BREAK THE HANDLER

The Weight of Truth

Dante sat alone in the motel room, Kessler's drives spread across the table.

The photographs were the hardest to look at. His parents. Young. Smiling. Holding him as a baby. The symbol of the network in the background. His father had known. Had tried to expose them. Had died for it.

Dante's jaw tightened. He'd spent his whole life serving the people who murdered his family.

Naomi entered quietly. She'd been outside, keeping watch. "You've been staring at those for hours."

"I can't stop." He pushed a photograph toward her. "My father. He was a whistleblower. He knew about the network before anyone else. He tried to stop them."

Naomi studied the image. "And Kessler killed him."

"Kessler killed him. Then he took me. Trained me. Made me into the weapon that would finish his work." Dante's voice was hollow. "I've been doing exactly what he wanted. Eliminating his enemies. Protecting his network. For my entire adult life."

Naomi sat across from him. "You didn't know."

"That doesn't change what I did. The people I killed. The families I destroyed." He looked at her. "I'm no better than them."

Naomi reached across the table. Her hand covered his. "You're better than them because you stopped. Because you found out the truth and you chose to fight back. That's what matters."

Dante pulled his hand away. "I killed Kessler. I killed Webb. But Aldrich is still out there. The network is still intact. I haven't changed anything."

"You've changed everything." Naomi's voice was firm. "The evidence is public. The network is exposed. Aldrich is running. You've already won."

"I haven't won until he's dead."

Naomi was silent for a moment. Then she nodded. "Then we find him. We finish this. Together."

Dante looked at her. The woman who'd betrayed him. The woman who'd come back. He didn't know if he could trust her. But he knew he couldn't do this alone.

He reached for the second drive. Plugged it into his laptop.

The files opened. Dozens of them. Financial records. Communication logs. Security protocols.

And at the center of it all, a file labeled "Project Phoenix."

Dante opened it.

The file was a detailed plan. A contingency. A way for the network to rebuild after exposure.

Aldrich had prepared for everything. He'd set up assets in multiple countries. Hidden accounts. Safehouses. A network of loyalists who would protect him and help him rebuild.

Dante scrolled further. The file contained a list of names. Everyone who was part of the plan. Everyone who would help Aldrich survive.

Including one name he recognized.

Naomi's name.

Dante's blood went cold. "Naomi."

She looked up. "What?"

"Your name. It's on this list." He turned the laptop toward her. "You're part of Project Phoenix."

Naomi's face went pale. "That's not possible. I never—"

"It's right here. Your name. Your code number." Dante stared at her. "You're still working for them."

"I swear I'm not. I left the network months ago. I've been helping you."

"Then why is your name on this list?"

Naomi's eyes darted to the screen. Her hands trembled. "I don't know. I don't understand."

Dante's hand moved to his weapon. "Explain."

"Please." Naomi's voice cracked. "I don't know why I'm on that list. I never signed up for anything. I never agreed to be part of a contingency plan."

Dante studied her. The fear in her eyes. The genuine confusion. But he'd been fooled before. He'd trusted too easily. And it had cost him everything.

"If you're lying to me—"

"I'm not lying." She grabbed his arm. "I've been trying to make things right. Everything I did, I did because Webb had my family. But they're safe now. I have no reason to betray you."

Dante pulled free. "I want to believe you. But I've been wrong before."

"Then check the files. Look at the dates. The timestamps. See when my name was added."

Dante hesitated. Then he turned back to the laptop.

He scrolled through the file. Found Naomi's entry. Checked the metadata.

The entry had been added a week ago. After Naomi had left the network. After she'd started helping him.

Someone else had put her name there. Someone who wanted to frame her. Someone who wanted to drive a wedge between them.

Dante's mind raced. Who could it be? Viktor? Sasha? Someone else entirely?

"Someone set you up," he said.

Naomi's eyes widened. "Who?"

"I don't know. But they wanted me to find this. They wanted me to doubt you."

Naomi's expression hardened. "Then we find them. We find out who's been playing us."

Dante nodded. He closed the laptop. "We have a new target."

He pulled out his phone. Sent a message to Viktor. "I need to talk. Now."

The reply came fast. "I'm at the factory. Come alone."

Dante stood. "I'm going to see Viktor. He might know something."

"I'm coming with you."

"No. Stay here. Watch the drives. If anything happens, you know what to do."

Naomi hesitated. Then she nodded. "Be careful."

Dante left the motel and drove to the factory.

The building was dark. Silent. Viktor stood in the center, arms crossed.

"Cross. What do you want?"

"Someone is playing games. Setting traps. Framing people. I need to know who."

Viktor's expression didn't change. "And you think I know?"

"I think you know more than you're telling me."

Viktor was silent for a moment. Then he spoke. "My sister. Sasha. She's been planning something. Something she hasn't told me about."

"What kind of something?"

"I don't know. But she's been meeting with people. People I don't recognize. People from the old network."

Dante's pulse quickened. "You think she's trying to rebuild?"

"I think she's trying to take control. She wants the network for herself." Viktor's eyes were hard. "She's always been ambitious. But this is different. This is dangerous."

Dante nodded. "I need to talk to her."

"She won't see you. Not now. Not after everything that's happened."

"Then I'll make her see me."

Dante turned to leave.

"Cross." Viktor's voice stopped him. "Be careful. My sister is not someone you want to underestimate. She's smarter than Webb. More ruthless than Kessler. She's been playing this game longer than any of us."

Dante nodded. "I know."

He left the factory. The night was dark. The air was cold.

Sasha was the key. She knew everything. She'd been playing him from the start.

And now it was time to find out the truth.

---

He found her in her office. The converted factory. The same place she'd met him before.

She was waiting for him. As if she'd known he was coming.

"Cross. I was wondering when you'd show up."

"I know about Project Phoenix," he said. "I know about the contingency plan. I know about Naomi's name on the list."

Sasha's expression didn't change. "And what do you think it means?"

"I think you put her name there. I think you're trying to frame her."

Sasha laughed. It was cold and hollow. "You think I'm the one playing games? You think I'm the one setting traps?"

"Viktor told me. About your meetings. Your plans."

Sasha's laughter stopped. "Viktor is a fool. He doesn't know what I'm doing. He's never known."

"Then tell me. What are you doing?"

Sasha stood. Walked toward him. "I'm trying to save us. All of us. The network is exposed. Aldrich is running. But there's still time. Time to rebuild. Time to regain control."

"By framing Naomi?"

"By doing whatever it takes." Sasha stopped inches from him. "You think I care about Naomi? I care about survival. My survival. And if that means sacrificing a few people along the way, so be it."

Dante's hand moved to his weapon. "You're just like Kessler. Just like Webb. You don't care about anyone except yourself."

"Of course I care." Sasha's voice was soft. "I care about power. I care about control. And I care about you, Cross. You're the best weapon I've ever seen. You could be so much more than a cleaner. You could be a king."

Dante shook his head. "I'm done being used."

"Then walk away. Leave. Disappear. But if you stay, you play by my rules."

Dante stared at her. The woman who'd been playing him from the start. The woman who'd manipulated everyone around her.

"I'm not walking away," he said. "I'm going to find Aldrich. I'm going to destroy the network. And I'm going to make sure you never hurt anyone again."

Sasha smiled. It was cold and sharp. "You think you can stop me? You think you can stop all of us?"

"I'm going to try."

He turned and walked out of the office.

Behind him, Sasha's laughter echoed.

The hunt for Aldrich was still on.

But now, so was the hunt for Sasha.

And Dante wouldn't stop until both of them were dead.

---

How do you fight an enemy who's been manipulating you from the shadows your entire life?