Chapter 173
As Alexander and Lily exited the precinct, the air between them was thick with tension. The rain had finally subsided, leaving the city streets glistening under the lamplights. Lily stole a glance at Alexander, her mind swirling with Carolina’s revelation.
“We need to start looking into our own team,” Lily said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. “If she’s telling the truth, and there’s a mole among us...”
Alexander nodded, his face grim. “It means every plan we’ve made, every move we’ve taken, has potentially been compromised.”
They got into their car, and as the engine hummed to life, Lily’s phone buzzed with an alert. It was the latest update from the news outlets. She swiped through, her expression shifting as she read the headline: *Mysterious Car Crash Revealed No Occupants—New Questions Arise as Authorities Investigate*.
She held up the screen for Alexander to see. “The media’s picked up on it. They’ve confirmed that no one was in the vehicle when it exploded. The Architect’s plan to make it look like you lost me has failed.”
Alexander let out a slow breath, relief flooding through him. “He’s going to be furious. This throws a wrench in whatever he’s planned next. But it means he’ll push harder—he’s unpredictable when he’s cornered.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed as she scrolled further. “There’s more. They’re reporting unusual movements near the old construction site. The same one Carolina mentioned. If that’s where his hidden facility is, we might have a shot at ending this.”
Alexander’s mind churned, piecing together the fragments of their intel. “We can’t go in blind. We’ll need Maxwell and Caleb to coordinate with the police for backup. And... if Carolina’s telling the truth, we’ll have to be ready for any surprises from inside our own circle.”
Lily hesitated before speaking, the weight of her next words evident. “And what if it’s one of them? What if Maxwell, or even Caleb, is the one feeding him information?”
Alexander’s face hardened, but he couldn’t ignore the possibility. “We’ll have to be careful. But I’ve known Maxwell and Caleb for years—they’re family. I won’t accuse anyone without proof. But I also won’t let this slide if it’s true.”
***
Meanwhile, at a secluded safe house across the city, The Architect sat in front of a bank of monitors, his expression tense as he watched the media coverage. His fingers drummed against the desk, a rare sign of frustration.
“They’re figuring it out,” he muttered to himself, before turning to one of his operatives, who stood nearby with a tense posture. “Send word to our remaining contacts. We need to expedite the timeline. And inform our mole—they need to ensure Alexander stays off our trail.”
The operative nodded and left, but just as the door closed, another figure slipped through a side entrance—Ariana, looking battered but defiant. She had managed to escape her captors during the chaos of Carolina’s arrest, making her way back to The Architect’s hideout.
He glanced up at her, a thin smile crossing his lips. “You made it back. I expected nothing less.”
Ariana’s eyes flashed with anger. “Carolina’s been captured, thanks to you! She was supposed to be protected.”
The Architect’s smile faded, and he regarded her coldly. “Carolina served her purpose. Her capture means nothing to our endgame. She’s a distraction, and so is your emotional attachment to her.”
Ariana bristled, but she knew better than to argue further. Instead, she shifted the conversation. “What’s next? They’ll come for this facility soon. We can’t just sit here.”
The Architect’s gaze returned to the monitors. “No, we won’t sit here. We’re going to lure Alexander and his team into a trap. Let them think they have the upper hand, then take them down in one decisive move.”
He glanced back at Ariana, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “And this time, you’ll be playing a more direct role. Ready yourself, because when this ends, it will be on our terms.”
***
Back at the safe house where Lily and Alexander regrouped, Maxwell and Caleb arrived, their expressions as serious as the stormy night around them. Inside, the atmosphere crackled with urgency. Maxwell laid out a blueprint of the old construction site on the table, while Caleb spread out the latest intel reports.
Caleb’s face was drawn with concern. “I don’t like that Carolina knows so much about the site. It suggests we’ve missed something crucial.”
Maxwell nodded, his brow furrowed. “It could be a decoy, or worse—a trap. We’ll need to be thorough and careful when we go in. If he’s got a hidden base there, he’ll have contingencies.”
Alexander glanced at each of them, his suspicion carefully concealed. “We don’t have a choice but to follow this lead. The Architect is getting bolder, and if we wait too long, he’ll disappear again.”
Lily, standing beside him, caught Caleb’s eye. “And we need to be sure that there’s no one working against us from the inside. I don’t want any more surprises.”
Caleb raised an eyebrow but remained calm. “You have my word, Lily. We’re all in this together.”
Maxwell nodded firmly. “We won’t let him divide us. Let’s focus on the mission.”
Alexander studied their faces for a moment, then nodded. “All right. Let’s prepare for the raid. But stay sharp—anything could happen.”
***
As they moved out toward the site, the tension between them was palpable. Each of them wondered about the possibility of a traitor in their midst, and who it could be. And in the shadows, The Architect’s plans continued to unfold, with the city teetering on the edge of chaos.
Little did they know that while they were hunting for him, a new threat was brewing beneath their very feet—one that would change the game entirely.
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