Chapter 32: The Hidden Threat

The abandoned cabin was eerily quiet. Jay could hear the faint sounds of the forest outside—the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of nocturnal animals. But inside, the air was thick with tension. He and Elena had the Mastermind tied to a chair in the middle of the room, his hands bound with sturdy rope.

The Mastermind sneered, his eyes narrowing as he watched Jay pace back and forth. "You really think you've won?" he asked, his voice dripping with disdain. "You don't understand what's coming."

Jay stopped and leaned in close, his eyes locking with the Mastermind's. "Enlighten me," he said, his tone cold.

The Mastermind chuckled. "You're just pawns in a game you don't even know exists. My people are everywhere. Even if you kill me, they'll continue my work. You can't stop us."

Elena stepped forward, her gun aimed at the Mastermind's chest. "Who are 'your people'?" she demanded. "Where are they?"

The Mastermind smirked. "Why would I tell you anything? You can't keep me here forever. And when I get free, I'll make sure you regret this."

Jay took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger in check. They needed information, but the Mastermind wasn't going to give it up easily. He glanced at Elena, who gave him a nod. They'd need to take a different approach.

"We'll leave you here," Jay said, stepping back. "If you're so confident, then you won't mind waiting. We'll be back when you're ready to talk."

The Mastermind's smirk faltered, just for a moment. "You wouldn't dare," he said, his voice growing colder.

"Try us," Elena replied, her eyes hard. "We'll leave you in this cabin, and when your people come for you, we'll be waiting."

The Mastermind's bravado cracked, and he clenched his fists. He knew that being left alone in the forest could mean death, and his arrogance couldn't hide the fear that flashed in his eyes.

Jay and Elena stepped outside, closing the door behind them. Owen's voice crackled over the communicator. "What's the plan?" he asked.

"We'll watch the cabin," Jay replied. "If his people come to rescue him, we'll be ready. But we need to find out more about his network. We can't just wait for them to come to us."

Elena nodded. "We need to track down his lieutenants. They're the ones who know the most about the Mastermind's operations. If we can get them to talk, we might learn more about his plans."

Jay agreed. "Owen, can you find out where the lieutenants were last seen? We need to track them down before they regroup."

"Already on it," Owen replied. "I'll send you the coordinates. Be careful. They're not going to be happy about losing their leader."

As Jay and Elena headed back into the forest, they knew they were walking into a dangerous situation. The Mastermind's network was vast, and his lieutenants were ruthless. But they had no choice. If they wanted to bring him down, they'd need to dismantle his organization piece by piece.