Chapter 5

I glanced at the clock. It was 1 a.m. Ryan was probably asleep by now.

I quietly booted up my laptop and logged into the encrypted system.

Just like Ryan taught me, I masked my IP address. Then, I dialed that number.

On the other end of the line, a tired woman's voice answered, "Hello?"

My throat tightened. I couldn't say anything.

The woman asked, "Who is this?"

I tapped the receiver twice.

It was our secret game when I was a kid. One tap meant "yes", two taps meant "no".

The line went silent for a moment, and then I heard a sharp gasp. "E-Ellie?"

My tears spilled over in an instant. How did she recognize me?

"This is Victoria Carter." Her voice trembled. "Is it really you, sweetie?"

I tapped the receiver once.

"Oh my..." Victoria sounded like she was crying. "Helen told me you went abroad. I've been searching for you everywhere..."

I tapped the receiver twice in quick succession, cutting her off mid-sentence.

Then, I typed rapidly, letting the computer-generated robotic voice deliver the message. "This line isn't safe. You're being watched. Meet me in three days at 3 p.m., Rare Books Room, Kingston Bay Library. Come alone."

As soon as it finished reading, I hung up, wiped all traces, and shut down my laptop. My palms were slick with sweat.

Ryan's voice came from the doorway. "Still up?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, startled.

Ryan stepped inside, his gaze landing on the photo in my hand. "Victoria?"

I nodded and handed him the photo.

Ryan examined the photo closely. "Where did you get this?"

I typed: [It was in my wallet. Helen put it there.]

He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting."

I typed on my phone: [I reached out to her. We're meeting in three days.]

Ryan's face turned serious. "That's way too risky."

[I have to know the truth.]

"Helen is definitely keeping an eye on her."

[That's why I picked the library. It's crowded, and the Rare Books Room has a back exit.]

Ryan paused, thinking it over. "I need to scout the place ahead of time."

He grabbed another laptop and pulled up the floor plan for Kingston Bay Library.

"Here, here, and here. These spots are blind to the cameras." Ryan pointed out a few locations. "I'll wait for you in the Rare Books Room. If anything feels off, don't hesitate. Head straight for the back door."

I nodded.

Suddenly, Ryan grabbed my hand. "Ellie, this isn't some game."

His gaze was deadly serious. "They already tried to kill you once. If they find out you're still alive, they'll come after you harder than ever."

I met his eyes, nodding slowly and resolutely.

*****

The next day, Ryan pushed the training even harder, like he wanted me ready for anything in one day.

"Hit the temple, and they'll drop instantly." Ryan showed me the move. "Go for the throat, and you could cut off their air and kill them.

"The kidneys are right here. Strike them, and the pain is brutal."

I soaked up every bit of knowledge like a sponge.

In the afternoon, Ryan went out to take care of something. I kept drilling my moves at the safehouse.

When he came back in the evening, his face was grim.

"I dug up something," Ryan said as he booted up his laptop. "Bennett Group has been wiring big money to Helen's personal account every month."

The screen flashed with her bank statements.

"But it's still not enough to pin the attack on them," Ryan said.

I stared at the numbers, and suddenly, something clicked.

[Look into this account.] I pointed at one of the account IDs. [It seems like an offshore account.]

Ryan started typing fast. "How did you know?"

[Lucas once bragged about his offshore company in the Caymania Islands.]

Ryan let out a low whistle. "Good memory."

After a few minutes, Ryan's expression changed. He turned the screen toward me. "Ellie, take a look at this."

The monitor showed a wire transfer—300 grand sent to a security company. The date was the day before I was attacked.

Ryan narrowed his eyes. "This is evidence, but it's still not enough to hold up in court."

My fist tightened.

Ryan asked, "You're still going to meet Victoria tomorrow?"

I nodded firmly.

"Turn in early, then."

For once, Ryan didn't schedule any late-night training.

Early the next morning, Ryan handed me a small box. "Put them on."

Inside were a pair of ear studs that looked completely normal.

"Nano comms," Ryan explained. "I'll be able to hear everything happening around you."

I put them on. They were so tiny that I almost forgot they were there.

"And this." Ryan handed me a lipstick. "It's a stun device, and the button is at the bottom. It's strong enough to take down a grown man."

I tucked it away carefully.