I backed out of the garage, the tires spinning for a second on the icy concrete before gripping the gravel drive.

In the distance, headlights cut through the trees near the main gate.

Shadowy figures were moving toward the front steps of the estate.

I did not turn on my headlights.

I navigated the narrow side path by the glow of the snow alone.

The SUV bounced over the hidden curb and slid onto the main road.

Once I was a block away, I flipped the lights on and hit the gas.

The wipers scraped against the windshield, clearing the heavy, wet snow.

I checked the cup holder.

The black flash drive was safe.

It held the ledger of Marcus’s entire empire.

But it also held the files I had copied from Sophia’s personal server.

She thought she was using me to destroy Marcus so she could take over his territory.

She did not know I had found her secret transactions.

She had been skimming millions from the syndicate’s offshore accounts for three years.

I drove through the empty streets of the Loop, the towering skyscrapers disappearing into the gray clouds above.