We stay like that for twenty minutes, just holding each other. Then reality intrudes, and we have to get up, get dressed, and get moving.
The internet café is exactly what I expected - rows of computers, Korean drama playing on TV, an elderly woman at the counter who doesn’t speak much English and doesn’t care who we are.
We pay for two hours. Sit at computers in the back corner where we can see the door.
I access the dark web using protocols Elliot taught months ago. Navigate to the dead drop location.
And there it is, Elliot’s database. Encrypted but using a key only Katherine and I would know - my grandmother’s birthday combined with Katherine’s mother’s maiden na.
The file is massive, it’s years of Commission docuntation.
Katherine pulls her chair close, our shoulders touching as we read.
"Jesus Christ," she breathes. "This is everything. Financial records, communications, organizational charts-"
"Proof." I’m scanning docunts. "Proof that Morrison’s been on Commission payroll for fifteen years."
"Look at this." Katherine is tracking money flows. "Shell companies funneling paynts to her offshore accounts. Two million over the years. But Tony," She stops, her face going pale. "She’s not just collecting, she’s controlling."
I see what she’s seeing. The paynt pattern changed after Margaret’s death.
Morrison stopped receiving orders and started giving them.
"She beca the new head," I say slowly. "When we took down Margaret, Morrison didn’t just survive. She took over."
"Angelo, Vincent, Marie - she orchestrated all of it. Used them to eliminate her competition while consolidating power." Katherine’s analytical mind is working fast. "We didn’t take down the Commission. We helped her rebuild it into sothing smaller but more powerful."
The realization was sickening.
We’ve been playing exactly into her hands. Eliminating her rivals, doing her work for her.
"That’s why she frad us now," Katherine continues. "She doesn’t need us anymore. We’ve served our purpose."
"And now we’re loose ends to eliminate."
We sit in silence, processing the scope of Morrison’s manipulation.
"What do we do?" Katherine finally asks.
"We expose her; we use this database to prove everything. Take it to the dia, to the DOJ, to-"
"Who?" She interrupts. "Who do we trust? Morrison has the FBI. She probably has dia contacts, prosecutors, and judges. We don’t know how deep her network goes."
She’s right again.
My phone buzzes through my burner phone and we both stare at the ssage from it; only one person has the number.
Susan Jenkins: Katherine? Jesus Christ, I saw the news. Are you okay?
Katherine stares at the ssage. "Susan, my best friend. I haven’t talked to her in weeks."
"Could be a trap. Morrison could have her phone."
"Or she’s actually worried about ." Katherine’s already typing a response.
Katherine: I’m alive. Can’t talk. Too dangerous.
Susan: I can help. I have resources you don’t know about.
We exchange a look.
"What resources?" I ask.
Katherine types the question.
Susan: My family. We’re not just comfortable, we’re old money. Real old money from trust funds, offshore accounts, and properties the FBI doesn’t know about. I can help.
"Why didn’t you tell ?" Katherine whispers to herself.
Susan: Because I liked being normal, but normal’s over. You need help, I’m helping. We have a safe house in upstate New York. It’s remote and untraceable. Co there, please.
She sends an address. Location pin for an estate in the Adirondacks.
"Could be Morrison setting a trap," I say carefully.
"Or it could be Susan being my best friend like she’s always been." Katherine looks at . "Tony, we can’t keep running like this. We need a place to regroup, to plan. If there’s even a chance Susan’s offering is real-"
"Then we take it." Because she’s right, again. We need this.
Katherine: How do we know it’s really you?
Susan: Rember sophomore year? You got food poisoning from bad sushi. I held your hair while you puked for six hours and never told anyone. You said you owed a kidney. I’m calling it in. Co to the estate. Bring your mafia boyfriend. I’ll even try not to judge.
Katherine laughs, her actual laughter for the first ti in days.
"That’s Susan."
"You’re sure?"
"Positive. Nobody else knows about the sushi incident. I made her swear never to tell."
We arranged the eting in forty-eight hours. Susan will bring supplies, and she’ll try to find Elliot if she can.
As we’re closing down the computers, I notice sothing. A man at a computer was three rows ahead. He’s not using the computer, just... sitting there and watching us in the reflection of his dark screen.
I stand casually, pull Katherine close, kiss her like we’re lovers, then act like we’re leaving, using the movent to check.
The man’s gone.
But on the table where he sat, he left a note.
I grab it, palm it, don’t look until we’re outside.
Back in the motel room, I unfolded it:
You’re not the only ones she betrayed, we need to talk. Co to the address below. Alone. Tomorrow at noon. If you want to take down Morrison, you’ll need allies.
-A friend
It was an address in Brooklyn, a warehouse district.
Katherine reads over my shoulder. "It’s a trap."
"Probably."
"We’d be walking into Morrison’s hands."
"Maybe."
"But?" She looks at .
"But we don’t have a choice. We need allies, or we’re dead in a week. One person with three thousand dollars can’t take down the FBI."
"So we walk into what might be a trap."
"Together." I pull her close. "Like always."
"What if it’s not a trap? What if there really are others Morrison betrayed?"
"Then we might actually have a chance."
We pack our ager belongings and prepare to move again. Never staying anywhere longer than one night, but before we leave, Katherine grabs my hand.
"Tony. Whatever happens tomorrow. Whatever we walk into. I need you to know, I don’t regret this. Any of it - loving you, fighting beside you, running with you. All of it."
I pull her into my arms. Kiss her like we have all the ti in the world instead of being hunted fugitives.
"No regrets," I agree. "We’re together, that’s all that matters."
"Together."
"Always."
Tomorrow we walk into what might be our deaths.
But we walk in together, and sohow, that makes it bearable.
We leave the motel at dawn, driving toward Brooklyn, toward the unknown, toward whatever fresh hell Morrison has planned.
But also toward hope.
Because sowhere in this city, there might be others. Others she betrayed. Others who want revenge.
And if we can find them - if we can build an alliance, we might actually survive this.
Might actually win.
Together.
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