Fated Retribution

20 [Target Beta]

16th September, Tuesday, 7:24 am, 2028

"Who?"

Daphne and Sharon let out identical sighs at Ivory, Leo and Bridget's question while I strained my brain to recall details of the familiar name. I digged my purse to take out one of the files I had managed to grab before Sharon had been kind enough to 'escort' me out of the house. I could hear Daphne and Sharon banter in the background as I unfolded a newspaper cutting and read the headline of an old article I had written,

'AMMUNITION INDUSTRY'S EMPEROR REPLACED AS WELFNER CHARGED WITH TREASON'

"That's your old boss." I stated as Daphne's head snapped towards mine and she raised her finger towards me, "Correct, You're the only real one, Ames."

"What about him?" Leo asked, looking thoroughly confused. "And why was he charged with treason?" Ivory asked, who was peeking into the newspaper cutting I held.

Daphne looked at the pair in shock, "How- what- none of you-"

"Told you they won't know." Sharon said arrogantly, interrupting her sputtering, Daphne gave Bridget an expected look who shook her head, "Don't look at me, I don't even know what treason is."

Sharon let out a snort while Daphne groaned in exasperation, "Do I seriously have to give a history lesson here?"

"Well, I know bits and pieces but I would like to hear your side." I said, folding my arms over my chest. I was pretty sure I knew more than enough about the incident that Daphne was going to tell the other three about, because I had been the one to cover the whole series of events.

Things were starting to get into a clear picture in my head, how the Grave Markers were connected and why they were after Daphne but one thing remained unclear.

Why target Ivory, Bridget and I?

"Do you guys seriously think the C.E.O of one of the most successful companies in the world would simply resign because of bankruptcy?" Daphne questioned with a rhetorical intent as Leo, Ivory and Bridget looked at each other and shrugged.

"Don't go 'round in circles, spit it out." Leo said, getting impatient and I noticed Ivory shift in her seat while Bridget squinted her eyes at Daphne.

"Okay, so a few years back, when I was still Executive Director at Yarygina, it wasn't the most uh, legal arms dealing business around. It had established quite a name in the underworld." Daphne started, wincing as she recalled the events. "Majority of the bullets and guns used to be manufactured upon special orders by organised crime groups and were guised as exported goods and most of the employees, including me, didn't even know this was happening and at that time our biggest buyer was,"

"The Grave Markers." Bridget guessed as Daphne nodded grimly, continuing her story.

"Exactly. When the group's base was found, there was a huge number of American made weapons in their possession and even though the leader of the group did not say anything about the correct manufacturer, an anonymous tip to the police and two days later Welfner was arrested for treason. Seeing the opportunity, I sort of took over the company and I think Ernesto DeLa Cruz didn't like that."

Daphne took a deep breath as she rubbed her hands against her thighs before looking up at us expectantly, "Any questions?"

"Why wasn't this in the news-"

"How do you know it was an anonymous tip?" Leo interjected Ivory's question, who scoffed in offence.

Daphne slightly hesitated, "There were rumours going around in the department about an employee ratting out Welfner to the police, we just assumed they were true." She replied normally and Leo nodded slowly in understanding. My eyes darted down to her fingers to find her counting on their tips while they slightly trembled. I narrowed my eyes slightly at her fidgety behaviour, finding it quite odd.

"Why wasn't all of this in the news?" Ivory repeated her question but this time I answered it, "It would be a huge question mark on the country's defence, so we did write an article but it was never published and this detail was kept hidden from the people of the country."

"And at the company, we sent out a press release about Welfner's decaying bank account and the people bought it." Daphne added to my statement making Ivory and Bridget nod in understanding.

"But if he's in jail, how's he doing all of this?" Bridget asked, taking a sip from the drink Sharon had prepared for us earlier.

"That's where we're stuck. We need to know who's helping Welfner on the outside and giving him Daphne's whereabouts and information of her present. We need to know who this person is and how they are doing it and then prove her innocence." Sharon answered.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Ivory asked slowly.

"Glad you asked, you see, we know Daphne's not behind this. But right now, all evidence goes against her so if we prove who the real culprit is behind the attacks we prove her innocence. We know who we're looking for, we just need evidence. And that," Sharon paused as she and Daphne took out two boxes from beneath the coffee table with tons of files sticking out of them. "We will find it here."

"You want us to look through that?" Bridget asked incredulously, pointing at the heaps of paper in front of us.

"Where did you even get these?" Leo raised an eyebrow in suspicion at the pair as Sharon shrugged, "I work for the FBI."

Everyone paused to give her a look and she deadpanned, "I'm kidding, you guys are too gullible."

"Amazing, let's dig this mountain out."

Daphne clapped her hands as everyone got to work, flipping through files and reading lone pieces of paper stuffed deep into the boxes. I went through several files, losing count, not finding anything of use. Out of the corner of the eye, I could see Bridget tearing small pieces of paper, crumbling them and throwing it on Daphne who hit her head with one thick file making the drummer grumble in protest.

Ivory muttered something about the whole process being stupid as Leo nodded in agreement, she shuffled through a few files and was about to throw one into the discarded pile on the floor, "Wait!"

Daphne exclaimed, signalling to the file in Ivory's hand, she handed her the file as the Russian examined a photo and bio data printed on its side, "I know that guy. His name is Zafar Yusuf. He used to be head of international trade at Yarygina, he must have known about the whole illegal thing, he was 15% shareholder in the company and sold all of those when Welfner was arrested."

"15%?!" Sharon repeated in bewilderment.

"Yeah, I met him, like, a few months ago. Since then, he has become a God in the African black arms market," Daphne paused as Leo gave her a look, "There are conventions, ok? You meet people, I didn't sell him anything." She spoke defensively which seemed to be good enough for the man who hummed in response. "He said he was going to do something very soon, something big."

"Can he be our guy?" Bridget questioned.

"Well, he was Acheron's right hand man but-"

"What's that?" I interjected, pointing to his neck where a mark of sorts, which seemed to be burnt in his skin.

"That looks like a tattoo, I don't think he had it before." Daphne answered as Leo took the sheet and inspected the mark closely, "That's not a tattoo, that's a brand and I have seen it somewhere," He paused as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"The Dragas." He said, snapping his fingers.

"Who?" Bridget, Ivory, Sharon and I spoke in unison at the new name.

"The makeshift Markers arrested last year?" Daphne ignored our question as she directed her own to Leo.

"Yeah, them."

"What is Dragas?" Ivory asked and Leo turned to her, "They were this sort of revenge group formed back in 2026 and claimed to be the new Grave Markers. After some investigation and their arrest it was found that all the members were related to the arrested terrorists of the former group and all of them had this mark on their body." He finished, pointing towards the symbol which looked like an upside down cigarette and two small circles on either side of it.

"So if this Zafar guy has this mark..." Sharon started. "Then he must have been involved with the Grave Markers as well." I completed and everyone looked at each other as Daphne flexed her fingers,

"McPhinnon, I think he is our guy, afterall."