𝑇𝑊𝐼𝑁 𝑆𝐼𝑍𝐸 𝑀𝐴𝑇𝑅𝐸𝑆𝑆 / 𝐽.𝐵.𝑅

WARD MOTHERFUCKING CAMERON

The quiet hum of Alex's laptop filled the room, the light from the screen casting shadows over her focused face. The rest of the group stood behind her-JJ, John B, Kiara, and Pope, all tense as they watched Alex hack through layers of encrypted data. The tapping of keys was the only sound, the air thick with anticipation.

"Come on, Alex, what's the holdup?" JJ asked, his voice tight with impatience as he leaned over the back of her chair.

Alex didn't respond, her eyes glued to the screen. She'd barely acknowledged their presence since they arrived, too wrapped up in whatever she was pulling from the depths of the dark web. JJ exchanged a glance with John B, who was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, his mind clearly racing.

"We don't have all day," Kiara added, arms crossed and eyes sharp. "If Ward's behind this, we need to know now."

Alex smirked, her fingers moving effortlessly over the keys. "Patience, Kiara. I'm almost there."

Pope, who had been silent the whole time, stood near the back, visibly uncomfortable. He kept glancing at Alex like she was a ticking time bomb. Everyone knew she was unpredictable, but today, she seemed even more erratic than usual.

JJ huffed, crossing his arms. "We don't have time for this, Alex. Who's behind all this? Spill."

"Yeah, come on," John B chimed in, his voice laced with frustration. "You've been digging for hours. Just tell us."

Alex leaned back slightly in her chair, a sly smile playing on her lips. "You guys are acting like this is some sort of TV drama. Relax."

Kiara groaned, rolling her eyes. "You think this is funny? People's lives are on the line."

Alex shrugged nonchalantly. "Depends on your definition of funny."

The tension in the room was rising, and everyone could feel it. JJ's hands clenched at his sides, Kiara's impatience was evident in her sharp glares, and Pope looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Even John B, normally the most level-headed, was starting to lose it.

Finally, Pope snapped. "Enough with the games, Alex! Stop dragging this out. Just tell us what you found."

The room went silent. Alex's smirk faded as she turned in her chair to face him, clearly impressed by Pope's sudden outburst. Her eyebrows shot up, and she let out a soft laugh, catching everyone off guard.

"Well, well, Pope. Didn't know you had that in you." She shook her head, clearly amused, but there was something sharp in her eyes. "Alright, fine. You wanna know who it is?"

Everyone froze, the weight of her words settling over them.

Alex's tone shifted, the playfulness in her voice gone. She turned back to the screen, her fingers moving across the keyboard one last time before she leaned back in her chair again.

"It's Ward Cameron," she said, her voice low but clear. "He's behind everything."

John B stiffened, his entire body going rigid at the mention of Ward's name. His breath hitched, anger simmering beneath the surface as he processed the revelation. JJ blinked, taking a step back, his mind struggling to catch up. Kiara's mouth opened slightly in disbelief, while Pope just stood there, his face a mixture of shock and dread.

"Ward?" John B's voice was barely a whisper, but the venom in it was unmistakable. "He's behind this?"

Alex nodded, not looking away from the screen. "He's been moving money through shell companies, hiding it offshore. Whatever he's involved in, it's big. And illegal as hell."

John B's hands curled into fists. Of course, it had to be Ward. It always came back to him. The man who had ruined his life, taken his father, destroyed everything. Now, here he was, pulling the strings in yet another twisted game.

JJ ran a hand through his hair, pacing again. "How the hell do we go up against Ward Cameron? He owns half the island. And he's untouchable."

Kiara crossed her arms, her frustration palpable. "Untouchable doesn't mean invincible."

Alex finally turned to face them again, her expression serious. "Untouchable? Please. Everyone has a weakness. Even Ward."

John B's eyes narrowed. "And what's his?"

Alex paused, her gaze sharp. "Power. That's all he cares about. And the second you threaten to take that away, he'll crumble."

JJ stopped pacing, his eyes flicking between John B and Alex. "But how do we do that?"

Alex leaned forward, her fingers hovering over the keys again. "Simple. We expose him. All of it. The accounts, the laundering-everything."

"But if we go after Ward, we're risking everything," Pope said, his voice quiet but steady. "If he finds out before we're ready..."

John B nodded slowly, understanding the weight of Pope's words. Ward wasn't just dangerous-he was ruthless. If they made one wrong move, it could mean the end for all of them.

"I'm not backing down," John B said firmly. "Ward's taken too much from us already. We have to stop him."

"Then we'll do it right," Alex said, her tone calculated. "I'll keep digging. I'm sure there's more dirt on Ward, and when I find it, we'll use it to take him down."

Kiara let out a sigh, her arms still crossed. "And we just wait?"

"Unless you've got a better plan," Alex shot back, her smirk returning. "I'll be working as fast as I can, but until then, you guys need to lay low. Ward's not stupid-he'll know something's up if you start making noise."

John B clenched his jaw, staring at the ground as his mind raced. They were playing a dangerous game, but it was one they had to win.

"Alright," he said, looking up at Alex. "We trust you. But don't take too long."

Alex grinned, her fingers tapping the keyboard with renewed energy. "I've got this. Trust me, Ward Cameron's days are numbered."

As the room fell into a heavy silence again, the group realized they were standing at the edge of something massive. The stakes had never been higher, but they had no choice now.

Ward Cameron had to fall.