Chapter 45 The Debrief

Chapter 45 The Debrief
Isabella's POV

The briefing room is gray and sterile and designed to make people confess.

Isabella sits across from her supervisor, Special Agent Marcus Webb, in a room with no windows and walls that seem to close in. The table between them is metal. The chairs are uncomfortable. The coffee tastes like chemicals and despair.

She's been talking for six hours.

She's described Damián's shipment routes. His safe houses. The names of his lieutenants. The structure of his organization. Everything she learned while wearing Sofia's face and sleeping in his bed.

But she's been careful. Very careful.

She's omitted the location of his primary headquarters. She's changed details about his financial operations. She's left out information about his legitimate businesses that could be used to freeze his assets. She's held back the names of people who are genuinely loyal to him and not involved in criminal activity.

Her supervisor has been patient all day. He's asked follow-up questions. He's taken notes. He's built a picture of Damián's empire based on what Isabella has told him.

But now, as the sun sets outside windows Isabella can't see, Agent Webb leans back in his chair and studies her with an expression that says he knows she's lying.

"You're holding back," he says finally. His voice is casual. Like they're just two colleagues discussing work over coffee instead of sitting in an interrogation room.

Isabella's heart rate increases, but she keeps her expression neutral.

"There's information you're not sharing," Webb continues. "There are details you're deliberately omitting. There are things you know that you're choosing not to tell me."

Isabella meets his eyes. His are blue and cold and trained to see through deception. She's trained in counter-interrogation, but she's also trained by the DEA, which means Webb knows her tells. Knows how she operates. Knows exactly where she's likely to lie.

"That's all I have," Isabella says smoothly. She makes her voice level. Makes herself look calm. Makes the lie sound like truth.

Webb studies her for a long moment. He's not angry. Isn't even frustrated. Just observing. Cataloging. Building a profile.

"You slept with him," he says finally. It's not a question. It's a statement of fact delivered with the certainty of someone who's already figured it out.

Isabella's entire body tenses.

"That's not relevant to the debrief," she says.

"It's absolutely relevant," Webb responds. He leans forward. "It explains why you're holding back. It explains why you're protecting him. It explains why you're compromised."

The word hangs between them like an accusation.

"I'm not compromised," Isabella says. "I'm just providing you with the information I gathered."

"You're providing me with selective information," Webb corrects. "You're giving me enough to build a case, but not enough to destroy him. You're protecting him while pretending to testify against him."

Isabella doesn't respond. Doesn't confirm or deny. Just sits there with her hands folded and her expression neutral.

"How long?" Webb asks.

"How long what?" Isabella asks.

"How long were you with him? How long were you sleeping with the target of your investigation?"

"The entire time I was undercover," Isabella admits. There's no point in lying about this. He already knows.

Webb sits back. He pulls out a file and opens it. Inside are photographs. Of Isabella and Damián together. Of them holding hands. Of them kissing.

"My team has been monitoring you," Webb says. "We always monitor our undercover agents. We want to make sure you're safe. We want to make sure you're not being coerced or manipulated."

He slides the photographs across the table.

"These photos suggest something different," Webb continues. "These photos suggest that you weren't just undercover. These photos suggest that you were compromised emotionally."

Isabella looks at the pictures. At herself and Damián together. At a woman who looks happy. At a man who looks like he's found something he thought he'd lost.

"I fell in love with him," Isabella says. The truth comes out before she can stop it. "That doesn't mean I'm not doing my job."

"Doesn't it?" Webb asks. "Because it looks to me like you're doing everything possible to protect him while also providing us with just enough information to pressure him without actually destroying him."

He closes the file.

"I'm going to ask you directly," Webb says. "Are you providing the DEA with complete and accurate information about Damián Flores and his organization? Or are you holding back information to protect him?"

Isabella's chest is tight. She could lie. Could tell him she's given him everything. Could stick to the story that she's a professional who's separated her personal feelings from her professional duty.

But looking at Webb's expression, she knows he won't believe her. Knows he's already made up his mind about what's happened.

"I'm providing you with accurate information," Isabella says carefully. "But I'm not providing you with every detail. I'm holding back information that could be used to destroy him unnecessarily."

Webb nods slowly.

"Do you understand what you're admitting to?" he asks.

"Yes," Isabella says. "I'm admitting that I'm compromised. That I'm in love with the target of my investigation. That I'm not being completely objective."

Webb stands and walks to the metal door. He opens it and signals to someone in the hallway.

Lu appears. She looks guilty. She's been listening to this entire conversation from outside the room.

"Agent Santos," Webb says, "take Agent Moreno to the holding area. She's being suspended pending investigation for potential misconduct and compromise during an undercover operation."

Isabella's blood runs cold.

"You're suspending me?" she asks.

"I'm doing more than that," Webb says coldly. "I'm opening a formal investigation into your conduct. I'm questioning whether anything you've told us is reliable. I'm considering whether you've been compromised so severely that you're actually feeding information back to Damián instead of to us."

"I'm not," Isabella says. She stands. "I came here to help. I gave you evidence."

"Evidence that conveniently protects the man you love while damaging his competitors," Webb says. "Evidence that could be designed to help him consolidate power instead of bringing him down."

Lu puts a hand on Isabella's arm.

"Come on," Lu says quietly. "Let's go."

As they walk out of the briefing room, Isabella realizes what she's done. By protecting Damián, by holding back information, she's made herself look like a traitor. She's made herself look like she's working for both sides.

The DEA will investigate her. They'll dig into her communications. They'll analyze everything she's told them. They'll probably come to the conclusion that she's compromised beyond redemption.

And Damián will still be looking for her. Still be coming for her.

She's trapped between two worlds again, but this time there's no way out.

In the holding area, a small room with concrete walls and a single chair, Isabella sits alone and realizes she might have made a catastrophic mistake.

Lu appears in the doorway an hour later with a grim expression.

"Webb is recommending you be terminated from the DEA," Lu says quietly. "He's saying you're a security risk. That you've been compromised by the target. That you can't be trusted."

"What about you?" Isabella asks. "What are they saying about you?"

"That I was negligent in my oversight," Lu says. "That I should have caught your compromise earlier. That I should have extracted you when signs first appeared."

She sits across from Isabella.

"There's more," Lu continues. "Damián made contact. With the DEA directly. He delivered a message."

Isabella's entire body goes still.

"What message?" she asks.

"He says he's willing to work with the federal government," Lu says. "He's offering to provide intelligence on Victoria Lucci's remaining operations. He's offering to dismantle his own cartel in exchange for immunity and relocation."

Isabella doesn't believe this. Damián would never voluntarily give up his empire.

"There's a condition," Lu continues. "He wants to see you first. He wants one conversation with you before he makes any decisions."

Isabella's heart is pounding.

"What are they going to do?" she asks.

"Webb wants to use you as leverage," Lu says. "He wants to arrange a meeting between you and Damián. He thinks he can pressure Damián into cooperation by threatening to prosecute you for your involvement in Ghost's torture."

"And what do you think?" Isabella asks.

"I think Damián is going to come for you no matter what," Lu says. "I think he's going to find you whether the DEA helps him or not. I think the best option is to let him see you under controlled circumstances. At least that way we can monitor what happens."

Isabella realizes she's truly trapped now. Trapped between love and duty. Trapped between Damián and the DEA. Trapped in a situation where there's no good outcome.

"When?" Isabella asks.

"Forty-eight hours," Lu says. "Webb is setting up a meeting in a neutral location. You'll see Damián for one hour. You can say whatever you need to say. And then it's over."

Isabella closes her eyes.

She's about to see Damián again. And she has absolutely no idea what's going to happen.