The drive back to the safe house was tense. The men were on high alert, their eyes constantly scanning the road and surrounding areas for any signs of danger. Jade couldn’t help but feel the weight of their situation pressing down on her. Every time she thought they had a plan, Vivienne found a way to derail it.
As they neared the safe house, Milan’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his icy-blue eyes narrowing. “Pull over,” he said abruptly.
“What is it?” Enzo asked as Milan brought the car to a stop on the side of the road.
Milan opened the message, his brows furrowing as he read. “It’s from our contact in law enforcement,” he said slowly. “Vivienne has been caught.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with disbelief. Jade’s eyes widened. “Caught? Are you sure?”
Milan nodded, showing them the message. “They have her in custody. She was caught trying to leave the country.”
Thiago let out a low whistle, a grin breaking across his face. “Well, that’s a turn of events I didn’t see coming.”
Enzo, however, wasn’t smiling. “It’s too convenient,” he said, his tone cautious. “She’s been untouchable for years. Why now? Why would she let herself get caught?”
Jade’s excitement dimmed as Enzo’s words sank in. “Do you think it’s a trap?” she asked, her voice quiet.
“Could be,” Enzo replied. “Or it could be part of her plan. Either way, we can’t assume this is over.”
Milan nodded. “We’ll head back to the safe house, regroup, and get more information. If she’s in custody, we need to make sure she stays there.”
At the safe house, the atmosphere was electric with a mix of relief and suspicion. Milan immediately got on the phone with their contact, trying to confirm the details of Vivienne’s arrest. Thiago busied himself checking the security feeds, while Enzo sat at the table, scrolling through encrypted messages on his laptop.
Jade paced the living room, Luna following at her heels. “If she’s really been caught, does that mean it’s over?” she asked, looking to Enzo for answers.
“Not necessarily,” he said without looking up from his screen. “Vivienne’s always been resourceful. Just because she’s behind bars doesn’t mean her influence ends.”
“But it’s a start,” Thiago chimed in, glancing over his shoulder. “And if she’s in custody, we can use that to our advantage.”
Milan entered the room, his phone still in hand. “It’s confirmed,” he said. “She’s being held in a high-security facility. No visitors, no communication. They’re keeping her isolated.”
Jade let out a shaky breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “So, what now?”
“Now,” Milan said, his tone steady, “we make sure she stays locked away. And we dismantle whatever’s left of her network.”
Just as Milan finished speaking, Enzo’s laptop pinged. He clicked on the notification, his expression darkening. “We’ve got a problem,” he said, his voice sharp. “Someone’s already trying to break her out.”