On my wedding, my sister gave me a gift box. My seal commander husband said: "Don't touch it." "What's wrong?" I asked. He stared at my sister, his voice like ice: "You brought a threat into my home." His seal team guests stood up. My sister's smirk... Turned to fear.

By the following week, the trap was set.

Using the financial evidence I had uncovered regarding Vanguard Pacific and Vance Holdings, Miranda and Ethan arranged a meeting with the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California.

The federal prosecutors agreed to a high-risk operation: we would allow Admiral Vance to believe his plan was still on track.

Vanessa, sitting in a federal detention center, was offered one opportunity to reduce her impending twenty-year prison sentence. She had to place a monitored call to Admiral Vance from the field office.

We gathered in the glass-walled observation room at the FBI headquarters. Vanessa sat at a metal table, her eyes red, her wrists unmanacled for the recording.

Agent Lin pushed the red recording button. "Go ahead, Vanessa."

Vanessa dialed the number with a trembling finger. She put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" a heavy, authoritative voice answered on the third ring.

"Admiral Vance," Vanessa whimpered, playing the role of a desperate fugitive. "It's Vanessa. The FBI... they’re everywhere. I managed to slip away from the estate before they locked it down."

"Where is the drive?" Vance demanded instantly, showing zero concern for her safety. "Did you secure the package from Cole’s quarters?"

"I have it," Vanessa lied, following the script written by Ethan and the FBI team. "I have the drive and the backup encryption keys. But I need money to leave the country. Five hundred thousand dollars in cash."

A long pause hung on the line. I watched through the glass as Ethan adjusted his earpiece, monitoring the signal trace.

"Meet me at the dry docks in Long Beach," Vance said coldly. "Pier 4. Midnight. Bring the drive. If you tell anyone about this call, your sister won't live to see her first wedding anniversary."

The line went dead.

Vanessa sank into her chair, sobbing into her hands. "I did it... I did what you wanted. Please don't let him kill me!"

Agent Lin stepped back out of the room, looking at Ethan. "We have location confirmation. Vance is personally meeting her at Pier 4."

"He won't come alone," Ethan said, pulling a tactical vest over his black long-sleeved shirt. "He’ll bring his private security detail. Marcus and I will take point with the FBI SWAT team."

I walked up to Ethan, grabbing his tactical vest with both hands. "Ethan... Vance knows who you are. He knows how you fight. Don't take unnecessary risks."

Ethan placed his hands over mine, leaning down to press his forehead against mine. "I spent seven years in foreign warzones, Maya. A corrupt retired admiral on a pier in Long Beach isn't taking me down."