Hundred and Two

Tyler leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed, watching the door. Raina sat on the couch, laptop balanced on her knees as she worked through a file he’d handed her earlier.

The sound of a car pulling up outside broke the stillness. Tyler straightened, his hand instinctively hovering near the pistol on his hip. Moments later, a sharp knock echoed through the house.

“It’s Alex,” Tyler called out to Raina before opening the door.

Alex stepped inside, shaking off the cold with a quick rub of her hands. “Hope you’ve got coffee. It’s freezing out there.” She said. 

“Hey Alex.” Raina greeted, rushing to hug her. 

“Hey, yourself. I heard you guys finally did all of us a favor and figured out the shit between you two.” Alex said and Raina frowned and glanced at Tyler over her shoulder. 

He smiled with a shrug. “You’re not here to gossip, Alex. Or for coffee.” He added. 

“No, I’m not.” Her voice turned serious as she walked to the table and dropped a folder on it. “Everything’s in motion. Hunter’s locking down the invite as we speak. That party is tighter than Fort Knox, but he’s confident he can get us in.”

Raina walked back to her laptop. “How confident is confident? Because this isn’t the kind of thing we can afford to screw up.” She said. 

Alex glanced her way, offering a quick nod of acknowledgment. “Confident enough. He’s using a contact from who owes him. It’s risky, but it’s the best shot we’ve got.”

Tyler opened the folder, scanning the contents. A map of the venue, a list of expected attendees, and a partial itinerary of the night’s events. “What about Alvarez?” he asked, his voice low.

Alex’s jaw tightened. “Still no confirmed location, but we believe he’s going to show up at the RavenTech party. But if he’s not at this party, someone there knows where he is. Either way, we’ll get what we need.”

Tyler’s hand curled into a fist as he stared at the map. “This has to work. We’re too close to let it fall apart now.”

“It will,” Alex assured him. “Hunter’s got the invites covered. Your job is to blend in, get close to anyone who can connect us to Alvarez, and stay alive while doing it.”

“Easy,” Tyler muttered, closing the folder.

Alex turned to Raina. “And you? Are you ready for this?” she asked. She could see that there was a fire in Raina’s eyes.

 “I’ll do what I need to. We’re not letting these people win.”

Alex nodded. “Good. Because once we walk into that party, there’s no turning back.” She said. She walked back to the door where she had dropped a suit bag. “I brought our clothes.” She said, and grinned at Raina. “Now, let's go to your room and talk.” 

Raina smiled and dropped her laptop, and then she stood up, interlinking her hand with Alex’s as they walked up the stairs. 

Tyler stared at them with a grin, and then he muttered. “Grapevines,” shaking his head with fondness. 

**

The sleek, black limo rolled to a stop at the grand entrance of the RavenTech annual gala. The glow of chandeliers spilled through the massive glass doors of the venue, illuminating the red carpet that led inside. 

Tyler adjusted his tie, his gray eyes scanning the perimeter through the tinted windows. Raina sat beside him in a dark green evening gown that hugged her figure, her posture calm but her hands tense on her lap. 

Across from them, Alex was already scrolling through her phone, while Agent Hunter sat with a composed expression, his sharp suit making him look more like a VIP than an FBI agent.  

“Everyone knows their roles?” Hunter asked.

“We’ve got it,” Tyler replied, checking his cufflink where a discreet microphone was hidden.  

“The FBI is inside and out. You won’t see them, but they’re there,” Hunter assured them, pocketing his phone as the driver opened the door.  

Tyler stepped out first, offering a hand to Raina. The flashes from cameras stationed near the entrance barely registered as they moved inside, their faces calm, blending seamlessly with the wealthy crowd.  

The interior was a testament to excess. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above a grand ballroom filled with people in tailored suits and designer gowns. Waiters floated through the room carrying trays of champagne, and a jazz band played softly from a raised platform near the far end.  

Raina kept close to Tyler as they walk through the crowd. Alex drifted off, blending in as she mingled with a group of women standing near the bar. Hunter stood near the stage, his sharp eyes scanning the room for any signs of trouble. 

“Everyone’s in position,” Tyler murmured to Raina, his tone casual but his words meant only for her.  

She nodded, forcing a smile as a couple of executives passed by, their eyes lingering on her. “It’s a little too glamorous for a place crawling with criminals,” she replied under her breath. 

As the clock struck nine, the lights dimmed slightly, and the room quieted. All eyes turned to the stage as the CEO of RavenTech, Vincent Harlow, stepped into the spotlight. His tailored suit and charismatic smile screamed confidence, but Tyler’s jaw tightened.  

“Good evening, everyone,” Harlow began, his smooth voice carrying across the room. “Thank you for joining us tonight as we celebrate another year of innovation and success.”  

Behind him, the massive screen lit up with the RavenTech logo, a subtle animation that elicited polite applause from the crowd.  

Backstage, one of Tyler’s tech team members, a wiry man named Jake, was already at work. He tapped rapidly on a laptop, his hands moving with practiced precision as he hacked into the event’s AV system.  

“Showtime,” Jake whispered into his headset.  

As Harlow continued to talk about RavenTech’s achievements, the screen behind him flickered. At first, it was subtle… barely noticeable, but then the logo disappeared entirely. In its place appeared rows of spreadsheets, emails, and surveillance footage. 

The room buzzed with confusion as the images shifted, revealing evidence of illegal transactions, bribes, and links to Captain Steve Newport’s dirty dealings. 

Harlow froze mid-sentence, his smile faltering. “What... what is this?” he stammered, turning to glance at the screen.  

Tyler smirked from his spot near the back of the room, watching as the crowd’s confusion turned to murmurs of outrage.  

Harlow’s panic was visible. “Turn it off! Shut it down!” he shouted, his composure crumbling as he gestured wildly to the tech crew in the back. But Jake had locked them out of the system.  

Harlow’s gaze darted around the room before he bolted toward the nearest exit. 

“Now!” Hunter barked into his comms.  

FBI agents materialized from the crowd, their badges flashing as they moved toward the stage and the exits.  

“Harlow Vincent, you’re under arrest!” one of the agents shouted as Harlow tried to push past the crowd.  

Tyler stepped into his path, blocking him with an icy glare. “Going somewhere?” 

Raina appeared beside him, her voice steady. “You should stick around. It’s your big night, after all.”  

As Harlow was cuffed and escorted out, the evidence continued to play on the screen. Raina didn’t feel as relieved as she thought she would be, but this was good. It was a start.