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Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 19
Dangerous Alliances.The scent of stagnant water and rust filled the warehouse. Long, jagged shadows were cast across the steel walls by the flickering of a solitary overhead lamp. With all of his muscles tensed, Silas took a step forward. Wyatt Draven was leaning against a box across the empty room, his trench coat wet from the residual fog outside."Wyatt, you still have a penchant for the dramatic?" Silas's fingers jerked close to his holster, but his voice was steady.Wyatt grinned and pushed the container away. "You always had a tendency to go right into danger. That remains unchanged. His gaze shifted from Silas to Eleanor and back again. "You also don't have a taste for bad ideas."Beside Silas, Eleanor tensed up. She stated, "We are aware of your connection to Hartwell." "You can give up acting."Wyatt shook his head and chuckled softly. "My dear, you're barking up the wrong tree." He stopped grinning. "Hartwell has nothing to do with me."Silas laughed. "Next, tell us why you
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 20
The Hidden Operation.The fog-filled night shrouded the rotting shell of the factory like a veil. With its windows broken and its skeleton frame looming like a lost remnant of a bygone age, the location Wyatt had given them led to a deserted building on the edge of the docks. Something darker, something rotten, mixed with the lingering smell of iron and ocean.Silas looked at Eleanor as he turned off the car's engine. "I don't feel right about this."With her black hair hardly moving in the still air, Eleanor pulled her cloak more about her. "It never does."The moist ground muted their footsteps as they walked silently toward the facility. As if someone had attempted to claw its way in or out the worn and battered iron doors loomed before them. Silas gave the handle a try. locked.Eleanor gestured to one side. "There is an alternative."They slipped past faded graffiti and weeds growing through fractured cement as they made their way along the disintegrating facade. A lofty window wi
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 21
Ledger of Secrets.Silas laid the manufacturing paperwork on the wooden table in the safe house, the weak light flickering and creating lengthy shadows across the room. With her fingers tracing over the pages containing strange symbols and figures, Eleanor sat beside him, her face taut with concentration. Silent and oppressive, the weight of what they had discovered rested between them.Leaning closer, Silas let out a breath. "It’s coded," he said, tapping his fingers over a row of digits. "These aren't merely shipments, even if each entry appears to be a transaction. Look, these initials, these names. They are human.Eleanor tensed. "Human trafficking," she said in a voice that was just audible above breath.He gave a sad nod. "Hartwell does more than merely smuggle narcotics and guns. People are being moved by him. selling them.Her stomach churned. Scanning the numbers, she put a palm to her temple. "These initials... By themselves, they don't make sense. However, if we compare the
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 22
Station of Shadows.Like ghosts sliding between crevices, a dense mist rolled across the platforms as the darkness coiled tightly about Ravenshore Station. Long shadows were cast over the motionless train carriages and vacant benches by the dull illumination of flickering lamps that lit the rust-streaked iron beams.With his eyes on the far end of the platform, Silas adjusted the lens of his binoculars from their hiding place behind a pile of abandoned freight containers. Despite the tension between them, Eleanor knelt next to him and breathed steadily and slowly.Her gloved hands gripped the folds of her coat as she muttered, "Do you see anything?"Silas's pulse was calm but ready to race as he looked about. Except for a lone vagabond resting against a pillar, his face hidden by a frayed hood, the platform seemed empty. As if anticipating something invisible, a train waited still on the tracks, black and motionless."They’re late," he whispered. "Or cautious."Beside him, Eleanor mov
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 23
Lost Evidence.Silas walked, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides, the severe angles of his jaw hardly softened by the dim light of the hideaway. With her head in her hands, Eleanor sat on the shabby sofa. The oppressive quiet between them was laced with blame and unspoken words. Then Silas turned, his voice low and sharp, like a broken wire."Eleanor, you lost the pictures." His breath was unsteady as he ran a hand over his unkempt hair. "We no longer have the only leverage we had."Eleanor's blue eyes flashed defiantly as she looked up. "They were not lost by me. We were almost shot by Jasper Crowe! I apologize for putting my life before clinging to a lousy bag.With his rage hardly contained, Silas let out a breath through his nostrils. "Do you not understand? That served as our evidence…"I understand, Silas!" Refusing to back down, she sprang to her feet and stood with him chest to chest. What are you expecting me to do, though? Ask Crowe to return my luggage as you
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 24
