The bunker was silent except for the echo of Seraphine's voice still vibrating through the intercom. "Your world just flipped—but mine just began."
Samantha felt her stomach twist. She turned to Luke, whose jaw was rigid, eyes locked on the dark speaker like he could see her through it.
"She's bluffing," Bran said, though even he didn't sound convinced. "She's exposed. Every crime she's committed is online right now."
"People like her don't go down because of public shame," Luke said quietly. "She'll come for us, harder than before."
Samantha hugged her arms. "We can't stay underground forever."
"No," Luke said. "But if we don't finish this, she'll never stop. Not with me. And now… not with you either."
Samantha met his gaze. Fear clawed at her, but beneath it was something else resolve. "Then we end it. For good."
Three days later
The world above hadn't quieted. Newsfeeds churned with debates about Revenant's history and Seraphine's shadow network. Supporters called Luke and Bran whistleblowers. Others branded them traitors.
Samantha was caught in the tide too—reporters hounded her for interviews, social media painted her as the mysterious woman at the heart of the scandal.
She tried to ignore the noise, focusing instead on the plans Bran and Luke drew out at the table.
"She's moved her operation," Bran said, pointing at the map. "This compound here—just outside the city. Private airstrip, high fences, armed security. If she escapes by plane, we'll never track her."
Luke leaned over the map. "Then we cut off her exits and take control of the hangar."
Samantha frowned. "And what about her army of mercenaries?"
"That's where you come in," Bran said.
"Me?"
"You're the only one she's underestimated," Bran said. "We'll use that. You'll get in through the media badge she once gave you. You still have it?"
Samantha hesitated. "I kept it. But Luke—this sounds like a suicide mission."
"It's the only chance we'll get," Luke said, his voice soft but unwavering.
She stared at him. "What if we don't make it out?"
He reached for her hand. "Then at least we'll face it together."
The night of the operation
The compound loomed like a fortress in the darkness, its perimeter lined with motion-sensor lights. Samantha wore black from head to toe, the media badge clipped to her jacket.
Luke adjusted her earpiece. "If anyone questions you, just say you're here for an exclusive follow-up interview. Vlaar still likes publicity. She'll want to hear you out."
Bran checked his watch. "We breach in ten minutes. Sam, you'll buy us enough time to slip past security and lock the airstrip controls."
Samantha nodded, though her throat was tight.
"You don't have to do this," Luke whispered.
"Yes, I do," she said. "Because I'm tired of being hunted."
The first gate scanned her badge without question. Samantha's heart raced as she stepped through the compound entrance, flanked by two security guards.
Inside, the atmosphere was colder than she expected. Dozens of armed men moved like clockwork, and at the center, under a ring of fluorescent lights, stood Seraphine Vlaar.
She was taller than Samantha imagined, with platinum hair slicked back and sharp features that could cut glass.
"Well," Seraphine said, her voice honeyed but dangerous. "The journalist returns. I wondered how long you'd hide underground."
Samantha forced a steady smile. "I came for your side of the story."
Seraphine's lips curved. "Oh, I think you already know my story. But I'll tell you anyway—because the ending is about to be magnificent."
She stepped closer, studying Samantha like a predator. "Do you really think Luke can save you? That's what he told me once, before he betrayed me."
Samantha's heart pounded. "Luke didn't betray you. He stopped you from hurting innocent people."
"Innocent?" Seraphine laughed coldly. "Do you know how many lives were destroyed when Revenant dismantled my network? You think you're on the side of good, but Luke and his friends created this monster when they tried to erase me."
Outside
Luke and Bran slipped through the shadows, neutralizing guards quietly as they made their way to the control tower.
"Two minutes," Bran whispered.
Luke's hand was on the airstrip's lock controls when a voice came over their comms.
"Luke," Samantha said, her voice low, "she's on to me. You need to hurry."
Luke cursed under his breath. "Hold on, Sam. We're coming."
Back inside the compound
Seraphine circled Samantha slowly. "I admired you, you know. That fire in your articles. The way you made people care. It's a shame you chose the wrong side."
She gestured to her men. "Take her to the hangar. Luke will come for her, and when he does…"
Before she could finish, an explosion rocked the compound. The lights flickered. Alarms blared.
Seraphine's expression darkened. "He's already here."
The firefight
Luke and Bran stormed into the compound as chaos erupted. Guards opened fire, but Bran's sharpshooting kept them pinned down while Luke cut through the barricade.
Samantha was shoved toward the hangar, her wrists bound. She stumbled, scanning for any sign of Luke.
Then she heard his voice.
"Sam!"
She turned just as Luke tackled one of Seraphine's men. She ran toward him, only to be yanked back by another guard.
"Let her go!" Luke shouted, gun raised.
The guard pressed a blade to Samantha's throat. "Drop it!"
