The cartels responded.
Not with a press conference.
With a bomb.
At the task force headquarters.
And Damien learned that victory comes with a price.
The bomb went off at 3 AM.
Not in the main building. In the parking garage.
Not meant to kill. Meant to warn.
The explosion shook the ground. Shattered windows. Set off alarms.
Damien was at home.
He felt the tremor.
Then his phone rang.
Cole's voice was tight.
"Someone bombed the headquarters."
"Casualties?"
"None. It was in the garage. No one was there."
"A warning?"
"A message."
"From who?"
"The cartels."
Damien was quiet for a moment.
"Who else knows?"
"The police. The FBI. The press."
"The press?"
"Someone tipped them off. They're already on the scene."
Damien stood.
"I'm coming in."
"Damien—"
"I'm coming in."
Christabel was awake.
"What's happening?"
"The cartels bombed the task force headquarters."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No."
"Then why are you going?"
"Because they need to see me."
"Who?"
"The press. The public. The cartels."
She stood.
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
"Damien—"
"No." His voice was firm. "This is my fight."
"Then let me fight beside you."
"You are. By staying safe."
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she kissed him.
Not softly.
The way she kissed him when she was scared.
"Come back to me,becareful out there."
"Always,i promise"
The drive to the headquarters was long.
The streets were empty.
The sky was gray.
Damien's phone kept buzzing.
Messages from Sterling. From the President. From reporters.
He ignored them all.
He stared out the window.
Thinking.
The cartels wanted him to be afraid.
They wanted him to hide.
They wanted him to stop.
They didn't know him.
The headquarters was chaos.
Police tape. Fire trucks. Ambulances.
The press was everywhere.
Cameras. Microphones. Questions.
"Mr. Moreau! Is it true the cartels bombed the building?"
"Mr. Moreau! Were you the target?"
"Mr. Moreau! Are you going to retaliate?"
He didn't answer.
He walked to the entrance.
Cole met him.
"The garage is destroyed. The building is stable. No casualties."
"Who was the target?"
"Everyone. No one. The message is clear."
"What message?"
Cole was quiet for a moment.
"That they can reach us anywhere."
-
Damien walked through the building.
Shattered glass. Soot. Silence.
The task force members were gathered in the conference room.
Scared. Angry. Determined.
Damien stood at the front.
"Someone tried to kill us tonight."
No one spoke.
"They failed."
He looked at each face.
"They wanted us to be afraid. They wanted us to hide. They wanted us to stop."
He paused.
"We're not going to stop. We're going to fight harder. Smarter. Stronger."
---
The room was silent.
Then someone clapped.
Then someone else.
Then everyone.
Damien raised his hand.
"We have work to do."
---
That night, Christabel put Lena to bed.
Not Damien. Her.
Lena was full of questions.
"Mama, why is Papa on TV?"
"Because someone tried to hurt him."
"Did they hurt him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because he's strong."
Lena thought about that.
"Like a superhero?"
Christabel smiled.
"Like a superhero."
---
Damien appeared in the doorway.
"She's asleep?"
"She's dreaming."
"Of what?"
"Of you."
He walked to her.
Took her hand.
"The cartels bombed the headquarters."
"I know."
"They wanted to scare us."
"I know."
"They failed."
"I know."
"Why aren't you surprised?"
She looked at him.
"Because I know who you are."
First Line of Chapter 182 (Teaser):
"The one hundred thirty-seventh week, Damien went on the offensive. Not with lawyers. With soldiers. And the cartels learned that they had awakened a sleeping giant."