Brooklyn kept her eyes locked on the road ahead, knuckles against the steering wheel. The sun had set an hour ago and the neon glare of downtown painted the windshield in fractured streaks of red and blue. Maya sat with the laptop balanced on her knees, scrolling through the dossier she had compiled, fingers tapping anxiously on the keyboard.
"This Dave guy drives a brand-new Cadillac Escalade. Black." She turned the screen toward Brooklyn briefly. "He's sticking out like a sore thumb for someone who's been off the grid."
Brooklyn's lips pressed into a thin line. "Then this won't take long."
They pulled into the underground parking lot, the hum of fluorescent lights echoing off the concrete walls. Brooklyn found a shadowed corner near the exit ramp, killed the engine and sat in silence.
Minutes passed, then half an hour. The air grew thick with anticipation.
Maya finally spoke, her voice soft but firm. "You sure you want to do this tonight? You just..."
"Don't..." Brooklyn cut her off, eyes still fixed on the entrance. "please, not right now."
Maya exhaled quietly, nodding. She knew better than to argue. Instead, she kept her gaze on the parking lot entrance, waiting.
At last, the low purr of an engine echoed through the garage. A black Cadillac Escalade descended the ramp, headlights sweeping the concrete as it rolled into a reserved space not far from them.
"That's him." Maya whispered.
Brooklyn's hand brushed the pistol at her hip. "Alright, let's move."
They slipped out of the car, their footsteps quiet against the concrete. Brooklyn led, her body low and predatory, while Maya trailed close behind. Dave Langston stepped out of the SUV, adjusting the cuffs of his blazer, distracted as he dug for his phone.
Maya exchanged a quick glance with Brooklyn, then called out, her voice pitching with false urgency. "Excuse me... sir! Please, can you help us? My friend's drunk, she can't stand."
Dave turned, confusion creasing his features. "Drunk? Uh-okay..."
He moved to them. Brooklyn stepped out of the shadows, shoving the cold barrel of a pistol against his ribs. His eyes widened, a sharp intake of breath escaping him.
"Not a word." she hissed, voice like steel.
Maya gave him a look that almost apologized for the deception but she stayed silent, letting Brooklyn take the lead.
Dave froze, hands half-raised. "Look, whatever this..."
"We're not here for your money." Brooklyn snapped. "We want about Operation Sky Sintel."
Dave blinked, bewildered. "I… I don't understand."
Brooklyn shoved him against the SUV, the impact rattling the glass. Her face was inches from his, eyes burning with barely restrained fury. "Don't play dumb with me. I know that your family orchestrated that mission... you're the reason why my squadron is dead and you blamed it all on me."
His brow furrowed, genuine confusion softening his features. "Mission? What the hell are you talking about? We run the company, that's it. I don't… I don't know anything about a mission."
Brooklyn's grip on the pistol tightened. "Liar."
But Maya, watching him carefully, raised a hand. "Brooklyn, wait. Look at him... he doesn't look like someone who know what you're talking about."
Dave shook his head vigorously. "She's right. I don't know. But…" He swallowed, glancing nervously at Brooklyn's gun. "My little brother, Victor... he's been meeting with people off the books lately... I thought it was just his golf club. But he's very secretive about them…" His voice trailed off, fear flashing across his face. "Maybe it's tied."
Brooklyn's eyes narrowed. The name hit her like a spark against dry kindling. "Victor?"
"Yes." Dave nodded quickly.
Brooklyn's face hardened. "And you expect me to believe you had no idea?" She raised the gun higher, pressing it to his forehead. "I don't trust you."
"Brooklyn!" Maya's voice cracked, sharp with alarm. She grabbed Brooklyn's arm, pulling it back just as Dave's eyes widened in terror. "Stop. Look at him, he's not lying."
"He's complicit!" Brooklyn snarled, her chest heaving. "He let it happen under his nose, he's just as guilty."
"No, he's not!" Maya shot back, stepping between Brooklyn and Dave. "He's a businessman, not a soldier. You kill him, you prove them right... that you're nothing but a murderer."
The words cut through Brooklyn like glass. Her breathing was ragged, her hands trembling on the gun. For a moment, the parking lot was silent but for the hum of the Escalade's engine cooling.
Dave pressed his back against the SUV, eyes darting between them. Slowly, cautiously, he spoke. "Listen. I don't want any part of whatever Victor's involved in. If he's behind this, then I'll help you expose him. I'll find you access to his files, records, anything you need but don't kill me. Please."
Maya turned her head toward Brooklyn, her voice steady now. "See? He's a lead, not a corpse. We need him alive if we're going to get to his brother."
Brooklyn's jaw clenched so hard it ached. She stared at Dave, then at Maya and finally lowered the gun with a sharp exhale.
Dave sagged against the SUV, relief flooding his features. He straightened his jacket with shaking hands.
Brooklyn turned away. Maya touched her shoulder lightly, guiding her back toward the car.
Behind them, Dave leaned against his SUV, breathing hard, his mind racing with the realization of how close he'd come to death.
As Brooklyn slid into the driver's seat, her hands still trembling on the wheel, Maya whispered, "One day, your anger's going to cost us everything."
Brooklyn didn't reply. Her eyes were fixed ahead, burning with vengeance. "Victor Langston." she murmured, the name like a curse on her lips.
The car roared back to life, pulling out of the garage and disappearing into the night, leaving Dave Langston shaking.