“What?”
“Look at them. No proper ID, no badge numbers. They're Harrow's people, private security dressed in tactical gear.”
The lead man approached us. “Callahan Mercer. Dominic Rourke. You're under arrest.”
“Show me your identification,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
His expression flickered with annoyance. “You're in no position to make demands.”
“I'm in a perfectly reasonable position. You're conducting an unlawful arrest without proper identification.” I held up my phone, recording. “That makes this kidnapping, not law enforcement. So either show me credentials or step aside.”
Adrian appeared beside me, flanked by two lawyers I didn't recognise. “Mr Mercer is correct. These warrants, while superficially legitimate, were obtained through falsified affidavits. I've already filed counter-motions with the High Court.”
Harrow stepped forward and smiled. “Adrian. Always a pleasure.”
“Elliot. Wish I could say the same.” Adrian moved down the stairs with predatory grace. “This is an impressive display. Almost convincing.”
“The warrants are legitimate.”
“The warrants are rubbish, signed by a judge you've been bribing for three years and based on affidavits from witnesses you've coerced.” Adrian gestured to his lawyers. “I have documentation of every financial transfer, every threat, every piece of leverage you've used to build this house of cards.”
Harrow's smile didn't waver. “Bold accusations from someone harbouring fugitives.”
“They're not fugitives. They're bodyguards.” Adrian's voice went colder. “And before you attempt to execute these fraudulent warrants, you should know that I've filed emergency motions in the federal court, with real judges, the kind you haven't managed to buy yet.”
“That won't hold.”
“Perhaps. But it holds right now, and right now you're trespassing in my home with thirty men pretending to be police officers.” Adrian pulled out his phone. “I've documented every face, every vehicle, and every piece of fraudulent identification. If you proceed, I'll ensure each of them faces charges—impersonating officers, kidnapping, conspiracy.”
The room went quiet and tense. Harrow's men shifted, uncertain. This wasn't going the way they'd expected.
Harrow studied Adrian for a long moment, then looked at me. “You've made this very expensive, Mr Mercer. Very complicated.”
“Good.”
“But you're also cornered. Every person in your network has been neutralised, every potential ally warned off. You have the evidence, certainly, but no way to use it without exposing yourself to immediate arrest.” He gestured around the room.“And Ravenswood is about to be dismantled piece by piece, all because you couldn't let this go.”
“The truth doesn't die just because you bury the messenger,” I said. “James knew that. Lily knew that. Eventually someone will finish what they started.”
“Such conviction.” Harrow's smile turned cold. “Unfortunately, conviction doesn't stop bullets, doesn't prevent accidents, doesn't protect the people you care about.”
Adrian stepped forward. “Is that a threat? In my home? In front of witnesses?”
“It's an observation.” Harrow turned to leave, then paused and looked back at his men. “Gentlemen. Execute the warrants. By any means necessary.”
Then he walked out.
The lead man smiled and raised his weapon. “You heard him. By any means necessary.”
The first shot punched into the wall beside Viktor's head.
Then everything exploded.
Dom grabbed me and pulled me behind a pillar as bullets tore through the air. I grabbed two batons from a piece of fallen tactical gear near the entrance and felt their weight settle, familiar and right, in my hands.
Viktor closed the distance to the nearest three men in an instant. His fist connected with the first one's throat, brutal and deliberate, and the man went down choking, his hands clawing at his crushed windpipe.
Luka had a knife from somewhere. He moved through them like a ghost, the blade catching one man across the hamstring and dropping him screaming, then opening another across the forearm deep enough to sever tendons. Both of them went down in a spreading pool of blood.
