The silence in the interrogation room was broken only by the raspy breathing of Richard's captured spy. His face was bruised, his clothes soaked from repeated rounds of water torture. Dylan stood before him, calm and unreadable, while Jayden waited in the corner, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"I'll give you one last chance," Dylan said coolly. "Where is Richard's main base?"
The spy gave a broken laugh. "You think you scare me, Martin? Richard's worse. He'll kill me slowly just for talking."
Dylan leaned in, voice low and lethal. "Then it's a good thing you won't live long enough for him to find you."
The man's confidence faltered. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "The port," he whispered. "Warehouse 9. He's been using it as a front."
Jayden's eyes narrowed. "That's close to the border docks. No wonder we didn't see the activity."
Dylan turned away without another word. "Dispose of him."
The man's protests were cut short as two guards stepped forward. Dylan's voice rang out over his shoulder. "Make sure the body never floats."
---
SAFEHOUSE – HEAVEN'S ROOM
Heaven walked into the living room, carrying a bowl of soup for Michael. Her hands trembled slightly—not from fear, but from unease. She hadn't heard from Dylan since they were moved here. The silence was starting to feel heavy.
After setting the bowl down, she sat beside Michael and gently touched his forehead. Still warm, but the fever had broken.
"You're going to be okay," she whispered. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."
A knock on the door jolted her. She stood slowly, opening it with caution. To her surprise, it was Maya—the woman Dylan had placed in charge of their care.
"There's something you should know," Maya said, glancing over her shoulder. "Dylan's planning a move tonight. Something risky."
Heaven frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because… he asked for you."
Heaven's heart skipped. "Why?"
"He said… 'Tell the kitten to stay strong.'"
---
PORT DOCKS – WAREHOUSE 9
Midnight.
Dylan's convoy approached the isolated dock under a thick cover of fog. His men were positioned in silence, surrounding the building. Jayden stood beside him, fully armed.
"Infrared shows at least twenty guards inside," Jayden said.
"Then we go in quiet and fast. No room for mistakes."
As they slipped into the shadows, Dylan's mind returned—briefly—to Heaven. He could almost hear Samantha's voice in his memory.
"You'll never find peace in revenge, Dylan. Let go… someday."
He shook it off. "Not today, Sam. Not yet."
---
INSIDE THE WAREHOUSE
Gunfire erupted as Dylan and his men stormed in. Chaos ensued. Richard's men fought hard, but they were unprepared for Dylan's precision and fury.
Within minutes, the warehouse was taken.
But Richard was gone.
Again.
Jayden looked around at the carnage. "He escaped. There's no trace of him."
Dylan clenched his fists. "He's toying with us."
Just then, Jayden's phone buzzed. His face darkened as he read the message.
"What is it?" Dylan asked.
Jayden hesitated. "Boss… Richard left something behind. A message."
He handed the phone to Dylan. It was a photo.
Heaven.
A sniper's red dot hovered over her chest.
Beneath the image was a note: "You take my empire, I take your heart."