CHAPTER 83: SE DOWNFALL
Mr Howard's countryside mansion felt like something out of a gothic novel. All stone walls and heavy curtains, isolated enough that you could scream and nobody would hear.
Perfect for hiding. Or for being trapped.
William was discharged three days after the snake bite, his arm still bandaged but the doctors said he'd heal completely. We packed up and drove out here with Liam, Tina, Jeremy and Emma following in separate cars.
That was two weeks ago.
Two weeks of nothing but silence and waiting. No attacks, no threatening calls, no mysterious parcels. Just quiet that felt more dangerous than any cobra.
"This is driving me crazy." I paced Mr Howard's study while everyone else sat around pretending to read or work. "They're out there planning something and we're just sitting here."
"We're being smart." William closed his laptop. "Staying alive."
"We're being sitting ducks." I turned to Mr Howard who sat by the fireplace. "You said they were coming for us. When?"
"I don't know Kate." He looked older than he had at the trial, more tired. "The SE doesn't operate on schedules. They wait for the perfect moment."
"Then we make the moment." I stopped pacing. "We draw them out."
"Kate no." William stood up. "Whatever you're thinking, the answer is no."
"You haven't even heard my plan."
"I don't need to. Any plan that involves you as bait is off the table."
"But that's exactly what we need." Liam set down his coffee. "Think about it. The SE wants Kate dead. They've tried twice now and failed both times. If we give them what they think is an opening—"
"They'll take it and we catch them." Tina finished. "It's actually not a terrible idea."
"It's a suicide mission." William's voice went hard. "I'm not letting Kate anywhere near those people."
"It's not your decision." I met his eyes. "This is my life, my parents' legacy, my fight. And I'm done hiding."
"You're pregnant."
"Which is exactly why I need to end this now." I put my hand on my stomach. "Before our baby is born into this nightmare."
The room went quiet except for the fire crackling. Everyone looked at William, waiting.
He stared at me for a long moment then swore under his breath. "If we do this, and that's a big if, we do it my way. Full security, backup plans for the backup plans, and the second things go wrong you're out."
"Deal."
My phone rang before anyone could argue further. Unknown number but not the threatening kind. This one I actually recognized.
"Lucas?" I answered, confused. "How did you get this number?"
"Kate, thank God." His voice came through rushed and nervous. "I've been trying to reach you for days. Are you okay? I heard about Carlos and the trial and—"
"Lucas slow down." I put him on speaker. "How do you even know about all that?"
"It's all over the news Kate. Your face is everywhere." He paused. "Look, I know we haven't talked since college but I'm in Greensville now and I think I can help."
William moved closer, his expression suspicious. "Help how?"
"Who's that?" Lucas asked.
"My husband William. You're on speaker. Now explain what you mean by help."
"I know someone who works for Donovan. His assistant Adele. We went to school together and she reached out last week saying she wanted out, that Donovan and the SE were planning something big and she couldn't be part of it anymore."
My heart started pounding. "Adele wants to help us?"
"She says she knows who the SE is. Has been to their headquarters, knows their security, everything. But Kate, she'll only talk to you. Says she owes you that much after what they did to your parents."
William grabbed my phone. "This sounds like a trap."
"Maybe." Lucas didn't sound offended. "But what if it's not? What if this is your chance to actually end this?"
William handed the phone back to me. "We need to verify this. Meet with Adele, see if she's legitimate."
"I can arrange that." Lucas said quickly. "Tomorrow night, neutral location, just you and her. If you think she's lying then walk away. But Kate, if she's telling the truth—"
"We finally have a way to get to the SE." I finished. "Set it up Lucas. Send me the details."
"Be careful okay? I don't want to read about you in the obituaries."
The call ended. Everyone started talking at once, arguing about whether this was a gift or a death sentence.
"It's too convenient." Jeremy shook his head. "Right when we're planning to draw them out, suddenly their assistant wants to defect?"
"Unless she really does want out." Emma countered. "Donovan's facing life in prison. His whole operation is crumbling. Makes sense that people would try to save themselves."
"Or the SE sent her to get close to Kate." Liam crossed his arms. "Finish what Gabrielle started."
"Only one way to find out." I looked at Mr Howard. "You've met Adele before right? At Donovan's office?"
He nodded slowly. "Twice. She seemed competent, professional. But I never got the sense she was involved in the deeper conspiracy."
"Which could mean she's innocent or just good at hiding." Tina sighed. "This is impossible."
My phone buzzed with a text from Lucas. Address and time for tomorrow night.
"I'm going." I said before anyone could argue. "With backup obviously. But I'm going."
"Then I'm coming with you." William's tone left no room for debate.
"Me too." Tina stood up.
"All of us." Liam looked around the room. "If this is a trap, we spring it together."
---
The warehouse Lucas chose was in the industrial district, all rusted metal and broken windows. Not exactly inspiring confidence.
We arrived an hour early, Jeremy and Emma setting up surveillance from a van half a block away. Liam positioned himself on a fire escape with a clear view of the entrance. William and Tina flanked me as we walked inside.
