Broken

Chapter 20: Web of deception

The present, Zac arrives at the police station, a familiar yet always slightly unsettling place for him. The sterile environment, the buzz of activity, and the faint smell of coffee and stress all blend together as he makes his way through the building. He greets a few officers he knows, nodding in acknowledgment, before heading straight to Cortez's office.

Cortez is seated behind his cluttered desk, flipping through a thick file. He looks up as Zac enters, giving him a nod. "Morning," Cortez greets, gesturing to the chair across from him. "Thanks for coming in so early."

Zac takes a seat, noticing the serious expression on Cortez's face. "No problem. You said it was urgent."

Cortez leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Yeah, it is. Denzel Garcia's back in town after his release, and there's trouble brewing."

Zac sighs, running a hand down his face. "What's new," he mutters, the fatigue evident in his voice.

Cortez grimaces. "This time, it's more than just his usual antics. A reliable source tells us he's recruiting his old crew, trying to claim his territory back."

Zac's expression hardens. "So, he's not wasting any time."

"Not at all," Cortez replies. "And there's more. Although we could never prove it, we've always suspected he was behind the deaths of his wife, Michele Garcia, and his daughter, Jada Garcia."

Zac pulls a face, his curiosity piqued. "And what's that?" he asks.

Cortez pauses for a moment, then drops the bombshell. "Denzel Garcia didn't just have one child."

Zac blinks in confusion, leaning forward. "What?"

Cortez nods, the gravity of the situation clear in his voice. "We don't know who it is. We don't know if it's a he or a she. We don't even know if they're still in the city or better yet, the country."

Zac shakes his head in disbelief. "Why is this only coming up now?"

Cortez shrugs, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Reasons unknown. Denzel's always been good at keeping his life compartmentalized, but this... this is new territory for us."

Zac leans back in his chair, processing the information. "All I know is, they're probably helping their father—"

"Or they cut all ties with him after he murdered Michele and Jada," Zac cuts in nonchalantly, his tone cold and detached.

Cortez nods, acknowledging the possibility. "That could also be the case. But all options are being weighed."

They sit in silence for a moment, both lost in thought. The revelation adds a new, unpredictable layer to an already complex case. Zac knows this isn't just another criminal they're dealing with—it's Denzel Garcia, and now, potentially, his mysterious offspring. The stakes just got a whole lot higher.
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Fatima sits behind her desk, staring blankly at the scattered papers and documents before her. Her mind feels like a storm-tossed sea, thoughts crashing and colliding with each other. She can't shake the confusion and fear that's been gnawing at her since she saw Zac's text message. Denzel Garcia. Her father. And Zac. The connections are unsettling.

She shakes her head, trying to clear the fog. Her eyes dart to her iMac, and she instinctively grabs the keypad. She needs answers. Quickly, she types in the search terms: Cortez, Zachary Taylor. Her fingers move almost mechanically, driven by a mix of dread and curiosity.

The screen fills with results in an instant. Her eyes scan the headlines and snippets of information, and she clicks on the first link that catches her eye. There they are: Officer Nicolas Cortez and lawyer Zachary Taylor, standing side by side in a grainy photo, both looking determined and resolute. The caption reads, "The Invincible Duo Who Sent Denzel Garcia to Prison for 15 Years."

Fatima's breath catches in her throat. Her eyes widen in shock, and she leans back in her chair, hand instinctively covering her mouth. "Oh dear God," she gasps, her voice barely above a whisper. She scrolls down, reading the article with a growing sense of horror. The details are laid out clearly: Zac and Cortez had been instrumental in bringing her father to justice. They had been the ones who built the case, gathered the evidence, and ultimately secured his conviction.

Her mind races. Zac and Cortez were the very people who destroyed her father's empire and sent him to prison. And now, years later, her father was out, and the shadow of his wrath loomed over them. She couldn't believe the twist of fate that had brought Zac into her life. Had her father known about her involvement with him? Was that why Denzel had surfaced now, after all these years? Her father was not a man to forgive and forget. If he had returned to Atlanta, he was undoubtedly seeking revenge.

Fatima feels a chill run down her spine. She knows the kind of man her father is—ruthless, vengeful, and relentless. If he had a vendetta against Zac and Cortez, he would stop at nothing to exact his revenge. The realization makes her blood run cold. She was now caught in a dangerous web, a nexus between her past and present, with Zac at the heart of it all.

Her gaze drifts back to the screen. The photo of Zac and Cortez seems to mock her, a stark reminder of the dangerous path she's now on. She thinks of Zac, of his kindness and strength, of the undeniable connection they share. A connection that now feels tainted by the dark history between their families.

She takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She needs to warn Zac. He needs to know that her father is out for blood, that his life is in danger. But she also feels a pang of fear for herself. What if her father finds out about her involvement with Zac? Would he see it as a betrayal? She knows she needs to tread carefully.

With trembling hands, she closes the browser and leans back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. Her mind is a whirlpool of emotions—fear, confusion, anger, and something else she can't quite place. She knows she has to make a choice, a decision that could change everything. The stakes have never been higher, and the danger never more real.

As Fatima sits in her office, still reeling from the discovery about Zac and Cortez, the door suddenly opens. Abby, her assistant, enters with a hesitant look on her face. "Ms. Wilson, Zachary Taylor is outside. Should I let him in?"

Fatima, taken aback, hesitates. "He doesn't have an appointment—" she begins, but before she can finish, Zac strides in, looking agitated.

"I told you l'm too busy to make one. You just left my place this morning!" Zac immediately scolds, his tone sharp. Fatima's eyes widen in shock as she glances at Abby, who stands frozen, her expression caught between confusion and surprise.

"I'm gonna leave," Abby quickly says, excusing herself and shutting the door behind her, leaving the two alone.

"Zac!" Fatima scolds, her voice a mixture of anger and panic.

"No. I don't care if she heard me," Zac retorts, frustration evident in his voice. "You don't just leave my place."

Fatima tries to maintain her composure, her mind racing. She knows she should tell Zac about her father, but the words get stuck in her throat. Instead, she remains silent, keeping the disturbing information she learned about Denzel to herself.

Zac strides around her desk with a determined look in his eyes. He reaches out and grabs her by the waist, pulling her against him. Before she can protest, his lips meet hers in a forceful kiss.
Fatima's initial shock melts away, and she finds herself giving in, her hand resting against his chest as she responds to his kiss.

After a moment, Zac pulls away slightly, looking into her eyes with a fierce intensity. "Never leave me like that again. Got it?" he says, his voice low and commanding.

Fatima, still caught in the whirlwind of emotions, nods silently. She knows she's playing with fire, but the pull between them is undeniable.

Just then, the door bursts open, and Brandon strides in with a mix of confusion and anger on his face. "Fatima-what the hell is going on here?" he snaps, his eyes darting between her and Zac.

Fatima groans loudly, pulling away from Zac with an exasperated expression. "Why doesn't anyone knock?" she exclaims, frustration boiling over.

The situation is already complicated enough without added interruptions, and she feels the weight of the secrets she's keeping pressing down on her. The tension in the room is palpable, and for a moment, everything hangs in the balance as the three of them stand there, caught in a tangled web of emotions and unspoken truths.