Chapter 11
ELEVEN
LONDYN
The steady beep of machines pulls me awake. The room is bright, too bright, and everything feels wrong. My head’s heavy, my mouth’s dry. For a second I think maybe it was all a bad dream. Maybe they’re still alive.
Then I feel the IV in my arm. The hospital bed. The white walls.
It wasn’t a dream.
My stomach twists as it all hits me again… the smell, the blood, their faces.
Mom, dad, and Tyrique are gone.
Turning my head, I see Tony in the corner, sitting in a chair. He notices I’m awake and comes over.
“Hey,” he says softly. “You’re up.”
“Please tell me I was dreaming. Tell me they’re not…”
He shakes his head, eyes dropping. “I’m sorry, Londyn. They’re gone.”
Turning away, I let my tears fall, his words crushing my very soul. They were all I had. Now there’s no one. Just me.
Tony clears his throat. “The FBI and DEA are here. They need to talk to you.”
I stare at him, confused. “Why? What do they want with me?”
The door opens, and two men in suits step inside. One is tall, dark hair, sharp jaw. The other is older, gray at the temples.
The taller one speaks first. “Detective Banks, I’m Special Agent Daniel Carter with the FBI. This is Special Agent Miguel Alvarez with the DEA.”
I don’t answer. I just wait.
Carter’s voice is calm. “We’re very sorry for your loss.”
I still don’t respond. I’m waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. They’re here for a reason, and I’ve got a feeling I’m not gonna like what I hear.
Carter steps closer. “Your brother was working with us, Detective. He was helping us bring down the Mendaro Syndicate. They’re the cartel he got mixed up in.”
I shake my head, tears blurring everything. “No… no, that doesn’t make sense. Tyrique would’ve told me.”
“Part of his immunity deal was keeping his involvement a secret. We couldn’t risk him getting compromised, and ruin years of undercover work,” Alvarez says.
I swallow hard. “And you think they killed them?”
Alvarez nods. “Yes. It was them.”
The words hit like a punch. My chest tightens.
Alvarez leans forward, his tone steady but heavy.
“We intercepted Tyrique on one of his runs. He’d been caught stealing product from them, and they told him if he ever betrayed them again, they’d kill his family.
They kept him in debt, tied to them for life.
That’s why he agreed to work with us… he wanted out. ”
I stare at him, numb. “And now they’re dead because of it.”
Alvarez doesn’t look away. “I assure you, he was made aware of the risks. We were close to bringing them down, and he was our way in.”
“How did they find out he was working with you?”
“That’s the part we still can’t figure out. Everything was running smooth until you busted him here in Atlanta. We decided to let it play out, since you ended up being extra protection without even knowing it.”
Suddenly the room feels too tight, like the air’s been pulled out of it. My shoulders tense, and a slow, crawling heat spreads across my chest. I shift in the bed, trying to keep my breathing steady. I swallow hard, trying to keep it together, but every instinct in me is screaming to get out.
“We believe, you’re not safe either. We want to take you into protective custody while we continue our investigation,” Agent Carter adds.
The words spark something sharp in me. I sit up as much as I can, shaking my head. “No. I’m not hiding from the cowards who murdered my family.”
Carter tries again, voice firm but not unkind. “Detective Banks, this cartel isn’t small. Their operation spans the entire country. They won’t stop. If they think you know anything, or if they want to send a message, you’re a target.”
I glare at him through tears. “Why should I go with you? You couldn’t keep my family safe. What makes you think you can keep me safe?”
Neither of them answers right away. The silence is heavy, pressing down on me.
Agent Carter doesn’t flinch. He steps closer, voice unwavering. “You’re right. We failed your family. We should’ve moved faster, should’ve had more protection in place. I won’t stand here and pretend otherwise. But you’re still alive, and that means we have a chance to do better.”
I shake my head. “A chance? That’s all you’ve got? My family was everything to me. And now they’re gone. Fuck you and your chance!”
