Chapter 39

The judgment in the case involving Richard Hale marked a real turning point in Fiona's life. It was as though slowly the slowly-pouring weight of the past few dangerous, intriguing, and relentlessly justice-pursuing months began to lift. But much as Fiona would have loved to believe that the worst was now well behind her, deep inside her, she knew that there were a few loose strands—that some could have the potential to rip apart everything they have sacrosanctly fought for.


Over the coming weeks since Hale was convicted, Fiona had turned back to her routine to try and get a semblance of normal out of her life. Yet something gnawed at her, an uncanny feeling—an absolute sense of foreboding—so much of the time, she was glancing over her shoulder as though seeing eyes watched from somewhere.

One evening, sitting in her living room with a bundle of paperwork for her consultancy business, her phone went off with an alert. It was sent in from an unknown sender, encrypted.

_"It's not over. You're still in danger."_

Fiona's heart missed a beat. She immediately dialed Julian's number; he was still taking care of their security for her and the rest of the team.

"Julian, I've just received a message—a warning, more like. It says I'm still in danger. Who could that be from?"

Julian's voice was calm but serious. "Forward it to me. I'll have our tech guys trace the origin, but in the meantime, we should tighten your security. Whoever sent that message knows something we don't."

Fiona's mind did its thing, running possibilities left and right. Had this been someone trying to help, or just a threat in wolf's clothing? It gnawed at her—that ambiguity—but she thrust it aside. By now, she'd learned the only way to face fear was head-on.

As Julian and his team fumed to nail down the missive, Emma and Victor continued to toil away at the crack in Hale's network. Several contacts they still had hinted at abnormal activity—rumors of someone from their past that might still be on the loose.

"Fiona," said Emma at one of their strategy sessions, "word on the street says that Benton's former right-hand man, Gerald, just might be back in play. There's rumor he's been reorganizing what's left of their network."

Fiona's eyes narrowed. Gerald had been a shadowy figure of a man, something they hadn't been able to get in full during the initial takedown. He had a mile-wide mean streak and all the background coloration you could think of, making him almost impossible to pin down.

"Do we have any leads on where he might be?" asked Fiona.

Victor shook his head. "Nothing definite yet. He's been careful—keeps on the move, doesn't stay in one place for too long. But if these rumors are true, he's not going to stay hidden for much longer."

Indeed, the thought of Gerald being active once again was sending shivers down Fiona's spine. He'd always been the manipulator from behind, and if he was out there, then that indicated well and good—a series of jobs yet unfinished.

Realising the fact that she needed more resources, Fiona called an old contact of hers—Ava Montgomery, an ex-FBI agent turned private investigator. Ava always got the hardest cases, but she came out on top most of the time. If any person could get them closer to Gerald, that person was her.

Fiona met Ava in a low-key bar someplace in the downtown area of the city. The two exchanged pleasantries, but from their conversation shone through some underlying seriousness.

"Heard about your case," said Ava, sipping at her drink. "It's impressive the way you've held your own so far, but it also sounds like you have a real snake here. Gerald isn't the kind of guy who just vanishes; he waits with beady eyes on you and strikes when you least expect it.

Fiona nodded. "That's what worries me. We've come too far to allow him to undo everything we have achieved. I need your help in finding him before he causes more damage."

A sharp reminder, Ava leaned in. "I will have the job. But listen to me. Gerald is not just an ordinary criminal. He's really good at psychological warfare. He would put himself inside your head and turn everything upside down, trying to make you doubt all things and everyone. So, you are going to have to be ready for that."

"I am ready," Fiona replied strongly. "I've come too far to back down now."

The arrival of Ava on the team provided a boost for the efforts to find Gerald. They began stitching bits of facts together, running down the flimsiest of leads. Ava's contacts in law enforcement, from both the public and private sectors, seemed to be able to open doors known to have been slammed in their faces.

One of the leads brought them to a remote, mountainous area where Gerald had supposedly been sighted. The ability to heighten one's sensory awareness was routine on the way to the area for Fiona, Ava, and Julian.

