That message wasn't a father trying to save his daughter. It was a general trying to extract a spy.
Arthur isn't working alone anymore. He has the Italians. He used the Founder’s Key to open the door, and they used their tech to breach the system. That means they likely saw the active schedules. They know a massive shipment is active on the Venezuelan line, and they know I wouldn't move a ship that size unless it was critical.
But they don't know what’s on it. The schedule doesn't list the cargo.
But Helena knows.
I showed her. I forced her to sign the return manifest for the explosives yesterday. She’s the Director; the only person outside of my inner circle who holds the keys to that cargo.
Arthur isn't trying to rescue her. He’s trying to steal her back so he can interrogate her. He needs the intel in her head to destroy me.
I stand, my hands sticky with Mikhail's blood.
The war has started. And Arthur Blackwood fired the first shot by letting himself be caught.
I walk out of the house and don't look back.
I get in my car and floor it. I’m going to the tower, and I’m going to shatter Helena's hope before it gets her killed.
I storm through the lobby of the Blackwood Tower like a hurricane.
The new security guards I hired scramble to get out of my way. They see the look on my face, the cold, focused rage, the blood on my shirt, and they know better than to speak.
I take the private elevator to the top floor.
Lev is standing outside her office door. His shoulders slump at the sight of me.
"She’s been asking to leave," he says. "She’s claiming she has a headache. She wants to go home."
"Open it," I snarl.
He unlocks the door.
I push past him into the office.
Helena is standing by the window, clutching her purse. She spins around when I enter.
"Konstantin," she says, her voice tight. "I was just telling Lev. I'm not feeling well. I think I need to?—"
"Stop.”
I walk toward her and don't stop until I’m in her personal space, forcing her to back up against the glass.
"I know about the message."
Her face crumbles. The lie vanishes, replaced by defiance.
"How do you know? You... you were monitoring me?"
"Of course, I was monitoring you. Did you think I would give you the keys to the kingdom and not watch your hands?"
"He’s coming for me!" she shouts, pushing against my chest. "My father is coming! He has a plan! He’s going to get me out of here tonight!"
"No, he isn’t. He’s gone, Helena!" I roar.
The volume of my voice silences her histrionics. She stares at me, chest heaving.
"What?" she whispers.
