### Chapter 71: The Devil's Deal
The city's heartbeat thrummed through the darkened streets, a steady, relentless pulse that whispered of secrets best left buried. Max Hastings knew these whispers well, for they had guided him through countless nights of blood and betrayal. Tonight was no different. The air was thick with the promise of violence, and Max felt it in his bones.
Evelyn was beside him, her presence a quiet strength. The docks were behind them, a smoldering ruin of Kozlov's ambitions. But the figure in the shadows had unsettled him, an unknown variable in a game already fraught with peril.
The safe house felt too small, too confining. De Luca's presence loomed large, his eyes narrow slits of suspicion. He hadn't slept, and the strain was showing. Max could see it in the way De Luca's hands trembled slightly as he lit another cigarette.
"Who do you think it was?" De Luca's voice was rough, a rasp of worry and anger.
