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“They think the law is broken, and they are the ones who will fix it," Topeka affirmed, a weary sigh escaping her. "They're judge, jury, and executioner. And it's not confined to our cityor state. They've extended their reach, offering their 'services' to anyone willing to pay the right price. The very thing they’ve all sworn to uphold is being crushed in their grip. They see loopholes in the justice system as nothing more than a noose they should use to strangle the person who slipped through it."
The revelation left Rose stunned, the scope of the conspiracy far beyond what she had imagined. "How did you find out about all this?"
"Russ Revere, he’s an investigative journalist. He came to me one day and asked if I had an hour to spare to do a piece on my father. He wanted some background. I never cared for journalists. Always thought they were out to smear my father's name," she said, her voice hollow. “There had been plenty of hit pieces in the papers about him but they never went anywhere. I know now why. My father would use violence and threats to shut them down.”
“Russ convinced you of the truth?” Now Rose was the skeptical one. To turn a loyal daughter against her father would be a near impossible task.
"Russ showed me the truth hidden beneath the hero façade I'd always believed in. The stories weren't hit pieces; they were warnings. He had evidence. Not enough to take him down but pieces of the story. Things that I knew were true, but looking at them from a different perspective. Through the lens of my father’s perfection rather than his corruption. One hour with Russ, and I felt the cracks in my relationship. One week, and I knew it was worse than I ever could have imagined.”
Rose moved to sit beside her, close enough to offer comfort but far enough to give space. "And now you're here because of what he showed you."
Topeka’s nod was almost imperceptible. "I was convinced I could help him expose my father. Russ... he believed in me,thought I was the only one who could get close enough. He never thought my father would actually... hurt me."
Rose reached out, placing a gentle hand on Topeka's. "And the phone, the one you brought to Verde Lago. It was from Russ?"
A single tear trailed down Topeka’s cheek. "It was our lifeline. I had to know if he was safe, but now... If they've pinged it, they know about him. They will have tortured him for the information and killed him. I got him killed.”
“He came to you,” Rose reminded her. “Clearly, he knew the risks and was willing to take them. You don’t know for sure if he’s dead, but you know you will be if you don’t take precautions here.”
Topeka's resolve hardened; her decision was made. "I'm leaving, Rose. No one else is going to die because of something I did. I'll take the phone, turn it back on, and draw them away. If Russ is... if he's gone, there's nothing left to hide for. I’ll get somewhere safe and then expose my father, no matter what it takes."
Rose’s heart clenched at the resignation in Topeka’s tone. "Running isn't the answer. The Kinross organization, they can protect you. You've seen what they've done for me and my son. They're your best chance. You need to share everything you have with them and wait to?—"
Topeka shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her. "Best chance or not, I can't let others be in danger because of me. I won't hide and wait for the inevitable. A few men are lurking around nearby. Soon there will be more. They’ll find this place. I won’t be responsible for that. I can lead them away from here."
Rose understood the fear, the need to act, but she couldn't let Topeka make this mistake. She’d wanted to take Nathaniel and disappear the moment they were free from that apartment. But there were other people to think about.
"Topeka, you're not just running for your life; you're carrying the truth that can bring your father down. Save countless other lives of his future victims. Kinross can help you get that truth to the right people, ensure justice is served."
Topeka looked at Rose, her gaze filled with a turmoil. "And what if they can't? What if it's not enough?"
"It has to be," Rose insisted. "Because if you run, you're playing into their hands. You become the hunted. With us, you're part of a fight, part of something bigger. Please, trust that we can protect you." It was strange to align herself with Kinross. To say we and us, but it felt that way now. “Hand over what you have, help them to help you.”
The two women sat in silence for a few long beats.
"Okay," Topeka finally whispered, a reluctant surrender in her voice. "I'll stay, for now. I'll give them what I have. But if it looks like the danger is too great..."
Before Rose could assure her again, Kenan and Mick burst through the door, their breathing coming in rapid succession. Rose and Topeka turned to them, their conversation cut short by the urgency in their demeanor.
"I just heard from Gio," Kenan gasped out, his eyes darting between the two women. "He’s with a contact I have in a nearby town. Harry. He's alive. He managed to escape, but he's hurt."
Mick had a nondescript bag over his shoulder and looked painfully antsy. Rose knew without looking that it was likely filled with the necessities for a rescue—weapons, gear, perhaps even medical supplies. Mick was already moving toward the door when Kenan's next words stopped him.
"Mick, you know what this means if you go to Harry. These men will be searching for him. You’ll stick out, draw attention. If you find Harry, you can’t come back here. Nothing can lead back to Verde Lago. You know that.”
Rose's heart raced, the implications of Kenan's words sinking in. She’d just assumed that if Harry was alive, they’d get to him and bring him to the safety of Verde Lago. But they were on complete lockdown right now. No one going in or out unnecessarily. Mick and Rose’s arrival had broken enough protocol. If Mick left now, he and Harry would need to go somewhere else. Not back here. She wouldn’t see either of them again. Maybe never with the way things worked in this world.
“Evacuation,” Kenan breathed out wearily. “We may need to get everyone out of here. That’s never happened before. No one has ever compromised this location. The logistics of getting everyone out of here safely would be complex.”
Topeka’s cheeks reddened with shame “They are here for me. So let me go. I already told Rose, I’ll turn the phone on and lead them away.”
“It doesn’t work like that,” Mick said firmly. “You’re under the protection of the Kinross Organization. We take that seriously. You’re just as important as any everyone else here.”
“Am I a prisoner?” Topeka raised a challenging brow.
Mick didn’t take the bait. “You are the keeper of vital information that will save countless lives and bring peace to people who have lost loved ones at your father’s hands. You are not a prisoner here. You are an asset. An important one. Stay.” Mick paused at the threshold, looking at Kenan. "Don't do anything yet. Let me go out there, get Harry, and see what we're up against. I believe in Verde Lago. It’s safe. Staying is the right move. Just give me a little time. Worst case, I’ll lead whoever needs to be led away from here.”
He put out his hand and Kenan knew what he wanted. Reaching into his pocket he fished out the cell phone and handed it over. “Don’t turn it on until you know you can handle whatever they’ll throw at you. And it still stands, once you leave,you can't come back. Not until we know it's safe. Harry can't come back either. It's too risky."
