Chapter 24: Shattered Allegiances

 James led Sophia through the industrial district, his steps echoing against the cold metal walls of an abandoned warehouse. They were following leads left by Anna's associates, each breadcrumb pointing back to one mysterious name: *Andrew Morrison*.

Sophia's breath hitched as they stumbled across a hidden stack of documents. The papers, though worn and smudged, detailed transfers of money, connections between Syndicate members, and… Andrew's name, circled in red. But it was the phrase scrawled across the page that chilled her: *Framed and Disposed.*

James's eyes darkened as he read the lines. "They used him, Sophia. Used him to shield themselves, and then handed him over to take the fall."

Sophia clutched the paper, her voice barely a whisper. "Then they… kidnapped him?"

James nodded grimly. "Exactly. They wanted Andrew to disappear, to cover their tracks, and to keep him from revealing what he knew."

The discovery added a new urgency to their mission.

James's jaw clenched as he scanned through more pages, piecing together a timeline. "This wasn't just about making Andrew disappear—it was about erasing his connection to anyone who could expose them. They framed him as a traitor to the Syndicate before they even took him."

Sophia glanced over his shoulder at the scribbled notations, each one darker than the last. "So they're using Andrew as a scapegoat to cover something… bigger?"

"Exactly," James replied, his voice cold. "If Andrew was getting close to exposing them, this was their solution: pin him with fabricated evidence, cut him off from any support, and eliminate him quietly. It's a Syndicate classic."

The weight of the revelation hung heavy between them. Sophia could feel a tension coiling tighter within her with every step further into this twisted web. The Syndicate's methods were brutal, yet meticulous. James had taught her that, but seeing it firsthand with Andrew's betrayal struck closer than she'd anticipated.

"We need to find where they're keeping him," Sophia said firmly. "If he's still alive, he might know more about Antonio and the Syndicate's next moves."

James nodded, already dialing a contact he knew could get information from deep within Syndicate circles. After a brief conversation in low, cryptic exchanges, he hung up and looked at her with a glint of determination. "They have him hidden, likely somewhere guarded and out of reach for anyone on the outside. But," he added, "if they believe he's 'disposed of,' we may have a sliver of an advantage."

Sophia met his gaze, her own resolve burning. "Then let's take that advantage. If they think he's been silenced, they'll be sloppy."

James's mouth curved into a smile, fierce and predatory. "Exactly. We'll hit them where it hurts—quietly and fast. But first," he said, slipping the documents back into his coat, "we need to decode these files. If we can follow the money, we'll find where they've moved him."

Sophia nodded. "Back to the safe house?"

"No," James replied, already pulling her towards the exit. "We'll go somewhere even Antonio's people won't think to look."