Page 127 of Make Them Cry
“Sunshine,” I say, the word a vow, “I already did.”
FORTY-THREE
RIVER
I’ve never been here before.
The black SUV pulls up to an unmarked building tucked between a defunct warehouse and a construction lot. It looks like nothing from the outside—steel, soot-smudged windows, no sign, no branding. If I didn’t know better, I’d think we were breaking into an old government bunker. But the second we step through the reinforced doors, it’s clear this place is anything but rundown.
A wall of glass stretches the entire length of the entry. Concrete floors shine under industrial pendant lights, and a digital display along the far wall shows a rolling list of active operations with codenames like “Scorpion Watch” and “Falcon Fire.” This isn’t just HQ. This is command central for somethingwaybigger than I imagined.
Gage is right beside me, hand lightly at my back like he’s anchoring me in place. He knows I’m overwhelmed. I haven’t let go of his hand since they got me back.
Arrow leads us down a corridor and waves a keycard over a discreet panel. The doors part silently, revealing a glass-walledconference room that the guys callThe Aquarium. It’s aptly named—everyone inside is visible from every angle. I’m struck by how secure it is…and yet how exposed it feels.
Inside, I’m introduced to Jaxson who is already at the head of the table, broad-shouldered and intense, giving offI could crush you but I won’t if you behaveenergy. His gaze flicks to me for a beat—assessing—but not unkind. He gives a short nod.
Seated beside him are two more men, both cut from the same military-grade cloth: Gunner, lean and sharp-eyed, and Miller, who looks just as fierce. His smile softens when he sees me, but the edge in his expression remains.
And then there’s Rae. Short dark, curly hair. Combat boots. She swivels from her setup at the comms desk, popping a lollipop from her mouth as she grins at me.
“You’re the famous River,” she says, spinning the chair all the way around. “Heard a lot. Glad you’re alive.”
“Thanks,” I manage, voice still hoarse from everything.
“And I’m Rae. Don’t worry—I’m the one that makes sure these knuckleheads don’t break the lawtoobadly.”
A man steps out of the shadows behind her. Long beard, tattoos down one arm, a brooding stare that makes Gage stiffen beside me.
“Riggs,” Rae says casually. “He’s not a people person. But he’s a damn good shot.”
Riggs gives me the smallest of nods.
I take the chair next to Gage. He hasn’t let go of my hand.
Jaxson leans forward, forearms braced on the glass table. “Alright, River. We need to know what you know. Start from the beginning.”
I take a breath. And I tell them everything.
How Helena, the woman I used to have lunch with in the HR lounge, isn’t just part of Cathedral—she’s the one running it. How she kept her hands clean by manipulating people from the shadows, and how she was the one who orchestrated the murders of Benny, Alan, and Ryan.
“She’s planning to pin everything on Gage,” I say, turning to look at him. “That’s why they faked the surveillance footage. She’s going to feed it to the police and media. She has contacts—judges, maybe even someone higher. She’s been building this for a while.”
Jaxson taps his fingers on the table, thinking.
“She was always cold,” I add, “but I never thought… She and Andrew were sleeping together. I think she’s using him to cover up a death.”
Miller’s eyes narrow. “What death?”
“A developer. Shawn Presley. He…died last year. They said it was an accident. But I found some code fragments on my old hard drive. He was digging into something at Cathedral before he died. Helena’s name was in a few commit logs. So was Tasha’s.”
“You still have those files?” Rae asks quickly.
I nod. “They’re encrypted. I didn’t even know I had them until Gage and I started combing through.”
“Send them to Rae,” Jaxson says. “Now.”
I forward the file to the secure address Rae gives me. She’s already typing furiously before the upload is done.