Agent Alvarez takes a deep breath, his tone heavier. “Listen to me. The cartel didn’t just kill them to punish Tyrique. They want to send a message to us or anyone who thinks about crossing them. That message doesn’t end with your family. It extends to you.”
“So what, you think they’re coming for me next?”
Alvarez nods. “Yes. They know who you are. They know you’re Tyrique’s sister. And if they believe you know anything about his work with us, they won’t hesitate.”
I press my hands against the blanket, trying to steady myself. “And you want to lock me away? Hide me?”
Carter’s voice softens. “Protective custody isn’t hiding. It’s survival. We can move you somewhere safe, change your identity if we have to. It’s the only way to keep you out of their reach.”
I shake my head hard. “No. I’m not running from them.”
Alvarez exhales, frustration flickering in his eyes. “You don’t understand how dangerous they are. This isn’t some street gang. Drugs, weapons, money laundering. They have reach, resources, and no conscience. If they want you gone, they’ll find a way.”
I stare at him, voice breaking. “Then why should I trust you? You couldn’t keep Tyrique safe. You couldn’t keep my parents safe. Why should I believe you can keep me alive?”
The room goes quiet. Carter finally answers, his voice low. “Because we don’t have a choice. You’re the only link left to Tyrique’s work. If we lose you, we lose everything he risked his life for. And if you stay out there alone, they’ll take you too.”
The silence hangs heavy after Carter’s words. I can feel Tony’s eyes on me, steady, and protective.
Agent Alvarez glances at him. “Detective, could you give us a moment alone with Londyn?”
Tony stiffens. “She’s been through enough. You want me to leave her now?”
Carter’s tone is firm but polite. “We need to speak with her directly. Please.”
Tony looks at me. I nod, even though I don’t want him to go. He squeezes my hand before stepping out. The door clicks shut, and suddenly it’s just me and the suits.
Alvarez leans forward. “We believe someone in your precinct is connected with the cartel.”
The words hit like ice. “What?”
Carter nods. “There’s no way anyone in Atlanta could’ve known Tyrique was cooperating with us. The way we set things up, the information was locked down. It had to come from inside your department.”
“How do you know the leak wasn’t in one of your agencies? Maybe one of your people sold him out.”
Alvarez shakes his head. “That isn’t possible. The sting was limited… only a handful of agents knew the details. We’ve accounted for every one of them. The leak didn’t come from us.”
I stare at them, anger boiling under the grief. “So you’re telling me someone I work with… someone I trust… gave my family up to the cartel?”
Neither of them answers right away. Carter finally says, “That’s what we believe.”
I press my hands against the blanket, shaking. “And you want to take me into protective custody? Hide me away while you chase shadows of what you believe?”
Alvarez’s voice hardens. “Detective, the Mendaro Syndicate aren’t known to leave loose ends. They won’t stop until you’re dead.”
I shake my head, tears burning. “No. I’m not going. I’m not running. If someone in my precinct betrayed me, I want to know who. I want to face them.”
Carter exhales, frustration in his eyes. “You really don’t understand how dangerous this is. It’s in your best interest to go with us.”
I glare at him. “No, you don’t understand. I’ve already lost everything. I’m not about to let this shit slide.”
After several more attempts and my repeated ‘no’, the agents finally leave, their words still echoing in my head. Precinct leak. Cartel reach. Protective custody.
The door opens again and Tony steps back inside. He looks at me, searching my face. “What did they say?”
I wipe at my eyes, trying to steady my voice. “Just… trying to convince me to go into protective custody.”
He frowns. “And?”
I hesitate. Inside, everything is jumbled. I don’t know who to trust anymore. Not the FBI. Not the DEA. Maybe not even my own precinct or partner. Everyone feels like a stranger now.
I force myself to nod. “I told them I’d do it. As a precaution. At least for a little while.”
Tony studies me, like he’s trying to read between the lines. “If that’s what think is best, I’ll back you.”
I manage a weak smile. “Thanks.”
But inside, I already know the truth. I’m not going into protective custody, hiding like I’m scared. I have my own plan forming, sharp and clear. If they think I’ll sit quietly while my life hangs in the balance, they’re wrong.