Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three

Fiona sat the next morning at her kitchen table, sipping her coffee while the events of the previous day ran through her mind. The telephone call from that unknown person, the enigmatic warning, and the invitation into the network—these were all things weighing heavily upon her. She knew she had to let the team know. Part of her, though, recoiled at the idea. Could she really, really trust them? The benefactor's words still echoed in her mind: "Be careful who you trust."

She had to be vigilant. No more space for doubt and indecision.

Fiona drained her coffee and left for the office. Inside, she felt the tension of the air. Julian, Emma, and Victor were already inside, huddled in conversation. Their countenances seemed grim; they looked up as she came in. Fiona knew from their faces that they were all reeling from the impact of the revelation.

"We need to talk," Fiona said, shutting the door behind her.

Fiona explained at the conference table how she had received a call the previous night. She spoke of the voice from the past, the offer made to her for joining the network, and the dark warning that followed. From time to time during her speech, her eyes barely left those of her friends to study what reactions her words would have in order to see if there was some kind of betrayal or bad intentions flashing across their eyes. But it was just pure concern and determination.

"Are you not seeing what this is confirming in our fears?" Emma said when Fiona was done. "That network is far from what we thought was dismantling. They are regrouping and are about to unleash their might on us."

Julian leaned back in his seat, wrinkling his forehead. "We need to figure out who this person is, the one that called you. If they know you that well, that means they have been watching you for a long time."

Fiona nodded, her mind working over RPMs. "I have some ideas about who it might be, but nothing concrete. Rechecked those files we pulled. There's got to be something in there that points to the leadership of the network now.

Victor finally spoke, firm in his tone. "We can't stand around waiting for them to make a move. We need to get on offense, find who's running things now, and take them down before they're able to strike.".

Emma looked at Fiona, a fierce determination in her eyes. "I've been in touch with some of our contacts. They're willing to help, but we need to be very careful. We don't know who we can trust."

Fiona heaved a great sigh under the pressure. "All right. We need to be very careful, but we can't let it strangle us. Let's focus on something we know: who the new leadership is, and what we can do now in identifying and tracking movements.

They spent the afternoon trawling through the files they recovered from the warehouse. The documentation was thorough: financial records, communications, and lists of names—some known, some unknown. Fiona and Julian sat together, working through the data, searching for any patterns or links that might bring them into contact with the network's leaders.

In every passing minute, Fiona could feel that the tension inside the room would rise. They knew too well that they were against time, for there might come a moment when the network could strike again. Yet in spite of the pressure, they just looked for the answers they needed.

It wasn't until late in the evening that Julian finally bent forward, his eyes narrowed on the screen as he went through a series of transactions. "I think I found something. Look at this."

Fiona peered closer, her eyes raking down the data. Julian had highlighted a series of payments to a shell company in an offshore account. Big amounts. Frequent. All recent, shortly after the Benefactor's arrest.

"This shell company is a front," Julian explained. "The payments are being funneled through several different accounts, but they all lead back to a single entity—an individual who's been listed as a 'consultant' for multiple projects connected to the network."
 
Emma joined them, her expression serious. "Who is it?"

Julian clicked through a few more files, and a dossier flashed across the screen. It was the profile of a man in his late forties, with sharp features and a rather cold, calculating look on his face. His name had been Henry Devereaux, an intelligence officer who had turned rogue years ago and had been known since for his involvement in a string of crimes across the globe.

"Devereaux is a ghost," Julian said. "He has vanished for several years, working somewhere in the shadows. But these records say if he's been active, he's been quite into the network's operations, especially since the arrest of the Benefactor. "

A chill ran down Fiona's spine. "If Devereaux is calling the shots now, we are in big trouble. He's ruthless, and with the money and resources, he could take us down."

Victor listened in silence before saying, "We need to find him before he finds us. If we can take him out, the rest of the network will collapse."

Emma nodded in agreement. "I'll start tracking his movements. He's been careful but no one's invisible. There has to be a trail somewhere."

Fiona did not take her eyes off of the screen image of Devereaux's face, which stared back at her. The life of this man had been spent forever behind the shadows, manipulating everything to his advantage. Time was against them; they could not afford to lose another moment but to act and act fast.

"Let's do it," the firm voice of Fiona said. "We find Devereaux, take him down, and end this once and for all."

For the next few days, this team of operatives worked around the clock tracking Devereaux's movements. Emma used her abundant contacts, numerous informants in the intelligence world, to keep tabs on his whereabouts, whilst Julian worked his way through hours of surveillance footage and financial records in the hope of finding a clue as to Devereaux's location. Victor coordinated with law enforcement, preparing for the moment when they would make their move.

As they worked, the air began to grow physically thick. Fiona felt the tension of impending conflict closing in on her. The phone call replayed itself in her head, overtime, an ever-present reminder that their every move seemed to be watched and scrutinized.

She seemed stressed on the realization of her shoulders that would not let her blow it further by allowing fear and doubt to set in. She had come too far, sacrificed too much to let the network win. This was her fight, and she was going to finish it.

It wasn't until many days of relentless effort later that they struck upon some luck. Emma intercepted a communication pinpointing Devereaux—a heavily protected isolated estate in rural countryside, fortified to the hilt with guards all around. It was clear that Devereaux was gearing up for a climax.

"This is it," she told them, herding the team into the conference room. "We know where he is. We take him by surprise, but he won't go down without a fight, either."

Victor nodded. "We move fast, take out his defenses, and take him alive. We want him to be able to testify, to bring the rest of the network down with him."

Julian glanced at his gear, his face set. "Ready. Let's get this done."

Fiona looked around at her team—her friends, her allies. What had they not been through? How many dangers had not threatened them? Yet here they were, standing on the threshold of victory.

"Let's go," she said, her voice firm. "We're ending it tonight.

As they turned to leave the room, Fiona's heart was in overdrive. It was time for the final battle. Whatever lay ahead, she felt prepared for it. She had fought too long and hard and traveled too far to turn back now.

It was a black night for their ride to Devereaux's estate. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, and in the distance, Fiona could hear the crack of thunder. Somewhere within her chest, she felt the beginning of a drumbeat. Forcing herself to be calm and focused, this was it. This was the moment they had been working for so long.

As they neared the estate, Fiona could discern the lights of the guards that patrolled the perimeter. It would need to be a strong, aggressive approach to catch Devereaux unawares.

With a final nod to her team, Fiona led the way forward. It was time to put an end to this.