THE WOMAN HE HIRED

1

The message came through at 2:17 a.m.

Ramsi stared at the burner phone as it vibrated once against the nightstand — sharp, deliberate. She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she checked the security feed on the other screen. Apartment quiet. No movement outside. No unfamiliar heat signatures.

Only then did she unlock the burner.

UNKNOWN:

Chicago. Two days. Same terms. Assignment details on arrival.

Her pulse remained steady. Whoever it was trusted her enough to leave the details vague. That meant it was serious.

She typed back, one word:

RAMSI:

Confirmed.

The phone went silent.

A few minutes later, another encrypted message followed — short, deliberate:

FROM ENZO:

Family business. You know what to do.

Ramsi’s fingers tightened on the phone. Enzo Moretti — Dominic’s brother and trusted right hand. Known in the family as The Sentinel. He was the one who made this call, vouching for her, taking the risk of using a ghost operative. That level of trust wasn’t given lightly.

She exhaled slowly, a single thought forming: Danger. High priority. Stakes personal.

In the kitchen, Sage was already awake, coffee in hand. She leaned against the counter, eyebrows raised.

“Chicago,” Ramsi said, pouring water for herself. “Two days.”

Sage frowned. “That fast?”

“Yes. And it’s family.”

Sage’s gaze sharpened. “Enzo?”

Ramsi nodded. “He’s hiring us directly this time. Assignment won’t be disclosed until arrival.”

Sage whistled softly. “That’s… unusual. Dominic not sending it himself?”

“No. That tells you something right there,” Ramsi said. “Internal threat, high stakes. Someone’s targeting the family. Enzo trusts me to keep it quiet, and I don’t intend to disappoint him.”

Sage studied her partner for a moment. “You want me fully involved?”

“Both on the ground and eyes-in-the-sky,” Ramsi replied. “No weapons until we assess, and we stick together. This one’s complicated.”

Sage smirked faintly. “You feel it too, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Ramsi reached for her leather jacket, draping it over her arm. “We check in under Casey Reed. Same cover as before. People underestimate calm. Let them.”

The burner phone vibrated again — a brief reminder from Enzo that the family’s eyes were on her.

Somewhere in Chicago, someone was already moving against Dominic Moretti.

And the family’s ghost had just been called into the storm.

The airport was almost empty when Ramsi and Sage arrived.

Ramsi’s boots clicked against the polished floor with the same deliberate rhythm she used on every mission. She moved with purpose, eyes scanning, noting exits, security personnel, and surveillance cameras. Sage followed, a little looser but alert — she trusted Ramsi’s instincts completely.

“I want to leave tonight,” Ramsi said, voice low, barely above the hum of the terminal.

Sage raised an eyebrow. “Tonight? We don’t even have the assignment yet.”

“That’s exactly why,” Ramsi replied. “If someone is targeting the Moretti family, they’re already in the city. Waiting for the official details gives them time to cover tracks, move assets, or… worse.”

Sage exhaled. “You don’t play by the rules, do you?”

Ramsi smirked faintly. “Rules are for amateurs. Observation is for professionals.”

They stepped outside, the chill of Chicago air biting through their jackets. Ramsi’s gaze swept the streets instinctively. Delivery trucks, taxis, street lights — nothing overt. But subtle patterns always gave her away. The city was alive, watching, whispering secrets she could hear if she listened.

Sage pulled her tablet from her bag. “Satellite feeds, cameras, street patrols. I can map the areas and safe houses before we even get Enzo’s assignment.”

Ramsi nodded approvingly. “Exactly. We need to understand the environment before making moves. I’m not walking blind into a trap.”

They drove to a discreet rental apartment in a quieter part of town. Ramsi immediately began noting vantage points: the cafe where Dominic frequently met associates, surrounding streets, possible escape routes.

Sage watched her carefully. “You’re obsessing over every detail before even knowing the target.”

“Prevention is everything,” Ramsi said. Her eyes didn’t leave the skyline. “We’re ghosts here. We can’t be seen, but we need to see everything. Before the assignment hits, I want eyes, angles, exits. And if anyone is following, I need to know now.”

Sage leaned back, impressed. “You really do treat this like chess. Every pawn, every king, every possible threat.”

“That’s the difference between surviving and dying,” Ramsi murmured, tapping her fingers on the table. “If Enzo sent me, it’s because this isn’t routine. And I want every advantage when it begins.”

They settled into their observation post, lights low, screens flickering across the room, mapping Chicago like they already owned it.

Outside, the city breathed, unaware of the ghost already watching — calculating, anticipating, preparing for the storm that was about to hit the Moretti family.