Chapter 14 – The Last Secret
The warehouse was silent. The smoke still lingered in the air, curling around the broken bodies and shattered remains of the battle. Reddington was dead. The man who had stolen seven years of Adrian's life was finally gone.
Evelyn held onto Adrian tightly, feeling the tension still coiled in his muscles. His breathing was uneven, his body rigid beneath her touch. It was over. Or at least… it should have been.
But as the dust settled, Adrian's storm-gray eyes flickered with something else. Not relief. Not victory. But unease.
He wasn't celebrating.
He was waiting.
And then, in a quiet, deadly voice, he murmured—
"This was too easy."
---
A Hidden Truth
Evelyn pulled back slightly, searching his face. "What do you mean?"
Adrian's gaze swept over the warehouse. The bodies. The explosion. The fight. His jaw tightened. "This wasn't a final stand," he said. "It was a distraction."
Evelyn's breath hitched. "A distraction from what?"
Adrian exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into fists. "From the people really in charge."
Her chest tightened. She had thought Reddington had been the mastermind behind all of this. The one pulling the strings. The monster who had destroyed Adrian's life. But now, Adrian was saying he was just a pawn.
Her stomach twisted. "You're telling me there's someone worse than him?"
Adrian nodded, his expression grim.
And then—before he could say another word—
His phone buzzed.
One new message.
No name. No number.
Just two words.
"Wrong target."
Adrian stilled.
Evelyn's blood ran cold.
The nightmare wasn't over yet.
It was only just beginning.
---
The Real Enemy
Evelyn stared at the message, her pulse hammering. "What does that mean?" she whispered.
Adrian didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned and crouched beside Reddington's lifeless body. His hands moved quickly, searching through the man's coat, his expression unreadable. Then—he pulled out a phone.
The screen was dark. Locked. Encrypted. But Adrian's jaw set in determination. He already had a plan.
He stood, turning to Evelyn. "If Reddington wasn't the one in charge," he said, "this phone will tell us who is."
Evelyn swallowed hard.
She had thought this war had ended.
But now, she knew—they had only taken down one piece of a much bigger game.
And whoever was behind all of this?
They were still watching.
Waiting.
And now, they knew Adrian and Evelyn were coming for them.