The room was quiet, with only the sound of Adrian's steady breathing filling the space. Evelyn sat by the window, her mind racing. The weight of their circumstances bore down on her, and she knew they were running out of time. Picking up her phone, she dialed Renee, her voice hushed but urgent.
"Renee, I need your help. We need to make it look like Adrian is dead," Evelyn said, glancing back to ensure Adrian was still asleep.
Renee's voice on the other end was calm but sharp with focus. "You're thinking of faking his death? That's dangerous, Evelyn."
"I know," Evelyn replied, her tone resolute. "But it's the only way to buy us time. Castellano won't stop until he's sure Adrian's no longer a threat."
There was a pause before Renee spoke again. "Alright. Here's what we'll do. Castellano already thinks Adrian is at one of his discovered safe houses. We'll plant someone there to act as Adrian, and when Castellano's men arrive, we'll make it look like they killed him. Something big and irreversible—like an explosion."
Evelyn nodded, her determination unwavering. "And the body? Castellano won't believe it unless he has proof."
"That's where I come in," Renee said, a hint of a smile in her voice. "I'll hack into the lab Castellano uses for DNA testing and switch the results to match Adrian. But you have to sell this, Evelyn. If Castellano has even the slightest doubt, the plan will fall apart."
Evelyn took a deep breath. "I'll do whatever it takes."
The next day, the plan was set into motion. Renee found someone with a similar build to Adrian and arranged for him to be seen entering the compromised safe house. Castellano's informants quickly reported the sighting, and it didn't take long for his men to swarm the location.
From a distance, Evelyn watched through binoculars as the stand-in played his role perfectly, pacing the room and acting as though he was making plans. Her heart pounded as Castellano's men moved in, surrounding the building.
"Here it comes," Renee's voice came through Evelyn's earpiece.
One of Castellano's underlings lobbed a grenade into the safe house. The explosion rocked the ground, flames erupting into the night sky. The building collapsed in on itself, leaving nothing but rubble and smoke.
Evelyn's stomach churned as she watched the scene unfold. Even though it was all part of the plan, the sight of such destruction was unnerving.
"It's done," Renee said. "Now we wait for Castellano's next move."
As expected, Castellano demanded the body be recovered and tested. His distrust ran deep, and he wasn't one to take things at face value. His men sifted through the rubble, eventually finding charred remains that would be impossible to identify without forensic analysis.
"This isn't enough," Castellano growled, pacing his office. "I want DNA confirmation. I won't believe Adrian Black is dead until the science proves it."
Renee, anticipating this move, was already a step ahead. Hacking into the lab Castellano used, she replaced the DNA data with a fabricated match to Adrian's.
Hours later, the results came back. The report was clear: the remains belonged to Adrian Black.
Castellano leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "So, the great Adrian Black is finally gone," he muttered. But a flicker of doubt lingered in his eyes.
Back at the secret house where Adrian was recuperating, Evelyn sat by his bedside, her heart heavy with the weight of their deception.
"Is it done?" Adrian asked weakly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Evelyn replied, her voice soft but steady. "Castellano thinks you're dead. Renee made sure of it."
Adrian closed his eyes, a small, bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Good. That should buy us some time."
Evelyn reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "It's not over, Adrian. We still have to bring him down."
Adrian opened his eyes, meeting her gaze. "And we will. Together."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Evelyn allowed herself a moment of hope. Castellano might believe he had won, but the real battle was just beginning.