entire network in real time? That’s the challenge.”

As Adrian works, I keep my focus on the doorway, my gun drawn. The air feels wrong—too still, too heavy.

“We’re not alone,” I say, my voice low.

Eva stiffens beside me. “What do you mean?”

Before I can answer, the lights flicker, and an alarm blares, shattering the silence. Red emergency lights flood the room as footsteps echo down the hall.

“Trap,” Adrian mutters, his fingers flying faster over the keyboard. “Reyes knew we’d come.”

The first wave of guards charges into the room, their guns raised. Adrian’s team engages, the deafening exchange of gunfire shaking the walls. I step forward, aiming with precision, taking down one man after another.

“, we’re exposed!” Adrian shouts.

“Focus on the transfer!” I bark back.

Through the chaos, Reyes steps into the doorway, his smirk infuriatingly calm.

“Persistent, as always,” he calls out. “But this is where it ends.”

“Not for me,” I growl, raising my weapon.

Reyes retreats into the shadows before I can fire, leaving his men to finish the fight. I take down another attacker, adrenaline surging as I push forward.

“!” Eva’s voice pulls me back. She’s crouched near Adrian, her hands steady as she supports a loose cable. “We’ve got this—just hold them off!”

Her words anchor me, sharpening my focus. Reyes may have set the trap, but he’s underestimated what we’re capable of.

The firefight slows as Reyes’s men retreat, their movements panicked. Adrian disconnects the flash drive, holding it up with a triumphant nod.

“We’ve got it,” he says. “Everything Reyes wanted to hide.”

I glance toward the empty doorway, my jaw tightening. Reyes is still out there, but this time, we have the upper hand.

“Let’s go,” I say, pulling Eva to her feet.

As we make our escape, I vow that this isn’t over—not until Reyes pays for everything he’s done.

The hum of the engine reverberates through the van as we speed away from the Geneva server farm. I grip the handle above the window tightly, the tension in my chest unrelenting despite the small victory we’ve just secured. Adrian sits in the front seat, his laptop balanced precariously on his knees, already scanning the stolen data. Eva is beside me, her hands folded in her lap, her posture tense but composed.

"We have the files," Adrian announces, his tone clipped as he taps rapidly on the keyboard. "It’s a goldmine—names, locations, financial trails—but Reyes won’t stay idle for long. The moment he realizes we have this, he’ll move to shut down anything we can trace."

“He’ll escalate,” Eva says softly, her voice steady but laced with an edge of apprehension.

I glance at her. The low light from the dashboard casts shadows over her features, but I can still see the determination in her eyes. She’s right. Reyes is a predator, and we’ve backed him into a corner. He’ll lash out before we can strike the killing blow.

"Then we don’t give him the chance," I say firmly. "We need to act before he can regroup."

Adrian looks back at me, his expression serious. "I can run decryption on the files, but Reyes has layered his data with firewalls and redundancies. It’ll take hours to uncover actionable intel."

"We don’t have hours," I growl, the frustration rising. "Find the key nodes—the most vulnerable points in his network—and prioritize those. He’s expecting us to hesitate, to waste time analyzing. We hit him where it hurts before he knows what’s coming."

Adrian nods, already typing again. “I’ll do what I can. But we’ll need to keep moving—Reyes’s reach in Europe is stronger than anywhere else. If he tracks us, we’re sitting ducks.”

Eva shifts beside me, her voice cutting through the tense silence. “Then we don’t stop. We use this momentum to take him down piece by piece. Reyes thrives on fear and control. Let’s take that away from him.”

I meet her gaze, the fierceness in her tone igniting something in me. Eva has been through hell—dragged into this fight against her will—and yet, she refuses to back down.

"Agreed," I say. "But we’ll do it smart. No reckless moves."

The safe house is a nondescript building on the outskirts of the city, its interior stripped of anything that might offer comfort or familiarity. The walls are bare, the furniture utilitarian. Adrian’s team works quickly to set up equipment in the central room, the glow of monitors casting eerie light across the space.

Eva stands near one of the windows, her arms crossed as she looks out at the quiet street. I approach her cautiously, the tension between us palpable.

"You should rest," I say, my voice low.

She turns to me, her eyes narrowing. "I’m not resting while Reyes is out there planning his next move."

