The adrenaline coursed through her veins as they slipped into the night, the weight of what they had just uncovered settling in.
As they reached the car, Martinez glanced over his shoulder. "Let's get this back to a safe place before anyone else catches on."
Sam nodded, trying to calm the storm raging in her chest. There was no time to waste. They had just pulled back the curtain on something much bigger than they had imagined, and now the clock was ticking.
Sam could still feel the weight of the ledger in her mind as she sat in her apartment, the events of the last few hours replaying over and over. The names, the payoffs, the corruption—it was all there, in black and white. But the real question now was, how far did this go? And how much more was she missing?
Her phone buzzed on the table, pulling her out of her thoughts. She picked it up and saw a message from Martinez:
We need to talk. Something's come up. Meet me at the usual spot.
Sam tossed the phone aside and sighed. Another piece of the puzzle, maybe. But it was becoming harder to trust anyone, even Martinez. She grabbed her jacket, the tension in her chest growing. It wasn't just the syndicate that was making her wary. There was someone else—Raymond. He'd been acting strangely, and after everything, she wasn't sure she could trust him.
At the diner, Sam slid into the booth across from Martinez, who already had a cup of coffee in front of him.
"What's up?" she asked, eyeing him cautiously.
Martinez leaned forward, his face grim. Raymond. I don't trust him."
Sam felt a knot form in her stomach. She'd been thinking the same thing, but hearing Martinez confirm it made it worse. "What do you know?"
"Not much yet," Martinez admitted. "But I've been hearing whispers that he's been involved with the syndicate for longer than we realized. I thought he was one of the good guys."
Sam clenched her fists under the table. Raymond had always been a little too close to the action, but she never thought he'd be working for the other side. "You think he's a double agent?"
Martinez shook his head. That's what I'm trying to figure out. He's hiding something, but I can't put my finger on it.
Sam felt a surge of anger. If Raymond was playing her this whole time, feeding information to the syndicate, then everything they'd worked for was at risk. She wasn't going to let that happen. "I'm going to confront him."
"Be careful," Martinez warned. "If he's working for them, he's dangerous."
Sam nodded and stood. I'll be fine. I need answers.
Sam found Raymond at his usual spot—a small, dimly lit bar in a corner of the city where no one paid attention to anyone else's business. He was sitting at the bar, nursing a drink, his face hidden in the shadows.
She approached him without hesitation, her mind already made up. "We need to talk."
Raymond looked up, his expression unreadable. Sam. I was wondering when you'd show up.
She didn't waste time. I know you're working for the syndicate. You've been feeding them information this whole time, haven't you?
Raymond stared at her for a moment, then sighed, setting his drink down. "It's not that simple."
"Then explain it to me," Sam snapped, her patience running thin.
Raymond glanced around, making sure no one was listening. I'm not just working for the syndicate, Sam. I'm working on both sides. The syndicate and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sam blinked, taken aback. "What?"
Raymond leaned in, his voice low. I've been playing both sides for months. Feeding the syndicate just enough to keep them off my back, and giving the Federal Bureau of Investigation what they need to bring them down.
Sam crossed her arms, skeptical. That's a hell of a story. Why should I believe you?
"Because if I wasn't, you'd be dead by now," Raymond said bluntly. The syndicate wanted you gone months ago. I made sure they didn't get the chance.
Sam's jaw tightened. It was hard to believe, but the more he spoke, the more it started to make sense. Raymond had always been one step ahead, always seemed to know too much. So what's your plan? Why come clean now?
Raymond looked her straight in the eye. Because I need your help. The broker is too powerful. I can't take him down alone, and neither can you. But together, we have a chance.
Sam shook her head, the distrust still gnawing at her. You told me to stop investigating. You said I was getting in too deep.
Raymond winced, rubbing the back of his neck. That was a mistake. I was under threat at the time. The syndicate was watching me closely, and I had to play it safe.
"Or you were protecting yourself," Sam countered. "You didn't care if I got hurt, as long as you stayed alive."
Raymond's expression hardened. That's not true, Sam. I've been trying to protect you. But I couldn't do it without keeping my disguise intact. If they found out I was feeding information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, we'd both be dead.
Sam stared at him, her emotions in turmoil. She wanted to believe him, but after everything, trust didn't come easy. "Why should I trust you now?"
Raymond pulled out a small USB drive from his jacket pocket and slid it across the table to her. Because this has everything I've gathered from The Broker. Names, locations, deals—all of it. It's more than enough to take him down.
Sam hesitated before picking up the drive, turning it over in her hand. What's your endgame here, Raymond? Why risk everything?
Raymond leaned back in his chair, his expression tired. Because I'm tired of running, Sam. I'm tired of pretending. The broker isn't just another criminal—he's the one pulling all the strings. If we don't stop him, he'll keep getting stronger, and we'll lose whatever chance we have at taking him down.
Sam exhaled slowly, her mind racing. This could be the break they needed, but trusting Raymond still felt like a risk. "What's on this drive?"
"Everything," Raymond repeated. "All the connections, all the money trails. It's enough to expose the entire operation. But you need to be careful. Once you start digging into this, The Broker will know."
Sam stared at him for a moment, then pocketed the drive. "I'm not doing this for you, Raymond. I'm doing this because I want to bring these bastards down. But if you're lying to me, I swear
"I'm not," Raymond interrupted, his voice serious. "I know you don't trust me, and I don't blame you. But we don't have time to argue. The broker is already tightening his grip. If we don't act fast, we'll lose everything."
Sam stood, her mind made up. "Alright. I'll look into it. But I'm keeping my eye on you, Raymond. One wrong move, and you're out."
Raymond nodded. "Fair enough."
As Sam walked away, the USB drive heavy in her pocket, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The syndicate was deeper than she ever imagined, and now, with the ledger and the drive, she had enough to take them down. But the more she uncovered, the more dangerous it became.
Raymond had made his move, but she wasn't sure if he was truly on her side—or if he was still playing a game she didn't fully understand.
Sam paused outside the bar, her phone vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a message from Raymond:
**"Use it wisely. The Broker won't go down without a fight."**
She glanced back at the bar, but Raymond was already gone.
Sam's grip tightened on the phone. This was her chance to end it all—or to get pulled even deeper into the syndicate's deadly web.