BREAK THE HANDLER

The Traitor's Price

Dante found Naomi in an abandoned warehouse three miles from the airfield.

The prisoners were there too. Seven of them. Huddled together. Dirty. Exhausted. Alive.

Naomi stood guard near the entrance. Her face was pale. "We made it."

"Barely." Dante crossed to the prisoners. "Are any of you hurt?"

One of the men stepped forward. Older. Gray-haired. His eyes were sharp despite the fatigue. "We're fine. You saved our lives."

"I'm not done yet."

The man studied him. "You're Cross. The cleaner."

"Was."

"Webb's man. The one who eliminated half our people."

Dante's jaw tightened. "I did what I was told. I didn't know who you were."

The man nodded slowly. "I believe you. But that doesn't change what you've done."

Dante had no answer for that. He turned back to Naomi. "We need to move them. Somewhere safe. Webb's men will be searching."

"I know a place. Old safehouse. No one's used it in years."

"Show me."

Naomi led them through the streets. They moved in pairs. Quiet. Fast.

The safehouse was a basement apartment in a derelict building. Rusted pipes. Dusty furniture. But it was secure.

Dante posted a guard rotation. Two prisoners volunteered. They had military experience.

Then he pulled Naomi aside.

"We need to talk," he said.

Her expression tightened. "About what?"

"The second source. Sasha told me someone in my circle is feeding Webb information. Someone close."

Naomi's face went pale. "You think it's me."

"I think it could be anyone. Sasha. Viktor. Even one of the prisoners."

"Or me."

Dante met her eyes. "Did you tell Webb about the airfield?"

"No."

"Did you tell anyone else?"

"No one. Only you."

Dante studied her. The fear in her eyes was real. But he'd been wrong before.

"If I find out you're lying—"

"I'm not." She grabbed his arm. "I sold you out once, Dante. I regret it every day. I'm not doing it again."

He pulled free. "I want to believe you."

"Then believe me."

Dante didn't answer. He walked to the window, staring out at the dark city.

Trust was a luxury he couldn't afford. But neither could he afford to cut off his only ally.

"We need to find out who the traitor is," he said. "Before they expose us."

"How?"

Dante turned. "I'm going to set a trap. Feed different information to different people. See who acts on it."

Naomi nodded slowly. "That's risky."

"Everything is risky."

He pulled out his phone. Composed a message.

"Prisoners moved to location A. Safehouse on 47th. Come alone."

He sent it to Sasha.

Then he composed another.

"Prisoners moved to location B. Warehouse on 12th. Bring backup."

He sent that to Viktor's number.

One of them would take the bait. One of them would contact Webb.

"Now we wait," he said.

Naomi nodded. "And if it's both of them?"

"Then we kill both of them."

The night stretched on. Dante paced the room. His wound throbbed. His mind raced.

Two hours passed. Nothing.

Then his phone buzzed.

Viktor.

"Location B is compromised. Webb's men are already there. You set me up."

Dante's blood went cold. "I didn't—"

"Don't lie to me, Cross. I know about the second source. I know you're testing people. But you picked the wrong one to test."

The line went dead.

Dante stared at the phone. Viktor knew about the test. Someone told him.

But he'd only sent the message to Viktor and Sasha.

Which meant one of them was the traitor.

Or Naomi.

Or someone else entirely.

His phone buzzed again.

Unknown number.

"I know what you're doing, Cross. Testing your allies. But you're testing the wrong people. The traitor is closer than you think."

Dante's pulse quickened. "Who is this?"

"A friend. Or maybe an enemy. That depends on what you do next."

The line went dead.

Dante lowered the phone. His mind spun.

The traitor was still out there. Still watching. Still feeding information to Webb.

And now Viktor knew about the test. Knew Dante was suspicious.

The net was tightening.

Naomi approached. "What happened?"

"Viktor knows. Someone tipped him off."

"Who?"

Dante shook his head. "I don't know. But we're out of time. Webb is two steps ahead. We need to move the prisoners again."

"Where?"

"I don't know. Somewhere no one knows about."

Naomi thought. "Gary's cabin. He had a place in the mountains. No one knows about it except me."

"Webb knows about everything."

"He doesn't know about this. Gary told me after I saved his life. He never trusted anyone else with the location."

Dante considered it. It was a risk. But so was staying here.

"Take them," he said. "Get them out of the city. I'll stay here and draw Webb's attention."

"Dante—"

"Go. I'll follow when I can."

Naomi hesitated. Then she nodded. "Don't die."

"I'll try."

She gathered the prisoners. They moved toward the exit.

Dante watched them go.

Then he pulled out his phone.

If the traitor was in his circle, they'd know about the cabin soon enough.

He'd have to move fast.

And he'd have to find the mole.

Before they killed everyone he had left.

---

How far are you willing to go to find the truth when everyone around you could be the enemy?