Dozens of landlines ring as I pace through the crowded and deafening room. My colleagues rush around with files and paperwork clutched in their hands, desperately trying to solve endless crimes. I stroke the top of my white shirt, ensuring that the second button is done up. I leave the first to bring myself more comfort, it seems every other person in this room has had the same idea. Working day after day in a hectic job where we're overworked and exhausted isn't easy, so we make sure to bring ourselves as much comfort as possible.

Halting at my bosses office door, I take a quick breather and make sure to straighten out my suit before knocking four times. I don't bother to wait for his reply. He requested my presence immediately, so I assume he's been waiting on my arrival for quite some time.

Four others are seated at the circular table in the middle of the dim room in front of a white board. I recognise all of them.

Connor, Trevor, Octavia and Vincent. Regulars on one case, which can only mean one thing. She's struck again.

"Vanessa," Conner acknowledges me. "Thanks for finally turning up."

"It's my day off. I came as soon as I could."

"Take a seat." He motions to one of his office chairs.

I comply and sit in-between Trevor and Octavia. Trevor, like always, shoots me a welcoming smile and lifts his hand as a form as greeting. Octavia simply nods.

"This is about Raine. Isn't it?" I ask.

Their expressions alone prove to me that I'm right. Due to the tense air suffocating me, I know that it's bad.

"What's the damage this time?" I sigh, preparing myself for the worst and allowing my body to sink into the seat as I get ready for the long day ahead.

"Bank robbery," Vincent informs me before chucking a file on the glass table in front of me. I don't hesitate to flip it open and stare at the contents. There's page after page consumed with details and pictures of the crime scene. Gunshot wounds in the marble pillars of the bank. Spots of blood.

"Any casualties?"

Connor, who's still staring at his board and rubbing his chin, nods his head. "One person was shot. A customer tried to get the gun off one of Raine's accomplices. Luckily the wound was patched up and he's recovering in the hospital."

"And how much did they take?"

"Fifty-thousand," he reveals.

Octavia can't seem to contain her annoyed laughter that echoes the room and catches our attention. "Not one of Raine's best robberies, is it?"

"It's still fifty thousand pounds. It's still a man in hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. It's still the safety of our community that's being threatened! And it's still a fuck ton of paper work on my desk and a headache to go with it!" Conner reprimands her — which is quite strange as usually he's so calm and collected.

The room stills with concerned and confused looks being passed around. I clear my throat, not expecting it to be so loud, but due to the silence in the room it echoes and causes everyone to look my way.

"Sorry," Octavia mumbles, shuffling about on her seat uncomfortably because the thought of apologising is her worst nightmare—perhaps because it makes her feel vulnerable. "I was only joking — not that it's not true though. Raine is used to leaving with hundreds of thousands. She's not going to be happy about her most recent payout."

Dropping to his seat and resting his head on his hands, Connor lets out a deep and frustrated sigh, further showing his exhaustion to this case. "Please, don't apologise. I'm the one who should be sorry for snapping at you like that. I just don't understand how she gets away with this and manages to go completely off the map. Eight years we've been working on this case. Eight years she's been playing us like fools and laughing at our inability to catch her. We need to find her. We need to get our shit together and find her!"

"Two of her accomplices were arrested," Trevor explains to me to further bring me up to speed. My shoulders turn in his direction as I settle and listen to what he has to say, feeling grateful for the extra information. "They were tracked down and picked up only a couple of hours ago. The getaway driver is nowhere to be seen, nor is Raine. The two that were picked up aren't giving anything up. The officers and detectives have tried everything, but they're not budging."

"Either they're really scared of Raine or they're really stupid," Octavia scoffs.

"I would be scared of Raine if I were them. Wouldn't you?" Vincent questions in an unsure voice. "That woman is ruthless."

"She's pathetic," she disagrees. "Bank robberies, break-ins, car theft, murder-"

"There's no proof that she murdered those people. It's been said that her accomplices were always the one to do the job," I quickly say.

Octavia scowls at me like I'm the worst human being in the world. "Stop sticking up for her and face the facts. She was there, she gave the orders, she's just as responsible."

"I was just stating the facts."

"No, you still believe that she still has some good left in her. Get it into your head, Vanessa. Raine Amory is no longer Matilda Woods. She's a completely different person now. The sooner you accept that, the better."

"You think I don't know that? You think I haven't spent the last eight years accepting that she's no longer Matilda. I know that she's gone, I know she's a different person. I wouldn't be here trying to help find her if I did."

"Bullshit," she mutters.

I'm about to bite back, but Connor takes a stand and stops us before the argument can continue. "That's enough. I didn't bring you here to fight. This is serious. The people out there are currently laughing at us because of this. They don't think we can catch this girl. They think we're crap at our jobs and have no hope. You want to prove them right? Be my guest. But I'm going to do everything in my power to get Raine and shut her down before she can do anymore damage. What about the rest of you?"

I look to my team who each glance around.

"I'm with you," Trevor says. "Let's get her and stop her for good this time."

"And me. I'm ready to see her smug smile drop at the sight of us," Octavia adds.

Me and Vincent both join in with the words of encouragement and promise to try our best to capture Raine and put a stop to her. Once and for all.

"Where do we start?" I ask Connor, ready to start the tasks and take orders.

"You can start by questioning the man and woman who were arrested for the bank robbery. I want to squeeze any bit of information out of them. Research, too. Find out everything you can about them."

We all nod eagerly and take a stand, ready to travel to the station where questioning is currently taking place and has been for hours on end. Vincent grabs his laptop as we rush out to our vehicles. He's already doing his research about the couple involved.

"I'll see you there," I tell Octavia who's parked next to me.

She pulls her sunglasses down over her eyes and spits her chewing gum into an old tissue.

"You know, I seriously can't believe Raine is your sister. Would never have even guessed that you're related," she says.

Trust me, me neither.