"THOSE WHO DON'T LEARN FROM HISTORY..."

"Ryan, why are you here this late? What's going on?"

Ethan, shocked to see his friend standing at his door, drenched in rain and sweat, took a step back.

"They're after me!" Ryan gasped, looking like he had just seen a ghost, his body trembling violently.

"Who is after you... Don't tell me..."

Ethan choked on his words, fearing the worst.

"I should have listened to you... I just wanted a better life," Ryan muttered, his voice breaking. Hot tears streamed down his face. He wiped them with the back of his hand, reached into his pocket, and pressed a cold, hard object into Ethan's palm.

"I'm so sorry."

And with that, he turned and ran.

"Ryan! Ryan!!" Ethan bolted after him.

A black van screeched to a stop behind Ryan. Before Ethan could react, gunshots rang out. He stumbled backward, landing hard on the pavement as masked men dragged Ryan; limp and bleeding into the van. The vehicle sped off, vanishing into the night.

***

Judy groaned as her phone buzzed for what felt like the hundredth time. Who the hell was calling this late? She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and sighed before grabbing her phone.

"It's four in the morning. What do you want from me?" she grumbled.

"Hello, Judy speaking," she yawned into the phone.

"Sorry to call so early..."

The voice on the other end made her instantly alert.

"This must be important," she said, clearing her throat.

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday..."

"I wasn't much help. If the evidence hadn't miraculously gone missing, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. Looks like someone out there really has your back, Mr. Carter."

"My guardian angel," Ethan chuckled. "And please, call me Ethan."

For some reason, the way he said it made Judy's stomach tighten. What was wrong with her? Snap out of it.

"Well, I'm ready to fully commit to this case. Yesterday was a wake-up call. I don't want to go to jail. I know the evidence is stacked against me, but I'm not going down without a fight. Will you help me, Judy?"

The way he said her name made her feel warm.

"You sure you want this 'quack' helping you?" she teased.

"I shouldn't have called you that," Ethan admitted. "I didn't know who to trust... I needed to be sure you were on my side."

"I'm not on anyone's side. I follow the facts."

"Good enough for me. Let's meet at the usual café at nine. I'm buying."

"Sure."

" go back to your beauty sleep, princess."

"I'm not..." But the line went dead before she could finish.

Was he flirting with her? That was so unprofessional!

So why the hell was she blushing?

"You're crazy, Judy," her inner voice scoffed as she lay back down, counting the minutes until sunrise.

***

Monica was livid.

Her office was in shambles, files and shattered glass littered the floor. Across the room, Jordan sat on the sofa, sipping whiskey, periodically glancing at his watch. Unlike Monica, he was frustratingly calm.

"How the hell did the key evidence go missing?!" she screamed, her hands trembling.

Jordan merely shrugged. "What's done is done, Monica. The evidence will turn up eventually. It's just a matter of time."

"And if it doesn't?" she snapped, furious at his lack of urgency.

"Then we make sure Carter stays detained. The party will handle the rest."

Monica ran a hand through her hair, pacing. "Judy won't let that happen. She's too good. This was supposed to be quick, Jordan. If she starts digging..."

"If she starts knowing what she shouldn't, I'll take care of it. So put your employees in line," Jordan warned, his voice low.

His phone buzzed. He picked it up.

"Hello, Senator."

Monica watched as his expression subtly shifted.

"It's just a minor setback," Jordan said smoothly. "Everything is going according to plan... I understand your concern, Senator. I promise, this won't trace back to you. Senator? Hello?"

The line went dead.

For the first time that night, Monica saw something flicker in Jordan's eyes; worry.

She exhaled. So I'm not crazy.

"Send cleaners to my office," she muttered into her telecom.

***

"Where is it?"

A punch landed.

Ryan groaned, blood and spit dripping from his mouth. His swollen eyes barely opened.

"I don't have it," he mumbled, but another hit silenced him.

"That's enough."

The metal door creaked open, and a short, fat man walked in, a cigar between his fingers.

"Ryan... you don't look so good."

He pressed the burning cigar into Ryan's arm. The sickening sizzle of burning flesh filled the room.

Ryan barely bit back a scream.

"We've been at this for hours, buddy. Just tell us where the file is, and all this ends."

Ryan's breaths came in short gasps. "I don't have it... I wasn't going to release it... I just wanted to get paid... Please..."

Another punch shut him up.

"Calm down, Steve. We're not animals."

The fat man pulled out a silk handkerchief, wiping Ryan's blood-streaked face with unsettling gentleness.

"I let you in. Treated you like a comrade. We broke bread together. When you wanted a promotion, I gave it to you. Paid you well. And how do you repay me?"

He took another drag from his cigar.

"I'm sorry..." Ryan whispered weakly.

"You got greedy. You threatened me. No one threatens me."

The door swung open. A group of men in black filed in. One of them whispered something to the fat man.

His eyes widened. "Nothing? So he was bluffing?"

"It appears so."

The fat man's face darkened. He flipped the table over with a roar.

"Sir," one of his men hesitated. "We picked him up outside Ethan Carter's apartment. Is it possible..."

"NO!" Ryan's voice cracked. "Ethan has nothing to do with this!"

The fat man's anger faded, replaced by something worse; amusement.

"A shame, really. I did like Ethan."

He turned and walked out.

"Don't you touch him, you piece of shit! You hear me?! Fuck you!!" Ryan screamed, foam at his lips.

A gun cocked.

"What do we do now, boss?"

"Shut him up. We have no use for him now. Either he gave the file to Ethan, or they were in on it together. Tie up the loose ends."

The fat man exited.

Gunshots rang out.

Then silence.

***

At the café, Ethan finally told Judy everything.

"So you knew he was missing but lied about it until you were arrested?"

"Like I said, I didn't know who to trust. After Ryan was taken, I ran to my apartment and locked the door. I called the police to report it, but... well, I guess they were in on it."

Judy's eyes sharpened. "Wait. You called the police?"

"Yeah."

"Where's your phone?"

"Confiscated. My apartment was ransacked, remember?"

Judy exhaled. "Then I need to visit Detective Laura Bennett. She might be able to get a hold of your call logs."

"And that helps how?"

"If we find proof of your call, it could give you an alibi. It won't prove your innocence, but it's a start."

"Doesn't change the fact that I indeed made contact with Rhyan..."

"One problem at a time Ethan...I would have to request another autopsy...this won't be pretty" Judy rubbed her forehead

"Hopefully it will lead somewhere or another miracle will happen...let's just hope the detective is cooperative...she doesn't like me ..." she placed her head weakly on the table

Ethan sighed. "Two weeks, huh?"

Judy nodded.

***

Monica's phone rang.

She answered.

"For real?! Hold on, we're on our way!"

Jordan raised an eyebrow. "What's got you so fired up?"

Monica smirked.

"They found out who posted bail."