Chapter 44 Victor Chen
Webb's face lost all color. He threw his weight against the door, doing everything he could to keep them out.
"Webb, stop. Listen to us. We're not here to hurt you," Adrian said, keeping his voice steady as he tried to calm Webb down.
"We need information about Helena Park. The group she works for is threatening our family. Our children are in danger. If you know anything that could help us find her, please tell us."
Webb glanced back and forth between them, unsure what to do.
"No. No way. I won't tell you anything. I don't know about Helena. Leave me alone. If they find out I talked to you..."
"Listen, Webb, they won't find out. We promise to protect you," Adrian's voice hardened. "But if you don't help us and something happens to those children because you stayed silent... that's something you'll have to live with for the rest of your life."
A long, tense silence filled the room. Webb felt trapped. He didn't want to help, but the idea of being responsible if something happened to the children was too much.
Webb stepped back and opened the door wider.
"Come in. Quickly."
Webb's apartment was small and very neat, the kind of place someone keeps when they need order after a chaotic past.
He sat across from Eva and Adrian at the small kitchen table, his hands wrapped around a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
"I have known Helena for eight years," he began, his voice low. "I only worked for her on Financial management, mostly. I thought I was just helping a wealthy woman protect her assets."
He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "I won't say I never noticed something was off with the transactions, but I chose to ignore the warning signs. It took me too long to see what she was really up to."
"When did you find out the truth?" Eva asked.
"I found out because of one payment. A big sum of money was sent to a company I didn't know. I got curious and started checking where it was going." Webb's face flickered with fear.
"The company was a cover used for human trafficking."
Eva felt her stomach twist.
"I was angry and went straight to Helena. I told her I was finished, that I wouldn't be involved in her shady business." Webb shook his head.
"Helena, she just laughed and called me naive, saying the world works on deals like that. But she let me go without any problems. She said I was too insignificant to care."
"And what about Victor Chen?"
"Victor? He is Helena's handler. He acts as her link to the Consortium." Webb's voice dropped even lower.
"I have only met him twice, both times very briefly. He's... not what you'd expect. He looks charming and well-educated. The kind of man you'd see at a fancy charity event, not during a crime investigation."
All of them were surprised. Was there really a man like that working for the Consortium?
But when they thought about it, it made sense. The Consortium had connections to high society and politicians, so having someone like that involved was possible.
"What does he look like?"
"He's Asian, tall, probably in his early sixties, though he could be older. He has a face that never seems to age. He's always dressed perfectly."
Webb hesitated, then added, "He often rolls a gold coin between his fingers when he's thinking, like he needs to keep his hands busy."
Webb paused. "But his eyes are cold and empty. Looking into them feels like staring into a void."
Adrian leaned forward. "Where can we find him?"
"I… I don't know. He works through several middlemen. He never stays in one place for too long." Webb paused, thinking.
"But there is a man who might know. A fixer named Solomon Grant. He sets up meetings and takes care of details for important people in the Consortium."
"Where do we find this Grant you mentioned?"
"He works out of a club downtown called Velvet Room. It's very exclusive and private." Webb looked at them seriously.
"People talk about it like it's part of another world. There are rumors that even city officials can't get in without an invitation, and some say dangerous deals happen there in secret. No one really knows what goes on inside, and most people are too careful even to ask."
"But I should warn you. Solomon Grant doesn't do favors. If you want information from him, you'll have to give him something in return."
"Offer something? What kind of something?"
"Anything valuable. Money. Access. Your own information." Webb shrugged. "Whatever he thinks is worth it."
Eva and Adrian exchanged a glance.
"Thank you, Mr. Webb," she said, standing. "We appreciate your help."
"I hope so." Webb stood to see them out, his face haunted. "I've spent fifteen years trying to forget that world, trying to pretend I was never part of it." He met Eva's eyes. "Whatever you're planning, be careful. The Consortium doesn't play games. And Victor Chen... he's the most dangerous of all of them."
"We'll be careful."
As they left the apartment, Eva couldn't shake the chill that had settled in her bones.
Fear and doubt tugged at her thoughts. She replayed Webb's warnings in her mind. She couldn't help but wonder if she was putting Adrian and the children in even more danger by pushing forward.
What if the risks were too great?
What if they were already in over their heads?
For a moment, Eva almost wished she could turn back.
They were going deeper into darkness.
And there was no guarantee they would find their way back.
But beneath the fear, she felt a fierce determination—she would do whatever it took to protect her family, no matter the cost.
The Velvet Room club didn't look like much from the outside.
A plain door in an upscale neighborhood, marked only by a small brass plaque. There was no line of customers, no bouncer at the entrance, no indication that anything significant lay beyond.
Adrian's team had done their research. Behind that plain entrance was one of the most exclusive places in the city, where the wealthy and powerful made deals they couldn't make in boardrooms.
"Are you sure about this?" Adrian asked as they approached.
Eva took a breath. "No. But I'm sure we don't have another choice."
The door opened before they could knock, as if someone had been watching them. A woman in a sleek black dress stood in the entrance, her face calm and professional.
"Mr. Cavanaugh. Mrs. Fransis." She nodded as if she'd been expecting them. "Mr. Grant is waiting for you."