CHAPTER 132

As the door closed behind them, sealing them in the dimly lit interior of the safe house, Jessica felt the weight of their mission settle more heavily on her shoulders. The room was sparsely furnished, its walls lined with old surveillance equipment and cluttered with maps and files. Agent Williams led them further inside, his gaze sharp and assessing, as if weighing the risks of the alliance he was about to forge.

Phillip scanned the room quickly, his trained eyes taking in every detail, assessing possible exits and the layout in case things went south. Clara’s fingers trembled slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes darting nervously toward the briefcase that now sat on the table like a silent witness to everything they’d uncovered.

Williams turned to face them, his face set in a hard line. “This isn’t going to be easy. The kind of information you’ve handed over—it’s explosive. Lane’s reach goes deeper than we thought. He’s got his claws in law enforcement, politic