Crossfire

3.

Beyonce Knowles
Federal Bureau Headquarters

I stood in front of the team, the tension in the room thick. This was it-the case I'd been wanting for years, and now I had the best group to help me close it.

Yolanda, Olivia, Kelly, and a few other detectives and interns were all sitting in front of me, waiting for the plan. This wasn't just another case. This was the case.

The kingpin who'd been slipping through our fingers for too long.

"Alright, everyone," I said, my voice steady but serious. "This is it. I'm glad to be taking this case, and I'm glad to have you with me. Together, we're going to get him."

I paused for a second, making sure everyone was locked in. This was no time for anyone to lose focus.

"But let me be clear-this isn't going to be easy. This guy is smart, connected, and he'll do anything to avoid going down. There will be late nights, early mornings, and times when you're ready to quit. But we can't quit. We don't have that luxury. So, I need to know-are y'all with me?"

The room stayed quiet for a second, then Kelly leaned back in her chair with a smirk. "You already know I'm in, B."

Yolanda crossed her arms, nodding. "You've got us."

Olivia sat up straighter, the determination in her eyes clear. "Let's take him down."

I smiled. That's exactly what I needed to hear.

"Good. Because once we move, we're not stopping. Every decision we make has to be perfect. This guy's going to slip through the cracks if we aren't on it."

I glanced at the interns, especially Marcus, who looked like he was ready to explode with nerves. "Marcus, you're handling logistics. You'll track his movements, his crew, and safe houses. If he sneezes, I want to know where and when."

Marcus nodded furiously, already scribbling notes.

"Kelly," I turned to her, "you'll be with me on the streets. I need you watching his every move, eyes everywhere. You're my shadow on this one."

Kelly nodded, a smirk forming on her lips. "Don't worry, I'm all over it."

I turned to Olivia next. "Olivia, you and Yolanda will be running intel-cross-checking surveillance footage, pulling in tips, everything. I need every angle covered, nothing slipping through."

Kelly gave a confident nod. "Got it. We'll know everything before he does."

"That's what I like to hear," I said, feeling the fire in the room. This was it. We were ready. "Now, let's get to work. We've got a kingpin to catch."

We all sat around the table, the case files spread out in front of us like pieces of a puzzle. This was the moment we had to get everything straight.

Every fact, every lead, every little scrap of intel on Trevante Rhodes, the man they call "Trigger." He wasn't just some street-level dealer; he was calculated, smart, and careful-a mastermind.