Grant said,
“Because your father kept records.”
“Where?”
“We don't know.”
Evelyn closed the folder.
“I do.”
Everyone looked at her.
“The old training facility.”
Marcus asked,
“What training facility?”
Evelyn looked toward the mountains.
“My father's.”
They drove there that afternoon.
The building had been abandoned for twenty years.
Inside, dust covered everything.
But beneath the floor, Evelyn found a metal box.
She opened it.
Documents.
Photographs.
Names.
And a map.
The map showed Victor's current operations.
There were locations all over the state.
Warehouses.
Private compounds.
Storage facilities.
And one final location.
A building beneath Iron Harbor.
Evelyn stared at it.
Victor wasn't planning to attack her.
He was planning to use the academy.
And Noah had been the reason she returned.
Victor made his move on Friday night.
The academy was closing when the lights went out.
Grant reached for his phone.
No signal.
Then the doors locked.
Students began shouting.
Evelyn stood in the center of the dark gym.
Travis whispered,
“How many?”
“Six,” she answered.
Marcus frowned.
“You can see them?”
“No.”
“Then how—”
“Footsteps.”
The emergency lights came on.
Six men entered.
Victor walked behind them.
He smiled.
“You always were difficult.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“You should have stayed away.”
Victor laughed.
“I gave you a chance.”
“You gave me a threat.”
“You have something I need.”
“The files?”
Victor nodded.
“Give them to me.”
“No.”
Victor looked at Noah.
Evelyn's expression changed.
“Don't.”
Victor smiled.
“Then we have a problem.”
The first attacker moved.
Travis intercepted him.
The second went after Marcus.
Adrian faced the largest.
The room erupted.
But this time, the three fighters weren't fighting to prove themselves.
They were protecting someone.
Travis used control instead of force.
Marcus redirected attacks.
Adrian absorbed pressure and created space.
Evelyn moved through the room like a shadow.
She didn't attack unless necessary.
She disarmed.
Redirected.
Blocked.
Escaped.
One man tried to grab Noah.
Evelyn crossed the room instantly.
She caught his wrist.
Turned.
And placed him on the ground.
“Never touch my son.”
Victor stared.
“You haven't changed.”
Evelyn looked at him.
“No.”
“I've become better.”
Victor pulled a knife.
The room froze.
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Put it down.”
“You're afraid.”
“Yes.”
Victor smiled.
“Good.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I've learned fear is useful.”
He lunged.
She moved.
The knife missed.
Evelyn trapped his arm.
Victor tried to overpower her.
She shifted her stance.
He fell.
She pinned him.
For a moment, the entire room was silent.
Victor looked up.
“Do it.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you want me to.”
She released him.
Victor looked confused.
Then the police entered.
Grant had secretly activated an emergency alarm.
The men were arrested.
Victor was taken away.
But before he was led outside, he looked at Evelyn.
“You think this is over?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
She looked toward the officers.
“It isn't.”
The police searched Victor's property.
They found weapons.
Documents.
Money.
And a hidden room.
But the most important discovery was beneath Iron Harbor.
A tunnel.
It led beneath the academy.
Evelyn walked down with Grant, Leah Torres from the police department, and the three fighters.
At the end was a steel door.
Behind it were computers.
Files.
Recordings.
Names.