Updated Feb 18, 2026 • ~5 min read
ARCHER
I’m going to kill him.
I’m going to kill Malcolm Domenico with my bare hands.
“She’s bait,” Tobias says. “It’s obviously a trap.”
“I know.”
“So we do this smart. Full tactical team. Surround the warehouse. Extract Willa safely.”
“There’s no time. He’ll kill her before we get there.”
“Archer—”
“I’m going. Alone. Like he wants.”
“That’s suicide.”
“That’s the job.”
I grab my gear.
Tobias grabs my arm.
“Don’t do this. Don’t throw away your life for—”
“For the woman I love? Yeah. I will. Every time.”
I shake him off.
Head for the door.
“At least wear a wire. Let us listen. If things go bad, we come in.”
I hesitate.
Then nod.
“Fine. But you stay back until I signal. I need time to assess the situation.”
“Agreed.”
They wire me up.
I drive to the warehouse alone.
East industrial district.
Fifteen minutes.
The whole drive, I’m thinking.
Planning.
Malcolm wants me dead.
He’s using Willa as leverage.
But he won’t kill her immediately.
He’ll make me watch.
Make me suffer.
That gives me time.
Not much.
But enough.
I arrive.
Warehouse looks abandoned.
But I know better.
I check my weapons.
Gun. Backup gun. Knife.
Not enough.
Never enough.
But I’m going in anyway.
I walk through the front entrance.
Hands visible. Non-threatening.
“Malcolm! I’m here! Alone! Like you wanted!”
Lights flood on.
Willa is tied to a chair.
Center of the room.
Malcolm beside her.
Gun to her head.
Fuck.
“Agent Saint. Right on time.”
“Let her go.”
“Why would I do that? She’s the only reason you’re here.”
“You want me. You have me. Let her go.”
Malcolm pretends to consider it.
“No. I don’t think so. I think I’ll keep her. Make you watch her die. Then kill you. Much more satisfying.”
Willa’s eyes meet mine.
Terrified but defiant.
Mouthing: I’m sorry.
I shake my head slightly.
Not her fault.
“What do you want, Malcolm? Really? Your father is dead. Revenge won’t bring him back.”
“No. But it’ll make me feel better.”
“Will it? Or will you just be as empty as before?”
Wrong thing to say.
Malcolm hits Willa across the face.
She cries out.
Rage explodes through me.
I start forward.
Malcolm aims the gun at me.
“Don’t. Or I shoot her right now.”
I stop.
Hands up.
“Okay. Okay. I’m sorry. Just don’t hurt her.”
Malcolm smiles.
“Begging. I like it. Do it again.”
“Please. Let her go. I’ll do anything.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
He considers.
“Give me your weapons. All of them. Then kneel.”
I pull out my gun.
Set it on the ground.
Backup gun. Knife.
Everything.
Then I kneel.
Submissive.
Powerless.
Everything Malcolm wants.
“Good. Now tell her.”
“Tell her what?”
“That this is your fault. That she’s going to die because of you.”
I look at Willa.
Tears in her eyes.
“This is my fault,” I say. “I should have stayed away. I should have protected you better. I’m sorry.”
“Archer, no—”
Malcolm hits her again.
I’m going to kill him.
Slowly.
Painfully.
“Now,” Malcolm says. “Let’s begin.”
He raises the gun.
Points it at my head.
This is it.
But then Willa does something unexpected.
Throws herself backward.
Chair and all.
Crashes to the ground.
Malcolm’s gun tracks to her.
I lunge.
I’m not wearing weapons.
But I am a weapon.
I hit Malcolm full force.
We go down.
Gun slides across the floor.
We fight.
Brutal. Efficient. Deadly.
He gets in a hit.
Knife from nowhere.
Slices my arm.
Pain.
But I don’t stop.
I disarm him.
Flip him.
Arm around his throat.
Chokehold.
“Go to sleep, you piece of shit.”
He struggles.
Claws. Fights.
But I’m stronger.
And I’m motivated.
He goes limp.
Unconscious.
Not dead.
Unfortunately.
I zip-tie his hands.
Then rush to Willa.
She’s still tied to the chair.
On the floor.
Breathing hard.
I cut her free.
Pull her into my arms.
“You’re okay. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
She’s crying.
Shaking.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. He called. Said he was Marcus. I believed him. I’m so stupid—”
“You’re not stupid. You’re brave. You saved us. That move you pulled? Perfect distraction.”
“I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You did exactly right.”
I kiss her.
Hard. Desperate. Relieved.
Tobias and the team burst in.
“FBI! Hands where we can see them!”
I hold up one hand.
Other arm still around Willa.
“It’s over. Malcolm’s down. Unconscious. Zip-tied.”
Tobias looks at Malcolm.
Then at me.
“You didn’t kill him.”
“Wanted to. But no. I didn’t.”
“Good. We need him alive. His testimony can bring down the whole organization.”
Malcolm is arrested.
Read his rights.
Hauled away.
It’s over.
Really over.
Willa and I sit in the back of an ambulance.
Paramedic treating the knife wound on my arm.
“You need stitches.”
“Later.”
“Sir—”
“LATER.”
I’m not letting go of Willa.
Not for anything.
She’s pressed against my side.
Face in my neck.
Breathing.
Alive.
“It’s over,” I whisper.
“Is it?”
“Yeah. Malcolm’s in custody. His organization is dismantled. The threat is gone.”
“So what happens now?”
Good question.
“Now… we figure out what comes next.”
“Witness protection?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Tobias will have to approve my exit.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
I look at her.
“Then I quit the FBI and disappear with you anyway.”
Her eyes widen.
“You’d do that?”
“I’d do anything for you. I thought that was obvious.”
She kisses me.
Soft. Sweet. Perfect.
“I love you, Archer Saint.”
“I love you, Willa Crane.”
And for the first time in three years, I let myself believe in a future.
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