Page 70 of Hunter's Game
She trailed off as new information appeared on her screen. Patterns hidden in seemingly randomdata, connections that painted a disturbing picture. Her pulse quickened for entirely different reasons now.
“Katherine.” Her voice carried a warning that made Hunter’s hand tighten on her shoulder. “Look at these transfer records. The accounts we froze...”
“Are empty,” Katherine finished, her own screens showing similar data. Their voices carried the same deadly certainty. “Everything moved within hours of Romano’s arrest. But that’s impossible. We had monitoring protocols in place.”
“Unless someone knew they were coming.” Hunter’s voice hardened as he drew his weapon, the sound of the safety clicking off loud in the sudden tension. “Someone with access to federal systems.”
Before Eden could respond, alarms blared throughout the compound. Multiple breaches across all sectors. The harsh sound carried notes that made her teeth ache—a modification she’d designed specifically to be impossible to ignore.
“Subtle,” Eden commented as she checked her weapons, the familiar weight of her gun a comfort against her palm. “I’m almost insulted.”
“Less sarcasm, more tactical assessment.” But Hunter was smiling that dangerous smile that made heat pool in her belly even as adrenaline flooded her system. “How many?”
Eden checked security feeds, forcing herself to focus past the way Hunter’s body moved with predatory grace as he took up position covering the door. “At least thirty, maybe more. Professional gear, military precision. Not Romano’s usual thugs.”
“Company assets,” Katherine identified, already implementing security protocols. The clicking of her keyboards took on a more urgent rhythm. “Sarah warned about them. Private military contractors loyal to the original families. The ones who built the organization before Romano.”
“Alexander’s people?” Eden’s voice held dark amusement even as her mind raced through tactical options. “Seems family gatherings are getting complicated.”
“Speaking of complications.” Hunter nodded toward screens showing more vehicles approaching the compound, his body coiled with the kind of tension that preceded violence. “We’ve got federal response teams inbound. Wilson’s people.”
“They’re not federal agents.” Katherine’s voice was hard as steel as she studied the footage, her fingers never stopping their deadly dance across keys. “Look at their formation patterns, their gear. Those are more company assets using FBI tactical protocols.”
“Which means we can’t trust any federal backup.” Eden was already moving, grabbing go-bags they’d prepared for exactly this scenario. The weight of extra ammunition and encrypted hard drives felt comforting against her back. “They’ve compromised the entire operation.”
“Not everything.” Katherine smiled grimly as she initiated certain programs, the light from her screens casting her features in sharp relief. “Sarah anticipated this possibility. She developed protocols specifically designed to activate if primary systems were compromised—countermeasures that operate independently from standard federal networks.”
Eden watched as Katherine’s fingers moved against the keyboard again, triggering automated systems that began systematically burning Romano’s network to the ground. Not just the parts they’d already identified—everything. Every account, every safe house, every carefully hidden connection.
The destruction was beautiful in its own way, like watching a digital empire crumble in real time.
“That’s going to piss off some very powerful people,” Hunter observed as he coordinated the Blind Jacks’ defense, his voice carrying that edge of anticipation that always preceded violence. “Though I have to admire the thorough approach.”
“That’s the point.” Katherine’s smile was sharp as she triggered another wave of digital destruction. “Force them out of the shadows. Make them show themselves.”
“Make them hunt us.” Eden understood the strategy, feeling that familiar combat calm settle over her as she checked her weapons one last time. The weight of her gun felt like an old friend. “Can’t hide in darkness if you’re too busy trying to kill us.”
“Like your mother always said.” Katherine initiated the final sequences, her smile an echo of Eden’s own dangerous expression. “Sometimes, the best defense is making yourself too dangerous to ignore.”
More alarms blared as the first attackers breached the compound’s outer defenses. Through the cameras, Eden watched black-clad figures move with military precision through zones she’d specifically designed to be defensible.
“Orders?” King’s voice crackled over the radio, carrying that eager edge that always preceded serious violence.
“Protect the servers until Katherine finishes the upload,” Eden responded, already moving to cover better angles. Her body found its natural rhythm with Hunter’s as they took up defensive positions. “Then burn everything. Leave them nothing to recover.”
“And our federal friends?”
“Shoot anyone in tactical gear,” Hunter advised, his voice carrying that deadly certainty that made Eden’s pulse quicken despite the situation. “Sort out their loyalties later.”
“My kind of plan.” King’s satisfaction was clear. “Blind Jacks, weapons free. Let’s remind these corporate types why you don’t fuck with outlaws.”
For the next few hours, they fought with precision and purpose. Eden focused completely on the combat, working seamlessly with Hunter as they defended key positions. They had become an effective team after so many weeks of fighting together. Hunter protected her vulnerable areas before she even had to ask, while Eden automatically adjusted when he needed to reload, no words needed. They communicated through small movements, slight shifts in position, and meaningful looks that told each other exactly what they were thinking.
What made their teamwork truly special was how it had affected their personal relationship—how he would naturally place his hand on her back when moving through dangerous areas, how she would position herself to give him the best shooting angles, and the way they would exchange smiles after surviving tough situations, showing they appreciated each other beyond just being good partners.
Meanwhile, Katherine’s computer programs kept running, methodically erasing years of hidden criminal activities. Gunfire, server noises, and explosions filled the air as the compound’s defenses held off attackers.
“Upload complete,” Katherine reported as another explosion rocked the compound, this one close enough to feel the heat through concrete walls. “Everything we found, everything your mother discovered, it’s all been released to every major law enforcement agency and news organization in the world.”
