Chapter 10: The Enemy Inside the Enemy
Chapter 10: The Enemy Inside the Enemy
The black vehicle disappeared into the storm.
Dominic sat in the back seat.
His hands were free.
That was the first thing he noticed.
Nathan was confident enough not to restrain him.
That meant one of two things.
Either Nathan believed Dominic was completely defeated.
Or Nathan needed him alive.
Dominic looked through the dark window.
The streets outside were unfamiliar.
They weren't heading toward any location he recognized.
Good.
Because if Nathan wanted him somewhere specific, he would reveal the plan.
A plan only existed when someone believed they were in control.
Dominic had spent his entire life breaking plans.
Across from him, Nathan sat calmly.
Almost peacefully.
Like they were two old friends taking a late-night drive.
That was the most disturbing part.
Nathan didn't look like a villain.
He looked like Nathan.
The same man who had stood beside him at funerals.
The same man who had poured drinks after victories.
The same man who had once saved his life.
"You're quiet."
Nathan finally spoke.
Dominic didn't look at him.
"Thinking."
Nathan smiled.
"About what?"
"How long."
Nathan leaned back.
"How long what?"
"How long you were lying."
The smile disappeared slightly.
"Since the beginning."
Dominic turned.
"Seventeen years?"
Nathan looked out the window.
"Seventeen years, three months, and twelve days."
The answer was too precise.
Dominic studied him.
"You counted."
"Of course I counted."
Nathan's voice became softer.
"Every day I stood beside you was another day I proved I was better at controlling the world than you were."
Dominic shook his head.
"You never wanted friendship."
Nathan laughed quietly.
"Friendship?"
"You really believed that?"
Dominic remained silent.
Nathan looked at him.
"That's why you lost."
"You confuse loyalty with weakness."
The car continued through the rain.
After several minutes, they arrived at an abandoned private airport.
Dominic recognized the location.
A place his organization had used years ago.
Before he shut it down.
Nathan stepped out.
"Welcome home."
Dominic looked around.
"This was my property."
Nathan smiled.
"Exactly."
"Everything you built eventually became mine."
Inside the old hangar...
The lights turned on one by one.
A dozen armed men stood waiting.
Dominic recognized some of them.
Former employees.
Former guards.
People he had trusted.
People who had disappeared over the years.
Nathan noticed his expression.
"Surprised?"
Dominic looked at the men.
"You recruited from my own organization."
"I recruited from your mistakes."
Nathan walked forward.
"Every person you ignored."
"Every person you underestimated."
"Every person who thought they deserved more."
"I found them."
Dominic looked at him.
"So that's your empire."
"No."
Nathan smiled.
"This is just the foundation."
He opened a large metal door.
Behind it was a room filled with computers.
Maps.
Documents.
Photographs.
Dominic walked inside.
His expression changed.
The walls were covered with information.
His entire life.
His family.
His business.
His enemies.
His friends.
Everything.
Nathan watched him carefully.
"I spent years studying you."
Dominic looked at the photographs.
"There is something wrong with you."
Nathan laughed.
"Maybe."
"But it worked."
Dominic noticed one photo.
Victoria.
Taken before their wedding.
Another.
Harper.
Taken outside the estate.
Another.
Mia.
Taken while she was working.
Dominic's face darkened.
"You watched them."
"Everyone."
"Why?"
Nathan looked at the wall.
"Because everyone has a weakness."
"And yours was always love."
Dominic turned.
"You kidnapped a child."
Nathan shrugged.
"I used an opportunity."
"No."
Dominic stepped closer.
"You crossed a line."
Nathan smiled.
"There are no lines."
"Only winners and losers."
Suddenly, a man entered the room.
"Mr. Cross."
Nathan turned.
"What?"
The man looked nervous.
"We have a problem."
Nathan's expression changed.
"What problem?"
The man handed him a tablet.
Nathan looked at the screen.
His face slowly hardened.
Dominic noticed.
For the first time tonight...
Nathan looked afraid.
"What happened?"
Nathan ignored him.
The man answered carefully.
"Someone accessed the old Raven files."
Nathan looked up sharply.
"Who?"
"We don't know."
"But the access code..."
The man hesitated.
Nathan stepped forward.
"Say it."
The man swallowed.
"It was Victoria's code."
Silence.
Dominic watched Nathan carefully.
That reaction told him everything.
Nathan wasn't worried about Dominic.
He wasn't worried about the police.
He wasn't worried about losing power.
He was worried about Victoria.
Because someone else was controlling the game.
Back at the Vale estate...
Daniel stood inside Dominic's office.
The room had been searched three times.
Nothing.
No clues.
No messages.
Nothing.
Until Olivia found something hidden beneath the desk.
A small envelope.
Daniel looked at it.
"Was this here before?"
Olivia shook her head.
"No."
"Someone placed it recently."
Daniel opened it.
Inside was a single photograph.
The image showed Dominic.
Nathan.
Victoria.
And another person standing behind them.
Someone whose face had been scratched out.
On the back of the photo were four words.
YOU FORGOT THE THIRD PLAYER.
Marcus looked over his shoulder.
"Third player?"
Daniel stared at the picture.
Then slowly said:
"Dominic always believed there were only two sides."
"His side."
"And Nathan's side."
Olivia looked nervous.
"You're saying there was someone else?"
Daniel turned the photo over again.
At the bottom corner was a symbol.
Not a raven.
Something different.
A black crown.
Daniel's face changed.
"No."
"What?"
He whispered:
"The Raven family was never the top."
"The person controlling Nathan..."
"...was someone above him."
At the airport hangar...
Nathan walked away from Dominic.
He made a phone call.
The moment the person answered...
His confident expression disappeared.
"We have a problem."
A woman's voice replied.
"You always say that when Dominic surprises you."
Nathan looked back toward Dominic.
"He found Victoria."
Silence.
Then the woman laughed.
"Good."
Nathan frowned.
"Good?"
"Yes."
"Let him find her."
"Let him believe he is getting closer to the truth."
Nathan lowered his voice.
"What are you planning?"
The woman answered calmly:
"Finishing what we started twelve years ago."
Nathan looked uncomfortable.
"But Dominic is harder to control than we expected."
The woman smiled through the phone.
"No."
"He is exactly where I want him."
A pause.
"Because Dominic Vale has one weakness Nathan could never understand."
"What?"
Her voice became cold.
"He still believes there is something worth saving."
The call ended.
Nathan stared at the phone.
May you like
For the first time in seventeen years...
He wondered if he was also just another piece on the board.
