The man sat back down.

He stared at the crescent moon on his screen.

He thought about his friends and what they’d wanted.

He remembered the daughters they had left behind.

A girl who was probably what... twenty-five now? Twenty-six?

A girl who grew up totally in the dark about the truth.

Without a clue how her dad really died.

Without knowing who did it.

The man had promised himself he’d track her down someday.

Tell her everything.

Give her the answers she really needed.

But he had been too scared.

Too worried about what the truth would do to her.

Too concerned she’d blame him for not taking action sooner.

But maybe, maybe now was the right time.

Maybe she’s strong enough now.

Maybe she needs to know.

The man opened a secure channel.

Encrypted. Private. Untraceable.

He started typing.

"I’ve got info about Michael Arthur. Stuff that goes back further than what you’ve found. Someone sent me files five years ago while investigating him, but that person died before finishing the job. If you want the whole truth, if you want justice for everyone he’s hurt, hit me back."

He paused and added one more line.

"The way you hacked in. I recognize it. Phantom X and Nova X. If you get what that means, you’ll understand why I’m reaching out. It’s time to wrap up what they started."

He went over it again.

His finger hovered over the send button.

This was the moment.

Once he hit send on this message, there’d be no turning back.

He had to find the girl.

He needed to fill her in about her dad.

About the brake failure that wasn’t just a fluke.

About who had called the shots.

She deserved to know the truth.

She always had.

The man shut his eyes.

He thought about his best friend.

He remembered the promise he didn’t keep.

He thought of a little girl who had lost it all.

A girl who had grown up on her own.

A girl who had somehow, against all odds, continued what her parents started.

If he was right about his suspicions.

He opened his eyes.

He hit send.

The message vanished into the encrypted network.

Now it was waiting.

For whoever took down Michael Arthur.

For whoever was using Phantom X and Nova X tactics.

For whoever had the crescent moon.

The man shut his laptop.

He got up and walked to his bedroom.

He had some things to get ready.

Because whether or not he heard back from his message. Whether his gut feelings were spot on or off.... He had to find her.

The girl who deserved to know the truth. The daughter of his best friend. He needed to tell her everything.

About her dad.

About the car.

About the cut brake lines.

About who called the shots.

About it all.

Even if it crushed her. Even if she ended up hating him.

She had a right to know.

He looked at his reflection in the bedroom mirror. He could see the weight of five years of silence.

Five years of feeling guilty.

Five years of promises that never happened.

No more.

It was time.

Time for the truth. Time to get justice. Time to finish what his friends started.

And somewhere out there.... somewhere in the same battle—

A young woman was about to get a message.

A message that would turn everything upside down.

A message from someone long gone.

From someone who knew the real story.

About her dad. About how he really died.

And about who was responsible.

The man took a deep breath and began to pack his things.

*****

Hazard King’s finger was resting on the trigger.

Just one pound of pressure.

That was all it would take.

Alpha Dark—Michael Arthur looked up at him, blood dripping down his face. His golden mask was tossed aside on the stage floor, and his shoulder was bleeding. He was done for.

"Please," Alpha whispered again. "Please. I have cash. Connections. I can end all this illegal stuff, and I can disappear. You’ll never see me again—"

"You’re right," Hazard King said quietly. "I won’t ever see you again."

His finger pressed down a bit harder.

Half a pound of pressure now.

Almost there.

But something stopped him.

A thought—clear, cold, logical.

If he pulled the trigger, Alpha would go quickly. Easy. It’d be simple.

One bullet. Done.

But that would be mercy.

And Alpha Dark didn’t deserve mercy.

He deserved to suffer.

To sit in a cell for years.

To watch every empire he built fall apart.

To see every ally ditch him.

To die alone. Forgotten. Hated.

Death was just too easy.

Real justice meant jail time.

The FBI was after him. Interpol wanted him too. The whole world was after him now.

His crimes were well-known. People recognized his face. His name was all over the news.

There’d be court trials, testimonies from witnesses, and victims facing him in court.

Families would finally have closure.

Girls would see the man who hurt them locked away forever.

That was justice.

Not a bullet.

Hazard King’s finger relaxed a bit.

He pulled back from the trigger.

Azalea noticed next to him. "Hazard King?"

He didn’t reply. He kept the rifle aimed at the Alpha’s head. He was thinking. Making up his mind.

The room fell silent.

Seventy-three guilty men were on their knees, hands zip-tied, just waiting.

Hazard King’s team stood ready with their weapons.

The thirteen girl operatives were safely on the floor.

Everyone was waiting for Hazard King to make his call.

Then—

There was movement.

From the back row.

One of the guests, a man in a fancy suit, probably in his late fifties and going bald, suddenly jumped up.

His two bodyguards were right there with him.

All three dashed toward the side exit.

"STOP!" yelled one of Hazard King’s crew.

The guest didn’t even slow down.

He kept on sprinting.

One of his bodyguards turned around.....