Old wasn't even the description for the cabin. It was as though, over the years, it had been buffeted by the elements and seemed to be eerily silent. Julian raised his hand and motioned for the women to halt as they drew near. "Something's not right," he uttered.

Ava nodded. "Let me go first. It's too quiet.

Ava moved forward with fluid poise, like some kind of predator; she had her gun drawn. After she made the way in, she motioned Fiona and Julian forward. Inside, the cabin was furnished sparsely—just a table with a few chairs and a bed. But it was what they found on the table that sent a shiver down Fiona's spine.

There were photos of Fiona, Julian, Emma, and the rest….all on the table, all neatly arranged. There were blueprints of their office and notes regarding where they were and when and even a list of some of their known associates. Gerald had kept them under surveillance, every move they made.
"We've got to get out of here." Julian had spoken quickly. "This place could be rigged."

But before they could do anything, the door was flung back, and they heard the slam and click of a lock—undeniable and far too prompt. Panic surged through Fiona, but Ava was cool, insofar as she started looking around the room for a way out.

"There's a back exit," she said, pointing to a small door in the corner. "Let's move."

They raced toward the door, burst out into the night just as a series of explosions rocked the cabin. They scrambled on their feet as a wave of explosion forces knocked them down, each running for the scarce few yards of cover toward the debris on the ground.

They stopped while they were a good distance away, regaining their breath. Fiona's heart was still racing, but she forced herself to stay calm. "That was a trap. Gerald knew we were coming."

Ava nodded grimly. "And we walked right into it. Well, on the bright side, we do know a little more than we did before—Gerald's not just running: he's hunting us."

Back in the office, the team reassembled. The near-death experience at the cabin had shaken them, but it had also made them more determined. Gerald was within reach, much closer actually than they all were actually aware of, and they dare not let their guard down for even a moment.

"We need to turn the tables," Julian said, "Make him feel like he's the one being hunted.

Ava nodded. "I've got a few tricks. We start feeding him false information, set up a few traps of our own, and see if we can flush him out.

The next few days were spent constructing the plan. Following Ava's lead, they had faked a line of leads that would, hopefully by now be enough to draw out Gerald. It was a risky cat and mouse game, but they were determined to triumph.

It was days of anxious waiting that paid off in the end. Gavin bit, turning up at the place—which they had chosen carefully miles away from the city at a derelict warehouse. Waiting to receive him were Fiona, Ava, Julian, and a team of security personnel.

The warehouse was terribly dark, filled with shadows, perfect for the confrontation they knew needed to happen. As Gerald marched in, he seemed almost restful, his eyes passing over the room as though he were in control. But this time, it was different. This time, Fiona and her team were ready.

"You've been a thorn in my side for too long, Fiona," Gerald said, his voice cold. "But it ends here."

It was Fiona who stepped forward, hands steady and voice within her, "You're right, Gerald. It does end here, but not the way you think."

Under her silent signal, Julian and Ava moved in on him, coming to stand shoulder to shoulder on either side. He was outnumbered and outmaneuvered. For the first time, a thread of doubt flickered across his face.

"You think you can take me?" he spat, but his bravado was running low.

"We already have," Ava said, and it was positively icy. "You're toast, Gerald. EndOfText.

In a coordinated, seamless effort, they led him off. Gerald fought back, but it was useless. He was subdued and surrendered to the authorities, at long last bringing his high-handed tyranny to an end.

At this very moment, while the police were leading Gerald off, a deep sense of relief swept Fiona over. The nightmare that she and her friends had been living in was finally coming to an end. They had tackled every single hurdle and every threat to end up as the victors.

Back in the office, the team members laughed. There were no grand speeches—only a quiet restored confidence that yes, they got done what needed to get done.

Fiona looked around at her friends—Julian, Ava, Emma, Rosa, Victor—feeling an overwhelming amount of gratitude. They had become something more than mere allies; they were family to each other, bound by the experiences they shared and by the knowledge that they could endure anything as long as they were together.

As the night wore on and her party continued, Fiona finally began to relax. Shadows, more prominent than they should have been, melted away, induced to dissipate into the darkness by the warmth and light of the people she truly loved.

The road was still uncertain, but the