Caleb dialed Dante's number, his grip steady despite the storm raging in his head. The line clicked after two rings. "Talk," Dante's voice was sharp, impatient. Caleb didn't waste time. "I have something you need to see. Malik's been making moves, and it's bigger than just skimming off the books." He could hear Dante exhale, a long, slow breath. "Where are you?" Caleb glanced at Lyra. "Somewhere secure. We need to meet in person." A beat of silence. Then Dante said, "One hour. Warehouse district. Come alone." The line went dead. Caleb pocketed the phone. Lyra was already shutting down the system, wiping any trace of their access. "You think he already knows?" she muttered. Caleb shook his head. "If he did, Malik would be dead."
They left the safe house separately, Lyra taking a different route in case anyone was tracking them. Caleb moved through the city streets with purpose, blending in with the late-night crowd. The air was thick with tension, the weight of what he was about to do pressing against his shoulders. Malik had spent years building his influence. Taking him down wouldn't be clean. It wouldn't be easy. And it wouldn't end with a conversation.
When Caleb arrived at the warehouse, Dante was already there, leaning against a blacked-out sedan. Two of his men stood nearby, watching the street with cold, unreadable expressions. Caleb approached without hesitation. Dante's eyes flicked to him, assessing. "Show me." Caleb pulled the drive from his pocket, handing it over. Dante plugged it into a small tablet, his face unreadable as he scrolled through the files. Then, finally, he looked up. "Where did you get this?" Caleb kept his voice level. "Elias had it. He was tracking Malik before he died." Dante's jaw tightened just slightly, but his voice remained calm. "And you waited until now to bring it to me?" Caleb met his gaze. "Because I needed to be sure."
Dante studied him for a long moment, then handed the tablet to one of his men. "Verify everything." The man nodded, stepping away to review the files. Dante turned back to Caleb. "Do you know what happens next?" Caleb didn't hesitate. "Yes." Dante nodded slowly. "Then I hope you're ready." His expression didn't change, but the weight in his voice was unmistakable. Malik's fate was sealed. The only question now was how many bodies would fall before it was over.