Page 51 of When 're Silent

That did it. Victor’s controlledexterior shattered like glass under a hammer’s weight. With a guttural cry, helunged at Finn, the hidden blade in his hand glinting briefly as it caught thefaint light from the stairwell.

Adrenaline surged through Finn’sveins, a primal response that had nothing to do with thought and everything todo with survival. Finn sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the cold blade thatwhispered death. The close call sent shivers up his spine, the kind that warnedof how close he had come to a permanent end.

“Amelia!” Finn shouted, his voiceechoing off the walls. In the periphery of his vision, Finn saw her spring intoaction, her own training kicking in with seamless precision.

Victor’s eyes blazed with a fervorthat bordered on madness as he turned and lunged at Finn, the blade flashingdangerously in the dim light of the lighthouse. With a swift sidestep, Finnthought he had narrowly avoided the lethal arc of the weapon again, but then hefelt a searing pain erupt in his side as Victor’s strike had opened a wound inhim. He was losing blood. Fast.

Amelia’s scream pierced the tenseair as she lunged towards Victor, her strikes filled with a fiercedetermination. But Victor, fueled by his twisted mission, overpowered her witha brutal efficiency that sent shock waves through Finn. She wouldn’t hold outlong under those fierce punches.

As Finn felt his strength wane anddarkness encroach on his vision, a primal instinct surged within him. Ignoringthe searing agony in his side, he mustered every ounce of willpower and pushedhimself upright. With a guttural roar, he launched himself at Victor, theirbodies colliding with a violent force that shattered through the nearestwindow.

The world outside rushed past themin a blur of motion as they plummeted towards the unforgiving rocks below. In adesperate bid to save Amelia and end this deadly dance, Finn grappled withVictor even as gravity pulled them inexorably downwards.

With one final push, Finn managedto seize hold of the crumbling edge while Victor slipped from his grasp,hurtling down into the abyss below. As Finn dangled precariously above thechurning sea, consciousness slipping away like sand through his fingers, heheard frantic voices calling out to him.

Through a haze of pain and fadingawareness, Finn felt strong, faithful pulling him up to safety. The faces ofAmelia and Sarah swam into view, their expressions etched with relief andconcern.

“Finn…” Amelia said.

Weakly managing a smile throughgritted teeth, Finn said: “Looks like Victor exited stage left.”

Amelia smiled. “I’m smiling becauseI’ve stopped the bleeding, not because of the joke.”

“Don’t lie,” Finn said.

Amelia smiled and kissed him on theforehead. “Let’s get you an ambulance.”

EPILOGUE

The pale morning light filteredthrough the high windows of Hertfordshire Constabulary headquarters, casting aserene glow over the bustling office space. Finn Wright stood slightly alooffrom the crowd, a mug of steaming coffee in hand, his gaze lingering on thelively throng of detectives exchanging hushed stories of last week’s take downAmelia was beside him, her sharp green eyes catching every detail around them,despite the casual tilt of her head as she listened to the muted celebrations.

“Never thought I’d see the day whena librarian would out fight Finn,” Amelia quipped, nudging Finn on the arm withan elbow that held years of shared toils and triumphs. Her smile, oftenreserved, now played freely on her lips.

“It’s because I have overduebooks,” Finn said. “I’d have rather put him in cuffs, though.”

“He won’t hurt anyone else now,”Amelia said.

Their banter was cut short as RobCollins approached, his posture relaxed yet carrying the authority befittinghis role. His eyes met Finn’s with an unspoken camaraderie that only oldcollege mates could share, while he addressed Amelia with the respectful noddue to a trusted colleague.

“Good work, both of you,” Rob said,his voice carrying a genuine warmth that filled the space between the words.“The Home Office is singing your praises. Commendations are in order forsolving the case and apprehending Hastings. Even the King apparently will senda letter of thanks.”

“Thank you, Chief,” Ameliaresponded, her tone serious once more, though her eyes still reflected theembers of their earlier humor.

Finn stood in the midst of a gentlebuzz that filled the Hertfordshire Constabulary headquarters, his gaze sweepingover the familiar terrain of desks cluttered with files and walls adorned withmaps and whiteboards scrawled with case details. Morning sunlight filteredthrough the windows, dust motes dancing in the beams like tiny specters of thenight’s chaos now put to rest.

He leaned against a desk, armsfolded, a small smile playing on his lips as he observed this world that hadonce seemed so foreign. Underneath the hum of conversation and the clatter ofkeyboards, there was an undercurrent of camaraderie, of shared purpose. It wasa far cry from the cold scrutiny he’d once endured in the sterile halls of theFBI.

His eyes caught a fleetingreflection in the glass—a man with haunted eyes and a resolute jaw. Finn barelyrecognized himself; he was no longer just the outcast agent grappling withshadows of suspicion. Here, he was Detective Wright, cloaked in the respect andtrust he’d earned from his peers.

Yet, despite the lightness in theair, he couldn’t shake off the sense of unfinished business that gnawed at him.Max Vilne, the man who was more phantom than flesh, still eluded their grasp.He was a name whispered in dark corners, a ghost story for criminals, alwaysone step ahead. And there was the looming court date back in the States, aspecter of Finn’s past that still demanded a reckoning.

“Lost in thought?”

The voice, tinged with warmth and ahint of mischief, drew Finn from his reverie. Amelia stood before him, herusual stoicism softened by a glow of pride. Her presence was a grounding force,an anchor in the tumultuous sea that was his life these days.

“Sometimes I wonder if you everstop working, even in your head,” she continued, the slight tilt of her headinviting him into a reprieve from the weight that burdened his thoughts.

“Old habits,” Finn replied with awry smile, recognizing the truth in her words. He noticed the way her eyescrinkled when she smiled, another reason to love her. He’d add it to the list.

---