The estate didn't sleep that night.
Vanessa noticed it immediately.
Even hours after they returned from the warehouse, the mansion remained awake. Guards walked the hallways more frequently, phones rang in distant rooms, and several unfamiliar men in suits moved through the house speaking in low voices.
Preparation.
Vanessa stood near the balcony window of the study, looking out over the dark garden.
From here she could see two security vehicles parked near the gate and at least six guards rotating positions.
"Still watching?" Gale's voice came from behind her.
Vanessa didn't turn.
"Yes."
She pointed toward the distant road.
"The sedan moved twenty minutes ago."
Gale stepped beside her.
"They changed shifts."
Vanessa nodded.
"That confirms it."
"What?"
"They're serious."
Gale didn't disagree.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You look calm."
"I am."
"That worries me."
Gale glanced at her.
"Why?"
"Because calm people usually have dangerous plans."
Gale's lips curved faintly.
"Correct."
Vanessa turned fully toward him.
"Alright."
She leaned against the railing.
"Tell me the rest."
Gale studied her for a moment.
"You want details."
"I always want details."
"You're sure?"
Vanessa smirked.
"You forget I investigate murder scenes for a living."
Gale walked back toward the desk.
Vanessa followed.
He opened the tablet again and tapped the screen.
Security footage appeared.
But this time it showed something different.
A map of the estate.
Vanessa leaned closer.
"Your security layout."
"Yes."
She studied it carefully.
Cameras.
Motion sensors.
Guard routes.
"Impressive."
Gale zoomed in on the rear garden.
"And here."
Vanessa frowned slightly.
"The east wall."
"The blind spot," Gale said.
Vanessa looked up.
"You fixed it."
"No."
Her eyebrow lifted.
"You left it open."
"Yes."
Vanessa slowly smiled.
"You're inviting them in."
Marco's voice suddenly came from the doorway.
"I knew it."
Vanessa glanced back.
Marco walked into the room carrying a cup of coffee.
"I leave for one hour and you two are designing kidnapping routes."
Vanessa shrugged.
"It's efficient."
Marco shook his head.
"I hate this plan."
Gale didn't look at him.
"It will work."
Marco sighed and leaned against the wall.
"I assume I'm the one leading the security response."
"Yes."
Marco rubbed his forehead.
"Of course I am."
Vanessa studied the map again.
"They'll come through the garden."
"Yes."
"They'll take me."
"Yes."
Marco looked at her.
"You're way too comfortable with that."
Vanessa shrugged.
"I trust the backup."
Marco muttered under his breath.
"That makes one of us."
Vanessa looked at Gale again.
"What happens after they grab me?"
Gale's expression hardened slightly.
"They won't get far."
"That wasn't the question."
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then Gale answered.
"They will take you to their meeting point."
Vanessa nodded slowly.
"And then you follow."
"Yes."
Marco raised an eyebrow.
"That part sounds simple."
"It isn't," Gale said.
Vanessa could tell.
There was more he wasn't saying.
She studied him carefully.
"You're hiding something."
Gale didn't deny it.
Vanessa sighed.
"You do that a lot."
Marco chuckled.
"That's his personality."
Vanessa ignored him.
Her focus stayed on Gale.
"What are you planning?"
Gale closed the tablet.
"The Circle wants leverage."
"Yes."
"They believe you are it."
"Yes."
Vanessa folded her arms.
"So?"
Gale looked directly at her.
"They're wrong."
Vanessa tilted her head.
"How?"
Gale's voice lowered slightly.
"Because the moment they take you…"
He paused.
"…they expose themselves."
Vanessa's eyes sharpened.
"You're not just hunting Romano."
"No."
"You're hunting the Circle."
"Yes."
Marco exhaled slowly.
"Now the plan makes sense."
Vanessa looked thoughtful.
"You want them to reveal their leadership."
"Yes."
She nodded slowly.
"And they will."
"Why?"
Vanessa smiled slightly.
"Because criminals love watching their victories."
Gale's expression didn't change.
But she could see he agreed.
Marco glanced toward the window.
"It's almost midnight."
Vanessa looked outside again.
The road beyond the estate remained quiet.
But she knew better now.
Eyes were watching.
Waiting.
She stretched her arms slightly.
"Well."
Gale raised an eyebrow.
"Well what?"
Vanessa walked toward the door.
"I should get some sleep."
Marco stared at her.
"You're joking."
"No."
"You're about to get kidnapped."
"Yes."
"And you're going to sleep?"
Vanessa smiled slightly.
"I perform better when rested."
Marco looked at Gale.
"Is she serious?"
Gale answered calmly.
"Yes."
Vanessa paused at the doorway.
"Wake me when the kidnapping starts."
Marco blinked.
"You're unbelievable."
Vanessa shrugged.
"I've had worse nights."
She walked down the hallway toward her room.
Behind her, Marco looked at Gale.
"She's insane."
Gale watched the hallway where Vanessa disappeared.
"No."
Marco raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
Gale's voice was quiet.
"She's exactly what they don't expect."
Marco sighed.
"That's what scares me."
—
Inside her bedroom, Vanessa removed the leather jacket and set the pistol on the nightstand.
The city lights glowed faintly through the window.
She sat on the edge of the bed for a moment.
Thinking.
Somewhere out there—
Romano and the Circle were planning her capture.
And tonight—
They would make their move.
Vanessa lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
Because this was the most dangerous situation she had ever walked into.
And strangely—
She was looking forward to it.
Because when the kidnappers finally came for her—
They would believe they had caught their prey.
But Vanessa Rivera had spent her entire career hunting criminals.
And tonight—
The hunters were about to walk directly into her trap.