Chapter 5: A Line Crossed
Lena shifted her position, staying low as the tension in the warehouse grew palpable. James Alder and the mysterious woman were deep in conversation, their voices rising just enough for her to catch fragments of the exchange.
"...final shipment," James said, his tone clipped. "If this goes south, I won't clean up your mess again."
The woman's laugh was cold. "You act as if you have a choice. We both know who holds the leash here."
James's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Instead, he opened the folder she had handed him, his eyes scanning the documents within. Lena craned her neck, trying to catch a better view, but the distance made it impossible to discern any details.
Suddenly, a third figure entered the warehouse. A man in a dark suit with an air of authority about him. James and the woman stiffened at his arrival, and the atmosphere shifted. Whoever he was, he commanded respect—or fear.
"Is everything ready?" the man asked, his voice deep and commanding.
"Yes," the woman replied. "The shipment will arrive tonight. Our contacts overseas have assured us there won't be any interference."
The man nodded, then turned to James. "And you? Have you secured your end of the bargain?"
James hesitated, his hands gripping the folder tightly. "I've done my part, but I need assurances. If this goes public—"
"It won't," the man interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But if you falter, you'll wish it had."
Lena's grip on her phone tightened. This wasn't just a shady deal; it was something far bigger, something dangerous. Her instincts screamed at her to retreat and analyze the situation from a distance. But the fire of revenge kept her rooted in place.
She adjusted her position, her movements too quick. A loose piece of debris shifted beneath her foot, the sound echoing faintly in the stillness.
Inside the warehouse, all three heads snapped in her direction.
"Did you hear that?" the woman asked, her voice sharp.
The man in the suit gestured to James. "Check it out."
Lena's pulse quickened as James approached the window. She ducked behind the container, her breaths shallow and controlled.
"Nothing here," James called back after a moment.
The man's response was curt. "Good. Let's not waste any more time. You both know what's at stake."
Lena waited until the conversation resumed before slipping away. She moved quickly but carefully, her mind racing. The pieces were starting to come together, but the puzzle was far from complete.
As she stepped out of the dockyard and into the open streets, she couldn't shake the image of the man in the suit. His presence alone had shifted the power dynamic, and Lena knew she'd just scratched the surface of whatever web James was tangled in.
This was no longer just about revenge. It was about survival.