Luke froze.
"Do it!" Samantha cried.
But before Luke could move, Bran appeared behind the guard, knocking him unconscious with a swift blow.
Samantha collapsed into Luke's arms, breathless. "I thought…"
"Not yet," he said, pulling her close. "I'm not losing you."
The final confrontation
They reached the hangar just as Seraphine boarded a waiting jet.
"Stop her!" Bran shouted.
Luke sprinted across the tarmac, Samantha close behind. He climbed the stairs to the jet, confronting Seraphine at the doorway.
"You're finished," he said.
She laughed softly. "You still think this ends with me in handcuffs? My network lives beyond me. Cut off one head, two more will rise."
Luke's jaw tightened. "Then we'll cut them all."
Seraphine stepped back. "You can't kill me, Luke. You're too noble for that."
But before she could finish, Samantha appeared behind Luke, holding a flash drive.
"This has everything," Samantha said. "Names. Accounts. Your entire operation."
Seraphine's eyes narrowed. "If you release that…"
"We already did," Samantha said.
Seraphine's mask cracked.
Luke stepped forward. "It's over, Seraphine."
For the first time, she looked uncertain. But then her lips curled. "No. It's just beginning."
She pressed a button on a small remote.
Alarms blared. The plane's fuel tanks began to ignite.
"Run!" Luke grabbed Samantha's hand as the first explosion ripped through the hangar.
Bran was waiting near the exit, shouting for them to hurry.
They sprinted across the tarmac as fire swallowed the jet. The blast knocked them off their feet, heat searing their backs.
Luke rolled over, shielding Samantha with his body as debris rained down.
When the smoke cleared, Seraphine was gone.
Back at the bunker hours later, they watched the news coverage of the explosion. No bodies recovered. No confirmation.
Samantha sat on the edge of the bed, head in her hands. "She's out there."
Luke knelt in front of her, lifting her chin. "We'll find her. Together."
She touched his face gently. "What if she comes for us again?"
"Then we fight," he said. "But for now… we live."
Samantha leaned into his embrace, letting herself breathe for the first time in days.
But even as she did, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that Seraphine was closer than they realized.
Across the city
A woman slipped through the shadows of a crowded marketplace, a scarf pulled over her platinum hair.
She checked her phone, smirking as a notification flashed:
"Funds transferred. Phase Two initiated."
Seraphine Vlaar disappeared into the crowd.The bunker was silent except for the echo of Seraphine's voice still vibrating through the intercom. "Your world just flipped—but mine just began."
Samantha felt her stomach twist. She turned to Luke, whose jaw was rigid, eyes locked on the dark speaker like he could see her through it.
"She's bluffing," Bran said, though even he didn't sound convinced. "She's exposed. Every crime she's committed is online right now."
"People like her don't go down because of public shame," Luke said quietly. "She'll come for us, harder than before."
Samantha hugged her arms. "We can't stay underground forever."
"No," Luke said. "But if we don't finish this, she'll never stop. Not with me. And now… not with you either."
Samantha met his gaze. Fear clawed at her, but beneath it was something else resolve. "Then we end it. For good."
Three days later
The world above hadn't quieted. Newsfeeds churned with debates about Revenant's history and Seraphine's shadow network. Supporters called Luke and Bran whistleblowers. Others branded them traitors.
Samantha was caught in the tide too—reporters hounded her for interviews, social media painted her as the mysterious woman at the heart of the scandal.
She tried to ignore the noise, focusing instead on the plans Bran and Luke drew out at the table.
"She's moved her operation," Bran said, pointing at the map. "This compound here—just outside the city. Private airstrip, high fences, armed security. If she escapes by plane, we'll never track her."
Luke leaned over the map. "Then we cut off her exits and take control of the hangar."
Samantha frowned. "And what about her army of mercenaries?"
"That's where you come in," Bran said.
"Me?"
"You're the only one she's underestimated," Bran said. "We'll use that. You'll get in through the media badge she once gave you. You still have it?"
Samantha hesitated. "I kept it. But Luke—this sounds like a suicide mission."
"It's the only chance we'll get," Luke said, his voice soft but unwavering.
She stared at him. "What if we don't make it out?"
He reached for her hand. "Then at least we'll face it together."
The night of the operation
The compound loomed like a fortress in the darkness, its perimeter lined with motion-sensor lights. Samantha wore black from head to toe, the media badge clipped to her jacket.
Luke adjusted her earpiece. "If anyone questions you, just say you're here for an exclusive follow-up interview. Vlaar still likes publicity. She'll want to hear you out."
Bran checked his watch. "We breach in ten minutes. Sam, you'll buy us enough time to slip past security and lock the airstrip controls."
Samantha nodded, though her throat was tight.
"You don't have to do this," Luke whispered.