Adele stood in the center of the empty space, looking terrified. No guards, no weapons visible. Just her in a black coat with her arms wrapped around herself.
"Kate." She stepped forward. "Thank you for coming."
"Start talking." I kept my distance. "Lucas said you know who the SE is."
"I do." She pulled out her phone and showed me a photo. "I've been to his compound three times. Always blindfolded on the way in but I remember sounds, smells, the drive time. I can lead you there."
William took the phone. "Why should we trust you?"
"Because he killed my sister." Adele's voice cracked. "Five years ago when she found out about the money laundering. They made it look like suicide but I knew. And I've been pretending to be loyal ever since, waiting for a chance to destroy him."
"Who is it?" I asked. "Give me a name."
"I don't have a name." She shook her head. "Just a face. But if you want him, I can get you in. I'll tell him I captured you, that I'm delivering you as proof of my loyalty. Once we're inside—"
"We take him down." I finished. "When?"
"Tonight. He's expecting me in two hours. If I don't show with you, he'll know something's wrong."
William grabbed my arm. "Kate this is insane. We need more time to plan—"
"We don't have time." I pulled free. "This is our shot."
"Or our funeral." But he didn't stop me. "Fine. But we do this smart."
The next two hours were chaos. Jeremy rigging me with a tracker and audio feed. Liam going over emergency extraction protocols. Tina making me promise seventeen times I'd run if things went bad.
Then we were in Adele's car, driving into the night with William following at a distance in a separate vehicle.
"You're brave." Adele glanced at me. "Or crazy."
"Probably both." My hand went to my stomach. "But I'm ending this tonight."
We drove for thirty minutes before she pulled off onto a private road. Trees blocked the moonlight, making everything shadows.
A gate appeared, guards checking Adele's ID before waving us through.
The compound was smaller than I expected. Just one main building and a few outbuildings. We parked and Adele grabbed my arm, not rough but firm enough to look real.
"Remember, you're my prisoner. Stay quiet until we're inside."
She led me through the front entrance. More guards, metal detectors, cameras everywhere. My heart hammered so loud I was sure they could hear it.
Then we were in an office. Expensive furniture, paintings I recognized from museums. And behind the desk—
"No." The word escaped before I could stop it.
Because sitting there, alive and smiling, was Carlos.
Not his corpse. Not his ghost. Him.
"Hello Katie." He stood up slowly. "Surprised to see me?"
"You're dead." My voice shook. "They found your body—"
"They found my twin brother's body." Carlos laughed. "Poor Marcos. Always was the weaker one. Made the perfect decoy."
Twin brother. The words didn't make sense.
"You've been alive this whole time." William's voice came through my earpiece. "Kate, run. Now."
But Carlos had a gun pointed at me before I could move.
"I don't think so." He walked around the desk. "You've been such a pain Katie. Ruining my plans, surviving attempts on your life, putting me in prison. Well, not me. Marcos. But close enough."
"You let your own brother die in your place." My stomach turned.
"He was dying anyway. Cancer. Gave him a purpose in his final days." Carlos shrugged like this was nothing. "Now, shall we finish what I started eight years ago? This time nobody's here to save you."
The door burst open.
William came through first, gun raised. Liam right behind him. Guards tried to stop them but they were too fast.
Carlos fired.
I felt the bullet pass so close to my head I heard it whistle.
Then everything exploded into chaos. Gunfire, shouting, Adele tackling one of the guards. William wrestling Carlos to the ground.
I ran for the door but someone grabbed me from behind. One of Carlos's men, his arm around my throat.
"Nobody move!" He dragged me backward. "Or she dies."
Everyone froze.
"Let her go." William's voice was deadly calm. "Now."
"Not happening. Boss, we need to get out of here."
But Carlos couldn't get up. William had him pinned, blood streaming from somewhere.
"It's over." Liam moved closer, his gun trained on the man holding me. "Your boss is done. Let the girl go and you might survive this."
The arm around my throat tightened. "I said nobody—"
A shot rang out.
The man dropped.
I spun to see Mr Howard in the doorway, a smoking gun in his trembling hands.
"Nobody threatens my goddaughter." His voice shook but his aim had been perfect.
Police sirens wailed in the distance. Someone had called them, maybe Jeremy from his van.
Carlos laughed from the floor, blood on his teeth. "You think this is over? I'm just one head of the hydra. Cut me off and two more—"
"Save it for your trial." William pulled him up roughly. "The real one this time."
Officers flooded in, taking statements, arresting everyone in sight. Carlos kept laughing even as they handcuffed him.
"Life imprisonment with hard labor." The lead officer read him his rights. "And this time we're making sure it's really you."
They dragged him out still cursing, still promising revenge that would never come.
I collapsed against William, everything catching up at once.
"It's done." He held me tight. "It's finally done Kate."
"Is it?" I looked up at him. "He said he wasn't the only one."
"Then we'll deal with the others." William kissed my forehead. "But tonight, we survived. That's enough."