The sea wind hit Ava’s… now, Sarah’s face, the moment they stepped out of the car. It carried the briny scent of saltwater and the faint musk of damp pine, curling around the edges of her jacket and stirring something old and instinctual in her chest. The coastal town ahead was sleepy, with its shuttered shops and lazy gulls overhead. The streets were narrow and uneven, the asphalt patchy in places where grass grew through the cracks like weeds too stubborn to die.The house was perched just beyond a weatherworn picket fence. Paint peeled from the siding in long, curling flakes. Ivy crept up one side like fingers trying to reclaim it. A mailbox hung open, rusted and crooked on its hinges.Pearl, now Lily, stood on the bottom porch step, clutching her stuffed bear, eyes darting warily down the street. Even here, in this quiet haven, the fear hadn’t left her face; it clung to her like a second skin.Ava carried only two suitcases, light despite everything they held. She hadn’t packed
The early morning was covered in a thick mist that clung to your hair and hung low over the grass. A soft sun broke through the fog, casting warm light across the peaceful park.Ava stood at the edge of a winding path, holding Pearl’s small hand. The girl was focused on the ducks gliding across the calm pond, her shoes wet with dew. Next to them, Eleanor sat down on a weathered bench, her tailored coat placed neatly beside her.“You’re late,” Ava said softly, though there was no edge in her voice, only weariness.Eleanor’s lips twitched.“You’re the one who taught me never to rush when eyes are watching. Even if they’re just squirrels and retirees.”Ava glanced at her, a faint smile flickering. “La Rosa?”“It’s gone,” Eleanor said with quiet finality, resting her gloved hands in her lap. "The last shell company was officially closed down yesterday. The funds have been redirected to various foundations in a clean and discreet manner, and there's no going back."“And the members?”“Som
The morning light peeped through the cabin blinds, forming stripes across the table where Ava sat, hunched over a map strewn with handwritten notes and digital printouts. Red ink circled locations across the city, the boldest ringed one drawn around the crumbling edge of an industrial zone: Old Varelli Steelworks, Isabella’s last known safehouse.Alex leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching Ava with quiet intensity. “She’s cornered,” he said in a low voice. “But Isabella doesn’t do surrender.”Ava didn’t look up. “Then we bring the walls down before she can claw her way out.”Her fingers moved quickly over her burner phone, transmitting the coordinates and surveillance notes to Agent Harper. No emotion crossed her face, but her shoulders straightened when the message was sent.In a windowless secure office miles away, Selena worked in near silence, the glow of four monitors reflecting pale light over her features. One screen displayed encrypted hospital files, the last re
Alex slipped into the quiet roadside diner on the outskirts of town. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, humming with a tired rhythm.The place smelled of burnt coffee and frying grease. A lone waitress wiped down the counter, and a trucker nursed his third refill in a booth near the back. To the world, it was just another morning. To them, it was a turning point.Ava wore a hoodie and ball cap, her hair tucked back in a low braid. Alex, limping slightly from the warehouse shootout, looked like any other weary traveller. But every movement they made was practised, watchful.They slid into a booth near the corner where the blinds were drawn just enough to block view from the parking lot.“Table three,” Ava murmured under her breath.At the opposite end, a clean-shaven man in his thirties, wearing a brown leather jacket and glasses, nursed a lukewarm cup of tea.He didn’t look up as he spoke.“Harper,” he said flatly. “You’ve got two minutes.”Alex didn’t flinch. He reached into his
The cabin was quiet, save for the intermittent crackle of the old battery-powered radio on the shelf.Inside, Ava sat on the floor beside the wood stove, her back against the wall, her arm wrapped protectively around Pearl. She hadn’t left her side ever since, her small fingers now clinging to Ava’s shirt like they were afraid to let go. From the radio, the news anchor’s voice echoed hollowly:“The FBI continues its investigation into the mysterious woman known in syndicate circles as ‘The Godmother,’ now confirmed to be Dr. Ava Reed, the former medical director of Reed Memorial Hospital. Federal authorities believe she may be the central figure tying together the Moretti, Calabrian, and La Rosa criminal networks...”Ava turned the dial until the voice faded into static. Pearl’s wide eyes searched her mother’s face.“Why are they saying you’re... bad?” she whispered. “Are you really a criminal?”Ava's throat tightened. She looked down at her daughter, brushing strands of dark hair f
Gunfire echoed all around like a raging storm. Shells bounced off old beams and concrete walls as Ava ran through the thick smoke, the harsh smell of gunpowder making it hard to breathe.From behind the cage, a Calabrian enforcer stepped into view, raising his weapon slowly, deliberately, aimed not at Ava, but at Pearl.“No!”Ava screamed, launching herself forward with every ounce of strength in her body. She dove through the smoke and gunfire, ignoring the sharp pain slicing through her shoulder from a graze. Her body collided with the gunman just as he fired. The shot missed, burying into a beam as the two of them tumbled hard to the floor.She landed on top of him, disarming him in a violent twist of muscle and rage, then brought her elbow crashing into his temple. He went still.Pearl sobbed inside the cage, reaching through the bars. “Mom… please!”Ava looked up, breathing heavily. The gunfight continued around her, her ears ringing from the noise. Blood dripped from her arm, b