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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 194. Bianca.
FLASHBACK. Bianca stepped out of the cab and into the cool, dusky air of the quiet parking lot behind Eliza’s, the tucked-away Mediterranean restaurant she and Van had chosen for their lunch date. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, eyes scanning for him. Her heels clicked against the concrete, each step measured, her breath visible in the chilled air. But it wasn’t Van standing near the back entrance, under the pale orange glow of a flickering street lamp. Her steps faltered. What on earth was going on? she asked herself, suddenly overwhelmed with disbelief and maybe... dread? He was leaning against his sleek black car, arms folded across his chest, dressed in a dark charcoal jacket and jeans. He looked relaxed. Too relaxed. But there was a sharpness in his gaze as it settled on her. “W- what are you doing here?” Bianca asked, forcing her voice to stay calm. She took a few cautious steps forward but stopped when she saw the way his jaw tightened. He didn’t answ
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 195. The Ultimatum
FLASHBACK.Greg pushed open the door to Moses’s office with more urgency than usual, his breath shallow, eyes wide with a mix of anxiety and pride. Moses looked up from his desk, brows furrowed over his reading glasses. The golden glow of the setting sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the expensive mahogany furniture and dark leather chairs.“I found something,” Greg said quickly, stepping in without waiting for an invitation.Moses leaned back in his chair, arms folded. “This better be good.”Greg pulled out his phone, thumbed through his Facebook account, and handed it over. “Watch this. And look at the comments.”Moses took the phone and pressed play. The video began with a girl— a girl he knew too well. She sat on her bed, speaking directly to the camera. Her words were a blend of guilt and regret, a passionate apology aimed at someone she had wronged. Someone dear to her heart. Moses watched silently, his jaw tightening as the video played. Then came th
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 196. The Web Deepens
Just a day after Van had complained to Boyd, he came all the way from Hawaii an he even brought Inspector Dan with him. Even though Van insisted on going himself, his chauffeur refused and went on his own to bring them to the mansion. Ivy couldn’t stop smiling as she opened the door, wrapping Boyd in a warm hug the moment he stepped onto the porch. Dan followed close behind, giving Van a firm handshake and a nod that said more than words ever could.“Look at you!” Ivy beamed. “It’s been way too long.”“I missed you,” Boyd said, his grin lighting up his whole face. “When Van called, there was no question— I knew I was coming, and of course, I brought my bodyguard with me.”Van clapped him on the back. “I appreciate it, man. Really.”Boyd waved off the thanks with a casual flick of his hand. “We needed a vacation anyway. The island’s great, but even paradise can get old after a while.”They all settled in the living room, the afternoon light slanting through the window and casting a s
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 197. One Step At A Time
Van just sat there, mouth slightly opened in shock. Could it really be possible? Could someone he knew and trusted actually be behind all of this?His mind raced back to when he was still dating Bianca. Who could it have been? The only people who had ever mattered to him were his mother and Bianca herself. Everyone else was just... background noise. Acquaintances. Faces in a crowd. None of them had ever gotten close enough to matter. Which made this even more confusing.Inspector Dan leaned back into the comfy sofa, his fingers laced over his stomach. He was watching Van carefully, like a lion studying a wounded gazelle. Calm, calculating. “Try to relax,” Dan said gently. “Start by making a list. Friends. People who were close to you and Bianca back then. Anyone who might’ve had a reason. But before that, Van… you need to go to the police.”Van blinked. “What?”Dan didn’t flinch. “You have to clear your name. There’s no way around it.”“But... the reason I called you was because I did
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 198. A Confusing Case
The waiting area of the station buzzed with quiet chatter, keyboards clacking, phones ringing — the usual symphony of controlled chaos. But all of it was drowned out by the piercing voice of Bianca’s mother. Her words sliced through the noise like a blade, filled with frustration and fury as she stood in front of the duty desk, berating the officer on call.“This is ridiculous!” she screamed, her voice cracking slightly under the strain. “He’s out there walking free, and you’re all just sitting here doing nothing! You saw the article. Everyone has. What more proof do you need?!”The young officer behind the desk winced but said nothing, his eyes flicking toward the corridor, silently begging for backup. Her volume drew glances from the others in the room, but Bianca’s mother was oblivious — or perhaps she simply didn’t care.Behind her, her husband stood quietly, arms crossed, face unreadable. His stillness was in stark contrast to his wife’s storm. He didn’t try to calm her down, nor
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 199. Investigation
