The steel mill loomed before them like a dying beast. Its walls, once silver and strong, were streaked with rust. Shattered windows glistened in the storm, and every gust of wind howled through the hollow frame with a voice of its own.
Alex killed the headlights. The car rolled to a stop in the mud, the rain drumming hard against the roof.
For a long moment, no one moved.
Then Clara whispered, "It feels like walking into a grave."
Alex pushed open the door, the storm soaking him instantly. "Stay close. And no matter what happens, do not split up."
They crossed the factory yard, boots sinking into waterlogged gravel. Lightning illuminated the giant entrance doors—hanging crooked, half-rusted away. The air inside reeked of oil, iron, and rot.
The Circle of Candles
They found her in the heart of the mill.
Maya Reed.
She stood in a circle of flickering candles, their glow casting shadows across the skeletal beams. Her face was calm, too calm, eyes glinting like polished stone. She looked nothing like the frightened consultant Alex had once pitied. Tonight, she was composed, regal, almost priestess-like.
"You came," she said, her voice carrying easily through the cavernous hall. "I wasn't sure if you'd have the courage."
Alex stepped forward, hand hovering near his holster. "You've been pulling the strings. Every letter, every death—it all leads back to you."
Maya tilted her head. "Not death, Detective. Judgment. The Circle destroyed me once. Now I've unmasked them, one by one. And tonight, the last mask falls."
Her gaze swept past Alex, to Clara. "Ah. His daughter's here too. Fitting."
Clara's fists clenched. "Don't you dare bring him into this. He's dead. He can't defend himself."
Maya's lips curved into a small smile. "Oh, he doesn't need to defend himself. His sins shout loud enough from the grave."
The Betrayal
Before Alex could respond, footsteps echoed in the shadows.
A figure emerged, his gun raised.
Sam Hargrove.
Alex's chest tightened. "Sam?"
The detective's partner stepped into the candlelight, his face pale, eyes hollow. The barrel of his pistol pointed directly at Alex.
"Don't move."
Clara gasped. Lila froze. Marcus's usual smirk faded into something grim.
Alex's voice was low, careful. "Sam… what the hell are you doing?"
Sam's jaw tightened. "What I should have done a long time ago. Ravenwood's rotten, Alex. Your father's corruption poisoned everything. Maya's the only one who sees it. The only one brave enough to burn it down and start over."
"You're siding with her?" Alex snapped. "She's killing people!"
Sam's eyes flickered with pain. "She's delivering justice. You can't see it, because you're blinded by blood. You're his son. You're the legacy of Monroe's lies."
Maya's voice was soft, coaxing. "Do it, Sam. End the circle with him."
The Psychological Duel
Alex slowly raised his hands, trying to steady his breath.
"Sam, listen to me. This isn't justice. You think killing me fixes Ravenwood? It won't. It'll just add another ghost, another secret to bury."
Sam's grip faltered, just slightly.
Clara stepped forward, her voice sharp, trembling with rage. "If you kill my brother, you'll be no better than him. My father ruined lives, yes. But Alex? He's nothing like him. He's spent his life cleaning up the mess Dad left behind."
Sam's expression cracked, conflict tearing through him.
But Maya's whisper cut through the storm: "Don't listen. Weakness is what lets corruption grow. Finish it."
The rain outside pounded harder. Thunder cracked. The storm had come inside the mill now, colliding with the storm of truth and lies.