Chapter 78

Cain Lachlan thought he had won.

He had declared himself the new leader of the Echelon, swept up the remnants of Grayson’s power, and positioned himself at the top. But there was one thing he hadn’t accounted for.

Fiona Callahan wasn’t finished.

She sat at the center of the safehouse’s dimly lit command room, her fingers steepled as she studied the holographic map Marcus had pulled up. The target was clear—an old private club in Zurich, a place where the Echelon’s elite had gathered in secrecy for decades.

And Cain was hosting his meeting there.

“Security?” Fiona asked, eyes locked on the glowing blueprint.

Marcus tapped a key. “Standard for a high-level meet. Armed guards at all entrances, security checkpoints at the lobby, and elevator access. Backup teams on standby in the surrounding area.”

Darwin folded his arms. “So, we can’t just walk in.”

Bella smirked. “Why not? We’ve done dumber things.”

Fiona ignored the sarcasm. “Cain isn’t Grayson. He doesn’t rely on control—he thrives on chaos. If we’re going to take him down, we can’t just attack. We need to turn his own game against him.”

Marcus’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “I might have something for that.”

A new screen popped up—an encrypted message intercepted from Cain’s private channel.

Cain’s expecting a shipment. Weapons, cash, documents. Big enough to arm a small army.

Fiona’s lips curled into a cold smile. “Then that’s our way in.”

Darwin leaned forward. “We hijack the shipment, walk in like we belong there.”

Bella’s grin widened. “Now we’re talking.”

Fiona stood. “We move in two hours.”

This wasn’t just about stopping Cain.

It was about making sure there was nothing left of the Echelon when they were done.

---

The Infiltration

The loading dock behind the Zurich club was dark, the cold night air thick with the scent of gasoline and damp concrete. The truck had arrived five minutes ago, and Cain’s men were unloading crates, moving with military precision.

They never saw the attack coming.

Fiona moved first, her silenced pistol taking out the two guards closest to the truck. Bella followed a swift knife to the throat of another. Darwin and Marcus handled the rest, leaving only the driver—who barely had time to register what was happening before Darwin dragged him out of the truck and knocked him unconscious.

Fiona climbed into the driver’s seat, adjusting the cap she had taken from one of the guards. “Everyone ready?”

Darwin and Bella slid into the back, weapons hidden beneath their stolen jackets. Marcus took the passenger seat, tapping at his tablet.

“I’ve hacked into their security feed,” he muttered. “We’ll be in the system for exactly five minutes before they realize something’s off.”

Fiona shifted gears. “Then let’s not waste time.”

The truck rumbled forward, rolling through the checkpoint without a hitch. The guards barely glanced at them—why would they? This was routine.

They pulled into the underground garage.

Cain’s men swarmed the vehicle, beginning to unload.

Fiona and her team stepped out, walking with purpose. They had one goal—get inside, get to Cain, and end this.

For good.

---

The Meeting

The private club was all dark wood and velvet, a place built for quiet power plays and whispered betrayals.

Cain was seated at the head of a long table, surrounded by what remained of the Echelon’s power structure—old money, corrupt politicians, ex-military operatives. They were all here to pledge loyalty or be eliminated.

Cain leaned back in his chair, exuding confidence. He was younger than Grayson but twice as ruthless.

“Let’s not waste time,” he said. “With Grayson gone, I’m in charge. Those who disagree? Well, you know what happens to traitors.”

Murmurs rippled through the room. Fear. Uncertainty.

Perfect.

Fiona and Darwin moved through the side entrance, blending into the staff carrying crates inside. Bella had taken a separate path, already positioned above, her sniper rifle ready.

Cain had no idea what was coming.

Fiona slipped closer, her hand hovering near her concealed weapon. She met Darwin’s gaze.

One nod.

Then chaos erupted.

Bella fired first. The bullet shattered the chandelier above Cain’s head, sending glass raining down.

Fiona moved in, gun raised.

“Show’s over, Cain.”

The room exploded into motion. Cain’s men drew their weapons. Fiona fired, taking out the closest one. Darwin was a blur beside her, disarming another.

Cain flipped the table over for cover, barking orders. “Kill them!”

But the panic had already set in.

The Echelon wasn’t built for open conflict. It thrived in the shadows. And Fiona had just dragged them into the light.

She advanced, gun trained on Cain as he stumbled back, his composure cracking. “You thought you could take Grayson’s place?” she asked, voice like steel.

Cain snarled. “Grayson was weak. I’m not.”

He lunged.

Fiona fired—

But Cain was fast. He knocked the gun from her hand, slamming a fist into her ribs. Pain exploded through her side, but she didn’t let it slow her.

She twisted, driving an elbow into his jaw. Cain staggered, but he wasn’t done. He grabbed a knife from the fallen body of one of his men and slashed—

Fiona dodged, barely. The blade nicked her arm.

Darwin moved in, tackling Cain to the ground. They grappled, fists flying. Cain was stronger, but Darwin was faster.

A gunshot rang out.

For a split second, Fiona thought Bella had fired.

But it wasn’t Bella.

Cain had pulled a second weapon from his belt, aimed at Darwin’s chest.

Fiona didn’t hesitate.

She grabbed the discarded knife and drove it into Cain’s side.

He gasped, eyes wide, the gun slipping from his grip.

Fiona yanked the blade out and kicked him off Darwin. He hit the floor, blood pooling around him.

This time, there was no getting back up.

Cain Lachlan was dead.

The aftermath was swift.

With Cain gone, the remaining Echelon members scrambled. Some surrendered. Some ran.

But Fiona wasn’t interested in arrests.

She was interested in erasing the Echelon from existence.

Marcus had already begun the digital purge, wiping every record, every account.

Bella set the charges.

As Fiona and Darwin stepped out of the building, the explosion ripped through the night, fire consuming what was left of the organization that had nearly destroyed them all.

The Echelon was finished.

For the first time, Fiona felt the weight lift.

Darwin looked at her, his expression unreadable. “It’s over.”

Fiona exhaled. “Yeah.”

But was it?

The ghosts of their choices would linger.

The power they had destroyed wouldn’t simply vanish—it would shift and reform into something new.

And someday, someone else would try to take control.

Fiona looked at the burning wreckage.

She wasn’t naïve.

But tonight?

They had won.

And that was enough.