The mansion was quiet.
Adrian stepped inside. Andrew followed. Both still breathing hard from the drive.
Victor stood in the main hall. Arms crossed. Behind him, two men.
Victor looked at Andrew first. Then at Adrian.
"You're alive," Victor said.
"Barely," Andrew muttered.
Victor ignored him. Stepped forward. Pulled out a thick envelope. Tossed it onto a side table.
"Your payment."
Adrian didn't touch it. "I didn't do this for money."
"No. You did it for answers." Victor nodded. "And you'll get them."
Adrian waited.
Victor walked to a cabinet. Opened it. Pulled out a small device. Black. Encrypted. No buttons. Just a screen and a port.
"This came from your father's storage unit," Victor said. "Locked. Encrypted. We can't get in."
Adrian looked at the device. "So?"
"So you need someone who can." Victor set it down. "A hacker."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "You know one?"
Victor ignored him. Looked at Adrian. "My men are working on it. Give me time."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "That's not good enough. I almost died tonight."
Andrew stepped in. "Victor. Give him what he wants."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
Andrew didn't back down. "He did a good job. Pre-planned an air jump. Got one hell of a driver. You saw what he did."
Silence.
Victor studied Adrian. Then nodded slowly.
"Fine." He reached into his jacket. Pulled out a folded piece of paper. Slid it across the table. "An address. Your father's last known location. Before he disappeared."
Adrian picked it up. Didn't open it yet.
"There's more," Victor said. "But I need something from you first."
"What?"
Victor gestured to the encrypted device. "There's a hacker. She's good. Best I know. You and Andrew go pick her up. Bring her here. She opens that device, you get the next clue."
Adrian tucked the paper into his pocket. "Where is she?"
Victor gave another address. "She's expecting you. But she's... difficult."
Andrew snorted. "Great."
Victor looked at both of them. "Don't disappoint me."
Outside, Tony was still waiting. Engine running.
Adrian got in the back. Andrew slid in next to him.
"Take us here," Adrian said, showing Tony the address.
Tony nodded. Pulled away.
Adrian pulled out his phone. Wired $1,000 to Tony's account.
Tony's phone buzzed. He glanced at it. Eyes went wide.
"What the—"
"You did good tonight," Adrian said.
Tony shook his head. "I don't make this much in three months."
"Now you do. Drive."
Tony grinned. Hit the gas.
The address was a rundown building.
Boarded windows. Graffiti. Trash everywhere.
Adrian and Andrew got out. Told Tony to wait.
They took the stairs to the third floor. Narrow hallway. Flickering lights.
At the end, a door. Small camera at the edge of the frame. Watching.
Adrian stepped in front of the camera. "We're from Victor."
A pause. Static. Then a voice. Female. Young. Sharp.
"I'm not there."
Andrew frowned. "What?"
"You heard me. I'm somewhere else. Come pick me up. ASAP."
The camera clicked off.
Adrian stared at the door. Then turned.
"Let's go."
Andrew followed, frustrated. "She's playing games."
"Doesn't matter. We go where she says."
The new address was an abandoned industrial site. Chain-link fences. Rusted gates. Silent, Adrian and Andrew got out. Walked toward the main entrance.
Then
A van burst through the gates.
Tires screaming. Metal screeching. Two black cars behind it. Guns firing.
Adrian grabbed Andrew. Pulled him back.
"Tony! Go!"
They dove into the cab. Tony floored it.
The van sped ahead. Black cars chasing. Bullets sparking off the pavement.
Adrian's phone rang. Unknown number.
He answered.
"You're late," the voice said. Female. The hacker.
Andrew snatched the phone. "We're not your pickup buddies. Or your bodyguards."
"I'm on a heist. Things didn't go according to plan. I need help."
Andrew stared at the phone. Then at Adrian.
Adrian took it back. "We're coming."
He hung up.
Tony was weaving through traffic. Cars honking. Tires smoking.
A police siren joined the noise.
Adrian looked back. Cop car. Lights flashing.
"This just got better," Andrew muttered.
Adrian leaned forward. "Tony. Shortcut. Cut to the van."
Tony didn't ask questions. Swerved into an alley.
"Left," Adrian said.
Tony turned.
"Right. Left. Right. Right."
Narrow passages. Brick walls close enough to touch. One mistake and they'd scrape metal.
Tony didn't hesitate. Just drove.
The cab shot out of the alley. Cut right between the black cars and the van.
Adrian's phone buzzed. Victor.
"We need backup. Now," Adrian said.
Victor's voice was cold. "Understood."
The line went dead.
The back of the van slid open.
A girl stood there. Laptop in her hands. Typing fast. Dark hair. Sharp eyes.
She looked at Adrian. Didn't smile.
"Stacy," she said. "Thanks for the assist."
Before anyone could respond, two men leaned out of the black cars. Guns up. Started firing.
Bullets pinged off the cab's door.
Tony ducked. "Holy—"
Andrew grabbed Adrian's arm. "What's the plan?"
Adrian looked at Tony. "Can you catch her if she jumps?"
Tony's eyes went wide. Then he nodded. "I can try."
"Good enough."
Andrew laughed. Nervous. "What's your deal with air jumps?"
Adrian ignored him. Looked at Stacy.
"On my count. Three. Jump."
Stacy glanced back into the van. "What about my crew?"
"Not my business. You're my business."
Stacy shook her head. "No. Come up with another plan."
Adrian's jaw tightened. He looked at the van. Two men inside. Driver. One in the back with Stacy.
He thought fast.
Adrian stared down for a moment, then his drafted towards the next turn and came up with a plan. Then whispered something to Andrew and Tony. With Stacy on the phone.
Then he looked at Stacy
"Tell your driver my plan," Adrian said.
Stacy listened. Nodded. Disappeared into the van.
Thirty seconds later, Stacy was at the back again. Ready.
Adrian held up his hand.
"One."
Tony gripped the wheel.
"Two."
Stacy crouched.
"Three. Jump."
She leaped.
Tony swerved. The hood caught her. She rolled onto the windshield. Clawed her way to the passenger window.
Andrew reached out. Grabbed her arm. Pulled her inside.
She landed in the seat. Breathing hard. Laptop still in her arms.
Andrew stared at her. Then at Adrian.
"She's...pretty." Andrew said with a smile
Stacy ignored him. "What's next?"
Adrian turned to Tony. "Hit the brakes."
Tony slammed the brake. The cab skidded sideways.
The black cars sped past. Their gunners reloaded.
Adrian pulled out his Glock.
"Ready?" he asked Tony.
Tony nodded. Pulled out his own gun.
Adrian looked ahead. A truck was coming from a side street. Big. Slow.
"Shoot the tires," Adrian said.
Tony aimed. Fired.
The truck's front tire blew. The driver lost control.
At the same time, Tony cranked the wheel. The cab drifted into a side alley.
The truck swerved. Flipped. Blocked the street.
The black cars slammed into it. Metal crunching. Glass exploding.
Adrian watched in the mirror. No one followed.
Stacy let out a breath. "That worked."
Andrew was grinning. "Hell yeah it worked."
Tony laughed. Shaking his head. "I need a raise."
Adrian tucked the Glock away. Leaned back.
They drove in silence for a minute. Then Stacy looked at Adrian.
"Thanks." She said, with eyes full of amusement and gratitude.
Adrian didn't answer. Just watched the road.
They were heading back to Victor's.
The night wasn't over...