The fluorescent lights of the precinct hallway hummed softly as Officer Raúl Mendes pocketed his phone, the unsaved message still blinking in his mind. He rubbed his temples, trying to push back the chill that text had sent down his spine. Don’t bother, you won’t find her. Who would taunt him like that? And how did they know he was working on Bianca Hartley’s case?He glanced at the clock: 6:45 PM. The station was nearly empty now— the late shift crew had trickled out for the evening. His partner, Officer Lange, was finishing up with some paperwork across the bullpen. Mendes took a deep breath, folded his arms over his chest, and forced himself to focus. Bianca’s parents were gone, but their child was still out there somewhere, and every minute counted.★★★Outside, the sky burned crimson as the sun dipped below the horizon. The city of Brimseville— normally so bustling at this hour— felt unusually quiet, as if the whole town held its breath for news of the missing twenty five -year-o
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 200. Investigation II
Deciding he needed to ask her more questions, officer Raúl invited Rita to the station for interrogation. “Am I to bring her in as a suspect?” officer Lange asked. “No. We don't have enough proof to tag her a suspect. It's just a simple questioning to see if she can make this case any easier for us to solve.”“You got it, boss.” he nodded firmly before leaving the office. ★★★Outside, the sky had turned deep indigo, and streetlights flickered on. In the interrogation room next door, Rita Moreno sat slouched, her head in her hands. Raúl escorted her in, offering her a glass of coffee as they were seated.“Miss Moreno, thanks again for agreeing to be here today,” he said gently. “I know this might be annoying.”She blinked up. “Not at all, after all Bianca is like my best friend and I want her to be found.”He nodded. “I was hoping you could tell me more about the video she made. Anything off about it?”Rita's voice was quiet as she spoke . “Well… not that I can think of, no. The vid
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 201. The Station
The station smelled like burnt coffee and cold dust, a tired building worn down by years of other people’s disasters. Van pushed through the door first, his shoulders squared, jaw tight, anger radiating from him in palpable waves. Ivy followed close behind, clutching on to Chloe’s hand while Billy steadily kept his pace beside her, solemn-eyed and silent. Boyd and Dan brought up the rear, a little hesitant, their steps faltering for half a beat at the threshold, but loyalty kept them moving forward.The receptionist barely looked up from her computer. She gestured with two fingers toward the cracked vinyl chairs lined up against the wall. "Someone’ll be with you."Van didn’t sit. He stood, pacing a slow, sharp line across the floor like a caged animal, his boots tapping a steady rhythm against the scratched linoleum. Ivy sat with the kids, whispering something to keep them calm, while Boyd and Dan exchanged looks but said nothing. They had known Van long enough to recognize this parti
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231. The Storm
The door to the warehouse banged open, hard enough that everyone inside jumped.Carla spun, gun raised. Boyd was already halfway out of his chair, reaching for his own piece.Then they saw him.Van. He staggered inside. Blood streaked down one temple, jacket torn, eyes wild. Breathing like he’d outrun death itself."Jesus Christ," Carla gasped, lowering her gun."Van—"But he was already collapsing against the wall, sliding down, chest heaving. The door creaked shut behind him, sealing the dark back in.Louisa dropped the flash drive she’d been clutching for hours and ran to him. "Are you—are you hit?"Van waved her off, voice raw. "Not shot. Just… tired of running."Boyd knelt, grabbing his shoulder hard. "Talk to me. What happened? Did the deal go bad?"Van laughed — harsh, bitter, humorless. "Wasn’t a deal. Was a damn execution waiting to happen. Ramos sold me out to Barron’s people. Seven men with guns. All set to take me in — or take me out."Dan groaned from his corner, cradling
230. Midnight Deal
The night swallowed him whole. Van moved like a shadow through the back alleys, boots silent against cracked pavement. No headlights. No noise, just the hush of a city holding its breath.The old mill loomed ahead — dead and forgotten.Rust covered the walls like rot, windows smashed out years ago.But tonight, it was alive again. Lights burned inside. Dim. Yellow. Flickering.Van’s gut clenched, there were too many lights.Too many cars parked just out of sight.He checked his pistol — loaded, safety off.One extra mag in his jacket.Not much.But it would have to do.He stepped through the busted gate, every nerve tight.His contact — Ramos — stood near the loading dock, arms folded, a cigarette glowing in his hand."Van," Ramos greeted, voice rough. Like gravel chewed up in a blender. "You actually came.Didn’t think you had the stones anymore."Van kept his face blank. "Let’s skip the warm-up.You got the guns?"Ramos shrugged. "You got the cash?"Van tossed a duffel bag at his fe
229. Regrouping
The sedan rolled to a stop at the docks, wheels crunching over loose gravel.The old warehouse loomed ahead — rusted, half-abandoned, but still standing.Safehouse Two.For now.Van was the first out, scanning the shadows.Nothing moved but the water lapping against the pilings.It was good... for now.Boyd staggered out next, coughing from the smoke that still clung to his lungs.He looked back at the road, half expecting black SUVs to come roaring around the bend.None yet.But he knew it was only a matter of time. They all did. Inside the warehouse, Carla flicked the light switch. Nothing. It was obvious that power was long dead here.She cursed and grabbed the old lantern from the shelf, sparking weak yellow light into the gloom. "Great. We’re living like rats now," she muttered.Dan slumped against a wall, wincing as he peeled back the bloody cloth from his arm. The wound was deeper than he let on but no one had time to properly check on him yet. Louisa stood frozen in the midd
228. Counterstrike
