Erased by Her Own Hand

The hotel room was dimly lit, the glow from Jessica’s laptop screen casting long shadows across the walls. Olivia sat on the edge of the bed, cross-referencing files on her tablet, while Jessica leaned against the desk, arms crossed, scanning the screen.

They had been at this for hours. Digging through what little traces were left. Whoever had been searching for Jessica had done it cleanly. No sloppiness, no obvious signatures. Whoever they were, they knew how to cover their tracks. Olivia had spent her life hunting ghosts and now they had a lead.

Olivia set her tablet down, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Alright. Found something.”

Jessica leaned closer. “Tell me.”

Olivia tapped the screen. “There was a data pull from a military-grade intelligence firm two weeks ago. Based in Mexico City. Private contractor, but with ties to several intelligence agencies. The kind of group that does work governments don’t want their fingerprints on.”

Jessica’s stomach tightened. “Who owns it?”

Olivia exhaled. “A shell company. But I traced the money back. The funds came from a holding group connected to…”

She paused. Jessica felt the shift before Olivia said it.

“Connected to Vanguard.”

Jessica went still. Vanguard was dead. She had burned what was left of them. Hadn’t she? She pushed away from the desk, jaw tightening. “Give me a name.”

Olivia swiped across the screen. “Contact person is listed as ‘G. Aragon.’ No background. No official record of existence. Just a name attached to the data request.”

Jessica’s fingers tapped lightly against the table. “Where do we find him?”

Olivia hesitated, then slid a folded napkin across the desk. “He has a meeting tonight. Private club in Polanco. Invitation only.”

Jessica picked up the napkin, reading the time and location.Her smirk was sharp. “Then we’d better get invited.”

* * *

The club was discreet, not the kind of place you found unless you were meant to. Tucked inside an unmarked building, where the rich and powerful pretended they weren’t making deals over $500 tequila.

Jessica and Olivia walked through the entrance with the kind of confidence that didn’t get questioned. Olivia had found them a way in. A borrowed identity, a whispered name at the door. The bouncer barely glanced at them before stepping aside.

Inside, the air was low-lit and expensive. The hum of conversation wrapped around them, mixing with the deep bass of jazz rolling through unseen speakers.

Jessica spotted Aragon immediately. He was seated at the back, a man in his fifties, sharp suit, sharper eyes. He was the kind of person who wasn’t officially important, but had access to the people who were.

She leaned toward Olivia. “Stay back. See who else is watching.”

Olivia nodded, already drifting toward the bar.

Jessica moved in. Aragon didn’t look up as Jessica slid into the chair across from him. He just swirled his drink, as if he had been expecting her.

Jessica tilted her head slightly. “G. Aragon.”

He smirked. “Jessica Sanchez.”

Jessica exhaled through her nose. “Good. We both know each other. That saves time.”

Aragon took a slow sip of his drink, then set the glass down. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

Jessica leaned forward. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to erase me.”

Aragon smiled slightly. “I didn’t erase you.”

Jessica’s eyes narrowed. “Then who did?”

Aragon studied her for a long moment, “You did.”

Jessica went still. Her breath caught at the top of her lungs. This was a trick. A lie. She bit her lip slightly trying to hide her anger and confusion.

“Explain,” she said simply without emotion.

Aragon exhaled, leaning back. “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t a government. It wasn’t a corporation. The request that shut down your aliases came from an identity profile linked to your own.”

Jessica’s fingers curled against the table. “That’s not possible.”

Aragon tilted his head slightly. “Isn’t it?”

Jessica exhaled slowly. “You’re telling me I burned my own cover? That I ordered myself erased?”

Aragon swirled his drink again. “I’m telling you that someone who knew your security protocols, your aliases, and your clearance levels. Someone who had access to your old identity files did.”

Jessica’s chest felt tight. Because there was only one person who could do that. Her. Or someone who had been her.

* * *

Jessica was still processing the implications when the first gunshot shattered the glass behind them. Aragon didn’t hesitate. He moved fast, flipping the table as cover. Jessica rolled, drawing her weapon in a single motion. Another silenced shot hit the table. These were professionals.

Across the room, Olivia had already disappeared into the crowd.

Jessica caught a glimpse of a figure moving through the chaos with black tactical gear and night vision lens clipped to his collar. These were not common assassins. They were a retrieval team.

Jessica exhaled sharply. “They’re not here to kill us.”

Aragon gave a grim smile. “No. They’re here to take you.”

Jessica didn’t wait. She grabbed his wrist and moved. Through the side exit, into the alley. Behind them, the club erupted into chaos with bouncers pulling weapons and people scrambling for cover.

Jessica’s mind was already ten steps ahead. She had two questions now. First. who had just tried to take her? Second, why had she erased herself? She didn’t have any answers yet, but something in her gut told her this wasn’t a breach. It was a warning from the past version of herself she no longer remembered. But she would. One way or another.