Page 62 of Knot Broken

“Show me what you have,” Adrienne says, voice crisp, straightforward. “And then I’ll tell you what I can do.”

Fox pulls a small thumb drive from his pocket and hands it to her without a word. “Bank statements, purchase records, internal comms, and a full list of high-level personnel involved.”

Adrienne plugs the drive into a secure laptop, her fingers flying over the keyboard as the screen floods with incriminating evidence. Her jaw tightens incrementally as she reads, eyes blazing with fury and determination.

“I’ve suspected something like this,” she says quietly after several tense minutes, finally looking up again. “But I didn’t know how deep it went. You realize the danger you’ve put yourselves in just bringing this to me?”

“We were already in danger,” I respond evenly, watching her closely. “We’re here because it’s time to end it.”

Her gaze sharpens, assessing me with newfound respect. She nods, pulling in a slow breath. “I have a trusted network—other alphas, betas, even a few omegas—in positions to make things move politically and publicly. But this,” she gestures to the screen, “this is dangerous. People will die for this kind of information.”

“People have already died,” Violet speaks up firmly, her voice strong despite the tension in the room. “They’ve been killing us slowly for years. It’s time someone fought back.”

Adrienne looks at Violet, a spark of admiration flaring in her eyes. “Then we fight. Together.”

Fox steps forward slightly. “How soon can you start making moves?”

Adrienne’s mouth quirks into a fierce, determined smile. “Immediately. But we’ll have to move quietly. I assume you’re prepared to do what’s necessary?”

“More than ready,” Jex answers instantly, calm and deadly certain. “We’ll take care of anything on the ground. You get this information to the right people.”

Adrienne nods, the weight of the decision clear in her eyes. “Then consider it done.”

She stands, extending a hand toward Fox first. He shakes it firmly. She moves down the line, meeting Jex’s eyes, then Violet’s, before stopping in front of me. I grasp her hand steadily, recognizing the resolve in her grip.

“You’re doing the right thing,” she says quietly, holding my gaze.

“We’re doing the only thing,” I answer calmly, feeling the certainty of Violet’s presence behind me. “And we’re going to finish it.”

Adrienne smiles briefly, a flash of respect and understanding passing between us.

“Good,” she says softly, releasing my hand. “Because this war’s just getting started.”

Jex

July 15th

9:42 P.M

The oppressive night presses down on us, humidity thickening with the promise of violence. Fox crouches low at my side, eyes locked onto the heavily fortified facility. I can feel his tension, coiled tight like a spring. Beside him, Dare’s presence is a steadying force, cold fury emanating from him like a tangible thing.

Romano’s voice buzzes quietly in my ear over the comms, low and methodical. “Server room’s in the east wing. Alarms are wired through the control room—cut them fast, or expect trouble.”

“Copy,” Fox answers quietly, checking his weapon one last time.

Dare gives a sharp nod, looking back briefly to check on Violet. She’s pressed tight between Fallon and Kingston, her small frame wired with anticipation. Her blue eyes gleam fiercely beneath her dark curls. She catches my gaze, nodding once—resolute, brave, and utterly unafraid.

Kingston speaks calmly from the back of the formation, steady and commanding. “Fallon, Voss—you’re with Violet andme. We’ll cover your extraction point. Fox, Jex, Dare—go in hot, get the intel. Romano and Jace have perimeter control.”

We all acknowledge silently, splitting smoothly into our teams. Fallon squeezes Violet’s shoulder firmly, whispering something encouraging in her ear. Voss shifts restlessly, eyes glinting in anticipation of violence.

Fox moves first, Dare and I flanking him. We cut swiftly through the shadows, heartbeats hammering in steady rhythm. Dare disables the outer cameras with an EMP burst; darkness swallows the compound’s rear perimeter instantly.

We slip through the fence like ghosts, moving quietly, relentlessly toward the looming gray concrete structure. A sudden flash from the right signals that Romano and Jace have engaged perimeter guards silently, dropping them before they can sound any alarm.

Inside is sterile white hallways lit too harshly, a maze of danger and deception. Fox’s fist goes up, signaling silence. We hold position, waiting as footsteps pass, our breathing controlled but sharp.

“Server room ahead,” Fox murmurs. “Romano, guide us.”

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