The Shipment Trap.As Silas and Eleanor made their way through the maze of stacked cargo containers at the dockyard, the air was thick with the smell of salt and oil. The world seemed strangely quiet here in the darkness, yet the industrial buzz of shipping activities pulsed in the background.Eleanor pressed her back against the rusting metal of a container and huddled behind it. She cocked her head in Silas' direction. "Are you certain that this is the correct dock?"Silas's piercing eyes swept across the cargo paperwork attached to the closest container. The name Ravenwood Exports was still readable despite the wet ink smudging it. The cover company of Hartwell. It was here."Yes," he whispered. "This is it."With her fingers soft on the handle, Eleanor took her revolver out of its holster. "Let's get this done quickly."Their footfall were muted by the moist wooden planks as they walked together, avoiding the darkness. With his back to them, a lone guard was crouched over his phon
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 25
Safe House Sabotage.Tucked down in the forest, a forgotten artifact concealed by ivy and darkness, was the safe home. The weight of secret pressed in from all sides, and the air inside was heavy with the smell of damp earth and old timber.As though a single bolt could stop the mayhem, Silas pushed the heavy door shut behind them. Eleanor sank onto the frayed couch next to him, wincing as she pressed a hand to her side, and his pulse continued to thunder from the escape. Her fingers were coated with blood. Too much.Silas crouched next to her, his adrenaline now tinged with anxiety, murmured, "You should be lying down."With a short exhale, Eleanor's lips curled into a smirk that hardly extended past her eyes. "That is not something we have time for."He clenched his jaw. obstinate woman. "Eleanor, you were shot."She gave a shrug. "But here I am nonetheless."A figure moved from the doorway, a presence honed by time and tempered by the furnace of battle. Prescott, Violet. Her pierci
Cinders of the Conspiracy Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Hartwell’s Inner Circle.The air was heavy with unanswered questions, and the safe house seemed heavier than normal. Standing beside the window, Wyatt Draven's shadow hung long on the dark wall. Eleanor leaned on the desk, tapping her fingers nervously against the wood, while Silas regarded him closely, arms folded."You're looking for names?" At last, Wyatt spoke in a gravelly, low voice. "Want to know who Hartwell has been hanging out with?"Silas laughed. "Isn't that the reason you stormed in here?"Wyatt turned, looking intently. "I didn't just walk right in. I entered. significant difference. From his coat, he took a crumpled piece of paper and threw it on the desk. "Go through it."Eleanor grabbed it first, looking over the names. She gasped. Senator Aldridge... Even Chief Inspector Graves, Judge Monahan? She shook her head, anger fighting disbelief. "He has the damn government, the courts, and the police eating out of his hand."Eyes narrowing at the list, Silas sn
Latest Chapter
Chapter 100
The Price of Justice.Eleanor gritted her teeth as she slammed her back against the metal crates, gripping the pistol tighter in her hands. The warehouse was a warzone, gunfire ricocheted off steel, shouting filled the air, and the acrid scent of smoke stung her nose.She stole a glance around the corner. Five men, heavily armed. Hartwell’s remaining enforcers, the last line protecting his precious shipment.Her radio crackled. “Eleanor, we’re almost there,” Silas’s voice, weak but determined. “Hold them off.”Her eyes flickered toward the metal briefcase near the truck. The evidence. Documents, transaction logs, everything they needed to bring Hartwell down.The men advanced.She took a breath, steadying her aim. Then, she moved.Two shots. The first took out the closest man, his rifle clattering to the ground. The second hit another in the leg not enough.He swung his weapon toward her, but Eleanor was faster. She lunged, knocking him off balance, slamming the butt of her gun into h
Chapter 99
Race Against Time.The air in the dimly lit motel room was thick with tension. Papers littered the small wooden table, maps marked with frantic scribbles. A single laptop screen glowed, casting eerie shadows over the determined faces surrounding it.Silas leaned forward, his knuckles pressed against the table. His voice was low, commanding. “Hartwell is moving the shipment by train. We intercept at the junction near Brighton before he reaches the border.”The FBI agent, Calloway, nodded. His grizzled face betrayed years of experience. “We’ll have tactical units in place, but we need a precise point of entry. If we storm in too early, he’ll vanish again. Too late, and the shipment’s gone.”Margaret pointed to a section on the map. “Here. The terrain forces the train to slow. It’s the only place we’ll have a real shot.”Eleanor, arms crossed, locked eyes with Silas. “And if he’s waiting for us?”Silas exhaled through his nose. “Then we play it smart.”A knock at the door. Three slow tap
Chapter 98
Hartwell’s Vanishing Act.The night pressed heavy against the city, the neon glow of streetlights barely reaching the shadowed corners of the safe house. Silas paced, phone pressed against his ear, pulse hammering. Across the room, Eleanor sat rigid, eyes locked on him, waiting for answers.A voice crackled through the line. Agent Calloway. His tone was flat, but the urgency was undeniable.“He’s gone underground, Silas. And not alone. Hartwell has federal protection. High-ranking officials are helping him disappear.”Silas clenched his jaw. “You’re telling me we lost him because some corrupt bastards are covering his tracks?”“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Calloway confirmed. “This isn’t just a syndicate anymore. It’s bigger than we thought. Someone with power wants Hartwell alive.”Eleanor stood, tension rolling off her in waves. “Did you track his last movements?”Calloway hesitated. “That’s the problem. He didn’t leave the city.”Silas exhaled sharply. “What?”“He’s here.
