CHAPTER 18 — "No More Running"
The ocean wind slapped against Ava's face as she stood outside the lighthouse, the USB drive clenched tightly in her hand. The sun had already begun to set, streaking the sky in orange and blood-red — a perfect reflection of her boiling rage.
Jessy stood beside her, silent. He knew better than to interrupt when Ava was like this. She hadn't shed another tear since Lana died. Not one. The grief had crystallized into something else entirely — vengeance.
"We take this to Liam," she said finally. "He's the only one left who can help us build a case they can't bury."
Jessy raised a brow. "You still think the law can fix this?"
"No," she said coldly. "But it'll help expose them. We burn the mask before we take out the face."
They got into the car, the folder resting on Ava's lap like a sacred text. Every bump in the road reminded her how fragile the proof was — just files, names, secrets. But it was all they had now.
---
Liam's Apartment – 11:00 p.m.
Liam looked older than Ava remembered. Not in age, but in spirit — the kind of wear that only trauma could leave behind. When she showed him the USB drive, his eyes widened.
"This is... this is huge," he murmured, scrolling through the files. "If this is real—"
"It is real," Ava snapped. "She died for this."
Liam met her eyes, the weight of her loss mirrored in his own. "Then we need to move fast. If Eleana knows you're onto her—"
"She does," Jessy cut in. "They've been watching us since day one."
Liam sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We'll need to encrypt this, make copies, get it to people who matter."
"No," Ava said. "We leak it. All of it. Publicly. Let them scramble to explain."
Liam hesitated. "That'll put a target on your back."
Ava stepped forward, her voice low and steady. "There's already a target on my back. I just want to make sure when they pull the trigger, it's too late to stop me."
---
Elsewhere — Inside the Facility
Eleana stood in front of a long table. A map of the city stretched across it, dotted with pins and red strings like a spider's web. Behind her, men in suits monitored dozens of screens. Surveillance footage played on loop — of Ava at the lighthouse, of her car, of Liam's apartment.
"Phase Two was too kind," she said calmly. "They want a war?"
She turned slowly, her expression unreadable.
"Then we give them one."
---
The Next Day – Public Park, 3:12 p.m.
The sun was bright. Children played on swings, couples strolled hand in hand. No one noticed the black SUV parked near the edge of the parking lot — except Ava.
She sat on a bench, sunglasses on, hoodie up. Jessy stood a few feet away, pretending to read a newspaper. Liam was already inside the café across the street, uploading copies of the files to hidden servers.
"I see them," Jessy murmured into his comms. "Third row, tinted windows. They haven't moved."
"They're watching me," Ava said. "Let them."
Jessy hissed. "This is reckless."
"This is bait."
Her phone vibrated. One new message.
Unknown Number: You're brave. But bravery gets people killed.
Ava's fingers hovered over the screen.
She typed: So does staying silent.
Then blocked the number.
---
That Night — Back at Liam's Apartment
"Files are out," Liam said, typing rapidly. "I sent them to five different platforms — anonymous, untraceable."
"Even if they delete them," Jessy added, "it's too late. People have already seen it."
Ava nodded. "Now it begins."
Just then, the lights flickered. Once. Twice.
And then a bang shattered the window.
"GET DOWN!" Jessy yelled, tackling Ava as bullets ripped through the air.
Glass exploded around them. Liam dove behind the couch, clutching his laptop. Shadows moved outside — masked figures, armed, efficient.
"They found us!" Jessy shouted, pulling a handgun from under the table.
Ava grabbed the fire poker from beside the fireplace, adrenaline flooding her veins. She could still hear Lana's laugh, Chloe's lessons echoing in her mind.
Use your surroundings. Don't panic. Strike first.
She didn't panic.
She moved.
With a scream, Ava charged the nearest intruder as he climbed through the shattered window. The poker slammed into his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon. Another figure rushed in, and Jessy shot him in the leg before slamming the door shut.
"They're not here to scare us anymore," Liam yelled.
"They're here to kill us," Ava said, panting.
---
Minutes Later – After the Attack
Sirens wailed in the distance. The apartment was a mess — blood, glass, smoke.
Jessy leaned against the wall, clutching a wound on his arm. "We need somewhere else. This place is burned."
Ava stood in the middle of the wreckage, breathing hard.
"No more hiding," she whispered. "No more waiting."
She turned to Liam.
"You said you wanted to expose them."
He nodded.
"Then we don't just expose Eleana — we destroy her. We rip her entire world apart."
Liam stared at her, uncertain.
Ava's voice dropped into a whisper, full of storm.
"I want to see her beg."