The wheel felt cold beneath my fingers, my grip tight enough to make my knuckles ache. The road stretched endlessly ahead, the scent of saltwater mixing with gasoline and something else - something sharp, electric. The night had drawn on for far too long, the weight of everything Jean and I had uncovered pressing down on my chest like an iron hand.
"You sure about this?" I finally asked, my voice cutting through the thick silence.
Jean sat beside me, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. He didn't turn, didn't shift. Just let out a low, humorless chuckle. "And do what? Pretend we didn't just stumble into something bigger than both of us?"
I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face. Exhaustion curled at the edges of my mind, but adrenaline kept me sharp. "I just don't like walking blind into a situation we don't understand. That guy, Kaleel... there's something off about him."
Jean let out a slow breath. He knew I was right. From the moment I stepped into that party, Kaleel had been one step ahead. Now, I was in his car, heading to a location I hadn't planned for. Every instinct screamed at me to turn around. But I didn't.
The docks loomed ahead, dark waters stretching out beyond the glow of the city lights in the distance. The place was nearly deserted, save for a handful of figures standing near the pier. Even from here, I knew what they were - the kind of men who spoke in clipped sentences, the kind whose presence meant things were about to get very complicated.
"Stay sharp," I murmured to Jean as I pulled into a discreet spot.
Before either of us could move, a voice cut through the air. "You made it, Red."
Kaleel stood leaning against a sleek black car, arms crossed over his chest, that ever-present smirk playing on his lips. His casual demeanor did nothing to ease the tension coiling in my gut.
"You gave me no choice," I shot back. "Now talk. What the hell is this all about?"
Kaleel's gaze flickered to Jean before settling back on me. "Not here. Too many ears. Come with me."
I hesitated. I hated this - hated being the one without control, without all the pieces of the puzzle. But there was something in his eyes, something that told me this was more than just another mission gone sideways.
"Fine," I muttered, glancing at Jean. "Stay here. Keep watch. If anything feels off - "
"I know," Jean cut in. "I'll handle it."
I stepped away from the car, following Kaleel toward a docked boat waiting in the shadows. The water lapped gently against the hull, a deceptive calm masking whatever storm we were about to walk into.
"You sure you're ready for this?" Kaleel asked as we neared the boat, his voice quieter now.
I met his gaze without hesitation. "I don't think I ever was. But that never stopped me before."
The boat rocked slightly as I stepped on board, my boots echoing against the wooden deck. The scent of salt and oil thickened in the air, laced with something else - something metallic. My senses sharpened.
Kaleel motioned me inside. The cabin was dimly lit, a single overhead light flickering, casting shadows across the walls. In the center of the room, a table was covered in documents, photographs, and a laptop displaying grainy surveillance footage.
"What is this?" I asked, my eyes scanning the mess of information.
"Evidence," Kaleel said simply, leaning against the table. "A trail of corruption so deep that if you tug on the wrong thread, the whole system unravels."
I frowned, picking up a photo. The man in the image was someone I recognized - someone who had sat across from me in high-profile briefings. A high-ranking official. One with enough influence to make people disappear without a trace.
"You expect me to believe this?" I asked, tossing the photo back onto the table.
Kaleel's smirk had vanished. "I expect you to do what you do best - look past the mask and see the truth."
I clenched my jaw. "And what's your angle in all this?"
Kaleel exhaled, pushing off the table and stepping closer. "You're not the only one who lost something, Red. You think you've been playing a game all this time? This isn't a game. It never was."
A knock on the cabin door made us both tense. My hand instinctively went to the gun hidden under my jacket. Jean's voice came through the other side.
"We've got company."
Kaleel's expression darkened. "Looks like we're out of time."
My pulse quickened. Whatever I had just stepped into - it was much bigger than I had anticipated. And now, there was no turning back.
I grabbed the nearest weapon from the table. "Then let's make sure we leave a mark."