Chapter 4 Four

Raven's POV

The truck slid around a sharp corner, tires screeching as we barely avoided a few stray puddles that could have slowed us down. The rain had begun to ease, but the night still felt like a constant weight on my chest. The sound of the engine was the only thing I could focus on, drowning out everything else, even my thoughts.

We'd made it. For now.

The safe house was only five minutes away, hidden deep in the outskirts of the city, tucked behind a row of forgotten warehouses and dilapidated buildings. It wasn't much, but it would be enough for the next twenty-four hours-enough to catch our breath and assess the situation.

Carter pushed the truck harder, maneuvering it through the streets with precision. We were no longer just thieves running with stolen money; we were hunted animals, trying to outrun a pack of wolves. The Cartel wouldn't stop until they found us, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they realized that thirty million dollars had disappeared.

"Almost there," Carter muttered, eyes scanning the rearview mirror.

"We need to move fast," I replied, my voice firm. "We get in, we unload, and we're off the grid before they realize what hit them."

Lucas, who had been quiet since we left the warehouse, finally spoke up, his voice low. "What now? What's the plan with the money?"

I turned my gaze to him, the tension in the truck palpable. "First, we stash the money. Then we lay low. No one can know we're still here. They'll be looking for us all over the city."

"Franca said the extraction team is ready," Carter added, his hands steady on the wheel as he took another sharp turn. "They'll be here soon."

We pulled into the narrow alleyway behind the safe house and came to a screeching halt, the truck's engine shutting off with a deep rumble. The night air was thick, but not thick enough to hide the weight of what we had just pulled off.

I threw open the door and stepped into the rain-soaked ground, my boots splashing in the puddles. The others followed suit, and for a moment, we stood there, silent, listening to the distant hum of the city. No one spoke. There was no need.

We'd done it.

But that was only the beginning. We had thirty million dollars now, but we also had a target on our backs.

As we moved toward the back door of the safe house, Lucas fell into step beside me, his usual stoic expression softened for just a moment. "What happens now?"

I could feel the weight of his words hanging in the air, like an unsaid question. What happens when the Cartel comes looking for us? What happens when they realize what we've taken from them?

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I walked inside the safe house, the heavy door slamming shut behind me. The place was dim, unassuming, with no windows and a single table in the center. It wasn't much, but it was secure, and that's all that mattered now.

We dumped the duffel bags of cash on the table, and Carter locked the door behind us. "You sure you want to leave this place so soon? You've got the Cartel's attention now."

I glanced at him, the fire in my chest reigniting. "The Cartel has been hunting me for years. They killed my father right in front of me when I was thirteen. And they think they can get away with it?"

The room went quiet.

"I'm not running anymore," I said, voice cold. "This is just the beginning. Thirty million? It's nothing compared to what we're about to take from them."

Lucas shifted uncomfortably but didn't speak. He knew the fire that burned inside me. He knew the depth of my hatred for the Cartel. They thought they were untouchable. They thought they could control everything with their money, their power, their violence. But they were wrong.

"Franca, status on the extraction?" I asked into the comms, my fingers drumming on the table.

"They're ready," she replied. "We've got a window, but it won't last long. We need to move fast."

"Let's go," I said, turning to face my team. "And when we do this, when we take them down for good-no mistakes."

The door behind us creaked open, and the extraction team came in, their faces masked and their movements efficient. They worked quickly, gathering the bags of cash and stowing them in a safe corner of the room. They weren't here to celebrate-they were here to get us out, to get the money out, and to keep us one step ahead of the Cartel.

"Time's up," Franca's voice crackled through the comms again. "They've started their search. You've got about twenty minutes before they start combing through the city looking for you."

I turned back to my team, my eyes steely with resolve.

"We've done the impossible tonight. But we're not done yet. The Cartel needs to fall-starting with Tito Gonzalez. The same man who has caused us pain in one way or the other. The same man who has taken our loved ones, friends, colleagues away from us. The same man who always manages to get away from the law."

"This is more than revenge. This is justice. And justice is long overdue."

The weight of my words hung in the air, but there was no fear in me. Just resolve. We were no longer hiding from them.

We were coming for them.