Chapter 70

Ron and Ghost spent the next few days meticulously refining their plan. The dossier on Russell had grown thicker, filled with notes, surveillance photos, and pieces of intel that painted a complex picture of the criminal’s operations. Ron's unease persisted, but he knew they had to stay focused. The clock was ticking, and Russell’s next move could come at any moment.

In a cramped, dimly lit room that served as their makeshift command center, Ron hunched over the table, scanning the latest report from one of their informants. Ghost was seated across from him, a laptop open before him, running through potential scenarios and escape routes. The tension between them had eased slightly, but it lingered like an uninvited guest.

"According to this," Ron said, tapping a paragraph in the report, "Russell’s been meeting with someone new. A middleman, likely for another deal. It’s risky, but it might give us the leverage we need to put him away for good."

Ghost didn’t look up from his screen. "If we can figure out where and when they’re meeting, we could intercept. Get ahead of the game."

Ron hesitated, biting his lower lip. "Or we could pass this along to the police, let them handle the surveillance. It’s not like we have the resources to take down an operation like this on our own."

Ghost finally looked up, his gaze sharp. "We’ve been over this. We can’t just sit on our hands and hope the police do their job right. They don’t know Russell like we do. We can’t afford any mistakes."

Ron sighed, knowing this was another round of the same argument they’d been having since they first started this operation. "I’m just saying we should stick to what we agreed. We hand over the intel, stay on the sidelines, and step in if we see trouble."

Ghost closed his laptop with a decisive snap, his expression hardening. "I’m not arguing with you, Ron. But you need to be ready for the moment when things go south—because they will."

The two men fell into a tense silence, the room heavy with unspoken concerns. Ron knew Ghost was right about one thing: Russell was unpredictable, a ghost in his own right, and not the kind of man who would go down easily. But he also knew that they were walking a tightrope, and one wrong step could send them both tumbling into the abyss.

Eventually, Ghost broke the silence, his voice quieter but no less intense. "I’m going to head out and see if I can track down this middleman. Get some eyes on him, see what we’re dealing with."

Ron nodded, feeling a wave of unease. "Just be careful, alright? We can’t afford to tip Russell off that we’re onto him."

Ghost smirked, the shadow of a grin tugging at his lips. "You worry too much, Ron. I’ll be fine."

Without another word, Ghost grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, leaving Ron alone in the dim light of their command center. Ron stared at the closed door for a moment, a sinking feeling settling in his gut. He knew Ghost was capable, but the risks were mounting with every step they took closer to Russell.

Hours passed in a blur of tense waiting. Ron poured over the dossier, mentally reviewing every piece of evidence they had gathered, trying to find any flaw in their plan. He knew they were on borrowed time—Russell wouldn’t sit idle forever, and when he made his next move, it would be fast and deadly.

Just as Ron was about to give in to the gnawing worry and call Ghost for an update, the door swung open. Ghost walked in, a grim expression on his face.

"Russell’s moving fast," Ghost said, his voice tight. "The meeting with the middleman is set for tomorrow night. And he’s bringing backup—lots of it."

Ron’s stomach churned. "Which means the deal is bigger than we thought. We need to warn the police, get them in position."

Ghost shook his head. "We’ll warn them, but we’re not stepping back. We need to be there, close enough to act if things go sideways. We’ve got to be the insurance policy, Ron."

Ron clenched his jaw, his mind racing with the potential outcomes. "If we do this, we do it smart. No heroics, no unnecessary risks. We’re there to observe, nothing more."

Ghost nodded, but his eyes burned with the fire of determination. "Agreed. But if Russell makes a move, we have to be ready to take him down—no hesitation."

Ron swallowed hard, feeling the weight of what they were about to do. The plan was in motion, and there was no turning back now. All they could do was hope that their combined efforts would be enough to finally bring Russell to justice.

As the night deepened and the storm clouds gathered on the horizon, Ron and Ghost prepared for the confrontation that would either end their hunt for Russell—or destroy them both in the process.