The Crimson Silence

Crossing Lines

The emotions between Jake and Alexandra were palpable as they stood in the kitchen, the weight of their shared burdens making the silence heavy. After the long hug, they just stared at each other. Both knew that from here on, everything was going to change-the storm had begun, and there was no turning back.

Jake was the first to break the silence. "You look tired... get some sleep," he said, his voice low.

"Je ne suis pas fatiguée," Alexandra replied softly, her eyes lingering on him.

Jake didn't argue. He turned and headed for his bedroom, expecting to be alone. But Alexandra silently followed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She took a spot next to him on the bed, legs folded beneath her, casually scrolling on her phone, but her presence was undeniable. Jake tried to focus, pulling his laptop onto his lap. There was still more to go through-files, encrypted data, things he needed to make sense of.

As Jake scanned the screen, something caught his attention. Each file he had hacked contained a document or folder titled "Aphrodite." He stared at the screen for a long moment, his mind racing. Could this be the clue? Could this be the key to identifying List-5-the final target?

Just as Jake began to delve deeper into his thoughts, Alexandra's soft touch pulled him back. She tapped his hand lightly, drawing his gaze to hers.

"Comment as-tu fait?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Jake gave her a sly smile but didn't answer right away. He turned his gaze back to the laptop. "You've heard enough already... get some sleep," he said, attempting to brush off her question.

But Alexandra wasn't backing down. She leaned in closer, her tone more insistent. "Tell me, Jacob... how do you do it?"

Jake hesitated, but the look in her eyes made him relent. He took a deep breath, his voice steady as he began to explain. The Rite.

"I start by identifying them," Jake said. "I follow their lives-find out who they really are. Not the version they show the world, but the monsters they hide inside."

Alexandra nodded, urging him to continue.

"I then hack them. I learned that back in college." He paused for a moment, recalling the days when Katie had pushed him to take courses with her, though he had never imagined back then just how useful those skills would become.

"After hacking them, I gather everything I can-emails, documents, anything that proves their crimes. I keep what I need, and I surveil them. I follow their routines, their movements, until I know their schedules like the back of my hand."

He leaned back slightly, his eyes darkening as he spoke. "When the time is right, I pick the location. Somewhere they feel safe-somewhere they'd never suspect a thing. Then I made my move."

Alexandra's breath hitched, and she whispered, "And then?"

"The kill shot." Jake's voice was cold, detached. "I distract them, lead them to the spot I've chosen. Then I stab them in the chest. Quick, clean. Afterward, I leave evidence behind-photos, documents, all of it linking them to their own crimes."

The weight of his words hung in the air, and for a moment, Alexandra was silent. But her expression wasn't one of fear-it was admiration. She looked at Jake with a kind of reverence.

"incroyable...!" she murmured, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Jake looked back at her, and for the first time in a while, he felt understood. She didn't judge him. She didn't look at him with pity or horror. She saw him for what he truly was-a savior in her eyes.