In the heart of New York City, Jacob Daniel leads a seemingly normal life, running a café near Central Park with his closest friends, Sam and Katie. But when Katie's boss is found murdered and the FBI pulls her into a high-stakes investigation, the...
Jake’s email triggered an eruption across the media, sparking a storm around Andrew Martin. News outlets buzzed with speculation, implying that new evidence could finally close many cold cases tied to Andrew. The scandal engulfed conversations across the city, and even at the hospital, officers surrounding Mathew murmured about it, sharing hushed opinions.
Later that night, Lisa and Cynthia arrived at the hospital. Jake and Sam had already handled the paperwork in advance to take Katie home in the morning. While Lisa and Cynthia returned to their apartment, Sam stayed with Katie for the night. As midnight approached, Jake finally left the hospital, exhausted but resolved. He got on his bike and started his ride home, the cool night air settling over him like a balm.
As he took the last turn toward his building, he spotted Neil standing outside the lobby. Jake quickly parked and approached him.
“Neil... What happened?” he asked, feeling his pulse quicken.
“Alexandra is back and safe,” replied Neil, his expression cold and unreadable.
Jake exhaled in relief. “Great. Thanks,” he replied, but Neil’s gaze didn’t soften.
“Not great, Jake. Not great. I know you leaked the information. Your little stunt is going to cost my business.”
Neil’s voice was sharp, almost scolding. His eyes bore into Jake, carrying a tension that felt dangerous.
Jake sighed, but before he could respond, Neil cut him off.
“This is it, Jacob. The line ends here.”
Without another word, he got into his van and drove away, leaving Jake standing alone, the night suddenly colder.
Jake rubbed his forehead, weary. He headed up to his apartment, but before he even opened the door, he heard loud music thumping from inside. Steeling himself, he entered to find Alexandra, tipsy and uninhibited, dancing in her lingerie.
“Mon amour!” she exclaimed, spotting him and swaying toward him, her movements playful.
Jake kept his expression cold, reaching for the remote to turn off the music. “Alexandra, where the hell were you?” he asked, his tone hard.
She laughed, ignoring his tone as she draped her arms around his neck, her lips curled in a playful smile. “Did you miss me?” she teased, her voice slurred.
Jake gently pushed her back onto the couch, pulling a stool over to sit across from her. Realizing that Jake wasn’t in the mood, Alexandra’s smile faded slightly, her gaze sobering.
“You can’t just vanish, Alexandra. I have enough to deal with,” Jake said, voice strained with irritation.
She didn’t respond, just held his stare with her slightly unfocused eyes. Jake took a deep breath, got up, and walked to his room, returning with the box she’d given him. He opened it, holding up the small, locked case and key.
“How do I open this? And what’s inside? What is this key for” Jake demanded.
Alexandra blinked, rubbing her eyes before responding. “It holds something Anna left. Just for you,” she murmured. “And the key—it’s for her safe deposit box.”
“Where is this deposit box? What’s the combination?” Jake pressed, exasperation building.
“Mon amour... that’s up to you to figure out,” she replied softly, slipping down onto the couch as sleep claimed her.
Jake watched her drift off before covering her with a blanket. With a sigh, he moved to his room, freshened up, and returned to his spot by the window, gazing out over the city skyline. He felt something lingering in his mind, a detail he had missed. Just then, a raven landed near his window, its dark eyes fixed on him.
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Jake stared, his thoughts wandering back to the night he’d looked through Angela’s belongings. The raven—Angela’s nickname at Quantico.
Jake’s eyes widened as he made the connection. He moved quickly to his safe, retrieved his laptop, and opened the encrypted files, typing “RAVEN” as the code for a file named “Corvus.” His heart raced as the file unlocked, revealing a series of documents, photos, payment statements, and emails—all linking Angela to covert operations, espionage, and even murder.
But then he saw it. A photo that made his heart freeze—a snapshot of Anna and Jonathan together at a restaurant, seated closely, food and drinks spread before them. The next file was a video. Jake’s hands shook as he hit play, watching as Anna and Jonathan shared a kiss. He closed his eyes, his mind reeling from the revelation.
For a moment, his grief was replaced by a cold, relentless fury. He scrolled further, coming across an email chain outlining Angela’s orders for Jonathan and Anna’s deaths—her “promotion” and payments in exchange for their elimination.
As Jake stared at the damning evidence before him, a new feeling settled deep inside—a darkness colder than rage. It was a clear, sharpened awareness of betrayal, a clarity he hadn’t had before. Angela’s entry into his life hadn’t been a coincidence; it was the trigger that set everything crumbling. Her every calculated move had woven itself through his life, tearing apart what he loved and leaving only questions in her wake. Now, as he pieced together her role, he finally saw her for who she truly was.
With only two days until the Gala and Anna's anniversary, Jake felt the weight of unfinished business pressing down on him. This wasn’t just about revenge—it was about closing the doors Angela had opened and finally exposing the network pulling the strings. All that remained was to uncover the masterminds behind Artemis and the identity of the elusive Nebula.
