As the sun began to set over the hills, casting a warm glow over the town, Chen pulled Zara aside. "I've been talking to some of the people here," he said. "There's a meeting between Rico and some of the syndicate's leaders happening three days from now—at a beach resort just outside Port Antonio. They're supposed to be meeting with some officials to finalize the land contracts and discuss expanding their operations into Montego Bay."
Zara's eyes widened. "How did you find that out?"
"One of the women here—her cousin works at the resort," Chen said. "She overheard them making plans. If we can get inside that meeting, we can gather enough evidence to arrest them all—officials and syndicate members alike."
Zara thought for a moment, then nodded. "I can get us in," she said. "Rico mentioned that Mr. Thorne will be there—he's the one who makes all the decisions. If we can catch him on tape admitting what they've been doing, it'll be enough to get the authorities involved."
That night, as they sat on her parents' porch looking up at the stars, Zara felt a weight lifting from her shoulders that she'd carried for months. For the first time since the syndicate had taken over her town, she felt like there was a real chance to win. Chen and Maya were already making plans, talking about how to set up surveillance and ensure they had everything they needed to make the operation a success.
"We can do this," Zara said quietly, and this time, she believed it with every fiber of her being. The road ahead would be long and difficult, but she wasn't alone anymore—and neither were the people of Ocho Rios Junction.