"I’m not asking," I reply firmly. "You’ve been pushing yourself nonstop. If you burn out now, you’ll be no good to anyone."

Her lips press into a thin line, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she exhales slowly, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. "Fine. But only if you promise to do the same."

I nod, knowing full well I won’t keep that promise.

As she walks past me toward one of the makeshift beds in the corner, I feel the weight of her trust pressing down on me. Eva has put her life in my hands time and again, and I can’t afford to fail her.

Hours pass in a blur of tense silence and relentless focus. Adrian’s team deciphers chunks of Reyes’s data, each new revelation adding another layer to the web of corruption and deceit.

"Here," Adrian says suddenly, pointing to his screen. "This is it—his primary node. If we hit this, it’ll sever his access to every server in his network."

I lean over his shoulder, my eyes narrowing as I take in the details. The node is located in a high-security facility in Berlin, hidden behind layers of encryption and physical defenses.

"It’s a fortress," Adrian admits, his tone grim. "But it’s his Achilles’ heel. If we take this out, he loses everything."

"Then we go to Berlin," I say without hesitation.

Adrian hesitates, glancing at me. ", this isn’t just another infiltration. Reyes will be prepared for this. His men will be armed to the teeth, and the facility is rigged with contingencies. This is a one-way mission if we’re not careful."

"I’m aware," I reply evenly. "That’s why we don’t fail."

The flight to Berlin is a tense, quiet affair. Adrian’s team reviews schematics and plans, their voices low but urgent. Eva sits beside me, her gaze fixed on the window as the lights of the city below blur into streaks of gold and white.

"," she says suddenly, breaking the silence.

I turn to her, my brow furrowing. "What is it?"

Her voice is steady, but there’s a vulnerability in her eyes that catches me off guard. "If this goes wrong… If Reyes wins…" She trails off, her throat working as she swallows hard.

I reach for her hand, my fingers brushing against hers. "He won’t win," I say firmly.

"You can’t promise that," she replies, her voice barely above a whisper.

"No, I can’t," I admit. "But I can promise that I’ll do everything in my power to stop him. For you. For us."

Her lips tremble, but she nods, gripping my hand tightly.

The facility in Berlin is a testament to Reyes’s paranoia—a sprawling complex of reinforced concrete and razor wire. Floodlights sweep across the perimeter, illuminating armed guards patrolling in synchronized patterns.

Adrian’s team moves like ghosts through the shadows, disabling cameras and neutralizing guards with swift precision. Eva stays close to me, her every movement careful and deliberate.

"Central server room is two floors down," Adrian whispers through the comms. "We’re clear to move."

We slip through the entrance, the silence pressing against my ears like a physical weight. Every step feels like a gamble, every breath a risk.

As we descend into the heart of the facility, the tension thickens. The hum of the servers grows louder, the air colder.

"," Adrian’s voice cuts through the comms. "We’ve got movement on the north wing. Reyes’s men are closing in."

"How much time do we need to finish this?" I ask, my voice tight.

"At least ten minutes," Adrian replies.

"Then we hold them off," I say, glancing at Eva. "Stay here. Don’t move until I say."

She opens her mouth to argue, but the look in my eyes silences her.

Reyes’s men descend like a storm, their weapons blazing as they flood the server room. I move instinctively, firing off calculated shots as I duck behind cover.

"!" Eva’s voice cuts through the chaos, sharp with urgency.

I glance toward her, my heart clenching at the sight of a guard closing in on her position. Before I can move, she reacts, slamming a metal pipe into the man’s head with a strength that surprises even me.

"You okay?" I call out, my voice hoarse.

She nods, her chest heaving. "Keep going!"

Adrian’s voice crackles through the comms. "We’ve got the data! Pull out now!"

"Go!" I shout to Eva, covering her as she sprints toward the exit.

We burst out into the cold night, the sound of alarms blaring behind us. Adrian’s team piles into the waiting van, and I shove Eva inside before climbing in after her.

As the van speeds away, I glance back at the facility, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins.

"We got it," Adrian says, holding up the flash drive. "Everything we need to destroy Reyes."

But as the city lights blur past, a sinking feeling settles in my chest.

Reyes is still out there. And I know this isn’t over.

Not yet.