Carrie looks at both of us, her eyes pleading. “Just trust me. Please. We don’t have a choice. I need you to believe me.”
I hold her gaze, and for a second, I want to argue. But when I glance at Levi, I see the same truth on his face that’s in my chest. We always listen to her. We have to.
I nod, grabbing my jacket. “Alright. We trust you. Lead the way.”
Levi exhales, but he doesn’t argue. He moves to stand at Carrie’s side, ready to follow.
We pile into Whale’s truck and ride in silence all the way to the station. My nerves are on fire, but I keep my eyes on Carrie. She sits up front, knuckles white on her knees, locked in her own thoughts.
The second we step out into the parking lot, cops swarm us. Hands on holsters, voices shouting commands. Levi and I barely have time to get our hands up before we’re pushed up against the truck. Whale tries to talk, but he gets shoved too. Carrie stands frozen, wide-eyed, as two officers grab Jinn and drag him toward the doors.
Inside, it’s chaos. Phones ringing, radios squawking, every officer in the building on edge. Rodriguez is waiting just inside the door, standing by the front desk. He catches sight of us and that trademark smirk spreads across his face. For a moment, he looks like he’s already won.
But the smirk fades a little when he sees Jinn being dragged in, dazed and bloodied but alive. Rodriguez hurries over, snapping at the uniforms, “Did he say anything? Any of themtalk yet?” There’s desperation behind his voice, a crack in the armor he’s always worn.
Before anyone can answer, the lobby doors swing open and someone else in ATF uniform walks in. The badge on his chest and the way the room changes around him tells me this guy’s important, but I don’t know who he is.
Rodriguez stiffens. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Carrie’s voice cuts through the room. “Agent Gates.”
My gaze snaps to her. “Wait, she knows him?”
Rodriguez bristles. “What are you doing here, Gates?”
Gates doesn’t even break stride. “Word got out about your big operation. I came to see the results myself.”
Rodriguez squares his shoulders. “Well, you’re just in time. We got them all. Operation’s a success.” He nods at the nearest cops. “Take the four drug dealers into holding. Separate cells. I’ll handle their processing.”
“Now wait a second,” Gates says. “I must confess, I’m not here just because of your big break. Someone made a phone call with some rather concerning details.” Gates glances at Carrie, giving a small nod, then turns back to Rodriguez. “I’d like to hear her side. Carrie, would you speak, please?”
Rodriguez immediately cuts in, voice dripping with disdain. “I told you she was unreliable. I don’t know what bullshit story she’s fed you?—”
Gates doesn’t even look at him. “Mind your language, Agent Rodriguez.” He turns to Carrie, his voice calm but firm. “Go on. Please.”
The room falls silent. Every pair of eyes shifts to Carrie. She stands straighter, the fear still in her eyes, but there’s a quiet fire there too.
“Rodriguez didn’t just threaten us. He met with me several times—told me I was key to the case, coerced me into taking ajob at the prison. He made me believe I was helping, but he was just using me. Manipulating all of us.”
Carrie doesn’t cower, looking at Rodriguez now. “You wanted to make sure I kept quiet. You even tried to pay me off.” She turns back to Gates. “I thought he was trying to help. I thought I would get to the bottom of the truth, but it isn’t till I saw the full story that I understood Rodriguez meant to use me as bait to send away three good men for good, so he could pocket the few grand worth of drugs that were already stolen, courtesy of Jinn. It was lying in federal custody, and he was waiting for the case to cool down till he went back for the stash.”
Murmurs echo through the police station.
Rodriguez scoffs, voice sharp. “She’s lying. She’ll say anything to get her little friends off the hook. I would never?—”
Carrie shakes her head, looking right at Gates. “I knew you’d say that. That’s why I asked Agent Gates to look at the CCTV footage from the restaurant where you took me.”
Gates nods, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. “Funny thing, Rodriguez. You covered most of your tracks, but you missed that one.”
For a split second, the mask drops. Rodriguez’s eyes go wild. Before anyone can react, he lunges at Carrie, rage twisting his face.
I move fast, stepping between them, catching Rodriguez by the arm and shoving him back hard. He stumbles, cursing, but I stand my ground, keeping Carrie safe behind me.
“Touch her again,” I growl, “and you’ll regret it.”
The room erupts, cops surging in, Gates barking orders, everyone finally seeing Rodriguez for what he is. Carrie glances at me, triumph in her face.
It’s over, we did it.
