Chapter 46

Chapter Forty-Six

The occupants of the SUV maintained a silence that was almost deafening when the adrenaline from their escape had been quenched. The only things filling this void were the rolling of the engine and an uneven chattering of gravel that popped under the tires when Victor veered off the deserted highway. Fiona sat back in her seat, the activities of the last few hours scrolling through her mind like a mildly dark and twisted film. They had gotten free, yes, but it was a hollow victory at best. Still on the run with the dangers ahead being as insidious as those they left behind—that was the problem.

Fiona looked back at the others. Julian was staring straight ahead from his place in the front passenger seat, jaw visibly tight to keep his thoughts at bay. Beside her, Emma stared outside like she was witnessing a black hole firsthand. Knuckles completely relaxed around the steering wheel, lacking just that one shade of white against the leather as Victor tried to hold on to dear life with hands like there was really something he could do to make the rest of them safe with the force of that hold on that wheel.

"We need a place to lay low," Fiona finally spoke, her voice still quite soft yet filled with apparent urgency in it. "Devereaux will come looking for us soon. We can't stay out in the open."

Julian nodded. "Agreed. We need a place to get our heads together and make a plan. But we can't just pull off anywhere. We need a place where we won't be easily found."

Emma turned her face away from the window, her thoughts mysterious in her expression. "Well, there's a safe house we can use. It's not far from here—about a two-hour drive. Off the grid, no-one knows about it except a few trusted people. We should be good there for a while."

Victor shot a look at Emma through the rearview mirror. "Are you sure it's still secure?

"It's the best that we have, is it not?" Emma answered quickly, and her voice was firm. "Besides, we don't have so many options."

Fiona nodded without a single word. "Let's go there. We must regroup and rest and make a plan. This can't go wrong at this point."

Victor turned his grip on the wheel and took the next exit, following Emma's directing. His surroundings changed in a way that gave way from the highway into a narrow, curving road, leading them deep into the countryside. The landscape managed to achieve a more rural and desolate feel. In the distance, the sky was beginning to lighten with the faint first signs of dawn. Its first rays splattered along the towering hills and dense woods stretching out on both sides of the road.

Fiona's mind raced considering their situation. They had eluded Devereaux's grasp, but by no means was their dilemma over. They had stumbled onto some conspiracy that reached the highest echelons of power, and their would-be executors were tenacious. They had to be resilient to see it through. She had come too far to give up now.

At last, after driving what seemed like hours over the winding roads, Victor pulled the SUV off the main road and onto a hidden dirt path—it was barely visible, overrun with overgrown grass. Emma assured them it was the right path, but the way seemed barely wide enough for the vehicle. The dense trees closed in on either side as they carved their way into the woods.

Then finally, they came out into the center of a small clearing. Centered in it was a small, weather-worn cabin, the thin underbrush obscurely hiding parts of it. It looked old and forgotten—precisely the perfect place for someone who didn't want to be found.

"We're here," Emma said softly, as Victor brought the SUV to a halt.

The group climbed out of the vehicle, stretching their stiff limbs. It was cold and, with the smell of pine and earth mingling in the air, crisp. Fiona inhaled deeply; the pungent smell of the place very peaceful, coming as a total contradiction to the tension that still remained in her.

Emma led them to the cabin and produced a key from her pocket to unlock the door. She pushed it open, swinging it back to reveal a simple but well-kept interior. The place was tiny, holding a single opened-up room that was obviously living and bedroom combined. A wood stove rested in one corner and a few pieces of hard, rough furniture arranged around it. It wasn't much, but at least a safe haven for now.

Fiona entered the house and felt exhaustion rush over her. The adrenaline that had been firing her was finally wearing off, leaving her fatigued and beat. She dropped into the nearest chair, and her body ached with tiredness.

"We should rest," Julian said in a low voice. "We've done a lot tonight, and if we're to carry on doing what we're doing, we have to be in top form.".

Victor nodded in silent agreement. "I'll take first watch. Just in case."

Emma walked over, tending to the stove. "There's enough grub and supplies here to keep us goin' at least a couple o' days. We'll be safe for a little bit.

Fiona watched, as the flicker of flame became light and the heat now went off into the room, and she felt just a little bit of the comfort that washed over her: a fire. There was something about it, something simple, yet it reminded her that they were human, alive, regardless of whatever else was happening.

As the others settled in, Fiona's thoughts went back to the papers they had taken from Devereaux's estate. They were the key to showing the corruption and manipulation that had put her life and the lives of the people she cared for at risk. But that very document meant they had a target painted directly on them.

"We need to analyze those documents," Fiona said quietly enough that her voice cut the silence. "We need to understand exactly what we're dealing with before we make our next move."

Julian nodded, his eyes serious. "Agreed. We need to know who we're up against and what they're planning. If we can find a weakness, something we can use to turn the tide, we have to act on it."

Emma pulled the folders and spread the documents across the small table. Their eyes became as wide as saucers as the group crowded around, for a moment forgetting the weariness of their bodies and minds, studying the information these complex documents presented: the financial records, communications, and the details about shadowy deals Devereaux and his associates had managed to pull off.

As they read through, a tiny pattern started to show. Fiona scowled and followed the line to place one transaction with another with a name. It was apparent Devereaux was just one part of something bigger, a group of powerful individuals that had been pulling strings right under everyone's nose.

"There's a name that keeps coming up," Fiona continued, pointing at a collection of documents with evidence scribbled over them: "Alexander Cross. The man seems to be in a lot of these deals, but there is very little information about him."

Julian answered with a grimace on his face, "Cross is a ghost. I've heard the name before, but practically no one knows who he is or what he looks like. There's one of those who pull the strings but never themselves rise to the surface and into the light.

Fiona shivered. "If he's the one behind this, then we're dealing with somebody very dangerous. He's the one we need to focus on. If we can find him, expose him, we might be able to bring this whole operation down."

"But how do we find someone who doesn't want to be found?" Victor said, his voice tinged with frustration. "Cross isn't going to just come out of hiding because we're looking for him."

Emma was quiet for a moment, her mind working furiously. "There might be a way," she said slowly. "If we can dig into his network, find the people who work for him, we could trace the connections to him. It won't be easy, but it's possible.

This is bigger than just us now. Resolve's hardening in her eyes, Fiona nodded: We've got to try. We need to take this fight to them before they come after us again.

They thus spent the next few hours formulating plans for their mission, coming up with a blueprint that would help them in bringing out Cross identity by bringing down his network. They were aware of the fact it would be a hazardous mission and also a very complicated one to execute. However, it was the only one that would help eradicate the vice that had almost brought their lives to the guillotine.

As the gray snow of first daylight filtered through the trees beyond, Fiona grimly felt the resolve settling on her. They had gotten through the night, yes, but the real battle was just beginning, now. She knew they couldn't fail, for too much was at stake.

For the moment, they would rest, gather strength, and brace for the storm that was surely about to fall. But when it did, Fiona was ready to face it head-on, at whatever cost.