Untitled Episode
1579 Words
The sun was fully up now. George stood outside the police station, feeling the warmth on his face for the first time in what felt like days.
He was exhausted. His body ached. His mind was numb. But he couldn't rest. Not yet.
Thomas Cade was still out there.
Sam pulled up in a rental car. She got out and walked to him.
"George. You look like hell."
"I feel like hell."
"Arthur is awake. He's asking for you."
"I'll see him later." George looked at the sky. "Cade is still out there. And Evelyn. They're not going to stop."
"Miller has teams looking for them. The FBI is involved now."
"Miller doesn't know Cade like I do. Cade has been planning this for years. He has contingency plans. Safe houses. Escape routes." George shook his head. "He's not going to be easy to find."
"Then what do we do?"
George thought about it. His mind was slow. Exhausted. But he forced himself to focus.
"We go after his money," George said. "Cade's power comes from his wealth. If we cut off his money, we cut off his options."
"How do we do that?"
"We freeze his accounts. His assets. His everything." George looked at Sam. "You said you found evidence at the warehouse. Bank records. Transaction histories. Enough to convince a judge to freeze everything."
Sam nodded. "I have the files. But I need to organize them. Make them presentable."
"Then let's go."
---
They drove to a coffee shop in Providence.
It was small. Quiet. The kind of place where no one would bother them. George ordered two black coffees. Sam ordered a pastry she didn't eat.
They spread the files across the table.
Sam worked quickly. She was in her element now—organizing, analyzing, connecting dots. George watched her work.
"There," Sam said. "Look at this."
"What is it?"
"Cade's personal accounts. He's been moving money for weeks. Millions of dollars. All to the same place."
"Where?"
"A private bank in Switzerland. The account is under a pseudonym. But I traced it back to him."
George studied the screen. "Can we freeze it?"
"Not without a court order. And even then, Swiss banks are notoriously uncooperative."
"Then we go through the FBI. Rachel Kim has jurisdiction. She can make it happen."
Sam nodded. "I'll send her the files."
While Sam worked, George called Kim.
"Blackwood," Kim said. "I was just about to call you."
"About Cade?"
"Yes. We have a location. He's been spotted in New York City. At his penthouse."
George's heart pounded. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. We have eyes on the building. But we can't move in without a warrant. And we don't have enough probable cause."
"Send me the files. I'll give you probable cause."
Kim paused. "What do you have?"
"Bank records. Transaction histories. Evidence that Cade has been laundering money for Vincent. Enough to get a warrant."
"Send it."
George sent the files.
Then he waited.
---
The call came an hour later.
"We have the warrant," Kim said. "We're moving in."
"Where?"
"New York. Cade's penthouse. We're on our way."
"I'm coming."
"George—"
"I'm coming."
---
The helicopter ride to New York took forty minutes.
George sat in the back, watching the city appear on the horizon. Tall buildings. Bright lights. Millions of people.
And somewhere down there, Thomas Cade.
The helicopter landed on the roof of a building near Central Park. FBI agents swarmed around them. Kim was there, barking orders.
"Cade is in the penthouse," Kim said. "We have eyes on him. He doesn't know we're here."
"What's the plan?"
"Breech the door. Secure the target. No one gets hurt."
George nodded.
They moved.
The penthouse was on the top floor. The door was solid steel. A team of agents surrounded it.
Kim shouted: "FBI! Open the door!"
Silence.
"Last warning! Open the door!"
Still nothing.
Kim nodded to the breach team. They blew the door.
The penthouse was empty.
Furniture. Art. Expensive rugs. But no Cade.
George walked through the apartment, searching. Every room. Every closet. Every corner.
Empty.
"He's gone," George said.
"How?" Kim was furious. "We had eyes on the building. He didn't leave."
"Then he was never here."
Kim checked her phone. "The surveillance team says he was here. They saw him through the window."
George walked to the window. The glass was intact. But there was a rope hanging from the balcony.
He looked down. The rope led to a lower balcony. Then another. Then another.
"He climbed down," George said. "He was planning for this."
Kim cursed.
George leaned out the window. The rope was still swaying in the wind.
Cade was gone.
But he'd left something behind.
On the coffee table, in the center of the room, was a note.
