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Chapter 17: The Fallout

But even her words couldn\'t dispel the unease gnawing at him. He turned to face her, his expression serious. "We only took down part of Graves\' empire today. His reach is bigger than one island, and you know it."

Alyssa didn\'t respond immediately. She knew he was right. Victor Graves had spent years weaving a web of power that spanned continents. It wasn\'t something that could be unraveled in a single operation.

Marcus leaned over from his seat, his face drawn with exhaustion. "The feds have everything they need now. Graves is going away for good. And with the data I\'ve gathered, his entire network will fall apart. It\'s only a matter of time."

Dominic nodded, but his mind was racing. Graves wasn\'t just a powerful man; he was a man who believed himself to be untouchable, and those kinds of men always had backup plans.

Back on the mainland, chaos awaited them. The media had already caught wind of the operation, and the story was exploding across every major news outlet. Paparazzi and reporters swarmed the landing site, cameras flashing as the helicopter touched down. The sound of shouting and questions echoed through the air as federal agents escorted Dominic, Alyssa, Marcus, and Eleanor toward awaiting vehicles.

"Mr. Carlisle! Mr. Carlisle! What\'s your next move?"

"Is Victor Graves really going to prison?"

"How deep does Bradford Holdings\' corruption go?"

Dominic barely heard the barrage of questions. His focus was on the press conference scheduled for the following day—the one where the FBI and the Department of Justice would unveil the details of the takedown. Everything they\'d fought for hinged on that moment. Graves had been caught, but the real war was about to begin in the courtroom.

As they were bundled into the black SUVs, Alyssa turned to Dominic, her face etched with concern. "We\'re not going to be able to stay out of the spotlight, are we?"

Dominic sighed. "No. This is just the beginning."

That night, the team gathered at a safe house on the outskirts of the city, away from the frenzy of the media. The air inside was tense, the weight of their victory tainted by the knowledge that it wasn\'t over.

Laura, who had coordinated the federal strike, joined them at the table. Her face was hard, a reflection of the fight still ahead. "Graves is in federal custody. He\'s not talking, but we\'ve got more than enough evidence to charge him on multiple counts."

Dominic leaned forward. "And the others? His partners?"

"Many of them are running," Laura said, "but they won\'t get far. We\'ve issued warrants, and international law enforcement is cooperating. It\'ll take time, but we\'ll track them down."

Alyssa glanced at Marcus. "What about the digital side? Are we safe?"

Marcus tapped away at his laptop, his brow furrowed. "I\'ve been monitoring the chatter. Graves\' lieutenants are scrambling, but no major retaliation so far. They\'re in survival mode.

Dominic stood up, pacing across the room. "Graves is smart. He\'s always one step ahead. What if he planned for this? What if there\'s something we\'re missing?"

Laura\'s gaze hardened. "We\'ve covered every angle. He\'s got nowhere to hide."

But Dominic wasn\'t convinced. He knew Graves too well. The man didn\'t build an empire this massive without contingencies.

The next morning, as the press conference loomed, Dominic received a phone call that sent a chill down his spine. It was from an unknown number, and when he answered, the voice on the other end was calm, too calm.

"Mr. Carlisle," the voice said. "You really thought you could win this, didn\'t you?"

Dominic\'s stomach dropped. It was Victor Graves.

"How are you calling me?" Dominic demanded. "You\'re in federal custody."

Graves laughed softly, the sound menacing. "There are always ways, Dominic. Always. Did you really think it would be that easy? This is far from over."

Dominic\'s grip tightened on the phone. "You\'re done, Graves. The world knows what you are now."

"But they don\'t know everything," Graves said, his tone dripping with confidence. "You\'ve only scratched the surface. There are forces at play that you can\'t even begin to understand. I\'m not the only one who plays this game."

Dominic\'s pulse quickened. "What are you talking about?"

Graves\' voice lowered to a whisper. "You\'ll find out soon enough. Enjoy your little victory while you can."

The line went dead.

Dominic stood frozen, the weight of the conversation crashing down on him. He could feel it in his bones—this wasn\'t over. Graves had something planned, something bigger than any of them had anticipated.

Later that day, Dominic, Alyssa, Marcus, and Eleanor stood alongside Laura and federal officials at the press conference. The room was packed with reporters, cameras rolling as the Director of the FBI stepped up to the podium.

"Today, we\'ve taken a major step in dismantling one of the largest criminal enterprises in recent history," the Director began, her voice firm and resolute. "Victor Graves, CEO of Bradford Holdings, has been apprehended and will face charges for his role in orchestrating widespread corruption, bribery, and corporate espionage. This is a victory not just for the justice system, but for the people who have suffered under his greed."

The room erupted in applause, but Dominic barely registered it. His mind was still reeling from the phone call. Graves wasn\'t bluffing—there was something else coming. Something bigger.

As the Director continued speaking, Dominic scanned the room, his instincts on high alert. The air felt too thick, the tension too palpable. And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made his heart stop.

A man, standing near the back of the room, his face partially obscured by a hat. But it wasn\'t his appearance that caught Dominic\'s attention ,it was the briefcase he carried.

And the way he was moving toward the stage.

Dominic\'s breath caught in his throat. "Alyssa," he whispered, grabbing her arm. "We need to get out of here."

"What? Why?" she asked, confused.

"Now," Dominic insisted, his voice urgent.

Before Alyssa could respond, the man reached into his briefcase.

A flash of light, followed by an ear-splitting explosion, ripped through the room. Chaos erupted as screams filled the air and smoke billowed around them.

Dominic threw himself over Alyssa, shielding her from the blast. His ears rang as he struggled to get his bearings, the room around him a blur of debris and panicked people.

But as the dust settled and Dominic\'s vision cleared, one thing became horrifyingly clear.

This was just the beginning of Victor Graves\' revenge.