Page 58 of The Fixer

“Copy,” Daniels replied. “See you at the fallback.”

Jake glanced at Reyna. “Ready?”

She grinned, her grip tightening on her rifle. “Born ready.”

They moved as one, their gunfire cutting through the chaos as they drew the guards’ attention. The sound of shouting and the crack of bullets echoed around them, but Jake’s focus never wavered. Every step was calculated, every shot deliberate.

“Lyndsey,” Jake said through the comms, his voice steady despite the bedlam. “We’re heading to the fallback point. Keep Daniels updated.”

“Be careful,” Lyndsey replied, her voice tight with worry.

“Always,” Jake said, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the danger.

As they reached the facility’s perimeter, an explosion rocked the ground, sending debris flying. Jake shielded his face, his ears ringing as he pushed forward. The escape was messy, the odds stacked against them, but they pressed on, the importance of the op driving them forward.

When they finally reached the fallback point, Jake scanned the area, his breath coming in sharp bursts. Daniels’ team was there, the evidence secured, but there was something Jake felt wasn’t quite right, as if they’d missed something.

“We’ve got what we came for,” Daniels said, his voice grim. “But Lang’s going to come after us hard for this.”

Jake nodded, his jaw tightening. “Let him try.”

Despite their success, Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that the fight was far from over. Lang wasn’t just a step ahead—he was preparing for something bigger. And as the team regrouped, Jake’s resolve hardened. Whatever came next, they would be ready. They didn’t have any choice.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

LYNDSEY

The atmosphere in the Cerberus headquarters war room was tense but crackling with purpose. Jake stood at the head of the table, he scanned the team as they finalized preparations for the next move. Spread across the table were dossiers, encrypted drives, and the decrypted files Lyndsey had painstakingly verified as her stolen research. The room was filled with a feeling that was a mix of anticipation and uncertainty, but Jake felt a faint glimmer of hope—they were finally gaining ground.

Reyna leaned against the wall, her arms crossed as she watched the activity. Daniels sat nearby, his phone resting on the table as he exchanged messages with his people at the FBI. Lyndsey was seated next to Jake, her laptop open and casting a faint blue glow over her face. She’d spent the last few hours crafting the narrative that would accompany the release of her research, balancing transparency with enough ambiguity to shield Cerberus and the FBI’s deeper involvement.

“All right,” Jake said, his voice cutting through the hum of quiet conversation. “We’ve got the files. We’ve got the proof. Now, we just need to make sure it hits the right people.”

Reyna pushed off the wall, her tone dry. “And by ‘right people,’ you mean someone who won’t sell us out the second Lang waves a wad of cash in their face.”

Daniels chuckled, his voice low but amused. “That’s why we’re not going to your typical media outlets. We’ve got a list of trusted contacts who’ve worked with us before. People who value the truth more than their paychecks.”

Lyndsey looked up, her eyes flicking between them. “And you’re sure they’ll handle this the way we need them to? No sensationalism, no risking innocent lives by exposing too much?”

“They’ll handle it,” Jake said firmly. “They’re vetted. Reyna and Daniels will make sure of it.”

Reyna rolled her eyes. “Glad to know you’ve got such faith in us, Jake.”

Jake shot her a wry smile. “You’ve never let me down before. Try not to start now.”

Lyndsey’s lips twitched into a faint smile, despite the stiffness in her shoulders. “What happens after this goes public?”

Jake exchanged a glance with Daniels, whose expression hardened. “Lang won’t have anywhere to hide,” Daniels said. “Public outcry will put pressure on his allies, force them to cut ties or risk exposure themselves. It’ll weaken his position, make him desperate.”

“Desperate means dangerous,” Reyna added, her tone grim. “He’s not the type to go down without a fight.”

Jake’s hand rested lightly on Lyndsey’s shoulder, grounding her. “That’s why we stay vigilant. This isn’t over yet, but this move puts us in a stronger position.”

Lyndsey nodded, “Let’s do it.”

Several hours later, Jake pulled into a favorite Cerberus watering hole that was a cozy dive just outside the city, its dim lighting and worn leather booths offering a sense of inconspicuousness and comfort. They’d talked about going into the club’s lounge, but the club was open for business and Jake, Reyna, and Daniels all wanted a level of anonymity that they wouldn’t be recognized and interrupted. The team spent the better part of the day coordinating with media contacts, and now, with the evidence in trusted hands, they needed to take time to regroup and breathe.

Jake slid into a booth, motioning for Lyndsey to sit beside him. Daniels and Reyna followed, each carrying a freshly poured beer. The waitress took their order—burgers all around—and left them to their conversation.

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