Epilogue

16 MONTHS LATER

In a courtroom a judge was about to read her verdict.

"Please stand", she said to the defendant, a 50-something years old man.

He stood up as well as his lawyer and the prosecutor.

The judge began to speak.

"Having regard the totality of this evidence in this matter, the charge of conspiracy to terroristic activity and count one of the indictment, the Court finds the defendant Philipp Oegly GUILTY."


In the audience, Jack turned to Renee and smiled.

Later on, Jack and Renee were having a coffee in a small diner.

"You should be proud of yourself and the work you've done. They have been difficult trials, but the evidence you collected through your investigation following the names that we found out from Wilson, have made the difference. Managing to have eight of them plead guilty is a great result", Jack said not hiding the esteem he felt for her.

"Yeah, I mean, I am happy about it, but it could've been better", she replied as a perfectionist as she was.

Jack sighed.

"I know what you're thinking – he resumed talking – there's still one of them at large, so until all of the conspirators have been identified and prosecuted you won't be satisfied."

"You know me pretty well", she chuckled softly. Then, she immediately became serious again:" I owe it to Larry and all the people that have lost their lives because of those sons of bitches."

Jack couldn't help but feeling even more proud of her as he shared the same thoughts exactly.

"For my experience, no one can hide forever. Proof will come out, just like we eventually manage to do with Wilson. We just need him to make one false step and then we'll catch him. I promise you", he reassured her.

"I hope so – she agreed, but then her face darkened again – You know, I tried my best with Wilson, I still have nightmares of his interrogation, but I couldn't break him. If it wasn't for you, we'd still be here with empty hands."

Jack rolled his eyes.

"I know you tried, and I too had already given up with him. It was Tony's determination to make him pay for what he had done that forced me to change my mind and go all the way to make him confess – Jack stopped for a moment as his memory flew back at that night at Wilson's mansion – Anyway, we won't give up again, ok?"

"Yeah – Renee nodded and then gave a brief glance at her watch – Speaking of which, I think I should be going now. I may have a new lead about it."

"What lead?", Jack asked with confusion.

"Yesterday a former Starkwood employee contacted me and requested a meeting to talk to me."

"To talk to you about what?"

"He didn't tell, but he said it was important and he wanted to speak to me alone. I'm gonna meet him at the mall downtown at 2, so it's better if I go", she said while standing up.

Jack looked at her a little worried. Requiring a private meeting in a crowded place usually meant only one thing and it wasn't the kind of thing he wanted her to face without, at least, a backup.

"Do you want me to come with you? I have an appointment, but I can reschedule it."

"No, don't worry. I'll let you know if something comes up."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, I can handle it", she added a little annoyed by his lack of trust.

Jack looked down and felt stupid. He was being overprotective again, the exact thing Renee hated.

"Ok. But be extra careful, all right? We know what these people are capable of."

"I will", she came closer to him and kissed him. "See you tonight", she smiled.

"Yeah", he forced a smile too, still not comfortable with the whole situation.

Then, he followed her with his eyes while she was leaving the place. The ominous feeling that had crossed his mind was still there, stronger than ever. He waited another moment, then he swore under his breath, put a few bucks on the table and left.


On a roof a sniper was preparing his equipment. His phone rang.

"Hello."

"Are you in position?", a voice on the other side said.

"Yes, I'm almost ready."

"Good. I'm sending you the pictures."

The sniper moved the phone away from his ear and opened the incoming message.

A picture of a white man, mid forty appeared. He slid left and another one showed up. Renee Walker.

"Got it", he said, moving back the phone close to his mouth.

"Let me know when it's done."

The man hanged up the phone and took another look at the photos. Then, he put the phone away and continued to prepare the rifle.


Renee arrived at the café in front of the mall and started looking for the man with the green baseball hat she was going to meet. She eventually spotted him, smoking a cigarette sitting at a table.

"Mister Cobb?"

"Agent Walker – he turned towards her and then looked around suspiciously – Are you alone?"

"Yes. What is this all about?", she sat down with him.

"I know you conducted the investigation that took down the leaders of the Sentox conspiracy and dismantled Starkwood. Your name is everywhere these days. It was very brave to go against all these powerful people – he said with a hint of admiration – I think I may have something that could help you with that."

"I'm all ears", Renee replied.

On the roof, the sniper was checking the background. From his view, Renee and Cobb's table was just partially cover by a line of people waiting to get an ice cream at a stand.

