Phantom tilted his head, his smirk mirroring hers. "And yet here you are, wasting time instead of listening."
Leo took a step forward. "If you know who's behind this, say it."
"Not so fast." Phantom's gaze darkened. "I want protection. You and your little team aren't the only ones hunting me. If I give you what you want, I need something in return."
Jillian narrowed her eyes. "Protection from whom?"
Phantom hesitated, then let out a slow breath. "Someone more dangerous than Victor."
Victor raised an eyebrow at that. "Flattering," he muttered, clearly unimpressed.
Dante exchanged a glance with Jillian. If Phantom was afraid of someone beyond Victor, that meant there was another player in the game—one they hadn't accounted for.
"How do we know you're not just leading us into another trap?" Jillian asked, watching him closely.
"You don't," Phantom admitted. "But I know one thing. If you don't take my deal, you'll never find the real person pulling the strings. And by the time you do? It'll be too late."
Jillian exhaled, her mind racing. This wasn't just about revenge anymore—it was about staying ahead of a game she didn't even know she was playing.
"Fine," she said, finally. "But you're not calling the shots here. We make the terms, and you give us proof that you actually know something useful."
Phantom smirked. "Deal."
Victor's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "Don't think I've forgotten about you, Phantom," he warned. "If you're lying, I'll make sure you regret it."
Phantom only chuckled. "Oh, I don't doubt it, Holloway."
Jillian took a deep breath. They had just struck a deal with someone they couldn't trust, and Victor was still playing his own game. This was dangerous territory. But if Phantom was telling the truth, they were finally closer to the truth than ever before.
And she wasn't about to back down now.
The Unseen Enemy
Jillian clenched her fists as Phantom smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. They had agreed to his deal, but that didn't mean she trusted him. Not yet.
"Alright," she said, keeping her voice firm. "Talk."
Phantom exhaled and crossed his arms. "First things first—you think Camilla was acting alone? She wasn't. She was following orders."
Jillian's stomach tightened. "Whose?"
Phantom hesitated, then his smirk faded. "Jonathan Robinson wasn't just a runaway. He was a piece of a much bigger game. Camilla was protecting him, but she was also using him. She's been working with someone else from the start, someone powerful enough to make Victor seem like a common thug."
Victor chuckled, unfazed. "I doubt that."
Phantom shot him a sideways glance. "That's because you're used to being the one pulling the strings. But this time? You're just another pawn."
Victor's smirk twitched. He didn't like being underestimated, but Jillian could see the gears turning in his mind.
Dante stepped forward. "Names. If we're making this deal, we need a name."
Phantom gave a slow, deliberate nod. "Ever heard of The Broker?"
Leo's eyes widened slightly. "The information dealer?"
Jillian frowned. She had heard whispers of someone called The Broker—a faceless entity who traded in secrets, always staying one step ahead of everyone. If that was true… then they weren't just dealing with a criminal. They were dealing with someone who could control the entire game from the shadows.
"This isn't just about you, Jillian," Phantom continued. "It never was. The Broker has been watching for a long time, moving pieces on the board. Camilla was just another piece. And if you don't start moving faster, you'll be next."
Jillian's pulse quickened.
If Phantom was telling the truth, they were dealing with an enemy they couldn't see—one who had been orchestrating things from the very beginning.
Victor sighed and rubbed his temples. "So what's your plan, then?" he asked, clearly annoyed but intrigued.
Phantom smirked. "Simple. We draw The Broker out."
Jillian exhaled, exchanging glances with Dante and Leo. This wasn't what they had expected. But it was clear now—the fight wasn't just against Camilla or Jonathan anymore.
It was against someone much bigger.
And if they weren't careful, they were about to step into a war they weren't ready for.
A Dangerous Gamble
Jillian exhaled slowly, her mind racing. They had been chasing after Camilla, Jonathan, and Phantom, but now they were staring at something much bigger—The Broker. An unseen force manipulating everything from the shadows.
Dante stepped forward, his voice low. "You want to draw The Broker out? That's easier said than done. If they're as powerful as you claim, they won't just come running because we want them to."
Phantom chuckled. "That's where you're wrong. Everyone has a weakness, even The Broker. The trick is figuring out what it is."
Victor scoffed. "And I suppose you know?"
Phantom shrugged. "Not exactly. But I know someone who does."
Jillian narrowed her eyes. "Who?"
Phantom's smirk returned. "A former associate. Someone who used to work directly under The Broker before they went off the grid. If we find them, we get leverage."
Leo crossed his arms. "And let me guess—they don't want to be found."
Phantom nodded. "Bingo."
Jillian exchanged a glance with Dante and Leo. This was dangerous. Too dangerous. But at this point, did they even have a choice?
Victor sighed, rubbing his chin. "Fine. I'll play along. But if this turns out to be a waste of my time—"
Phantom cut him off. "Then you can kill me yourself."
Victor smirked. "Tempting."
Jillian ignored their exchange, her mind already moving ahead. "Where do we start?"
Phantom's expression darkened. "We start by heading to the last place they were seen—Raven's Hollow."
Dante stiffened. "Raven's Hollow? That place is a death trap."
Jillian swallowed hard. She had heard of Raven's Hollow—a lawless zone where only the most ruthless survived. If their lead was hiding there, it wouldn't be easy getting to them.
Leo sighed. "Well, I guess we're walking into hell."
Jillian took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Then let's make sure we come back out."
With that, they made their choice.
Their next destination was set.
And this time, there was no turning back.
The road to Raven's Hollow was long, stretching through the outskirts of the countryside where the law had no presence. It was the kind of place where people vanished without a trace, where deals were made in the dark, and where trust was as rare as a clean slate.
Jillian, Dante, Leo, Victor, and Phantom traveled in two separate vehicles, keeping their distance but heading to the same destination. The tension between them was thick, but there was an unspoken agreement—nobody wanted to be the first to break the silence.
Leo tapped away on his tablet in the back seat, scanning through whatever scraps of information he could find. "Raven's Hollow used to be a thriving district before it turned into a crime-infested wasteland. It's been off the grid for years, controlled by a bunch of warlords who only answer to The Broker."
Dante, keeping his eyes on the road, let out a low whistle. "Sounds like home."
Jillian shot him a side glance. "Not funny."
Victor's voice crackled through the comms. "Stay alert. The second we step into that place, we're targets."
Phantom, who was in the vehicle ahead with Victor's men, chuckled. "Relax, Holloway. We're not the biggest fish in this pond."
Jillian clenched her fists. That was exactly what worried her.