Chapter 18: The Last Mission
Chapter 18: The Last Mission
Director Jonathan Reed disappeared before sunrise.
Which confirmed one thing.
He was guilty.
People who had nothing to hide didn't run.
Agent Sloan organized a search immediately.
But I knew something.
Running wasn't his plan.
Jonathan wanted us to follow.
Because this was never about escaping.
It was about controlling the next move.
We found him at an abandoned government facility outside the city.
The same type of location where my undercover mission had started.
The same place where my life changed.
When we entered, Jonathan was waiting.
No weapons.
No guards.
Just him.
"You came."
I looked at him.
"You expected me."
He smiled.
"Of course."
Agent Sloan stepped forward.
"Jonathan Reed, you are under arrest."
He ignored her.
His eyes stayed on me.
"You still don't understand."
I stared back.
"Understand what?"
"You were never assigned that mission because of the investigation."
Silence.
"What?"
He smiled.
"The mission was designed to remove you."
My heart tightened.
"You sent me there."
"Yes."
"Why?"
He walked closer.
"Because you were becoming too powerful."
The same words.
Again.
Everyone wanted control.
Everyone feared me becoming independent.
"You leaked my location."
"Yes."
"You helped Adrian."
"Yes."
The honesty was almost worse.
I stepped forward.
"And my daughter?"
His expression changed.
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
My anger exploded.
"Not supposed to happen?"
I grabbed the table between us.
"She was five years old."
Jonathan looked away.
For the first time, shame appeared.
But it was too late.
I looked at Agent Sloan.
"Take him."
As agents moved forward, Jonathan called out:
"Evelyn."
I stopped.
"You think this is the end."
I turned.
"It isn't."
He smiled.
"Adrian wasn't the final player."
The room went quiet.
"What do you mean?"
He looked at me.
"There is someone above him."
My heart sank.
"Who?"
Jonathan laughed softly.
"Someone you've trusted longer than anyone."
The lights suddenly went out.
A second later, every screen in the building turned on.
One image appeared.
A person sitting in darkness.
A voice filled the room.
"Evelyn."
I froze.
Because I knew that voice.
Everyone did.
My father.
Marcus Hart.
The screen showed him.
And beneath the image were the words:
THE FINAL BETRAYAL.
I couldn't breathe.
Because after everything...
May you like
the last person I expected to lose...
was the one person I thought would always protect me.
