Lena

Chapter 8: Shadows in Motion

Claire's promise still echoed in Lena's mind as she stepped out of the café. The evening wind had picked up, cold and biting, as if to emphasize the gravity of what had just been sealed. The evidence was within reach. One chance, Claire had said. One opportunity to bring down this machine, and then she would disappear. Lena knew it wasn't an idle promise. If she failed, Claire would never meet with them again.

Julien walked beside her in silence. He seemed lost in thought, and Lena couldn't help but wonder how much this meeting had affected him. His past with Claire wasn't entirely clear, but she sensed an unspoken tension between them, something that hadn't yet been voiced.

"She doesn't seem to trust us much," Lena finally said, breaking the silence.

Julien nodded without looking at her. "Claire's always been like that. Even when she worked with Marc, she was suspicious of everyone. But now, after everything she's been through, it's worse. She's walking a tightrope."

Lena frowned. "What made her leave the network?"

Julien hesitated for a moment before answering. "She saw what the network was really doing. Not just on the surface, with the bribes and rigged contracts. She saw what they did to people. How they destroyed lives, crushed any opposition. And she realized she was just a pawn, like everyone else."

Lena lowered her gaze, walking in silence for a few moments. She wondered how Claire had endured that world for so long. Lena herself already felt at her breaking point, even though her fight had only just begun.

"Do you think she'll really give us what we need?" she asked, watching Julien closely.

He shrugged. "She will. But it won't be a gift. We'll have to earn her trust, and that won't happen overnight."

Lena sighed. Everything seemed to pile on in layers of complexity. Each step she took led her deeper into a web where every thread was a new threat, a new potential betrayal.

They finally reached the newspaper office, the familiar, imposing building standing tall before them. The lights were still on inside, and Lena guessed Samuel was still working, likely worried about not hearing from her since their last conversation.

She pushed open the door, and the warm, comforting air of the lobby greeted her. Julien followed silently, his eyes scanning every corner as if expecting a trap at any moment. Lena knew he would never be able to let his guard down again, not while the network remained active.

"I'm going to update Samuel," she said, heading toward her desk. "He needs to know what we're doing."

Julien nodded, staying back by the door. Lena knew he felt out of place in this environment. He looked like a stranger in this world of offices, editors, and investigations, but she understood. Julien belonged to the shadows, to that parallel universe of secrets and manipulation that she was only beginning to explore.

She found Samuel hunched over piles of documents, his face marked by fatigue and worry. As soon as he looked up and saw Lena, a glimmer of relief crossed his face.

"Lena, finally! Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you, and I was starting to worry something had happened."

She sat down across from him, crossing her arms on the table. "Sorry, it was... complicated. I couldn't talk to you earlier, not safely."

Samuel straightened up, clearly more concerned now. "What do you mean 'not safely'?"

Lena took a deep breath before telling him everything that had happened since their last conversation. She told him about meeting Marc, the information she had obtained, the confrontation with the man at the private club, and finally, the encounter with Claire. The more she spoke, the more she saw Samuel's expression change, his face tightening as the weight of the situation sunk in.

When she finished, Samuel remained silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the table. Lena could almost hear the flow of his thoughts, all the possibilities, fears, and decisions he was trying to process in that instant.

"Lena..." he finally began in a low voice. "You realize what you're doing is risking your life, not just your career."

She nodded, her gaze firm. "I know. But I can't back down. Not now."

Samuel let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Listen, I support you. You know that. But we have to be smart. If we make one wrong move, they'll crush us. They have resources we don't."

"That's why I need you, Sam," she responded, her eyes pleading. "You're the only person I still fully trust. If we want to expose all of this, we need a solid strategy, something they can't bury."

Samuel straightened up, taking on his role seriously. "Alright. We'll do this right. But you have to protect yourself. If Claire is willing to give us information, we need to ensure her safety too."

Lena smiled, grateful to see Samuel ready to follow her into this fight. But deep down, she knew the road ahead would be long and treacherous. They were still far from being able to bring down the network.

Later that evening, as the newsroom emptied of its tired employees, Lena and Samuel were buried in the files they had gathered so far. Julien, meanwhile, stood vigil near the entrance, his eyes scanning every suspicious movement outside the building.

As they worked, Lena felt a heavy exhaustion settle over her. It had been days since she had slept properly, consumed by the anxiety and pressure of this investigation. Yet she couldn't stop. Not now.

"You should rest," Samuel murmured without looking up from his documents. "If you collapse, you won't be of any use to anyone."

Lena sighed, rubbing her temples. "I know, but there's still so much to do..."

"We have time," Samuel insisted, his tone meant to be reassuring. "Nothing will be resolved in one night. We need to be at our best for what's ahead."

Lena knew he was right, but she couldn't release the tension that kept her awake. Every moment she let her guard down could be the one where they lost everything.

Suddenly, a vibration broke the tense silence of the room. Lena's phone. She glanced at the screen. A message. Her heart raced when she saw the number: an unlisted contact, but she knew it was Claire.

"They know." That was all the message said.

Lena froze, the air leaving her lungs. "Claire's in danger," she whispered.

Samuel looked up at her, alarmed. "What?"

Lena showed him the message, her hand trembling slightly. "They know. They know she's going to talk."

Samuel quickly stood up. "Damn it. We have to move. They'll come for her."

Lena grabbed her bag, adrenaline once again surging through her veins. "Julien!" she called as she headed for the exit. "We have to find her before they do."