Vale’s gaze cut to Titus, assessing, silent.
Titus ignored him. “Corporate who?”
Savage shook his head. “We don’t know yet. But Evan keeps repeating the same thing—‘I never should’ve seen those transfers.’ He’s terrified.”
Titus stood a little straighter. “So not the cartel.”
Vale finally spoke, voice low. “He’s scared of someone cleaner. Someone bigger.”
Savage glanced at them both, then nodded once.
“Yes. And that someone isn’t the cartel.”
Before Titus could respond, the desk phone lit up.
Caller ID: W. CALDWELL
Savage picked it up.
“Yes, sir,” he said. “I’ve got them both here.”
He punched the speaker—soundproof walls meant no one outside that room would hear a thing.
Titus stayed silent, watching Savage’s posture, listening to the tone—controlled, clipped, too carefully neutral.
Will’s voice carried just enough hard authority to hit like weight.
“Evan Barstow didn’t stumble into cartel accounting. Those transfers he logged—they were routed through offshore shells tied to private consortia. High-tier. Clean. Not drug money,” Will said, then after a beat, continued. “Human trafficking. Facilitated by corporate players. Old money. Untouchable from the outside.”
“Christ,” Savage muttered.
“We’re talking names that can buy silence. Names with reach,” Will said quietly.
Savage’s jaw clenched. “What are the next steps?”
“I’m working on that. I will speak with Viper and have him keep the accountant secure at the ranch.”
“Do we know exactly who’s running the upper tier?” Savage asked.
“We do not currently have a name.”
“I know what we talked about earlier,” Savage said carefully, “but shouldn’t Genesis be looped in on this?”
“Very few people will be looped in. But not Genesis. At least, not now.”
Heat flashed through Titus’s chest—sharp, fast.
What the hell?
Not looping in Genesis was like playing piano with one hand—doable but fucking hard. He stayed silent, listening. Why was the SecDef leaving Viper out?
Titus hated fucking politics. And even if he was pissed at Viper, cutting him out felt like a shitty move.
Savage’s fist tightened once—quick, controlled—and then loosened. Barely noticeable.
But Titus saw it.
“Yes, sir,” Savage said. “So, then Erebus?”
