Lila Reynolds stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide with panic. She looked nothing like the powerful CFO she had once been. Her years on the run had carved deep lines of fear and exhaustion into her face. The once-confident woman who had managed Thorne's sprawling empire now trembled in front of us, terrified of the man she had once worked for.
Tyler stepped forward cautiously, his voice calm and reassuring. "Lila, we're not here to hurt you. We just want to talk."
Lila shook her head violently, stepping back into the shadows of the cabin. "You shouldn't have come here," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You don't know what you've done."
My heart pounded as I took a step toward her, trying to convey a sense of calm that I didn't feel. The weight of what she had just said settled on me like a heavy fog. Tyler and I had risked everything to find her, and now that we had, it was clear that the real danger had only just begun.
"We know Thorne is looking for you," I said softly, my eyes locking with hers. "But we can protect you. We need your help to take him down."
Her fear-filled eyes darted between me and Tyler, and then to the surrounding trees as if expecting someone—no, something—to burst from the shadows. She lowered her voice, as though even speaking his name would summon him. "You can't protect me. No one can. If Archer finds out I talked to you…"
She trailed off, but we understood the unspoken words. Archer West, Thorne's relentless enforcer, was the reason Lila had been hiding for so long. He wasn't just a threat—he was a death sentence.
"We've gotten this far," I said, stepping into the cabin. "We're not going to let you be caught by Archer or anyone else. But we need your help. We can't stop Thorne without you."
Lila shook her head again, her back pressed against the cabin wall. "You don't understand. It's not just Thorne. It's bigger than him. You expose him, and you're taking on something far more dangerous."
I glanced at Tyler, my pulse quickening. This wasn't just about illegal offshore accounts and corrupt business dealings, was it? Thorne's power extended further than we had imagined.
"Then tell us," Tyler urged, his voice calm but insistent. "Tell us how deep this goes."
Lila hesitated, her breathing shallow, her eyes wide with fear. For a long moment, I thought she might shut down completely, retreat into the terror that had kept her silent for so long. But then, slowly, she let out a shaky breath and nodded.
"Thorne isn't just a businessman," she began, her voice so low it was almost a whisper. "His power goes far beyond what you know. He's connected to people—dangerous people. Politicians, organized crime, even law enforcement. They're all in his pocket. He has leverage over everyone, and he uses it to control them."
The words sent a cold shiver down my spine. I had suspected as much, but hearing it from Lila, someone who had worked at the very heart of Thorne's empire, made it real. Thorne didn't just wield money and influence—he wielded fear. And Archer was his weapon.
Tyler leaned in closer, his expression grim. "What kind of leverage? What does he have on these people?"
Lila swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as they twisted in her lap. "Everything. Thorne keeps records of all his dealings, his bribes, the favors he's called in. Blackmail material on anyone who's crossed his path. It's how he's stayed untouchable for so long. He doesn't just buy people—he owns them."
My mind reeled as the full extent of Thorne's power sank in. This wasn't just about corruption or dirty deals. Thorne had his fingers in every corner of power, controlling people with information that could destroy them. And now, we were standing in the middle of it, trying to take him down.
"Do you have any of those records?" I asked, my voice barely steady.
Lila hesitated again, then nodded slowly. "I managed to take some when I left. But it's not all of it. Just enough to show you what Thorne is capable of. If you go public with it, it'll cause damage—but it won't be enough to take him down completely."
Tyler and I exchanged a look. This was more than we had hoped for, but it still wasn't enough. We needed the full extent of Thorne's leverage if we were going to bring his empire crashing down. And Lila knew where to find it.
"We'll take whatever you have," Tyler said gently. "And we'll protect you. But if we're going to stop Thorne, we need to know where the rest of the records are."
Lila's eyes filled with fresh terror, her body tensing. "I can't go back there. Thorne will kill me if he finds out I'm still alive. And Archer…"
Her voice broke as she spoke Archer's name, and I felt a wave of dread wash over me. Archer wasn't just a shadow chasing us—he was a force of nature. If he got wind of where we were, we wouldn't stand a chance.
"We'll keep you safe," I said, trying to reassure her. "But we need to move fast. Once we have the records, we can make sure Thorne can't touch any of us."
For a long moment, Lila didn't move, didn't speak. Then, with a shaky breath, she stood up and moved toward a small cabinet in the corner of the room. She pulled out a worn metal box, her hands trembling as she placed it on the table.
"This is what I have," she said softly. "It's not much, but it's enough to show you the kind of man Thorne is."
Tyler opened the box carefully, his eyes scanning the contents. Inside were files, ledgers, and USB drives—evidence of Thorne's web of corruption. It wasn't everything, but it was a start.
"We need to get this out," I said, my voice tight with urgency. "Once it's public, Thorne won't be able to touch you."
Lila let out a bitter laugh. "You don't understand. Thorne won't stop coming after me. And now, he'll come after you, too."
Suddenly, a noise outside broke the tense silence. The sound of gravel crunching underfoot, soft but unmistakable. My heart leapt into my throat.
Tyler stiffened, his hand already reaching for the gun tucked into his jacket. "Someone's here," he whispered, his eyes darting toward the window.
Lila's face went pale, her hands gripping the edge of the table. "It's him," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's Archer."
My blood ran cold.
"We need to go," Tyler hissed, grabbing the box and shoving it into his bag. "Now."
I moved toward the door, my heart hammering in my chest. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my feet felt heavy, my body frozen in place.
The footsteps outside grew louder, closer.
I grabbed Lila's arm, pulling her toward the back door. "Come on. We can't stay here."
Tyler moved to the front door, his eyes scanning the shadows outside. "Go," he whispered urgently. "I'll hold them off. Get Lila out of here."
"No," I whispered, my voice shaking. "You can't face him alone."
But Tyler was already moving, his face set with grim determination. "Go," he repeated. "I'll find you."
I had no choice. Grabbing Lila, I pushed open the back door, and we slipped into the night.