POV: Jennifer ReevesI arrived at Harmon Capital at two fifteen AM with two FBI agents Agent Reeves had dispatched based on my system evidence. The building was downtown, all glass and steel, expensive and quiet. Building security was a guy in his fifties sitting at a desk reading something on his phone. He looked up when we walked in."Building's closed."I showed him my badge, the one I still carried from my police days even though I wasn't technically a cop anymore."We need access to the server room. Now.""I need a warrant.""We're getting one. Meanwhile, no one enters or exits this building.""I can't do that without…"One of the FBI agents stepped forward."You can. Federal investigation. Lock it down."The security guard looked between the three of us, decided he didn't get paid enough to argue with federal agents at two in the morning, and locked the front entrance.I dialled Maya."How are we doing with the Judge? How long?""Thirty minutes . Maybe longer.""We don't have l

POV: Maya SantosThe name on Jennifer's phone screen was Cynthia Ashby.I stared at it."Who the fuck is Cynthia Ashby?"We were still standing outside the FBI office where Jennifer had just shown me the mission alert about my parents' murder.Ethan was right beside me, quiet, letting me process.Jennifer pulled up professional headshot of a woman in her fifties with perfect hair and an expensive-looking suit. She had the kind of smile lawyers wear in firm directories."Senior partner at Whitmore & Associates. Harmon's outside counsel. Fourteen years ago she was representing Morrison Pharmaceuticals when your dad was investigating the falsified drug trials."My stomach dropped."She arranged the fire?""Morrison ordered it. She made it happen. Hired the contractor, set up the shell companies, paid for everything."I looked at the photo again. This woman killed my parents.And she was still out there practicing law and winning awards."Where is she right now?""Her office downtown. But

POV: Maya SantosI got back to the cottage around nine AM. Emma was at the kitchen table with baby Catherine in her lap, staring at nothing."Hey," I said.She looked up."Is it really over? The custody thing?""Yeah. Ashby's arrested. The filing will be dismissed.""Just like that?""Just like that."She started crying again.I sat down across from her."What happens next?" Emma asked. "With Ashby's criminal case. The timeline. What I need to do.""You'll probably testify about the custody filing. It's evidence of consciousness of guilt. The timing proves Ashby knew investigators were closing in. She tried to distract us and it backfired.""Do I have to see her?""In court, yeah. But she'll be in custody. You'll be on the witness stand. She can't touch you."She wiped her face."Why are you helping me this much? You don't owe me anything. I helped Daniel destroy Ethan."Fair question."I'm not helping you," I said. "Just like Ethan is, I'm helping Catherine. And I'm helping myself be

POV: Jennifer ReevesAdrian made coffee at two AM in his apartment while I sat at his kitchen table staring at my father's accountability file."I know we talked about it briefly in the car, but walk me through the mission again," Adrian said, sitting down across from me."The system wants me to build a public accountability record. Every case my father buried, every bribe he took, every family who didn't get justice because of him. Everything compiled into a document filed with the police oversight board and the court record.""And?""And I don't want to do it. I know in the car I said I’ll do it, but right now, I’m thinking I shouldn’t.""Because you want to protect him?""No. Because I don't know if I can be the one to do it."Adrian was quiet for a while.Then. "I destroyed my own father's legacy through my system missions.""James Morrison wasn't your biological father.""No. But he raised me. And when I dismantled Morrison Pharmaceuticals, I was destroying everything he built. T

POV: Ethan ColeI called Robert Cross from my office the next morning on speaker with Maya and Marcus there.He picked up on the third ring."This is Robert."Older voice, steady."Mr. Cross, this is Ethan Cole. Marcus said you wanted to talk about the dormant company."Long pause."You sound like your father. Can you come up here? I'm three hours north in Merrick Bay. This conversation needs to happen in person.""Today?""Yeah. I'm seventy-four and I've been waiting nineteen years. Today works.""I'll be there by two."He hung up.Marcus frowned."You sure about driving three hours to meet this guy?""He knew my dad. That's enough."Maya grabbed her bag."Let's go."****The drive up the coast was quiet for the first ninety minutes.Then Maya said, "What are you going to ask him?""Why my dad never mentioned him. What happened to their partnership. Whether he knows anything about Theodore.""And if he doesn't have answers?""Then I wasted three hours. But at least I tried."Merrick