Ryan's Pov
Ryan's hand hovered over the phone as he stepped into the cool night air. He pressed a number and waited, the street quiet around him except for the distant hum of traffic.
"Maya?" he said as soon as she answered. "I'm heading to Tyrone's safe house, meet me there."
"Right now?" she replied, her voice sharp, already moving into action.
"Yeah" Ryan replied.
He moved back into his car. The engine roared to life, tires crunching over the gravel driveway as he pulled onto the road, headlights cutting through the dim evening. Within minutes, he was weaving through quiet streets toward the rendezvous point.
Tyrone's safe house came into view. Ryan eased the car to a stop and stepped out, his hand already on the weapon at his side. Maya followed, silent and ready.
Inside, Tyrone leaned over a table stacked with papers, folders and a laptop. His expression was focused but his eyes flicked up as the pair entered.
"You're late." he said, almost smiling. "I was beginning to think you changed your mind."
"There was traffic but now I'm here." Ryan said, ignoring the joke, his voice clipped. "Now, give me what you've got."
Tyrone spread a set of files on the table. "Uh-yeah, my inside contact dug into who issued the mission to Brooklyn's squadron that night. He said… it was a General Pierce."
Ryan's jaw tightened. "Brooklyn had already mentioned him. And she suspects he's behind all this."
Tyrone leaned back, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. Maybe he's just one piece of this puzzle. But here's what's interesting... the folder for that mission wasn't carried by anyone military. It was a normal civilian. And my contact said he hadn't seen this guy before that day."
"Do we have a name?" Maya asked, stepping closer.
Tyrone nodded. "Yes. Michael Gray. I did some digging and pulled in favors. Cost me a bit but I got a full description. Face recognition checks out, confirmed by a secondary source."
Ryan frowned. "Michael Gray… doesn't ring any bells. Who is he?"
Tyrone leaned forward, hands on the table. "Uh, just a guy who transferred between three universities. When he finally graduated as an engineer, he then vanished. Completely off the radar. Then… years later he shows up, just a day before that mission."
Ryan's brows knit. "And now he's linked to the folder. Coincidence?"
Tyrone shook his head slowly. "Not likely, he knows something."
Maya stepped closer, flipping through a printout. "Got his address?"
Tyrone rubbed his temple. "No. But I did track something... he has a gym membership card at MYM Gym. Goes there every night until it closes. So if you want him today, then you've got less than thirty minutes."
Ryan glanced at his watch. "Thirty minutes isn't much but it's enough. Let's move."
Ryan slid into the driver's seat. Maya beside him. Engines roared as they peeled out of the lot, tires skidding slightly on the asphalt. Lights flickered past them and the city blurred into streaks of yellow and white.
"Do you think he's armed?" Maya asked, eyes sharp, scanning the streets.
"Probably. We definitely shouldn't underestimate him." Ryan replied.
Maya tightened her grip on the handle inside the car. "Let's hope he's predictable."
Ryan's jaw set. "Of course he is, people like him tend to slip cause they think they're untouchable, they leave patterns. And patterns... not matter how small they are they lead to answers."
The car roared again, tires biting into the pavement, closing the distance to MYM Gym.
And Ryan felt the surge of hope that they might finally unravel the web around Operation Sky Sintel.