Alyssa’s POV
The rain hammered against the windshield as I sat in the unmarked sedan, parked in a dimly lit lot on the outskirts of the city. The FBI agent beside me, Agent Harris, was a no-nonsense woman with sharp eyes and a clipped tone that betrayed no patience for games.
“You’re playing with fire,” she said, her gaze fixed on me as if trying to peel back my layers.
I let out a breath, my fingers tapping anxiously against the armrest. “Fire’s the only way to burn everything down.”
Agent Harris arched a brow. “You want to dismantle three of the most dangerous power structures in this city. Ethan Harris, Xavier Pierce, and your father? Do you realize what you’re asking for? This isn’t just a suicide mission-it’s a bloodbath waiting to happen.”
“That’s why I need your help,” I countered, my voice firmer than I felt. “You’ve been trying to take them down for years. I can give you everything-names, accounts, safe houses-but I need protection in return. For me and anyone I choose to bring in.”
Harris folded her arms, leaning back in her seat. “And why should we trust you? Last time you made a deal with us, you disappeared and left us with a half-baked lead.”
“I didn’t disappear,” I snapped, turning to face her fully. “I was almost killed. Twice. Your people couldn’t even keep tabs on me long enough to realize I was being hunted.”
She pursed her lips but didn’t argue.
“Look,” I said, softening my tone. “I’m not asking for much. Just a safety net. In exchange, you get what you’ve wanted all along-a way to dismantle all three empires. Permanently.”
Harris tilted her head, studying me. “And why now? What’s changed?”
I hesitated, the truth sticking in my throat. “Because if I don’t act now, I won’t make it out alive. My father’s been manipulating me from the start, and I’m done being his pawn. But to end this, I need you.”
She regarded me for a long moment before sighing. “Fine. But if you double-cross us again, there won’t be a third chance. Understood?”
“Crystal,” I said, relief flooding my chest.
“Let’s hear it, then,” she said, pulling out a recorder.
I took a deep breath, the weight of my plan settling on my shoulders. “Ethan has been laundering money through a shell corporation called Orion Holdings. It’s disguised as a real estate firm, but it’s a front for his arms deals. You’ll find the main accounts in the Caymans under the alias John Whitmore.”
Harris nodded, making notes.
“Xavier has a distribution hub in the docks on Pier 17,” I continued. “He’s been moving weapons and narcotics through there for months. It’s heavily guarded, but I can give you the schedules and security details.”
“And your father?” Harris prompted.
I hesitated, my stomach knotting. “He’s the hardest to pin down. His network is everywhere, and his people are loyal to a fault. But he’s got a private ledger hidden in his penthouse-encrypted files that document everything. If you get your hands on that, you’ll have enough to put him away for life.”
Harris’s pen paused mid-note, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. “That’s a lot of information. How do we know this isn’t a setup?”
“Because if it were, I’d be dead already,” I said bluntly. “You think I’d risk all this just to play games? I’m not my father.”
She seemed to accept that, albeit reluctantly.
“We’ll need time to verify everything,” Harris said. “If what you’re saying checks out, we’ll move forward.”
“Good,” I said, leaning back against the seat. “But there’s one more thing.”
“Of course there is,” Harris muttered.
“I want to be there when it all goes down,” I said. “I’m not sitting on the sidelines while you take them down. This is personal.”
“Absolutely not,” she said firmly. “You’re already a liability. The last thing we need is you in the middle of an active operation.”
“It’s not negotiable,” I countered. “You don’t get my help unless I’m involved.”
She stared at me, her jaw tight. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Alyssa.”
“I’ve been playing it my whole life,” I said quietly.
The tension in the car was palpable, but she finally relented with a curt nod.
“Fine,” she said. “But if you jeopardize the operation, you’re on your own.”
“Fair enough,” I said, though we both knew I didn’t mean it.
Just as the conversation ended, Harris’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her expression darkening.
“What is it?” I asked, my pulse quickening.
She hesitated before speaking, her voice tight. “We’ve got a problem. Someone within the agency has been feeding information to your father.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
“What?” I whispered, my mind racing.
“It’s not confirmed yet, but we’ve intercepted communications that suggest someone’s been leaking intel. If that’s true, your plan might already be compromised.”
The car suddenly felt claustrophobic, the walls closing in around me.
“Who?” I demanded, my voice trembling.
“We don’t know yet,” Harris said. “But if your father knows about this meeting, you’re in more danger than we thought.”
The implications were staggering. My father had eyes everywhere-even within the FBI.
“Then we don’t have time to wait,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. “If we don’t act now, we lose everything.”
Harris looked at me, her expression unreadable. “You’re walking a tightrope, Alyssa. One wrong move, and you’ll fall.”
“Then I guess I’d better not fall,” I said, determination hardening my resolve.
But as I sat there, the weight of the revelation settling in, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the tightrope I was walking wasn’t just precarious-it was fraying. And with every step, the ground beneath me grew closer.