"At my father’s graveside, the gravedigger gripped my arm and whispered, “Sir, your father paid me to bury an empty coffin.” Before I could even speak, he pushed a brass key into my hand. “Don’t go home,” he warned. “No matter who calls, no matter what they say. Go to Unit 17 on Route 9. Right now.” Then my phone buzzed. A text from my mother appeared on the screen. Come home alone. My father had been buried less than five minutes earlier. Or so I believed

Keller's tactical team instantly raised their weapons, but they froze.

Standing at the end of the tunnel was Evelyn. She was flanked by six heavily armed cartel enforcers, but that wasn't why the FBI agents stopped.

Evelyn was holding a dead-man's switch in her right hand. Her coat was open, revealing a vest packed tightly with C4 explosives.

"If anyone fires a shot, this entire facility collapses," Evelyn smiled, her eyes locking onto mine. "Bring me the book, Elias."

Keller stepped in front of me. "Don't do it."

"If he doesn't," Evelyn sneered, "I let go of this trigger, and we all burn. Hand it over, Elias. You were always a good, obedient boy."

I looked at the woman who had raised me. She was a monster, wrapped in the illusion of a mother.

I took a step forward, holding the ledger out.

"Elias, no!" Keller shouted.

"It's over, Keller," I said, walking slowly toward Evelyn. "She won."

Evelyn's smile widened triumphantly as I closed the distance. "You always were smarter than your father."

"You taught me well," I replied.

I handed her the book. As her left hand closed around the leather, she looked down for a fraction of a second.

That was all I needed.

I didn't step back. I lunged forward.

I didn't grab the book. I grabbed her right hand—the one holding the dead-man's switch—and squeezed my fingers over hers with bone-crushing force.

"Keller! Now!" I screamed, pinning Evelyn's hand so she couldn't release the trigger.

The tunnel erupted in gunfire. The FBI tactical team opened fire on the cartel enforcers, dropping them in seconds. Evelyn screamed, struggling violently to pull her hand away from mine, but adrenaline gave me the strength of a madman.

Keller rushed forward with a pair of specialized tactical zip-ties, binding Evelyn's hand tightly around the trigger, rendering the switch permanently depressed.

"Get off me!" Evelyn shrieked, thrashing wildly.