The morning after their daring heist at Kane Tower, everything felt different to Ethan. The skyline gleamed in the early sunlight, but he knew storms were brewing underneath the polished exterior. The black binder now in Garrett's possession was about to crack wide open the foundation of Victor Kane's empire.
Ethan and Frank sat in Garrett's apartment, a small space filled with monitors, papers, and half-empty coffee mugs. Garrett paced back and forth, flipping through the ledger while his computer processed its contents.
"This," Garrett said, holding up the binder, "is the smoking gun. Offshore accounts, illicit deals, bribes—everything's in here. But we need to move strategically. If we release it all at once, Victor's lawyers will drown us in legal technicalities. We have to hit him where it hurts the most, piece by piece."
Frank crossed his arms. "What's the first step?"
Garrett pointed to the screen. "This transaction here—it's a direct link between Victor and a prominent politician. If we leak this, it'll ignite a scandal that forces his allies to scatter. Without them, Victor's support network collapses."
Ethan nodded. "Do it. The sooner we isolate him, the better.
Later that day, the story broke. News outlets picked up on the leaked documents, exposing a series of corrupt dealings between Victor Kane and Senator Horace Daley. The fallout was immediate and chaotic. Reporters swarmed the senator's office, demanding answers, while protesters gathered outside the Capitol. Victor's name was dragged into every headline, his carefully curated image of respectability beginning to crumble.
Ethan sat in the coverage of Garrett's apartment, satisfaction mixed with anxiety running through him. "This is just the start," he said.
Garrett leaned back in his chair. "Exactly. And now, Victor's going to retaliate. Expect him to hit hard and fast.
Frank's phone buzzed. He checked it and frowned. "Looks like he already has. One of our gym sponsors just pulled out. Said they didn't want to be associated with someone causing 'political controversy.'"
Ethan's jaw tightened. "That's him trying to squeeze me out. He'll go after everything I care about.
Let him," Garrett smirked. "The more desperate he gets, the more he is going to expose himself. Folks are already starting to see through him.
In the next few days, the pressure mounted on Victor. Garrett released more and more carefully chosen evidence, each piece more incriminating than the last. Banks began freezing Victor's accounts, and several of his business partners publicly severed ties. The media's narrative began to shift, painting Victor as a ruthless opportunist whose empire was built on lies.
But the closer they got to dismantling Victor's power, the more dangerous he became.
One night, Ethan came home after a late session of training and noticed his apartment door open. His every instinct froze as he pushed the door a little and stepped into his place.
The whole apartment was in disarray: Furniture thrown upside down, drawers thrown about, and pieces of paper all over the floor. There was a frightening red spray-painted message on the wall that said "Stop digging."
Ethan's fists clenched. It wasn't a warning; it was a declaration of war.
The next morning, Ethan, Frank, and Garrett regrouped at the gym. Frank paced furiously, his temper barely contained. "This is getting out of hand. We need to hit back harder."
"We can't let him provoke us into making a mistake," Garrett said. "We stick to the plan. We're winning this battle, piece by piece.
Ethan sat there, his eyes fixed on the wall. Finally, he opened his mouth. "No. We have to take this fight to him straight. He is not going to stop until he believes we are broken. We need to show him that we are not afraid."
Garrett frowned. "What are you proposing?"
Ethan's eyes were burning with determination. "We have been playing by his rules. It is time to change the game. Let's hit him where it hurts most."
It was bold and very daring: Ethan had devised a strategy to blow Victor's entire criminal connections with the underworld all at one stroke. Garrett had located one secret meeting Victor was to have with a number of leaders in his network. Garrett had gathered the information, thinking that it was off-the-record.
"If we can get proof of this meeting," Garrett said, "it'll be the final nail in his coffin. But it's going to be dangerous. These aren't just businessmen—they're criminals who won't hesitate to eliminate threats."
Ethan didn't hesitate. "We're doing it."
It would meet there, in a remote estate, away from the city. Ethan and Frank would sneak into the mansion with Garrett positioned from afar, ready to control their every move during the mission.
Ethan and Frank stood before the mansion wearing all black, camera only in hand, their brainwork ready to be used, dressed in the night itself, as Garrett's voice was heard through the earpiece.
"Security's tight," he said. "Cameras on the north and east sides. Two guards at the main entrance, another patrolling the perimeter. You'll need to stay low and stick to the shadows."
Ethan's heart pounded as they moved silently through the underbrush. Then they came to a side window, which Garrett had reported would be where there was at least a blind spot in the cameras. Frank boosted Ethan up, and he slipped inside to land softly on the plush carpet.
The interior of the mansion was lavish but cold, its richness corrupted by what had happened there. Voices echoed from a room down the hall. Ethan motioned to Frank, and they drew closer.
Looking through a crack in the door, they saw Victor at a long table with half a dozen men, the conversation tense, laden with veiled threats, power plays. Ethan's camera caught everything; the lens focused on the stack of documents and briefcases exchanging hands.
Suddenly, one of the men looked toward the door. "Did you hear that?
Ethan and Frank froze. The tension was crushing as footsteps approached. Garrett's urgent whisper came through the earpiece. "Get out. Now."
The escape was chaotic. Guards spotted them as they slipped out of the mansion, and a frantic chase ensued through the sprawling estate. Ethan and Frank barely made it to the perimeter, diving into the trees as bullets whizzed past.
They reached Garrett's car, breathless but alive. Ethan handed Garrett the camera. "Tell me we got enough."
Garrett reviewed the footage, a grim smile spreading across his face. "More than enough. Victor Kane is done.
The next morning, the footage was leaked to the media. Public outrage was overwhelming. Victor's remaining allies abandoned him, and law enforcement announced an official investigation into his activities. His empire was collapsing, and for the first time, Ethan felt the weight lifting from his shoulders.
But he knew the fight wasn't over. Victor wouldn't go down without a final act of desperation. And Ethan would be ready for it.