"Yes, I do," she said. "Because I'm tired of being hunted."
The first gate scanned her badge without question. Samantha's heart raced as she stepped through the compound entrance, flanked by two security guards.
Inside, the atmosphere was colder than she expected. Dozens of armed men moved like clockwork, and at the center, under a ring of fluorescent lights, stood Seraphine Vlaar.
She was taller than Samantha imagined, with platinum hair slicked back and sharp features that could cut glass.
"Well," Seraphine said, her voice honeyed but dangerous. "The journalist returns. I wondered how long you'd hide underground."
Samantha forced a steady smile. "I came for your side of the story."
Seraphine's lips curved. "Oh, I think you already know my story. But I'll tell you anyway—because the ending is about to be magnificent."
She stepped closer, studying Samantha like a predator. "Do you really think Luke can save you? That's what he told me once, before he betrayed me."
Samantha's heart pounded. "Luke didn't betray you. He stopped you from hurting innocent people."
"Innocent?" Seraphine laughed coldly. "Do you know how many lives were destroyed when Revenant dismantled my network? You think you're on the side of good, but Luke and his friends created this monster when they tried to erase me."
Outside
Luke and Bran slipped through the shadows, neutralizing guards quietly as they made their way to the control tower.
"Two minutes," Bran whispered.
Luke's hand was on the airstrip's lock controls when a voice came over their comms.
"Luke," Samantha said, her voice low, "she's on to me. You need to hurry."
Luke cursed under his breath. "Hold on, Sam. We're coming."
Back inside the compound
Seraphine circled Samantha slowly. "I admired you, you know. That fire in your articles. The way you made people care. It's a shame you chose the wrong side."
She gestured to her men. "Take her to the hangar. Luke will come for her, and when he does…"
Before she could finish, an explosion rocked the compound. The lights flickered. Alarms blared.
Seraphine's expression darkened. "He's already here."
The firefight
Luke and Bran stormed into the compound as chaos erupted. Guards opened fire, but Bran's sharpshooting kept them pinned down while Luke cut through the barricade.
Samantha was shoved toward the hangar, her wrists bound. She stumbled, scanning for any sign of Luke.
Then she heard his voice.
"Sam!"
She turned just as Luke tackled one of Seraphine's men. She ran toward him, only to be yanked back by another guard.
"Let her go!" Luke shouted, gun raised.
The guard pressed a blade to Samantha's throat. "Drop it!"
Luke froze.
"Do it!" Samantha cried.
But before Luke could move, Bran appeared behind the guard, knocking him unconscious with a swift blow.
Samantha collapsed into Luke's arms, breathless. "I thought…"
"Not yet," he said, pulling her close. "I'm not losing you."
The final confrontation
They reached the hangar just as Seraphine boarded a waiting jet.
"Stop her!" Bran shouted.
Luke sprinted across the tarmac, Samantha close behind. He climbed the stairs to the jet, confronting Seraphine at the doorway.
"You're finished," he said.
She laughed softly. "You still think this ends with me in handcuffs? My network lives beyond me. Cut off one head, two more will rise."
Luke's jaw tightened. "Then we'll cut them all."
Seraphine stepped back. "You can't kill me, Luke. You're too noble for that."
But before she could finish, Samantha appeared behind Luke, holding a flash drive.
"This has everything," Samantha said. "Names. Accounts. Your entire operation."
Seraphine's eyes narrowed. "If you release that…"
"We already did," Samantha said.
Seraphine's mask cracked.
Luke stepped forward. "It's over, Seraphine."
For the first time, she looked uncertain. But then her lips curled. "No. It's just beginning."
She pressed a button on a small remote.
Alarms blared. The plane's fuel tanks began to ignite.
"Run!" Luke grabbed Samantha's hand as the first explosion ripped through the hangar.
Bran was waiting near the exit, shouting for them to hurry.
They sprinted across the tarmac as fire swallowed the jet. The blast knocked them off their feet, heat searing their backs.
Luke rolled over, shielding Samantha with his body as debris rained down.
When the smoke cleared, Seraphine was gone.
Back at the bunker hours later, they watched the news coverage of the explosion. No bodies recovered. No confirmation.
Samantha sat on the edge of the bed, head in her hands. "She's out there."
Luke knelt in front of her, lifting her chin. "We'll find her. Together."
She touched his face gently. "What if she comes for us again?"
"Then we fight," he said. "But for now… we live."
Samantha leaned into his embrace, letting herself breathe for the first time in days.
But even as she did, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that Seraphine was closer than they realized.
Across the city
A woman slipped through the shadows of a crowded marketplace, a scarf pulled over her platinum hair.
She checked her phone, smirking as a notification flashed:
"Funds transferred. Phase Two initiated."
Seraphine Vlaar disappeared into the crowd.