Chapter 172

As Carolina was driven away into custody, the rain continued to pour down, adding a rhythmic patter to the tense atmosphere outside the warehouse. Alexander, Lily, and Maxwell regrouped near the SUV, each soaked through, but their expressions remained focused. There was a small sense of victory, but it was overshadowed by the escape of The Architect and his cryptic words.

Maxwell leaned against the car, shaking water off his coat. "We might have Carolina, but The Architect slipped through our fingers again. What do we do now?"

Alexander ran a hand through his wet hair, looking back at the shadowed warehouse. “We regroup, follow the leads, and find out what his next move is. He’s playing a long game, but he made a mistake tonight by showing himself.”

Lily's eyes darted to the darkened alleyways around them, a hint of worry in her voice. “He said this was only the beginning. Whatever he’s planning, it’s bigger than just Carolina. And he’s more confident than ever.”

Caleb’s voice crackled through the earpiece, cutting into their conversation. “You’re right to be concerned, Lily. I’ve been monitoring police chatter. There’s a new alert going out—unexplained power failures across key city grids, including some connected to high-security systems. He’s already starting the next phase.”

Alexander’s jaw clenched. “We need to find out what he’s targeting. If he’s hitting power grids, he could be planning a major blackout to cover up something bigger.”

Maxwell nodded, the rain running down his face. “I’ll reach out to my contacts at the power company and see what I can dig up. If he’s targeting infrastructure, we might be able to predict his next move.”

Lily added, “And I’ll dig through the data we’ve gathered so far, see if there’s a pattern we missed. He has to leave a trail somewhere, no matter how good he thinks he is.”

Alexander glanced at Lily, feeling a surge of appreciation for her determination. Despite everything they’d faced, she remained unyielding, always by his side. He reached out, taking her hand for a brief moment. “We’ll get through this, together.”

Lily squeezed his hand back. “Always.”

As they prepared to leave the warehouse area, a sleek, black car pulled up, and an unexpected figure stepped out—Carolina's lawyer, a sharp-looking woman with a no-nonsense demeanor. She approached them, barely flinching at the rain.

She looked directly at Alexander and Lily, her expression unreadable. “My client has instructed me to deliver a message. Carolina believes that you’ll need her help sooner than you think. She’s willing to trade information for a deal.”

Alexander narrowed his eyes. “She’s bluffing. She’ll say anything to get out of facing justice.”

The lawyer’s smirk hinted at some hidden knowledge. “She told me you’d say that. But she also mentioned a specific account in a Swiss bank—one that might have ties to your investigation. She’s offering proof, in exchange for leniency.”

Lily’s expression faltered, a glimmer of uncertainty crossing her face. “Why would she give us this now?”

The lawyer shrugged. “Desperation makes strange bedfellows. Think about it. She’s at the central precinct. I’d advise against taking too long.”

With that, the lawyer returned to her car and drove off, leaving Alexander and Lily to contemplate the new offer. Alexander felt his mind racing with possibilities. Could Carolina be using this as a ploy to manipulate them? Or did she genuinely have a piece of the puzzle that could help them get ahead of The Architect?

***

Meanwhile, at a hidden location on the outskirts of the city, The Architect stood in a dimly lit room, surrounded by banks of monitors and a dozen henchmen working at various stations. He observed the city grid flashing on one screen, showing the areas that were slowly losing power, one by one.

“Excellent,” he murmured, turning to one of his operatives. “The blackout will leave the city vulnerable. It’s time to move forward with the next phase. Prepare our operatives for infiltration.”

The operative nodded, his face grim. “What about Carolina? She’s been captured.”

The Architect waved a hand dismissively. “She was always a pawn. Her role is over. Now, the real players step into the game.”

He walked over to another monitor, displaying live feeds from various points across the city. As he watched, a particular feed caught his eye—one showing the central precinct where Carolina was being held. He leaned closer, his smile widening as he noticed a familiar figure leaving the building: Alexander, accompanied by Lily. The sight of them stirred something in him—a mix of admiration and disdain.

“Ah, Alexander... you always were a challenge. But this time, you’re playing in my world.”

He switched to another screen, showing a live feed of a construction site on the outskirts of town—a place that most people thought had been abandoned for years. But beneath the surface, it housed something far more sinister, a hidden hub for his operations.

Turning back to his team, The Architect issued new orders. “Activate the sleeper agents in the city. And send a message to our allies overseas. It’s time to bring in additional resources. We’re going to remind Alexander and his friends that no matter how far they think they’ve come, they’re still playing by my rules.”

***

Back at the precinct, Alexander and Lily stood outside the interrogation room where Carolina waited, her hands cuffed to the table. As they watched her through the one-way mirror, Lily couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that lingered in her chest.

Alexander turned to her, his voice low. “You don’t have to be in there with me. This might get messy.”

Lily shook her head, determination hardening her features. “We’re doing this together, remember? Let’s hear what she has to say. If she’s lying, we’ll know.”

They entered the room, and Carolina looked up, a sly smile curling her lips. “Well, well. I knew you couldn’t resist. How about we cut to the chase? I have information on The Architect’s next move—something you can’t afford to ignore.”

Alexander folded his arms, leaning forward. “Start talking, and it better be worth our time.”

Carolina’s eyes glinted with a dangerous mix of triumph and defiance. “He’s using the blackout to cover his tracks, but that’s not all. There’s a hidden facility beneath the old construction site off the eastern highway. It’s his base of operations. But there’s something else, something even he doesn’t know I’m aware of.”

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “There’s a traitor among you. Someone feeding him information, keeping him one step ahead.”

Lily’s blood ran cold, and she exchanged a look with Alexander. A traitor? It could explain how The Architect always seemed to stay ahead of them. But who could it be?

Alexander clenched his fists, trying to maintain control. “Give us a name, Carolina. If you’re lying—”

“I’m not lying,” she interrupted, her tone turning serious. “But I’ll only give you the name once I’m out of here. Consider it insurance.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. “We’ll see about that. For now, you’re staying right where you are.”

Carolina’s smile returned, but there was a new edge to it, a confidence that hinted she still had cards left to play. “You can try to shut me out, Alexander, but you’ll come back. You’ll need me more than you realize.”

As they left the room, the weight of her words lingered in the air between them. The thought of a traitor among their ranks changed everything, casting new shadows over their every move. And somewhere out there, The Architect continued to orchestrate his grand game, knowing he had sown enough seeds of doubt to keep them guessing.