"Your officers mistook the address on the intel, a botched raid led to an innocent man's death, and you signed off on the operation.
Under your leadership, Gabriel's complaints were buried because a thorough investigation would have forced you, Peroni, to retire in disgrace."
"Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to spout nonsense in my office?"
"I'm Supervisory Special Agent Reyna Trenholm of the FBI Newark Office, and I'm here to tell you that your negligence led to Gabriel's killing spree. You'll answer for the deaths of those four innocent people, Peroni."
Minutes later...
Bang!
The door to the office slammed shut as a woman in her 30s stormed out. Agent Reyna Trenholm held her head high, the anger etched on her face instantly replaced by a bright, triumphant smile as she spotted the Most Wanted Task Force team waiting outside.
"Reyna, I haven't seen you this feisty in ages," Jubal teased, stepping forward to embrace her before introducing her to the team.
Meanwhile, two FBI agents emerged from the office, escorting a visibly defeated Peroni in handcuffs. His head hung low as his officers looked on in shock.
"I don't get it," Reyna began once the group was alone. "You could've handled this yourself. Why call me in? Was this your way of making up for last time?"
Though her tone was light, her narrowed eyes carried a warning—answer wrong, and there'd be consequences.
Jubal didn't miss a beat. "Of course not. First and foremost, we need to catch Gabriel as quickly as possible. We've already conducted a preliminary investigation at the raid site. Everything else is in your jurisdiction now.
Plus, we need one more favor from you."
Reyna gave him a look that said, I knew it. Still, she turned to the team with a patient smile. "Alright, what do you need?"
"We need you to issue a public statement as the Newark Office," Jubal explained. "Announce a full investigation into the raid and wrongful death incident.
At the same time, make a direct appeal to Gabriel to surrender, promising him a fair hearing."
As he spoke, JJ handed Reyna a tablet with a video queued up.
"This footage is from last night," JJ explained. "It shows Gabriel fleeing after being spotted near the home of another officer involved in the raid.
The officers guarding the house opened fire—more than 20 shots—but Gabriel escaped unscathed."
Reyna raised an eyebrow. "Gabriel didn't fire back?"
"Not a single shot," JJ confirmed. "And none of the officers were wearing body cameras. It almost feels like they were under orders to shoot on sight."
Reyna sighed. "Understood. I'll hold a press conference by noon. But tell me, Supervisor Valentine, are you sure you won't join me? The old you would never miss a chance to stand in the spotlight."
Jubal grinned, his face wrinkling with amusement. "Let's just say someone close to me reminded me that low-profile work is sometimes better—for our family's safety."
Reyna's expression softened as if she'd caught the deeper meaning behind his words. "You've really changed, haven't you? Well, once your case wraps up, let's catch up. We've got a lot to talk about."
"…In conclusion, the FBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the Newark Police Department's raid.
To former officer Gabriel Clarke: Perhaps no one was willing to listen to you before, but things are different now.
We will uncover the truth, but we need your testimony to set the record straight. Please turn yourself in. We guarantee you'll receive a fair hearing."
Inside the command vehicle, Hannah used the remote to switch off the live feed of Reyna's press conference. The screen switched to social media sites, where the story was already trending.
"The internet's on fire," Hannah reported. "People are crowdfunding to hire Gabriel a defense lawyer."
"If it gets him to surrender, I won't complain," Jack muttered, though he looked far from satisfied. He preferred cases with clear-cut villains—taking down pure evil was far more satisfying than this moral quagmire.
If Gabriel resisted and ended up killed, either by him or someone else, Jack knew the aftermath would weigh on him for a long time.
Clay was already restless. "Peroni's family is under FBI protection now. Do you think Gabriel will actually surrender?"
"Of course not," Aubrey answered immediately. "Gabriel doesn't trust the FBI—or any law enforcement for that matter. Last night's shootout only cemented that."
"Exactly," Jack agreed. "He's lost all faith in the justice system—not just Newark PD but us too."
"So we just sit around waiting? Hoping he'll call and slip up?" Clay's frustration was mounting, but before he could finish his thought, a phone on the table rang.
Everyone tensed. Hannah quickly turned back to her computer, ready to trace the call.
"Three… Two… One… Got it," Hannah said.
Jack picked up the phone. "This is Special Agent Jack Tavares. Who's speaking?"
"I expected to talk to that beautiful agent from the press conference. So… are you the one who uncovered the truth, Agent Tavares?"
Hannah gestured silently—voice match confirmed. It was Gabriel.
"It was a team effort, Detective Clarke," Jack replied smoothly, buying time.
Gabriel's tone was almost casual. "You know, even I didn't realize they had the address wrong. Your team's quite impressive."
"But without your testimony, it'll be hard to bring Captain Peroni to justice," Jack said, carefully steering the conversation.
Gabriel chuckled bitterly. "That just means you have more faith in the system than I do. I called to tell you this: stop looking for me. You're wasting your time."
"You know we can't do that. But I can promise you a fair trial. You'll see those who wronged you face justice."
There was a pause before Gabriel replied, his voice tinged with sorrow. "I used to hope for that—back when I was naive.
But last night, they answered me with a barrage of bullets. Now, I prefer my way. It's more honest, don't you think?"
Jack's eyes fell on the brass belt buckle sitting on the table—the one they'd found at Gabriel's home. The words "Truth Above All" were etched into it.
"You've always valued the truth, haven't you?" Jack asked.
Gabriel sighed. "But as the philosopher said: 'What we hear is opinion, not fact. What we see is perspective, not the truth.'"
Jack felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. A few years ago, he wouldn't have been able to recognize that quote. He was thankful now for his crash course in Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.
"And yet, didn't he also say, 'The best revenge is to be unlike those who wronged you'?" Jack countered.
(End of Chapter)
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