Chapter 10: The Price of Honor
Ethan's investigation had taken him to the doorstep of a mysterious informant who claimed to have evidence of his family's wrongdoing. The informant, a nervous-looking man with a thick accent, greeted Ethan with a mixture of fear and determination.
"Ethan, yes, yes, I know you," the informant said, his words tumbling out in a rush. "You want know truth, yes? My name Rohan, and I tell you everything."
Ethan nodded, his eyes locked on Rohan's. "Please, tell me everything you know."
Rohan glanced around nervously before handing Ethan a small USB drive. "This contain evidence, yes? Proof of your family's...how you say...dirty dealings."
Ethan's eyes widened as he took the drive, feeling a sense of trepidation. "What do you want in return for this information?"
Rohan's eyes darted around the room, his voice barely above a whisper. "Protection, yes? You must protect me. They want kill me, Ethan. Your family, they no like me talking."
Ethan nodded, his mind racing with the implications. "I'll protect you, Rohan. I promise."
Rohan's face twisted into a mixture of relief and fear. "Thank you, Ethan. You good man, yes?"
As Ethan left the meeting point, he felt a sense of unease. He knew that he had to be careful, that his family's reach was long and deadly.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number: "You trust wrong person, Ethan."
Ethan's heart sank. Had he just made a deal with a snake?