WHO AM I

SHADOWS IN THE DARK

The atmosphere in the room had changed. After Noah's confession about Renzo's leverage, the gravity of their situation had settled in like a dark cloud. No one was safe, and the stakes were higher than they could have ever imagined. But as tense as things were, there was still a flicker of hope in the group's eyes. They weren't ready to give up—not yet.

"So, where do we start?" Cathy asked, breaking the silence. Her usual confident tone was back, but there was an edge of urgency in her voice.

Lila crossed her arms, her mind racing with possibilities. "We need to figure out what Renzo has on all of us. If we can understand his leverage, we might be able to turn it around."

"Easier said than done," Zara muttered. "It's not like he's going to leave a folder labeled 'blackmail' lying around."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Jasper chimed in with a smirk. "Guy probably has a whole database of dirt on everyone. RenzoBlackmail.com—membership required."

Stacy chuckled despite herself. "I mean, it wouldn't surprise me."

Noah leaned against the wall, arms folded. His expression was unreadable, but there was a simmering intensity beneath the surface. "We're not going after Renzo's files directly. It's too risky. But we can start by figuring out who else he's got on his payroll."

Lila nodded. "If we follow the money trail, we might find a weak link."

"I still think we should find a way to talk to Phillip," Cathy suggested. "He knows more than he's letting on. Maybe we can convince him to help us."

"Phillip?" Jasper raised an eyebrow. "The guy's more slippery than a bar of soap. You really think he's going to talk?"

"I'm with Cathy on this one," Lila said. "Phillip's scared of Renzo, sure, but he's also scared of losing everything. If we play it right, we might get him to crack."

Noah's brow furrowed. "I don't like it. Phillip's unpredictable, and he's only loyal to himself."

"That's what makes him the perfect target," Zara interjected. "If anyone's going to turn on Renzo, it's going to be someone like Phillip."

Noah didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue. "Fine. We'll approach Phillip, but we do it carefully. We can't afford any slip-ups."

Jasper leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head. "Carefully, huh? So, no wild, spur-of-the-moment plans to barge into his office and demand answers?"

Cathy shot him a look. "We're trying not to get ourselves killed, Jasper."

"Speak for yourselves," Jasper quipped. "I thrive on danger."

Stacy rolled her eyes. "You thrive on pizza and Netflix."

Jasper grinned. "Same thing."

Lila couldn't help but smile at their banter. It was moments like these that kept them grounded, even when everything else felt like it was spiraling out of control. But as much as they joked, the seriousness of their mission wasn't lost on anyone.

"I'll talk to Phillip," Lila volunteered. "He knows me, and he might let his guard down."

Noah's eyes darkened. "I don't like the idea of you going alone."

Lila's gaze didn't waver. "I'm not asking for permission, Noah. I'm doing this."

For a moment, the tension between them crackled in the air, but then Noah relented, nodding slightly. "Be careful."

"I always am," she replied, her tone softer.

Jasper stood up, stretching. "So, while Lila's off playing detective, what's the rest of us supposed to do? Twiddle our thumbs?"

Stacy smirked. "You can help me hack into Renzo's financial records."

Jasper blinked. "Wait, you can do that?"

Stacy grinned. "Didn't I tell you? I have skills."

Zara laughed. "Oh, this is going to be fun."