The first sign came quiet. Too quiet.Carla’s laptop froze mid-search.The screen flickered once, then died.She cursed under her breath, smacking the side."That’s not normal," she muttered.But by the time she turned to call Van, the lights in the safehouse cut out too.Dark.Total dark.Van's instincts snapped awake.He grabbed Boyd by the collar, yanked him back from the window."Down. Now."A second later, the glass exploded inward — a single sniper round carving through where Boyd’s head had been.Dan was already rolling for the back door, weapon drawn.But he barely made it two steps before the walls shuddered — an explosion outside, close enough to rattle the whole building."They're here!" Dan bellowed."Barron's men — they’re hitting us now!"Louisa screamed, clutching the flash drive like it was her last tether to life.Carla grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the back.Her voice was sharp but tight with fear."Move! Go! Go!"Van grabbed the rifle from under the couch — o
227. The Leak
By dawn, the first leak was already live.A small, half-forgotten blog out of Riverside — City Watchdog — dropped the bomb.No flashy headlines. No screaming sirens.Just cold facts: financial records, timestamps, and the name of a sitting state senator wired half a million from one of Barron’s shell companies.No context. No accusation, just enough to light the fuse.Van watched the post go viral in real time.At first, nobody cared. Then, somewhere around seven AM, a bigger account picked it up — a political gossip page with just enough clout to make people squint.By noon, national blogs were calling it "The Slush Fund Scandal."At around two PM, the senator’s office released a frantic denial.That’s when Van knew they’d drawn blood.Boyd let out a bark of laughter when the news hit the TV in the safehouse."Look at them squirm! Man, they thought they were gods. Now they’re crying on camera like school kids who were caught cheating."Dan just grunted, never looking away from the wi
226. The Accountant's Secret
The safehouse smelled like old coffee and fear when Louisa Martin finally showed up.She came alone, wrapped in a cheap raincoat two sizes too big, hair hidden under a beanie.Her eyes darted everywhere — ceiling corners, dark windows, even the cracks in the floor like they might bite her.Van watched her quietly from across the room, arms folded.She looked nothing like the sharp financial shark Keller described.This woman was frayed at the edges, like someone who hadn’t slept properly in months.Keller made the introductions. "Louisa. This is Van. Van — Louisa."Louisa’s voice was brittle as glass. "I know who he is."Her eyes flicked to Van, then away again like looking at him too long might get her killed.Van didn’t bother with small talk, time was blood now. "You worked for Barron, that means you know where the bodies are buried. You talk — I make sure you stay breathing.You stay quiet — and you’ll be next on his list."Louisa’s laugh was short and humorless."Sweetheart, I’ve
225. Next Move
By mid-morning, Van couldn’t step outside without seeing his own face staring back from every screen.Some called him a vigilante.Others spat the word criminal like poison.But the city was buzzing, and Barron’s name was finally dragged through the dirt alongside his own.Van didn’t care about the headlines. He cared about the numbers Carla showed him — accounts traced, shell companies linked, wires exposed like raw nerves.Money. That’s where they would cut next.She tapped the screen, her nail chipped and trembling slightly."See this? Phoenix Holdings. Looks clean on the outside, but dig deeper and it’s washing Barron’s trafficking money through luxury imports. Art, watches, cars—hell, probably gold toilets for his mansion."Van grunted. His mind wasn’t on art.It was on Lenny, still fighting for his life three floors up."You said we could burn him financially. How?"Carla smirked, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked as tired as he felt."We leak it. Quiet first — to the rig
224. First Blood
The attack came at dawn.Silent. Surgical. Cruel.Lenny never saw it coming. He was stepping out of his apartment, headed to meet Van at the old mill, when the van screeched up.Three men in black masks.No words — just steel pipes and fists.Neighbors heard the commotion but kept their doors shut.Everyone knew better. When Barron’s men came calling, you looked away.By the time the van peeled off, Lenny lay in a broken heap, blood pooling beneath his head.His niece’s picture, which he always carried in his pocket, fluttered to the ground, soaked red.★★★Van got the call an hour later.Nora's voice shook."They nearly killed him, Van. Lenny’s in ICU. Skull fractures, broken ribs. They meant to send a message."Van stood frozen in the middle of Keller’s living room, heart pounding like a war drum.Carla looked up from her laptop, face pale."This is escalation. Barron’s going full scorched earth now. If we don’t hit back hard—"Van was already moving.★★★At the hospital, Lenny lay
223. Raising An Army
Van’s phone buzzed just past midnight, it was an unknown number but he answered without hesitation.A familiar voice, rough and low, crackled through."You said if we ever wanted payback, we should call. Well, we’re calling."It was Lenny — an old cellmate from the prison days. A man who’d lost his niece to the same trafficking chain Bianca had just escaped.Van’s chest tightened."Where are you?""Abandoned mill off 43rd Street. And we’re not alone."Van grabbed his jacket and keys.This was the sign he’d been waiting for.★★★The mill was a ruin of rust and cracked windows, but inside, the air was electric.Dozens of faces turned when Van stepped in.Ex-cons, street runners and women with haunted eyes — survivors of Barron’s network.At the front stood Lenny, his massive arms crossed over his chest. Beside him, a thin woman with a scar along her jaw — Nora, who had once testified and then vanished from public sight.Van took it in: a gathering of the discarded and the damned.People
