Revelation

Location: Safe House, Midnight

The room was in darkness, save for the flickering light of a table lamp. Ethan knelt beside Maria, who lay on the couch, her face pale but determined. He pressed a cold compress to her forehead. 

"Maria, I need you to think. Are you absolutely sure it was Thomas Whitaker?" Ethan asked, his voice low but urgent.

She winced as she shifted, her injuries a grim reminder of her captivity. "Yes," she whispered. "I recognized his voice. He's not just some businessman, Ethan. He's tied to Mayor Calloway.and probably to your case." 

Ethan's jaw went taut. "Whitaker funds Calloway's campaigns. If he's involved, this isn't about merely covering tracks anymore.but also about power and control.

Maria's eyes darkened. "It's more than that. Before they caught me, I overheard them. Whitaker isn't in charge. Someone else is pulling the strings." 

Ethan leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "This goes higher than we thought. We're not just fighting one man; we're up against a system." 

Location: Ethan's Apartment, Early Morning

Derrick paced the room, crossing his arms. "So, what's the plan? We've got names and connections, but no solid proof. We need something to make this stick." 

Ethan sat at the table, pouring over the stolen documents. "Whitaker owns properties around the original crime scene. If there's evidence, it's there." 

"You mean you want to break in again?" Derrick said in a sarcastically challenging tone.

"Not want to. Have to," Ethan replied firmly. "If we don't, they'll keep coming for us—and Maria's son." 

Maria, who'd been quietly watching, rose to her feet. "Then let's stop wasting time." 

Ethan shook his head. "No. You're staying here. They've already targeted you once. I won't risk it again."

Maria glared at him. "I'm not some damsel in distress, Ethan. This is my fight, too." 

"It's not up for debate," Ethan shot back. "Derrick, stay here and keep her safe." 

Maria clenched her fists but didn't argue further. Ethan didn't notice the resolve hardening in her eyes. 

Location: Whitaker's Mansion, Midnight

Ethan crouched behind a hedge, watching the mansion's guards patrol the grounds. A single light burned in Whitaker's office window. 

Ethan staggered into the safe house, his face pale, clutching a folder tightly to his chest. He slammed the door shut, his breath coming in ragged gasps. 

Maria jumped to her feet. "Ethan! What happened?"

Whitaker's guards," he panted, collapsing into a chair. "I barely made it out. But it was worth it-I got what we need." 

Derrick was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. "Let's see it, then." 

Ethan dropped the folder on the table, spilling photos and documents across it. Maria snatched them up, her eyes running over the contents.

This. this is it," she whispered, trembling. "These papers show that Whitaker and Calloway are connected to the crime scene. A property transfer that they have signed the same night the murder was committed-this would connect the dot and bring about an exposure to them both." 

Ethan nodded grimly. "It's a start, but on their own, they aren't enough. They'll push back, and we need to know just where and when.

Before anyone could reply, Maria's phone buzzed. The sound cut through the room like a knife. She reached for it, her trembling hand unlocking the screen. 

Her breath caught. "Oh my God." 

Ethan shot up from his chair. "What is it?

Maria turned the phone toward him, her face ashen. On the screen was a photo of her son, peacefully asleep in his bed. Below it was a chilling message: *"We warned you. Stop, or he's next."* 

Derrick straightened, his voice sharp. "They know where your kid is?" 

Maria's voice was barely a whisper. "They know where he is…"

Ethan firmed his fists, in a whirlwind of thought. "We have to move him. Now." 

Maria shook her head. "They've already found him once. Where am I supposed to take him where they won't follow?" 

Ethan laid a steadying hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out. But right now, we can't afford to be scared off by them. That's what they want.

They have threatened my son Ethan!" Maria snapped, her voice suddenly broken. "What if they harm him?"

 Ethan hunched down to his knees so their eyes could meet. "I promise you, we aren't going to let them touch you, any of you. But again, if we stop at this point, then everything has become naught. They will win, and that's mean hurting still so many people."

 Tears brimming, Maria nodded reluctantly. "Fine, but promise me, he will be safe.

Derrick spoke up. "We'll protect him. All of us. But we need to keep pushing. This isn't just about us anymore." 

Ethan stood, determination hardening his features. "We'll take them down, Maria. All of them. But first, we make sure your son is untouchable.

The room was silent, the weight of their decision heavy in the air. Ethan glanced at the files on the table, then back at Maria's phone. Their enemies were closing in, but so was the truth. 

And Ethan wasn't about to let them win.

With a deep breath, he slipped through a gap in the fence and approached the building. The lock on the office window was easy to pick, and within seconds, he was inside. 

The office was a testament to wealth and power, but Ethan ignored the trappings and headed straight for the filing cabinet.

His heart was racing as he flipped through folders until he found one marked *Confidential – Land Acquisitions*. He pulled out documents inside that linked Whitaker and Calloway to the original crime scene. 

"Gotcha," he muttered snapping photos with his phone. 

Just as he turned to leave, a shadow moved outside the window. Ethan froze. 

"Hey! Who's in there?" a guard shouted.

Ethan sprinted for the door, but the guard was quick, bursting into the office. 

"Stop!" 

Ethan snatched a heavy paperweight and flung it at the guard, sending him off balance. He sprinted out of the office and down the hall, barely avoiding the reinforcements running toward the commotion. 

Location: Safe House, Early Morning

Ethan staggered into the safe house, his face pale, clutching a folder tightly to his chest. He slammed the door shut, his breath coming in ragged gasps. 

Maria jumped to her feet. "Ethan! What happened?" 

"Whitaker's guards," he panted, slumping into a chair. "I barely made it out. But it was worth it—I got what we need."

Derrick leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Let's see it, then." 

Ethan dropped the folder on the table, scattering photos and documents. Maria quickly picked them up, her eyes darting over the contents.

This. this is it," she muttered, her voice trembling. "These papers connect Whitaker and Calloway to the crime scene. There's a property transfer signed the same night as the murder. This could expose them both." 

Ethan nodded grimly. "It's a beginning, but that alone will not be enough. They will fight with all their might. We have to be prepared for that.

Before anyone could say a word, Maria's phone buzzed. It cut through the room like a knife. She reached for it, her hand shaking slightly as she unlocked the screen. 

Her breath hitched. "Oh my God." 

Ethan shot up from his chair. "What is it?

Maria turned the phone toward him; her face had gone white. There was an image on the screen of her son, sleeping serenely in his bed. Beneath it, a sobering message: *"We warned you. Stop, or he's next."* 

Derrick went upright, his voice keen. "They know where your kid is?" 

Maria merely whispered, "They know where he is…"

Ethan clenched his fists. His mind was racing. "We need to move him. Now." 

Maria shook her head. Panic rose in her voice. "They've already found him once. Where can I take him that they won't follow?" 

Ethan placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out. But right now, we can't let them scare us into stopping. That's what they want."

"They've threatened my son, Ethan!" Maria snapped, her voice breaking. "What if they hurt him?" 

Ethan crouched down to meet her eyes. "I swear to you, we won't let that happen. But if we back off now, everything we've done will be for nothing. They'll win, and they'll keep hurting people." 

Tears welled up in Maria's eyes, but she nodded reluctantly. "Okay. But promise me—he'll be safe."

Derrick spoke up. "We'll protect him. All of us. But we need to keep pushing. This isn't just about us anymore." 

Ethan stood, determination hardening his features. "We'll take them down, Maria. All of them. But first, we make sure your son is untouchable.