Forty-eight hours of preparation felt like forty-eight minutes.
Brooklyn Navy Yard 11 was an industrial, abandoned place - perfect for a confrontation that could end with all of us dead.
I’m coordinating defensive positions with Timothy and David, treating this like the military operation it was.
"Lisa and Jas take the rooftops," I point to buildings flanking the pier. "Sniper positions. You have clear sight lines to the eting point."
"Got it." Lisa’s already checking her rifle. How she got a sniper rifle, I don’t ask. I believe the forr FBI has resources.
"David, you and your team hold the periter. If anyone tries to flank us, you shut them down."
"Understood."
"Timothy, you’re with Katherine and . Close protection, backup if things go sideways."
"Which they will," Timothy says grimly. "Morrison always has a plan."
"Then we have a better one."
Elliot’s staying at the warehouse with Susan; it’s too dangerous to bring him. He’s the leverage Morrison threatened, the person she’ll use to control Katherine.
I hear my phone ring, and it’s from Katherine using it, checking in for the fifth ti in an hour.
"Elliot, okay?"
"He’s fine," Susan’s voice cos through. "Playing chess on his laptop and eating the sandwiches I brought. Completely safe. Now stop calling and focus on not getting killed."
"Susan-"
"I can shoot, Tony. I grew up with four brothers who took hunting. If Morrison’s people sohow find us, I’ll handle it. You handle Morrison."
She hangs up.
Katherine appears beside . "Susan sounded annoyed."
"She told us to stop calling."
"I can’t help it. What if Morrison sohow-"
"She won’t." I pull Katherine close. "The warehouse is off-grid, untraceable, and Susan’s ard. Elliot’s safe."
"You don’t know that. Morrison’s always ten steps ahead."
"Then we stay eleven steps ahead." I tilt her face up. "Katherine, we’ve prepared for everything. Multiple escape routes, backup teams, snipers covering all approaches. We’re as ready as we can be."
She nods, but I can see the fear in her eyes.
We’re in an abandoned building overlooking the pier, waiting for Morrison to arrive. The eting is set for noon, two hours away.
Just Katherine and in this empty room. Timothy’s downstairs coordinating final checks.
The tension is suffocating, not just fear of Morrison but the awareness that this could be our last hours together.
"Tony-" Katherine’s voice is quiet.
"I know."
"If sothing happens. If Morrison-"
"She won’t."
"But if she does." Katherine grabs my jacket and pulls close. "I need you to know, I don’t regret any of this. Loving you and fighting beside you. All of it."
"Katherine-"
She kisses hard and desperately, pouring everything she can’t say into the contact.
I respond imdiately. My hands in her blonde hair, pulling her against . We’re both wired on adrenaline and fear and the possibility that in two hours we might be dead.
"I need you," she gasps against my mouth. "Right now. I need to feel alive."
"Here?" We’re in an abandoned building with no bed and no privacy.
"Here, now. Please."
I don’t need more convincing.
I lift her, press her against the wall. Her legs wrap around my waist, both of us still fully clothed but fumbling with zippers, buttons, desperate to connect.
It’s fast and urgent. Not gentle at all.
I drive into her, and she gasps, her head falling back against the concrete wall. We move together frantically, both knowing this might be the last ti, both needing this connection before facing Morrison.
"I love you," I breathe against her neck. "God, Katherine, I love you."
"I love you too." She’s crying, tears streaming down her face, even as her body responds to mine. "So much. So much."
We finish together, both gasping and shaking. Afterward, I hold her against the wall, neither of us moving.
"I’m scared," she whispers.
" too." I finally admit it. "I’m terrified. But we do this anyway."
"Together."
"Yes."
We pull ourselves together, fix our clothes, and try to look professional instead of like two people who just had desperate sex against a wall.
Timothy’s voice crackles through our comms. "Morrison’s convoy is approaching. ETA five minutes."
"Positions," I order.
Katherine and I make our way down to the yard. It’s an open space with concrete and no cover. Exactly as planned, which forces Morrison to approach openly.
She arrives exactly on ti, in six Black SUVs and steps out of the center vehicle, flanked by FBI agents. Six of them were all ard.
But one face makes Katherine pause.
"Isn’t that Agent Chen?" she whispers.
My forr FBI contact, the man who helped us before. Who gave us information and ran interference?
"Looks like it."
"Was he always compromised?"
"Apparently." My voice is grim.
Morrison walks toward us confidently, as if this were a business eting, not a confrontation.
"Tony. Katherine." Her smile is pleasant. "You’ve been busy."
"We have everything," I say. "Your corruption. Commission connections. All of it."
"Do you?" She looks amused. "Because I think you’re bluffing. Elliot’s database was impressive, but incomplete. He didn’t have access to everything."
"Complete enough to destroy you."
"Then why haven’t you released it?" She’s circling us now, predatory. "Why this eting? Why give a chance to negotiate?"
"Because we’re not like you," Katherine says. "We don’t execute people without giving them a chance."
"How noble." Morrison’s smile widens. "And stupid, but I appreciate the sentint."
She stops in front of us. Close enough that her agents tense, hands moving toward weapons.
"I’ll make this simple," Morrison says. "Give Elliot’s database and walk away. I’ll clear your nas. Terrorism charges dropped. You can go back to your boring little consulting business."
"And then you’ll kill us," I point out.
"Probably." Her honesty is almost refreshing. "But you’ll die clean. FBI will posthumously clear you. You’ll be heroes who died stopping the Commission. Your reputation intact."
"Better than dying as terrorists, hunted by everyone," she continues. "At least this way, people rember you well."
Katherine’s voice is cold. "You threatened my brother."
"I did." Morrison looks directly at her. "Elliot’s brilliant, he’s dangerous because he knows too much - but if you cooperate, I’ll let him live. Send him sowhere safe; he will have witness protection under my control."
"Under your control is not safe."
"It’s safer than being hunted for the rest of his life." Morrison leans in. "Think about him, Katherine. Nineteen years old. Autistic. Struggling with social situations and sensory overload. Running from killers. Is this the future you want for your baby brother?"
I see it hit. The manipulation lands perfectly, and Morrison knows exactly how to wound.
Katherine’s face shows the impact, the guilt, the terrible choice Morrison is forcing.
I step in. "We don’t negotiate with terrorists, even ones with FBI badges."
"Terrorism is such a loaded word." Morrison circles again. "I prefer ’necessary evil.’ The Commission maintained order. Control cri rather than letting it run wild, Margaret understood. I’m just continuing her work."
"Margaret’s dead."
"And I’m not. That’s the difference between success and failure."
I see movent behind Morrison. Agent Chen was stepping forward.
"Actually," he says, "you’re not continuing anything."
Morrison turns, surprised.
Chen pulls his weapon. Not aid at us but at Morrison.
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