*George —*
*You're persistent. I'll give you that. But I've been doing this for forty years. You can't beat me. No one can. Give up. Go home. Forget about me. Or I'll make you regret it.*
*— Thomas Cade*
George crumpled the note.
"This isn't over," he said.
"No," Kim agreed. "It's not."
---
The drive back to Providence was long.
Sam was working on her phone, tracing Cade's movements. George was thinking.
"He's going to run," George said. "He's going to leave the country. Disappear."
"Where would he go?"
"Somewhere without extradition. Somewhere he can hide for the rest of his life."
Sam nodded. "I'll check his known associates. His properties. His travel history."
"Also check his pilot. He has a private jet. He'll probably use it."
Sam started typing.
George closed his eyes.
---
The call came at 5:00 PM.
Sam's phone buzzed. She answered. Her face went pale.
"What is it?" George asked.
Sam hung up. "That was the FBI. They found Cade's jet. At a private airfield in Connecticut."
"Is he on it?"
"No. The plane is empty. But there's a message on the cockpit computer."
"What does it say?"
Sam's voice was shaking. "It says: 'Tell George I'll see him soon.'"
George's blood ran cold.
---
The FBI surrounded the airfield.
Cade's jet sat on the tarmac, empty. The cockpit door was open. The computers were on.
George walked to the jet and looked inside.
Empty.
But on the seat was another note.
*George —*
*You're getting closer. But not close enough. I'm going to do something you won't expect. Something that will change everything. Keep watching. You'll know when it happens.*
*— Thomas Cade*
George crumpled the note.
"He's toying with us," George said.
Kim nodded. "He wants us to chase him. He wants to lead us in circles."
"Then we stop chasing him. We let him come to us."
"How?"
George thought about it.
"Elizabeth," he said. "Christopher. My mother. They're still in hiding. But Cade knows where they are."
"How?"
"Because Evelyn worked for Vincent. And Vincent worked for Cade. They know everything."
Kim's face was grim. "Then we need to move them. Now."
"Where?"
"Somewhere Cade doesn't know about."
"Somewhere like where?"
George thought for a moment. "My apartment. In Chicago. It's small. But it's safe. And no one knows about it."
Kim nodded. "I'll arrange transport."
---
George called Elizabeth on the way back to Providence.
"We're moving you," George said. "Somewhere safe."
"Where?"
"Chicago. My apartment. Cade doesn't know about it."
"When?"
"Tonight. A car will pick you up in an hour."
Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. "George. What about you?"
"I'm going to find Cade. And when I do, I'm going to make sure he never hurts anyone again."
"Be careful."
"I will."
---
The safe house in Providence was busy when George arrived.
Elizabeth was packing. Christopher was sitting on the couch, looking scared. Eleanor was in the kitchen, making tea.
George walked to Christopher.
"Hey," George said. "How are you doing?"
"I'm scared," Christopher said.
"Don't be. You're going to be safe."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Christopher nodded. He didn't look convinced.
George walked to Eleanor.
"Mom," George said. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Eleanor said. "I'm just worried about you."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"You don't have to be the hero, George. You don't have to save everyone."
"I'm not trying to be the hero. I'm just trying to do what's right."
Eleanor hugged him. "I'm proud of you. I've always been proud of you."
George hugged her back.
---
The car arrived an hour later.
Elizabeth, Christopher, and Eleanor got in. Sam was driving. She'd insisted on going.
George stood on the sidewalk, watching the car drive away.
Kim walked up next to him.
"They're safe," Kim said. "For now."
"For now isn't enough."
"I know." Kim looked at him. "What's your plan?"
"I'm going to find Cade."
"How?"
"I don't know yet. But I'll figure it out."
Kim handed him a card. "My personal number. Call me if you find anything."
George took the card. "I will."
---
George stood alone on the sidewalk.
The sun was setting. The city was getting dark. Somewhere out there, Thomas Cade was planning his next move.
George was going to be ready.
His phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
*The Blackwood mansion. Midnight. Come alone. Or your family dies.*
George stared at the message.
Cade wasn't running. He was coming back.
George typed: *I'll be there.*
Then he put the phone in his pocket.
He walked to his car.
It was time to end this.
- Writer
