Chapter 16: A Dangerous Alliance

Lily stood in the freezing cold, staring at Jack Monroe with her breath visible in the frigid air. The guy in front of her radiated a mixture of fatigue and defiance, and she wasn't sure she wanted to reveal the secrets in his dark eyes. She couldn't afford to leave, though, if he knew anything about Victor Kane.

Despite the doubt swirling inside of her, she asked in a firm voice, "How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't," Jack said bluntly in response. "But you'll pay attention to what I have to say if you're serious about defeating Victor."

Lily paused and looked around the empty street. Despite her gut telling her that this was a risk, she couldn't help but take advantage of the opportunity that was right in front of her. At last, she gave a nod. "Speak."

Jack pointed to a nearby diner with a dimly flashing neon sign. "Not in this place. Too open. Let's head to a more peaceful location.

As they chose a booth in the far corner, Lily followed him inside, her heart racing. With the exception of the occasional plate clatter and the buzz of the coffee maker, the diner was almost deserted. Jack ordered coffee for the two of them, stirring his cup absently while keeping his eyes fixed on her.

"Lies, extortion, and blood were the foundations of Victor Kane's empire," Jack said softly. As a member of his inner group, I was present in the beginning. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I didn't. Not till the last minute.

With her fingers clutching the table's edge, Lily leaned forward. "What made you go?"

Jack's mouth tensed. "Because Victor went too far, and I couldn't stand it." He used a woman who had nothing to do with his ideas as an example of someone who stood in his way. He didn't care that she was innocent. As if it didn't matter, he gave the order to kill her.

As Lily's thoughts turned to Cassandra, her stomach roiled. Was she as much a part of Victor's universe as Ethan had implied? Was she aware of how many crimes he had committed?

"And you want retribution now?" Lily pushed.

Jack's eyes grew gloomy. "Justice is what I desire. Victor destroyed many lives, including mine. I can't do this by myself, though. Someone like you is what I need on the inside.

Lily stopped. "Why do you believe that I'm 'on the inside'?"

Jack tapped a finger on the table with a little smirk. "Whether Victor likes it or not, Ethan Blake, with whom you are related, is deeply involved in his business. Furthermore, if you didn't have a stake in this, you wouldn't be here.

Lily paused, her thoughts whirling. Although it was obvious that Jack had done his research, she was unsure of how much he knew about her personal grudge against Cassandra.

Finally, in a forceful voice, she said, "I want to take him down too." However, I require more than hazy tales. What precisely do you possess about Victor?

Jack took a small, battered notepad from inside his coat and set it on the table between them. "This. Codes, transactions, and contacts make up a ledger. Evidence of his illicit activities. Even if I've been protecting it for years, it's still insufficient. More proof is required to link the dots and establish its indisputable nature.

Although Lily's fingers ached to seize the notebook, she refrained. "Why haven't you contacted the police?"

Jack chuckled bitterly. "The police? Half of them belong to Victor. The other half is too scared to do anything. No, we must hit him where it hurts if we want to stop him. Publicly expose him. Make his supporters turn against him.

"And you believe I can assist you with that?" Lily questioned doubtfully.

Jack gave a nod. "You are now more in tune with his world than I am. I don't have access to the same people or places that you do. We can solve this problem together and bring everything to a head.

Jack's remarks weighed heavily on Lily as she gazed at the notebook. This was more important than her personal grudge. It was now about destroying an empire based on suffering and corruption, not simply about Daniel or Cassandra.

However, the danger was enormous. It was impossible to predict what Victor might do to stop them if he discovered what they were doing.

"How can I be sure you're not playing me?" Her voice was stern as she inquired.

Jack looked her in the eye with a serious attitude. "Because I stand to lose just as much as you do. If Victor finds out I'm alive, I'm as good as dead. Believe me, Lily—if I didn't believe you were my greatest chance to stop him, I wouldn't be here.

Lily examined him, looking for any hint of dishonesty. She didn't see any, but that didn't mean she could relax.

At last, she responded in a firm voice, "All right." "I'll help you. However, I have certain conditions.

Jack's eyebrows went up. "Let us listen to them."

Lily firmly stated, "First, there should be no more surprises." "If we're going to do this, I must know everything—no secrets." Secondly, we collaborate. No vanishing, no going rogue. Do you agree?

Jack gave a slow nod. "I agree."

Lily inhaled deeply as her determination grew stronger. She couldn't go back now, but she had no idea where this route would take her.

The consequences of her choice weighed heavily on her shoulders as she made her way back to her apartment that evening. Jack was just as determined as she was, even though she had just struck a deal with a man she hardly knew.

She had no doubt that Ethan would be incensed when he learned. However, Ethan had no say in how she responded to this. She was willing to accept the repercussions because she was in charge of her own fate.

She snapped out of her reverie when her phone chimed. When she looked at the screen, she saw that Ethan had left a message:

We must speak. Now.

Lily sighed, slipping the phone back into her pocket. She wasn't yet prepared to share Jack with Ethan. She had to first determine their next course of action and how to use the ledger.

She locked the door behind her as she walked into her apartment and leaned against it, ideas and plans racing through her head.

Although Victor Kane was a constant threat, Lily felt for the first time that she had a genuine chance to defeat him.

But as she started to turn the pages of the notebook Jack had given her, she became acutely aware of how intricate Victor's web of lies really was. And a voice muttered a warning in the recesses of her mind:

Fire is what you're playing with.