Susan Knox tells Jeff that she can call the police, but Amy is already panicking and trying to assess her options. Before she can settle on a plan, Jeff pulls a gun on Amy, and Amy draws her own weapon in response. Susan is caught between them and tries to de-escalate by urging both of them to let the police handle it, but neither Amy nor Jeff will allow that.

Jeff presses Amy to convince him that she was not the person helping Max Highfield. He says the files show that Amy worked with both Highfield and Franois Loubet, which makes her look guilty. Amy notices that Jeff is focusing blame on her while dismissing suspicious details in the records, including the thirty-five payments to Max Highfield, and Susan confirms that the files could show whether Jeff personally authorized those payments.

As Amy thinks through the stalemate, she realizes that copying Jeffs methods will not help because he trained her and can predict her responses. Instead, Amy changes approach and openly accuses Jeff of being the real organizer: she suggests that Jeff recruited the clients himself, used Max Highfield as cover, arranged the Vivid Viral connection to hide the money laundering, and stayed in contact with Franois Loubet throughout. Jeff denies it, but Susans answer about the files gives Amy a concrete reason to believe the truth can be checked.

Because Susan says verifying the authorizations would take too long, Amy acts immediately. She lowers her gun as if surrendering, then shoots Jeff in the leg, avoids his wild return shot, and quickly cable-ties his hands. Amy forces the wounded Jeff to come with her and warns Susan that if she hears police sirens, Jeff dies; she also orders Susan to re-examine the files. The chapter ends with Amy having seized control, betting that the next ten minutes will confirm whether Jeff is the real mastermind.