Chapter 97
The Chaos Unleashed.The grand ballroom had become a war zone. Shattered glass crunched beneath fleeing footsteps, chairs overturned, bodies surged toward the exits. Screams rang through the air, blending into the shrill alarm that pulsed through the speakers.Silas gritted his teeth as he pushed forward, gripping Eleanor’s wrist. The crowd was moving against them, bodies pressing in from all sides. They had to reach Hartwell before he disappeared into the chaos.“There!” Eleanor pointed.Through the shifting sea of people, Hartwell’s silver-gray suit stood out as he moved toward a side door, two armed men flanking him. His face was calm, too calm. He knew something they didn’t.Silas didn’t hesitate. He surged forward, shoving a man out of his way, ignoring the protests. Eleanor followed, eyes sharp, lips pressed together in a thin line. They were running out of time.Then, a gunshot.A chandelier shattered overhead, sending shards raining down. The crowd screamed louder, panicking f
Chapter 96
The Celebration’s Cover-Up.The ballroom was a spectacle of wealth, crystal chandeliers dripping with gold light, violins weaving a delicate symphony above the murmuring crowd. Silas adjusted the cuff of his suit, the unfamiliar fabric tight against his skin. He hated events like these. Too many eyes, too many masks.Eleanor, draped in a floor-length black gown that clung to her form like shadow, moved beside him, a vision of elegance. But Silas knew better. She was a blade wrapped in silk, sharp and waiting.With her lips hardly moving, she held a champagne glass and said, "Calm down." "You should be a journalist, not a man on his way to death." Silas exhaled, scanning the room. Too many familiar faces, men he’d rather see behind bars.Near the bar, a cluster of men stood huddled in hushed conversation. Their suits were expensive, their postures rigid. Syndicate men.Silas angled his body toward them, listening.“…shipment lands tomorrow. Late night drop.”“Security?”“Tighter than
Chapter 95
The Safe House Secrets.Margaret pulled open the rusted cabinet doors, her breath shallow as a cloud of dust erupted into the air. The safe house had been untouched for years, but the lingering presence of recent intruders suggested otherwise.Wyatt knelt beside her, flashlight aimed at the back of the cabinet. “There’s something here.” His fingers brushed against a loose panel, and with a firm tug, the wood gave way, revealing a metal lockbox.Margaret glanced toward the door, paranoia curling around her spine. “We need to move fast.”Wyatt nodded, pulling his switchblade from his boot and jamming it into the lock. The steel creaked, resisting, but after a few forceful twists, the mechanism snapped.Inside, stacks of documents lay in neat, organized rows, ledgers, transaction records, names.Margaret’s stomach twisted.“These aren’t just records,” she whispered, flipping through the pages. The names were tagged with locations, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles. It wasn’t just a
Chapter 94
The Informant’s Shadow.Silas paced the dimly lit hotel room, the weight of Delano’s warning pressing on him like a vice. His thoughts churned, replaying every conversation, every movement within their group. Someone had been feeding Hartwell information. But who?Eleanor sat on the edge of the bed, her arms crossed. “You’re being paranoid,” she said, watching Silas with narrowed eyes. “We’ve been through hell together. No one in our group would sell us out.”Silas ceased his pacing. Then describe how Hartwell constantly appears to be ahead of the game. How was the gala known to him? The penetration of the office? Why did Crowe's soldiers wait at the docks for us? He let out a breath and wiped his face. "If we don't find out who is telling him everything, we're dead." Eleanor shook her head. “Margaret would never betray us. She’s risked her life more than once.”Silas clenched his jaw. “I’m not saying it’s Margaret.”Eleanor stiffened. “Then who?”Silas hesitated. His gut twisted as
Chapter 93
Behind Enemy Lines.Silas adjusted his bowtie, scanning the glittering crowd with practiced ease. A jazz band played soft notes from the far end of the ballroom, masking the hum of conversation. The air was thick with wealth and power, business moguls and politicians clinking glasses, exchanging handshakes that meant deals far deadlier than anyone here would admit.Eleanor, in a sleek black gown, moved beside him, her expression calm but eyes constantly shifting. She looked every bit the poised journalist she was pretending to be. “Keep walking,” she murmured. “Eyes forward. Don’t react.”Silas followed her gaze. A security team had just entered from the side doors, Crowe’s men. Dressed in suits, but their stiff postures and wary glances gave them away. They weren’t here to mingle. They were hunting.Silas exhaled. “They don’t know who we are yet.”“Yet.” Eleanor’s fingers grazed his wrist, subtle but urgent. “We need to stay near the press section.”He nodded. They slipped through th
Chapter 92
Into the Lion’s Mouth.Silas spread the blueprint across the table, the faded paper smudged with ink and cigarette stains. The layout of the ballroom gleamed under the dim light. Eleanor leaned in, eyes scanning the pathways, the exits, the blind spots. Every inch of that space had to be committed to memory."We’ll go in through the back entrance," Silas said, tapping the map with the end of his pen. "Press credentials will get us past the first checkpoint, but once we're inside, we’re on our own."Eleanor folded her arms. "And when we get to Hartwell?"Silas sighed. "That’s the tricky part. We need to get close enough to extract something solid video, audio, anything incriminating. The moment we do, we slip out before his security realizes we're not supposed to be there."Margaret scoffed from across the room. "And if he already suspects us?"Silas exchanged a glance with Eleanor. That possibility had been weighing on them both."We improvise," Eleanor said. Her voice was firm, but i
