Chapter 19: The Velvet Room

The Velvet Room was exactly what its name promised—dark, luxurious, and seductive. Red velvet curtains draped the walls. Crystal chandeliers cast a dim, golden glow over the crowd. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and cigar smoke.

I stood at the bar, a glass of champagne in my hand that I had no intention of drinking. I was wearing a black cocktail dress that Victoria had picked out for me—elegant, expensive, the kind of dress that would make me blend in with the wealthy elite who frequented this place.

But I wasn't here to blend in.

I was here to find the basement.

Lena had given me everything she knew. The club was owned by a shell company that traced back to a man named Viktor Petrov. He was the new leader, the one who had rebuilt the network after Alexander's death. He was ruthless, intelligent, and paranoid. He never appeared in public. He never used his real name. He was a ghost.

But he had a weakness. Every Friday night, he hosted an auction in the basement of the club. The wealthiest men in the city gathered to bid on women and children. It was a depraved, secret ritual that had been going on for years.

Tonight was Friday.

I had spent the past week preparing. I had memorized the layout of the club. I had studied the faces of the guards. I had learned the passwords and the protocols. I had even managed to get myself on the guest list through a contact of Victoria's—a wealthy businessman who owed her a favor.

I was in.

But I wasn't out yet.

I scanned the room, my eyes searching for the entrance to the basement. It was hidden behind a door marked "Private" at the back of the club, guarded by two large men in black suits.

I needed a distraction.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Hector. "Now."

A moment later, a fight broke out near the entrance. Two men, both drunk, were shouting and shoving each other. The guards rushed to break it up, leaving the back door unguarded.

I slipped through the crowd and pushed open the door.

The stairs led down into darkness. I descended slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. The air grew colder, damper, the smell of perfume replaced by the smell of sweat and fear.

At the bottom of the stairs was another door. I pushed it open and stepped inside.

The basement was a nightmare.

Rows of cages lined the walls, each one holding a woman or a child. They were dressed in rags, their faces pale and hollow, their eyes empty. Some of them were crying. Some of them were silent. Some of them didn't even look up when I entered.

I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. This was worse than Alexander's compound. This was worse than anything I had ever seen.

"Can I help you?"

I spun around. A man was standing behind me, his arms crossed over his chest. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a shaved head and cold, dead eyes.

"I'm lost," I said, forcing a smile. "I was looking for the restroom."

The man didn't smile back. "The restroom is upstairs. This area is off-limits."

"I'm sorry," I said, backing away. "I'll just—"

I didn't get to finish the sentence.

The man grabbed my arm, his grip like iron. "You're not going anywhere."

He dragged me through the basement, past the cages, past the crying women and children, to a small room at the back. He threw me inside and slammed the door shut.

I was alone.

The room was small and windowless, lit by a single bare bulb. There was a chair in the corner, a table with a bottle of water, and nothing else.

I sat down on the chair, my heart pounding. I had been caught. I had failed.

But I wasn't going to give up. Not yet.

I pulled out my phone, but there was no signal. The basement was a dead zone. I was on my own.

I waited.

Hours passed. Or maybe minutes. I couldn't tell. The silence was suffocating.

Then, the door opened.

A man walked in. He was tall and elegant, dressed in a tailored black suit, his silver hair slicked back. He had sharp, intelligent eyes and a thin, cruel mouth.

"Ms. Thorne," he said, his voice smooth and accented. "I must say, I'm impressed. You're even more resourceful than I expected."

I stared at him, my blood running cold. "Viktor Petrov."

He smiled. "Guilty as charged."

He sat down across from me, crossing his legs. "I've been following your career with great interest. The book. The nonprofit. The crusade against injustice. You're quite the celebrity."

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice hard.

"I want to offer you a deal," Viktor said. "You see, I'm a businessman. I recognize talent when I see it. And you, Ms. Thorne, are very talented."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to offer," I said.

Viktor laughed. "I think you will be. You see, I know things. Things about your sister. Things about her death that you don't know."

My heart stopped. "What are you talking about?"

"Elena Moreau," Viktor said. "She was a brilliant journalist. Brave. Determined. But she made a mistake. She trusted the wrong people."

"I already know about Victoria," I said. "She told me everything."

Viktor shook his head. "Victoria was just a pawn. She didn't know the whole story. She didn't know who really ordered the hit."

I stared at him, my mind racing. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Damian Thorne didn't kill your sister," Viktor said. "He was just the middleman. The real order came from someone much higher up."

"Who?" I demanded.

Viktor smiled. "Work for me, and I'll tell you."

I stared at him, my heart pounding. He was lying. He had to be lying. Damian had admitted to ordering the hit. He had confessed. He was in prison.

But what if he wasn't telling the whole truth? What if there was someone else? Someone who had been pulling the strings all along?

"I'm not going to work for you," I said, my voice shaking.

Viktor shrugged. "Then you'll never know the truth. And your sister's killer will go free."

He stood up and walked to the door. He paused, looking back at me.

"You have until midnight to decide," he said. "After that, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you."

He walked out, slamming the door behind him.

I sat there, my mind reeling. Viktor was offering me the truth. The real truth about Elena's death. But the price was my soul.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't work for a monster. I couldn't become the thing I had spent my life fighting against.

But I also couldn't let Elena's killer go free.

I thought about Elena. I thought about her smile, her laugh, her determination. I thought about how she had died trying to expose the truth.

I thought about what she would want me to do.

And I knew the answer.

I stood up and walked to the door. It was locked, but I didn't care. I pounded on it, my fists aching.

"Viktor!" I shouted. "I'll do it! I'll work for you!"

The door opened. Viktor was standing there, a satisfied smile on his face.

"I knew you would see reason," he said.

I looked at him, my eyes cold. "Tell me who killed my sister."

Viktor smiled. "The order came from the top. From a man named Richard Hayes."

I stared at him. "Senator Hayes? But he's in prison."

"He was the one who gave the order," Viktor said. "But he wasn't the one who carried it out. The man who actually tampered with your sister's brakes is still out there. Still working. Still killing."

"Who?" I demanded.

Viktor leaned closer, his voice a whisper.

"His name is Marcus Reed."

My blood ran cold. Marcus Reed. The man who had betrayed us. The man who had died in Alexander's compound.

But Viktor was saying he was alive.

"That's impossible," I said. "I saw him die."

"You saw him fall," Viktor said. "But you didn't see him die. He was wearing a bulletproof vest. He escaped. He's been in hiding ever since."

I stared at Viktor, my mind reeling. Marcus Reed was alive. The man who had killed my sister was still out there.

And Viktor was offering me a chance to find him.

"I'll work for you," I said, my voice hard. "But only until I find Marcus. After that, I'm done."

Viktor smiled. "Deal."

He extended his hand. I shook it, my grip firm.

I had made a deal with the devil. But I would do whatever it took to find my sister's killer.

Even if it meant losing myself in the process.

To be continued...