The interrogation room at FBI headquarters was different from the ones at CPD. Cleaner. Better lighting. But it still had that same oppressive weight that made everyone who sat in it feel guilty.Sarah sat alone, hands uncuffed but an agent posted outside. Not technically under arrest. Not technically free either.She'd been here for thirty minutes. No Ellis. No updates. Just her and the two-way mirror and the knowledge that Marcus was out there alone with six hours until Devereaux's final move.The door opened. Ellis entered carrying two cups of coffee and a tablet. He set one cup in front of Sarah and took the seat across from her."You're lucky I convinced them you're a cooperating witness and not a suspect," he said. "Chicago PD wants you in custody. The US Attorney wants to file charges. And Homeland Security is trying to figure out if this qualifies as domestic terrorism.""Does it?" Sarah wrapped her hands around the cup. "Because using cops as programmable assassins sounds ter

The conference room on the FBI's fourth floor had been converted into a tactical planning center. Whiteboards covered with diagrams. Laptops showing surveillance feeds. Six agents, including Ellis, huddled around a table covered in maps of downtown Chicago.Sarah stood at the center of it all, feeling like prey volunteering for the slaughter."The concept is sound," Ellis was saying, pointing to a red circle on the map. "We put Chen in a visible, controlled location. Somewhere Devereaux would see as an easy target but we can monitor completely.""And we're certain Devereaux will take the bait?" Agent Torres, mid-thirties with sharp eyes, looked skeptical. "He's been careful so far. Why would he risk exposure going after Chen?""Because she's the biggest threat besides Kane," Ellis replied. "She has Foster's documents. She witnessed Moss's activation. If Devereaux is planning a terminal cascade, Chen is absolutely on his target list."Sarah studied the map. The red circle marked Grant