Sam sat on Leo's couch, her shoulder bandaged, and her mind racing. Tony was gone. She couldn't blame him, but she needed someone to replace him. The mission had just gotten more dangerous, and with the syndicate tightening its grip, there was no room for mistakes.
Kyle and Mike were with her, but they couldn't take on the syndicate alone. They needed more allies, someone with authority, resources, and the willingness to go after the syndicate without fear of retribution.
A name came to mind. **Detective Martinez**. Sam hadn't spoken to him in years, but he was one of the few good cops left—someone she could trust, even if reluctantly.
She grabbed her phone and dialed his number. The phone rang a few times before he picked up.
"Martinez," a gruff voice answered.
"Martinez, it's Sam."
There was a pause at the other end. Sam? It's been a while. What do you need?
"I need your help. It's about the syndicate—the one that's been running the city in the shadows. You remember, right?"
Martinez sighed deeply. I've been hearing rumors. You got involved with them? You always knew how to find trouble."
"Not trouble. Justice. They're behind something much bigger than any of us thought. I've got evidence, Martinez, but I need your help to take them down.
Martinez was silent for a moment, then replied," Alright. But this isn't just a favor, Sam. This is dangerous. I don't even know if I can trust half the people in my department anymore.
"I know," Sam said, her voice lowering. "That's why I'm calling you."
Martinez sighed. Alright, meet me at the old diner on 5th. We'll talk there."
Sam hung up, feeling a wave of relief. Martinez was her best shot at getting the inside scoop on just how far the corruption went. She had to hope this would work.
Leo watched her with concern, shaking his head. Sam, you're really going to keep going after everything these people have done to you? Don't you think it's time to let this go?
Sam gave him a tired smile. It's not about me, Leo. It's the price we pay for justice.
Kyle, sitting nearby, nodded in agreement. Exactly. We can't back down now.
Leo finished bandaging them up, his expression a mix of frustration and worry. Well, you're both patched up, but you're walking right back into danger. You sure you want to do this?
Sam stood up, her resolve unshaken. "Thanks for everything, Leo. You've done more than enough. May the God of justice watch over you.
Kyle added, "Yeah, thanks a lot, sir."
Leo waved them off. Just take care of yourselves, alright? And Sam, at least give yourself time to heal before jumping back into this mess."
Sam didn't respond, only offering him a small, determined smile. Then, she and Kyle headed out the door, ready to face whatever came next.
Later that evening, Sam met Martinez at the diner. The place was mostly empty, a few booths occupied by locals, but no one paid them any attention.
Martinez sat at the back, his eyes scanning the room as Sam slid into the seat across from him.
"Alright," he said, leaning in. "What are we dealing with?"
Sam pulled out a small flash drive from her jacket. "This has everything we know so far. The syndicate is running a dirty job ring, but it goes beyond that. They've got their hands on politics, law enforcement—everywhere."
Martinez raised an eyebrow. "How sure are you?"
"Sure enough, they've tried to kill me more than once," she said, pulling her sleeve up to show the bandage on her shoulder.
Martinez's eyes narrowed. "They're not messing around, are they?"
"No, and it's worse than we thought. The man pulling the strings is someone they call 'The Broker.' He's even higher up than Mr. X or Carter Blake. I need to figure out who he is, and I need your help to do it."
Martinez leaned back in his seat, his expression grim. "You're asking me to go against some of the most powerful people in this city. If they're as deep in as you say, this could cost me everything."
"I know. But if we don't stop them, more people are going to die," Sam said, her voice steady.
Martinez rubbed his chin, considering her words. Finally, he nodded. "Alright. I'll look into it. But you have to promise me one thing."
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"If this goes sideways, you need to walk away. You've already got a target on your back. Don't make it worse."
Sam gave a small nod. "I'll try, but I can't make any promises."
Martinez glanced out the window before returning his gaze to Sam. "Fine. Let's get started. I'll see what I can dig up on this broker."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Mr. X was tightening his grip. Sam's moves hadn't gone unnoticed. He had eyes everywhere, and now he was cutting off her resources—making sure she couldn't get help from the usual channels.
Inside a dark office, Carter Blake stood in front of Mr. X, his face expressionless but tension visible in his posture.
"She's still out there," Mr. X said, his voice low and dangerous. "And she's getting closer."
Blake clenched his jaw. "She's slippery, but I'll take care of it."
"You better," Mr. X said, leaning back in his chair. "Because if you don't, I'll find someone who will. And I'll make sure you're dealt with too."
Blake swallowed hard, knowing there was no room for failure.
A few days later, Martinez called Sam. "Meet me at the courthouse. I think I've got something."
Sam and Kyle arrived at the courthouse, tension in the air as they entered through the back. Martinez met them in the stairwell, motioning for them to follow him.
He led them into the judge's office—an old, dusty room that looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
"What are we doing here?" Kyle asked, eyeing our surroundings.
Martinez walked over to a bookshelf, pulling out a thick legal tome. "I found something hidden in here—something that might just blow this thing wide open."
He opened the book, revealing a hidden compartment inside. There, tucked away, was a ledger filled with names and numbers.
Sam's eyes widened as she skimmed through the entries. "These are payoffs… to judges, politicians, even cops. All of them are on the syndicate's payroll."
Martinez nodded. "It's worse than we thought. This goes all the way to the top."
Before Sam could respond, a noise from the hallway caught her attention. Footsteps—heavy and deliberate—approaching fast.
"Someone's coming," Kyle whispered, his hand instinctively moving to his gun.
Martinez
quickly shoved the ledger into his coat. "We need to get out of here. Now."
They hurried out of the office just as the door creaked open behind them. Sam didn't look back, her heart pounding as they made their way to the exit.