Set the Trap

Jenny's POV

The discomfort that had crept deep inside me since Victor's call would not go away. Every feeling advised me that this was a trap, a last-ditch effort to corral Leonard and me. Still, part of me understood we had little other option even as much as I dreaded entering his web. It had descended to this point: either we would be split apart or we would learn to take charge.

Leonard moved by the window, his motions mirroring the whirl of feelings I had but was unable to communicate. He said, "You're too quiet," frowning at me. "What are you contemplating??"

I sighed, slung my legs on the couch and encircled my knees with my arms. "I'm thinking Victor will have the upper hand no matter what we do. More than we do, he knows. He contains the mole. He has longer-term plans than we have been able to stop him from having.

Leonard stopped counting and turned to face me. Hence, what? You are implying that we give up just? Although he was clearly frustrated, under it was something else: anxiety. Though he hardly let it show, that had been seething for days.

Heart heavy with the weight of what we were up against, I got up and walked toward him. "No, Leonard, we have to be wise about this. Victor wants us to be impulse driven. He depends on us making mistakes.

Leonard closed his eyes briefly and stroked his temples. "I dislike this. We should not be playing like this. I detest this.

"I know," I said softly, resting a hand on his arm. But we do have each other. Until we let him, Victor cannot break us.

He opened his eyes and looked at me; the fire in them burned brilliantly even on his tired face. "then let us depart. Let's meet him; but, we follow our rules—not his.

Shortly after evening, we arrived at the agreed-upon meeting place—a peaceful park outside the city. It was a strange place, too public to appear like the typical scene for a confrontation between a criminal mastermind. But that simply made me more nervous; Victor was erratic, and this seemed too simple.

Leonard was on edge, every muscle in his body tense as we strolled side by side toward the bench Victor had indicated he would be waiting at. Every stride reflected the uncertainty of what was about to happen; my heart hammered in my chest.

The bench looked deserted when we arrived. Hope flickering in me, I thought perhaps Victor had backed off. Then, though, a voice behind us, cold and deliberate emerged.

"Look, who at last decided to show up."

I changed direction, my breath seizing in my throat. Just a few feet away, Victor wore a smug smirk. Though he looked as smart as ever, his posture sent shivers down my spine from something sinister.

Leonard stepped nearer, only sheltering me little with his body. "You were eager to chat, Victor. Speak this.

Clearly delighted by Leonard's defensive posture, Victor arched an eyebrow. Leonard, always the knight in shining armor? Are you not? By now, I assumed you would have understood that playing hero never ends nicely.

I bit back the need to react by clenching my hands. Victor fed off the turmoil and terror he produced, thrived on pushing others.

Leonard said, "We're here," teeth clenched. "What do you want??"

As Victor stepped forward, his smile grew wider and his eyes sparkled with sadistic delight. It's easy. You two should leave walking away. Forget the company, forget this argument, and vanish. Well, let's just say I have strategies to make sure you won't cause issues going forward.

I developed a cold sweat on my flesh. He was really serious. Victor was threatening our lives; he was not making offers.

Leonard's voice was firm, but underlying it I could sense the barely under control wrath. If you believe we will simply go away and give up, you are insane.

Victor shrugged, obviously savoring the suspense in the air. " Leonard, you were always obstinct. This time, though, you have overdone your hand. He looked at me, his focus sharpening. Particularly with her at your side. Jenny, you have created a lot of rivals. More than you could possibly know.

I tensed, a flash of wrath rising in me. "Don't attempt to point this on Victor, sir. It is you who has been starting to manipulate people.

Victor grinned, hate glistening in his eyes. And have I not done a darn fine job at it? You no longer even know someone you could count on.

His comments hung in the air like a taunting challenge, and my mind ran. Mollet. He was continued playing that card, still attempting to cause us to question everyone in our vicinity. But I could not let him shake me.

"We're not playing your game anymore, Victor," I murmured, my voice smoother than I felt. "We will take you down; when we do, you will be the one left with nothing."

Something flashed in Victor's eyes—perhaps surprise—but it disappeared just as soon. Anger, maybe. He sh shook his head and laughed. "You both are too confident for your own benefit."

Then, before we could react, he threw something from his pocket toward us. It dropped with a clatter at Leonard's feet—a little black tool.

Leonard went down to pick it up, his fingers caressing the chilly metal surface and his eyes grew wide. It was a recording instrument.

With mistrust coloring his voice, he said, "What is this?

Victor seemed to be grinning almost brilliantly. "Think of it as a farewell present. When you arrive home, pay attention to it. You will find it... illuminating.

Victor turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving us standing there astonished and more dubious than before.

Leonard and I sat tensely in the quiet back at the penthouse, the recording device laying menacingly between us on the coffee table. Though I attempted to disguise it, my hands trembled. Every bit of me yelled that whatever was on that video was supposed to ruin us. This was a trap.

We still had to listen though. There was nothing else we could have done.

With a stiff jaw, Leonard reached for the gadget and moved deliberately slow. "ready?"

I nodded, not sure I was, though. He hit play, and the room hummed with a slight crackling then voices—known voices.

Making sense of what was being said first was challenging, but my stomach fell as the conversation went on. It captured Andrew, one of our most reliable friends, chatting to Victor. Andrew handed Victor everything he needed to undermine us, therefore exposing the clear betrayal and the specifics of our preparations.

Tears filled my eyes as the truth struck me like a gut-tipping blow. Someone we had relied on for years, Andrew had been the mole all along.

Leonard's face was pallid, his fists tightly gripped as the tape ran on. His voice thick with incredulity, he murmured, "How could he...?"

I stammered in response. My heart was shattering and my head whirled. All we had worked for, all we had battled to preserve, was falling around us.

Then, though, something unanticipated occurred as the tape stopped. When Victor's voice came back, it was not triumphant or arrogant. It was flavored with a trace of something I hadn't expected: desperation.

"I'll take them down," Victor responded, his voice low. "But Andrew, if they solve it first, you will be the one standing in the crossfire left intact."

The gadget clicked off, sending us startled quiet once more.

I muttered, realizing Victor was losing control. She is desperate.

Leonard nodded, his face becoming rigid with will. "Which suggests we still have opportunity."