As I delved into the files, the truth unfolded like a sinister puzzle. Jared had been living a double life. He was involved in a shadowy organization, dealing in secrets and lies, an underworld of espionage and betrayal. It was a world where loose ends were tied in the most permanent ways.

It all made sense now. The late nights, the hushed phone calls, the sudden trips. But why us? Why his own family?

Buried deep within the files was a document that chilled me to the bone. It was a list, a ledger of sorts, detailing assets and liabilities—people considered expendable. Our names were there, glaring back at me, labeled as “compromised.”