The Unravelling Web (15)

Ariel's POV

The evening following the sleep eludes me. The stress from our little escape still permeates us, and my mind keeps playing the turmoil. Alan across from me in the living area of our safe house has a mask of determination and tiredness.

Breaking the quiet, Alan murmurs, "Stella's getting more desperate." We have to keep ahead of her.

I nod while my ideas fly. "She changes often. Her intentions are more complicated than we first thought. Should we fail to grasp her next action, we could once more find ourselves off-target.

Alan seems tired as he massages his temples. "I have been attempting to interpret the signals from last night. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack.

"Maybe we are overlooking something," I say. "Stella has obvious motivations." She wants to upend the city, but her behavior has to follow some pattern.

Alan seems to be considering something. "What if she is cooperating with others? Suppose she is working with another person?

I got the concept suddenly clearly. "That might help to understand her plans' complexity. We should investigate any likely relationships she could have.

We split out to look at things. Alan will concentrate on following any indications or messages suggesting a bigger network. I'll look into Stella's past and any possible friends.

My hunt leads me to the city archives, where I sort police documents and past news items. Stella's background is well-documented, but I'm looking for links that might not be clear-cut right away.

Deeper research turns me onto an old article on Victor Sinclair, a business titan. The article notes his close relationships to many powerful people, including those with dubious backgrounds. One name jumps out: Carter Dawson, a businessman noted for his covert activities.

I recall the gala's name from years ago. Carter Dawson was present and appeared particularly fascinated in Stella. My instinct feels a link exists.

Hoping to get further information, I head to Carter's office. Though the facility is modern and elegant, the mood is frigid and unwelcome. Hoping to unearth something damning, I use my talents to get past the receptionist and into Carter's office.

I hear footfall approaching as I go through his records. I hide behind a big desk fast as panic strikes. The door opens and I catch Carter walking in carrying a briefcase. Unknown of my presence, he sits at his workstation.

He mumbles, pulling out a pile of papers from his briefcase: "I have to get this information to Stella." "Our plans depend on it absolutely."

The name Stella makes me shiver down my back. Carter is most certainly engaged. Relieved to go undetectable, I snap pictures of the paperwork on his desk and silently leave the office.

Alan is waiting for me in the safe house back-through. I give him the pictures and then relate what I heard. His eyes narrow as he goes over the proof.

Alan says, "this confirms it." "Carter Dawson works with Stella here. We have to learn their intended next move.

We choose to follow Carter to see whether he points us in further information direction. We intend to follow him subtly and find any more specifics regarding his encounters with Stella.

We then follow Carter from his office to a remote warehouse on the outskirts of town the following day. Although the structure seems abandoned, security is strict. We remain under cover, as Carter arrives accompanied by a few more men.

Alan continues, "We have to figure out how inside we can get. "There could be something worthwhile there."

We wait till the area is clear then locate a side entrance. Inside, the warehouse is softly lighted and crammed with tools and containers. Trying to be silent, we negotiate the tangle of boxes.

Deeper into the warehouse, we catch a talk from a nearby room. I point for Alan to follow me. We approach the door deliberately and listen.

"We have to move fast," Carter says, sounding urgent. "Stella's scheme is under progress; we cannot afford any errors."

A fresh voice answers, "We need to finalize the details; the shipment is ready." Should something go wrong, it falls on us.

Alan and I look worriedly at one other. This surpasses our initial impressions. We have to react quickly.

We keep looking and come into a room with various papers and a computer. Starting to pull together Stella's plan's elements, Alan begins examining the files. I maintain my eye, my senses sharpened.

"Got it," Alan says, sounding both relieved and worried. "These papers go on Stella's last phases of preparation. She seems to be planning a significant disturbance during the power system repair for the city.

My heart descends. Should she be successful, the city will descend into anarchy.

Alan nods. "We must alert the authorities and work to stop her before it's too late."

We bolt the warehouse and head to the closest police station. Emphasizing the urgency of the matter, I forward the material to the officials. They start organizing their means to stop the approaching catastrophe since they take our report very seriously.

Both tired but driven, Alan and I go back to the safe home. The stakes are bigger than ever, and we know our battle is far from finished.

Sitting in the peace of the safe house, I consider the road thus far. The highs and lows have been extreme, and the difficulties have tried our will. But through it all, Alan and I have gotten closer, our relationship becoming stronger with hardship.

"We're getting close," Alan adds with a determined voice. "We just need to stay focused and keep moving ahead."

I nod, rediscovering a purpose in life. "We have gone this far." Neither can we stop right now.

Although the road ahead is unknown, we are ready for everything. With the knowledge we have discovered, we are one step closer to stopping Stella and guaranteeing city safety. The web of lies is coming apart, and the last encounter is just around here.