The cartels made their biggest mistake.
They went after Damien's family.
Not Christabel.
Not Lena.
The lawyers.
The ones who had been saved.
The ones who had everything to lose.
And they learned that family protects family.
---
The attack came on a Tuesday.
Not at the building. Not at night.
In broad daylight. At the courthouse.
Maya was leaving after a deposition.
She was tired. She was hungry. She was thinking about dinner.
She didn't see the van.
She didn't see the men.
She didn't see the guns until they were pointing at her.
"Maya Thompson?"
She froze.
"You're coming with us."
---
She didn't scream.
She didn't run.
She remembered what Cole had taught her.
If they take you, don't fight. Don't scream. Don't panic. Wait. Watch. Remember.
She nodded.
"Okay."
The men were surprised.
"No screaming?"
"No."
"No running?"
"No."
"No crying?"
She looked at them.
"Crying won't help."
---
They put her in the van.
They drove.
She watched the streets. Counted the turns. Memorized the route.
She thought about Damien. About Christabel. About the building.
She thought about her piano. About her apartment. About her new life.
She wasn't going to lose it.
Not today.
Not ever.
---
The van stopped.
They pulled her out.
She was in a warehouse.
Dark. Cold. Smelling of oil and blood.
The leader was waiting.
"Maya Thompson."
"Victor."
Not Victor Cross. A different Victor. Cartel boss. Ruthless. Dangerous.
"You know who I am."
"I know who you are."
"Then you know why you're here."
"You want leverage."
"Smart girl."
"I'm not a girl."
"You're not a woman either. You're a pawn."
She looked at him.
"I'm not a pawn."
"Then what are you?"
"Family."
---
The door exploded inward.
Not from a bomb.
From Cole.
He was alone. No backup. No weapons. Just him.
"Victor."
"Cole."
"You took something that doesn't belong to you."
"She's not yours."
"She's family."
"Same thing."
"Different intention."
---
Victor laughed.
"You came alone?"
"I came enough."
"There are twenty of us."
"I see twenty."
"Against one?"
"I've faced worse."
Victor stopped laughing.
"You're bluffing."
"I don't bluff."
---
Maya watched.
She didn't scream.
She didn't run.
She watched.
Cole moved.
Fast. Faster than she could follow.
One man down. Two. Three.
The cartel soldiers fired.
Cole was already gone.
Behind them. Beside them. Above them.
He was everywhere.
---
Victor grabbed Maya.
Put a gun to her head.
"Stop, or she dies."
Cole stopped.
"Let her go."
"Lower your weapons."
"I don't have weapons."
"Then lower your hands."
Cole lowered his hands.
"Let her go."
"You first."
---
Maya moved.
She had been waiting. Watching. Remembering.
She stomped on Victor's foot.
Elbowed his ribs.
Twisted the gun from his hand.
Victor screamed.
Cole moved.
Fast.
Victor was on the ground.
The gun was on the floor.
Maya was standing over him.
"You said I was a pawn."
He didn't answer.
"I'm not a pawn."
"Then what are you?"
She looked at him.
"I'm the woman who's going to testify against you."
---
The police arrived.
Not because someone called.
Because Cole had called them. Before he entered. Before the fight. Before anything.
He had planned this.
Maya looked at him.
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"You let them take me."
"I let them think they took you."
She was quiet for a moment.
"That was dangerous."
"That was necessary."
"Same thing."
"Different intention."
---
That night, Christabel put Lena to bed.
Not Damien. Her.
Lena was full of questions.
"Mama, why is Maya on TV?"
"Because she was brave."
"Did she fight bad people?"
"She helped catch them."
Lena thought about that.
"Can I be brave like Maya?"
Christabel smiled.
"You already are."
---
Damien appeared in the doorway.
"She's asleep?"
"She's dreaming."
"Of what?"
"Of you."
He walked to her.
Took her hand.
"Maya is safe."
"I know."
"The cartel boss is in custody."
"I know."
"His soldiers are in jail."
"I know."
"Why aren't you surprised?"
She looked at him.
"Because I know who you are."
First Line of Chapter 172 (Teaser):
"The one hundred twenty-seventh week, the trial began. Not in a small courtroom. In a federal court. With the world watching. And the cartels knew they were going to lose."