The harsh fluorescent light of the Oakhaven Springs kitchen hummed like an angry hornet, cutting through the heavy pre-dawn silence.

With federal protection no longer an option, Katherine and Grace packed what little they could into the back of their station wagon, guided by Agent Miller to a subterranean safe house located beneath the abandoned Oakhaven railyard. The damp, cavernous space echoed with the dripping of subterranean water and the distant rumble of night freight trains. Yet, safety proved to be an illusion. As Miller set down his tactical radio, the static hissed violently, replaced by a cold, synthesized voice echoing through the intercom system: “Agent Miller, you brought the sheep right back to the slaughterhouse.” Miller’s face went completely bloodless. He didn't turn around; he simply dropped his weapon onto the concrete floor. The betrayal wasn't a surprise—it was the missing puzzle piece. Miller wasn't a rogue agent protecting them; he was the head security liaison for the Janus syndicate who had orchestrated the cover-up of the original audit four years ago.