The relay office door hangs open on a strip of flickering light. Dallas Fontaine stands with the evidence in hand, and Jonas Bell fills the threshold like he owns the building. Mara Quill is behind Dallas, tense and cornered. Murderbone growls low at Bell's polished shoes.
Jonas Bell
You should have left this alone, Fontaine. Hand over the files, and nobody has to bleed tonight.
Dallas Fontaine
These are your files, Bell. Your transfers. Your cleanup. My daughter is in them too.
Mara Quill
Jonas, step back. The warrant is real, and so is the paper trail.
Bell's smile fractures. He sees the photographs, the carbon copy, the cabinet inventory, all of it laid bare under the broken office light. His hand dips toward his coat, but Murderbone lunges a step and Bell freezes.
Jonas Bell
No. Not here. Not with witnesses.
Bell shifts sideways, angling for the hall, but Dallas has him boxed between the desk and the doorway. Outside, footsteps hammer closer. Inside, the flicker turns every face into a cracked mask.
The room tightens around the last move. Bell is exposed, cornered, and reaching for a way out. Dallas has the evidence, the gun, and the final choice.
“I confront bell with the evidence. I ask who killed my daughter and who ordered it.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Interrogation, rolled +0)
Dallas lowers the evidence just enough to let Bell see every page. The flicker catches on the photos, the names, the timestamps, and Bell’s face drains of color.
Dallas Fontaine
Who killed my daughter, and who ordered it?
Jonas Bell
He swallows hard. 'I never touched her. The man who did it was hired muscle, a cleaner named Rook. He reported to Tate, and Tate reported up to me.'
Mara Quill
Mara’s voice is tight but steady. 'Say the name above you, Jonas. Put it on the record.'
Jonas Bell
Bell flinches, then gives in. 'Councilman Voss. He wanted the harbor audit buried. Your daughter saw the transfer, and Voss said she had to disappear.'
The confession lands in the stale office air. Bell’s shoulders sag, and his hand falls away from his coat as if the fight has already left him.
Mara Quill
Mara exhales once, eyes fixed on the names. 'Good. Keep talking. I want every layer, now.'
Quest Complete
Expose Jonas Bell
Attribute Upgrade: Agility Superb→Legendary
The relay office went still except for Mara’s recorder and Bell’s ragged breathing.
Jonas Bell
I did it. Voss gave the order. I buried the audit, and your daughter paid for it.
Dallas Fontaine
Then it’s on record. All of it.
Mara Quill
Clear and clean. This is enough.
Murderbone held Bell in place until the hallway footsteps reached the door.
By morning, the confession had teeth. Dallas left the Annex with the truth in his hands and the weight of his daughter’s name finally spoken aloud. Jonas Bell was finished, and Councilman Voss had nowhere left to hide.