Chapter 6 - The Phantom Ally
I hadn't orchestrated this massive takedown completely alone.
As I sat in a quiet, rain-slicked diner on the edge of the city, nursing a cup of black coffee, a tall man slid into the booth across from me.
Captain David Hayes.
He was the brilliant naval intelligence officer who had first brought my father’s classified file to my attention a year ago.
More importantly, he was the very man who had dragged my unconscious, burning body from the rubble of the ship that night in the South China Sea.
David looked at me, his dark, observant eyes gently tracing the faint, jagged edges of the burn scars that peeked out above my collar.
“Julian has officially surrendered to the FBI. He’s singing like a canary. Serena is out on bail, but all her assets have been frozen by the state,” he said quietly, placing a file on the table.
“And Arthur?” I asked, wrapping my hands tightly around the warm ceramic mug.
“He’s heavily barricaded in his penthouse. He's shredding documents, burning hard drives, and desperately trying to call in favors from politicians who are ignoring his calls.”
David reached across the sticky diner table and covered my hand with his.
His touch was rough and calloused from years at sea, but incredibly gentle, offering a warmth I hadn't felt in years.
“You don’t have to go back in there, Victoria. We have more than enough evidence to arrest him. Let the tactical team breach the doors and handle it.”
I looked down at our hands, feeling the weight of the last five years pressing down on me.
I had built massive walls of steel and fire around myself to protect my heart from the family that broke it.
But David had seen me at my absolute worst. He had seen my pain, my horrific scars, and my unyielding fury, and he had never looked away.
“He’s my father, David,” I said softly, looking back up into his dark eyes.
“He erased my entire existence. He made me think I was crazy just to protect his bottom line. I need to be the one who finishes this chapter of my life.”
David stared at me for a long moment, nodding slowly, fully understanding the deep, unyielding need for personal closure.
“Then I’ve got your back,” he said, his voice thick with unwavering loyalty. “Always.”
May you like
He reached into his jacket and handed me a specialized, federal arrest warrant, signed in fresh ink by a federal judge.
“Go get him, Commander. Finish the mission.”
