Page 54 of The Silencer

As I leave Jer's office, his words echo in my mind.I know he's right—getting too close to Clodagh is dangerous.But as I think about her smile, her bravery in the face of everything she's been through, I can't help but wonder if it might already be too late.

My phone buzzes with a text from Maverick:

Meeting tonight.10 p.m.Usual place.

I text back a quick confirmation, my mind already racing with possibilities.Whatever Maverick's found, it must be big for him to call a meeting this late.

As I drive home to get ready for the meeting, I can't shake the feeling that everything is about to change.For better or worse, I don't know.But one thing's for certain—I'll do whatever it takes to keep Clodagh safe, no matter the cost to myself.It’s easier said than done to walk away and I know I can’t.Even when all this is over and done, I'll never be able to fully distance myself from her.I will always want to ensure her safety.

I arrive at the meeting place, an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town, at exactly 10 p.m.Maverick and Jer are already there, along with a few other trusted members of the Gang.

"What's going on?"I ask as I approach.

Maverick's expression is grim."We've got a lead on the mole."

My heart rate picks up."Who is it?"

"We're not sure yet," Jer cuts in."But we've narrowed it down to three possibilities."

He hands me a folder containing dossiers on three of his men.As I flip through them, I feel a growing sense of unease.These are people we've worked with for years, people we've trusted with our lives.

"How do we know it's one of them?"I ask.

"Pattern recognition," Maverick explains."We've been tracking information leaks, cross-referencing them with mission details and personnel assignments.These three were the only ones who knew every detail of information that was leaked."

I nod, absorbing the information."So what's our next move?"

"We need to set a trap," Jer says."Feed each of them different pieces of false information and see which one makes its way back to the Syndicate."

It's a solid plan, but risky.If we're wrong, we could lose valuable time and resources.If we're right...well, dealing with a traitor is never easy.

"Alright," I say."Let's do it.But we need to be careful.If the mole suspects we're onto them, they might try to run...or worse."

Maverick nods in agreement."We'll keep it tight.Only the people in this room know about this operation."

As we start to hash out the details of our plan, my phone buzzes.It's a text from Clodagh.

Clodagh: Can we talk?It's important.

I feel a pang of worry.What could be so urgent?

"Everything okay?"Jer asks, noticing my distraction.

I hesitate for a moment before answering."It's Clodagh.She wants to talk."

Jer's expression hardens."Emmanuel?—"

"I know, I know," I cut him off."Professional distance.But what if something's wrong?"

Maverick steps in."Go.We can handle the planning here.But, Emmanuel, be careful.Remember what we talked about."

I nod, already heading for the door.As I drive to Clodagh's house, my mind races with possibilities.Is she in danger?Has she remembered something about my father's plans?

When I arrive, I find her sitting on the front porch, hugging her knees to her chest.She looks up as I approach, and I can see the worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?"I ask, sitting down beside her.

She takes a deep breath before speaking."I got a letter today.From your father."

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