"I've worked in Accounting at Starkwood for almost eight years and part of my job was to forge the books to hide, let's just say, some sensitive information. When Starkwood was dismantled, however, I saved some of the original transaction records as a personal assurance. You never know with these people, if you understand."

"Yes, I understand. Why are coming out only now if you had these records for over a year?"

"What I did at Starkwood was illegal, I know you could arrest me for that. But, frankly, now it doesn't matter because I'm scared for me and my family. Your investigation has moved the waters a lot and the more it went on, the more they saw us as threats. Last week a former colleague of mine was found hanged in his own garage. I knew him pretty well, he would've never committed suicide. He wasn't the first to go out like that and he won't be the last. That's why I need your help. I will give you everything I have if you can provide protection for me and my family."

"We can put you and your family in witness protection, Mr Cobb. If your information is valuable, I can also offer you immunity for your past at Starkwood, but I need to know more about what you have."

The line of people was getting thinner, only two were left.

"You can check it with your own eyes – he said sliding a USB key on the table – Everything I have is in there. I hope that, following the money, you'll be able to connect the remaining open points you may have and took those criminals down once for all. I'm also ready to testify in court, but, please, don't let pass another day before granting me protection because I can't sleep at night anymore."

"I promise you it will be the first thing I'll do when I get back to the office. I'll call you as soon as I have something", she said, taking the USB key and put it in her pocket.

"Thanks. I've got to go now", he said standing up and taking another look around.

Arrived at the mall café after having followed Renee, Jack looked around trying to find her. Before he could do it, a reflection of the sun coming from the roof of the building across the street caught his attention.

In that moment, the last person waiting in line, finished paying for his ice cream and moved away. With a clear view and both Cobb and Renee standing up now, the sniper pulled the trigger and shot twice.

Immediately, panic spread at the café and everybody began to scream and run for a place to hide. Jack took out his gun and shot multiple times in the direction of the sniper, before he could pull the trigger again.

"OUT OF THE WAY!", he screamed while starting to run to Renee's table, bumping into people running in the opposite direction.

A security guard approached, alarmed by the gunshots.

"I'M A FEDERAL AGENT, CALL 911, NOW!", Jack ordered him, just before stopping where both Cobb and Renee were. The guard nodded and called for help.

On the ground, Cobb's body was laying on Renee with two holes in his back. Jack gently moved the body away and took a look at his wounds. He was bleeding copiously but he was still breathing.

"I NEED HELP HERE!", Jack yelled just before the security officer came closer to him. "Keep pushing", he said to the guard that immediately began pressing on Cobb's body to try to stop the bleeding.

Then, Jack turned to Renee and his heart stopped seeing her light brown coat soaked in blood with two holes in it.

"No…", he cried in desperation, almost paralyzed by what he was seeing in front of him.

Renee opened her eyes and looked around disoriented, trying to remember what had just happened.

"Jack", she said under her breath.

"Help is on the way, you'll be fine", he reassured despite being in complete shock.

Still confused, Renee raised her head just enough to see the blood stain on her belly.

"No, Jack, I'm ok. It's Cobb's blood."

Jack glanced at her, baffled. Then, he opened the coat and saw two bullets planted in the Kevlar jacket underneath it.

"I followed your 'extra careful' advice", she smiled.

Jack sighed in relief.

"Thank God – he hugged her as his heart burst out with joy – I thought I was gonna lose you", he kept holding her as tight as he could.

"How is Cobb?", Renee asked, suddenly remembering the moments before the shots.

Jack turned to the security guard, who had stopped pressing the wound and was now shaking his head.

"He didn't make it."

Renee's face saddened. "I promised I would protect him. If only he would have come earlier to us."

"I'm sorry", Jack could feel that she was already blaming herself, even if there was nothing else she could have done in those split seconds before getting hit. In this, they were the same.

Suddenly, she remembered another thing. She searched for something in her pocket and extract an USB key.

"He gave me this. It's a copy of the unforged Starkwood's financial records. If we can find even a single wire transfer connecting their illegal activities to the last of their leaders, we're gonna get him."

Jack looked at the USB key in her hand and thought back at the day of the Sentox attack when it all started, more than eight years ago. Since then, his life and the ones of some of his closest friends had been torn apart and America had never been the same again. Maybe it was finally come the time when everyone involved would face what they deserved. Maybe it was the danger the woman he loved had just escaped unscathed or maybe it was that little but still powerful key in her hand. But it felt damn good.