Page 67 of King's Reckoning
His hands gently cupped her face, his expression serious despite his smile. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"Not one," Rowan replied without hesitation. "The alliance matters. The history matters. But this—us—that matters more than anything."
His kiss was gentle, a promise of everything to come. When they finally separated, Rowan rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
"We'll face more challenges," she said quietly. "Blackwood and his corporate clients won't stop just because we countered this attack."
"Let them come," Reed replied, his voice steady with conviction. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together. The way Elena planned, the way you've led, the way we've all committed to."
As darkness settled over the clubhouse, Rowan felt a sense of peace she hadn't expected. They had work ahead—legal battles to fight, history to protect, corporate schemes to counter.
But they would face all of it together. As an alliance. As a family. As partners in every sense that mattered.
Elena's daughter. King's blood. Reed's heart.
The legacy her mother had fought to protect was in good hands.
And the future they would build together looked brighter with each passing day.
Two black SUVs cut through the pre-dawn fog, their headlights dimmed to avoid attention. Rowan studied satellite imagery on her tablet, tracking their progress through industrial backstreets. The vehicles moved with practiced precision—professional drivers following carefully planned routes.
"Target facility ahead," Reed murmured from the driver's seat. His hand brushed hers briefly as he downshifted, the touch sending familiar electricity through her nerves despite their tactical situation. "Security looks heavier than intel suggested."
Rowan nodded, noting multiple armed guards patrolling the warehouse perimeter. Not Satan's Riders members. These men moved with military discipline, their gear marking them as private contractors. The same ones who'd helped Blackwood escape three days ago.
"They're expecting us," she said quietly. "Knew we'd eventually track their new document storage site."
"Good." Reed's smile was predatory. "Means we don't have to worry about maintaining cover stories anymore. Time for some direct action."
Behind them, two more vehicles carried select members of their strike team from King's Chosen and Iron Fists. Three months ago, such cooperation would have been unthinkable. Now it felt natural, necessary.
"Barbara, status on their security systems?" Rowan asked through their encrypted comms.
"Extensive coverage," the professor replied from her mobile command center. "Motion sensors, infrared cameras, automated countermeasures. But..." She paused significantly. "They're using the same security company again. Same protocols we've breached before."
"They never learn," Rowan said with grim satisfaction. She pulled up building schematics on her tablet, overlaying them with thermal imaging data. "Still think they can use Mom's historical documentation against us. Still don't understand what she really built into those land claim reports."
The facility ahead had been carefully chosen—an abandoned corporate research center with specialized equipment already in place. Perfect for continuing Blackwood Industries' work. Perfect for forging new documentation to counter Elena's historical land claims.
Perfect for a trap.
"Multiple heat signatures in the main records room," Barbara reported. "Power consumptionsuggests active document processing operations. They're running some kind of forgery sequence."
"Not for long," Rowan replied. She met Reed's eyes briefly, saw the same determination there. "All teams, execute on my mark. Remember, this isn't about subtlety anymore. We shut them down hard, send a message to anyone else thinking of contesting these land claims."
Affirmative responses came from their strike teams as final positions were established. Rowan felt anticipation build—not nervousness, but the steady focus she'd inherited from both parents. The calm before decisive action.
"You know this is probably another setup," Reed said quietly as they waited for the best time to strike. "Like the last facility. They're testing our responses, documenting our capabilities."
"Let them." Rowan's smile held a dangerous edge. "Because this time, we're not just responding. We're changing the rules entirely."
She activated her secure tablet one final time, implementing protocols she'd spent weeks perfecting. Elena's original documentation had been brilliant. But Rowan figured out how to improve on it. Had found ways to turn apparent vulnerabilities into devastating advantages.
"All teams, execute."
The assault unfolded, strike teams breaching multiple entry points simultaneously while Barbara's cyberattacks overwhelmed automated defenses. Private security contractors found theirsophisticated weapons mysteriously malfunctioning as Rowan's modified security protocols corrupted their communications systems.
"East sector clear," one team reported. "Finding lots of forged documents. Looks like they were trying to create backdated land transfers."
