Page 86 of The Viper
"Good. We'll be at Dominion Hall in twenty. Get her there."
"Lucas—"
"Twenty minutes, Ethan." I ended the call before he could argue.
Noah was watching me, arms crossed, a faint smile on his face. "Feel better?"
"A little," I admitted.
"He's going to be pissed."
"He'll get over it."
We climbed into the SUV, the team loading up behind us. As Noah pulled onto the road, I stared out the window, watching the marsh blur past. My mind was already racing ahead—to the meeting, to the mayor, to the aviator we were about to hunt down.
If he was the first domino, then maybe knocking him over would start a chain reaction. Maybe it would lead us to whoever was pulling the strings.
Or maybe it would lead us nowhere.
But I had to try. Because sitting around waiting for the next move wasn't an option. Not when Hannah had been attacked. Not when Lexi was in danger.
Not when these bastards had made it personal.
"You really think the aviator's connected?" Noah asked, breaking the silence.
"I don't know," I said honestly. "But he's the only lead we've got. And if he's not connected, then at least we can rule him out."
"And if he is?"
I looked at him, my voice flat. "Then we make him talk."
Noah nodded, his expression grim. "Fair enough."
We drove in silence for a while, the city waking up around us. Traffic was light, the streets still quiet. By the time we pulled up to Dominion Hall, the sun was fully up, the gates swinging open like they always did—smooth, silent, inevitable.
Inside, the mansion felt different in the daylight. Less imposing, more lived-in. I could hear voices somewhere deep in the house, the faint clatter of dishes from the kitchen. Life, continuing despite the chaos.
Noah headed for his office to coordinate with the mayor, and I headed upstairs to find Lexi.
She was in the guest room with Hannah, sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand holding her sister's. They both looked up when I walked in, their faces a mix of relief and worry.
"Lucas," Lexi said, standing. "What did you find?"
"Not much," I admitted. "But we've got a lead. And I need you to come with me."
Her eyes widened. "Where?"
"To meet the mayor," I said. "We're going to track down the guy from Pelicangate. The one who tried to drug you."
Hannah's face went pale. "You think he's involved?"
"I think he's the first thread," I said. "And we're going to pull it until something unravels."
Lexi nodded slowly, then looked at Hannah. "Will you be okay here?"
Hannah squeezed her hand. "I'll be fine. Go. Do what you need to do."
Lexi stood, moving toward me. I caught her hand, pulling her close for a second. "You sure you're up for this?"
