15 Truth in the Fire

Gabriel stood in the silence of the darkened room, the screen still warm from the message. Aria was beside him, but for a moment, she felt miles away. His father's words echoed in his head like thunder.

"What comes next… will burn."

Gabriel turned away from the screen, jaw clenched, hands trembling slightly. Aria reached for him, touching his arm gently.

"Gabriel?" she whispered.

He didn't answer at first. Then, finally, he exhaled. "He's alive. And he's… proud of what he's doing."

"I saw it," Aria said softly. "He didn't even flinch when he looked into that camera. It's like… he's not your father anymore."

Gabriel nodded slowly. "Or maybe he never was who I thought."

Before she could reply, Emily burst into the room, breathless and holding her tablet. Her hair was messy, face pale.

"We have a problem," she said.

Gabriel didn't look away from the blank screen. "We already have a dozen."

"No," Emily said, walking closer. "This is bigger. I ran facial recognition on the man in the alley. Your father, yes. But next to him, there was another face I recognized. Someone tied to the black market tech deal last year in Zurich. Someone believed to be dead."

Gabriel turned to face her. "Who?"

Emily showed him the screen.

A man in sunglasses, broad shoulders, scar across his cheek.

Gabriel's heart sank. "No… not Benson."

Aria's brows furrowed. "Who's Benson?"

Gabriel turned away again. "He was my father's right-hand man years ago. A ghost in the system. No photo, no identity—just whispers. Last I heard, he died in a plane explosion."

Emily's voice dropped. "That plane explosion… was the one your father was supposedly in too."

Silence.

Then Gabriel laughed bitterly. "So they faked it together."

"Exactly," Emily nodded. "Which means whatever they're building—it's years in the making. And we're late to the war."

Aria crossed her arms. "We need to move. Now."

Gabriel looked at her, his resolve returning. "You're right. No more waiting. We end this."

---

Hours Later – Safehouse South, NYC

The trio set up their base in an abandoned subway station Gabriel had secretly refurbished years ago. The walls were lined with tech, maps, weapons, and files—all glowing under cold blue lights.

Gabriel stood before the whiteboard, scrawling connections between names, deals, shell companies. His father was at the center.

"We need to strike at their core," Gabriel said. "Not just expose them. Collapse their entire empire."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "We don't even know how deep this goes."

"Then we dig deeper," Aria replied firmly. "Luca. Benson. Gabriel's father—they're all working together. And they're scared of something."

Gabriel stared at the center of the board, his father's face. "They're scared we're close."

---

Flashback – Years Ago

Gabriel remembered being sixteen, in his father's study, staring at the locked drawer his dad always kept hidden.

"Some truths," his father once said, "are more dangerous than lies."

Back then, Gabriel thought it was about business.

Now, he knew it was about power.

---

Back to Present

Emily hacked into the last recovered drive. Her screen lit up with schematics—buildings, networks, encrypted files.

Then one opened.

A blueprint.

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "That's our company's headquarters…"

Aria stood behind him. "Wait. What's that room?"

Emily zoomed in.

"Level -4," she said. "Underground vault. Sealed. No access even to board members."

Gabriel leaned in. "Then we break in."

---

Later That Night – Inside the Headquarters

With forged security passes and timing, they bypassed most sensors.

Inside the cold underground hallways, the hum of electricity filled the air.

They reached the vault.

"Here," Emily whispered. "I'll disable the lock."

But as she started typing, the screen turned red.

ACCESS DENIED.

Then—

A voice crackled through the speakers.

"Hello, son."

Gabriel's eyes widened.

His father.

"You've come far," the voice said. "But you've only scratched the surface."

Aria looked around. "He's watching us."

Gabriel clenched his fists. "Show yourself!"

A chuckle. "Not yet. But if you're brave… come to the island. You know which one."

The screen went black.

Gabriel took a step back. "The island…"

Emily looked confused. "What island?"

Gabriel's voice dropped. "Our private estate. The one I haven't stepped foot in since my father's 'death.' It's where he trained me."

Aria looked at him. "And now he's luring you back."

Gabriel nodded. "Then I say we walk into the lion's den—and set it on fire."

---

Three Days Later – The Island

A storm raged as their boat arrived. Thunder cracked above.

The estate loomed ahead like a monster from the past—tall, dark, and alive.

Inside, the rooms were untouched. Like a museum of Gabriel's lost life.

Photos on the walls. His childhood books. A broken watch on the desk.

Then a sound.

Footsteps.

Gabriel turned.

Benson stood in the doorway, alive and as brutal as ever.

"Well, well," he said. "The prodigal son returns."

Gabriel stepped forward. "Where is he?"

Benson smiled. "He's waiting."

Then without warning, Benson lunged.

A fight broke out—fists, kicks, shattered furniture.

Gabriel held his ground.

But Benson was fast. Ruthless.

Just when Benson grabbed a metal rod, ready to strike—

Aria fired a warning shot.

"Step away from him," she said coldly.

Benson dropped the rod and smiled. "Still have your protector, I see."

Gabriel grabbed Aria's hand. "Let's finish this."

They ran deeper into the estate.

Until they reached the final room.

The door creaked open.

There, seated calmly in a chair, was his father.

Grey hair. Sharp eyes.

No regret.

"Welcome home," he said.

Gabriel didn't speak.

His father continued, "I built everything for you, Gabriel. Everything. And you threw it away."

"You faked your death," Gabriel said, voice hard. "You built a network of lies, of killers—"

"Of power," his father interrupted. "Power you'll never understand. You could've ruled. But you walked away."

Aria stepped forward. "And you made sure Luca would follow your path."

His father smirked. "Luca was always desperate to prove himself. Easy to control."

Gabriel took a deep breath. "Then you won't mind if I burn it all down."

His father stood. "Try. But remember—blood never washes off. And fire… always spreads."

--.

Suddenly, the walls shook.

Emily's voice screamed through Gabriel's earpiece.

"Gabriel! Get out! They planted charges under the estate!"

Too late.

An explosion rocked the floor.

Gabriel grabbed Aria, shielding her.

As the ceiling collapsed, dust filled the air.

And the world turned dark.