The chill of the Prague night bit into Cassie as she and Anya slipped into the narrow passage that led toward the rendezvous point. It was a forgotten courtyard bordered by tall, crumbling buildings that whispered of a time long past. Erik was waiting, leaning against a stone archway, his breathing ragged, but his eyes sharp and alert.
"Did you get it?" he asked, barely a moment after they emerged from the shadows.
Cassie pulled the USB drive from her pocket and held it up, the small device gleaming under the dim moonlight. Relief flashed across Erik's face, but it was fleeting. Their reprieve would be short-lived.
"We need to move," Erik said. "They'll lock down the city the second they realize what's gone."
Cassie nodded, her mind already racing with the next steps. "Anya, do you know of a place we can lie low, just for a few hours?"
Anya hesitated, then pointed to an old church spire visible above the rooftops. "St. Lazarus. It's abandoned now, but it has a crypt that connects to the old catacombs. The agency wouldn't think to look there."
Erik arched an eyebrow. "A crypt? You sure know how to pick safe houses."
Anya shot him a tight smile, her tension palpable. "You'll learn to appreciate hidden places when you're on the run as long as I have been."
The trio moved quickly, weaving through alleys that seemed to close in around them, the city itself a silent witness to their escape. The streets were quieter now, with only the occasional murmur from nearby windows and the distant echo of sirens.
Cassie's heart thudded with the knowledge that even if they were unseen, they were certainly not unnoticed. The agency's network was vast, its resources nearly limitless. If they wanted to make the next move, they needed to do it from the shadows.
St. Lazarus stood before them, its stone façade cracked and worn, ivy creeping up like dark veins. The old wooden doors groaned as Anya pushed them open, the scent of damp earth and age rolling out to greet them. Inside, the silence was suffocating, broken only by the hollow echo of their footsteps on the stone floor.
"This way," Anya said, leading them past rows of broken pews and toward an altar shrouded in dust. She pulled back a section of cracked stone, revealing a narrow staircase that spiraled downward into darkness.
Erik glanced at Cassie. "Ever thought you'd end up hiding in a crypt with a list that could topple governments?"
Cassie smirked, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's been that kind of week."
They descended into the crypt, the air growing colder with each step. The narrow space opened into a low-ceilinged chamber, its stone walls carved with faded symbols and names. Anya lit a lantern, casting flickering light across their tired faces.
Cassie placed the USB drive on a flat stone slab, the makeshift table at the center of the crypt. "This is our ticket," she said, her voice low. "But we need to know what's on it before we can use it."
Anya took out a small, battered laptop from her bag. "It's encrypted, but I can get us in. It'll take time, though."
"How much?" Erik asked, glancing uneasily at the darkness beyond the light's reach.
"An hour, maybe less," Anya replied, fingers already moving over the keyboard with practiced precision. "Let's hope we're not interrupted."
Cassie positioned herself near the entrance, listening for any sign of movement above. The tension crackled in the silence, punctuated only by the quiet tap of Anya's fingers and the rustle of Erik pacing.
"Why did Adam trust you?" Erik asked suddenly, breaking the stillness. His eyes met Cassie's, searching for understanding.
Cassie's jaw clenched, memories surfacing like a tide she couldn't push back. "Adam was my partner once, before the agency pulled us apart. He believed that what we were doing was right, that we were saving lives. When he found out what was really happening, he tried to protect me. But it cost him everything."
Erik nodded, a look of respect crossing his features. "He must have been a good man."
"The best," Cassie whispered, a pang of grief twisting her chest. "And now we make sure he didn't die for nothing."
A sudden noise—a scrape, subtle but distinct—echoed from the stairwell. Cassie's hand shot up, signaling Erik to go silent. Anya's eyes darted to Cassie, her hands pausing over the keyboard.
"Someone's here," Cassie mouthed.
The shadows in the stairwell shifted, a beam of light sweeping across the stones as footsteps descended. Cassie motioned for Erik to take cover behind a column while she flattened herself against the wall, ready to strike.
The figure stepped into the lantern light—a tall man with close-cropped hair and a scar that bisected his left eyebrow. He was dressed in a dark tactical suit, a silenced pistol clutched in his gloved hand. Cassie recognized him instantly: Marcus Kane, one of the agency's most ruthless operatives.
"Step out, Cassie," Marcus called, his voice smooth and deadly. "I know you're here, and I know you have what we need. Let's make this simple."
Cassie's pulse raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. "Simple, Marcus? That's never been your style."
He chuckled, a sound that echoed coldly off the crypt walls. "You know me too well. But this time, I'm under orders to bring you in alive. The list, on the other hand..."
Anya's fingers resumed their work, quieter now, racing against the seconds. Cassie met Erik's eyes, a silent command passing between them. Erik shifted, readying himself.
Cassie stepped forward, just enough to draw Marcus' attention. "You won't find the list, Marcus. You'll find your own name on it, though, along with a dozen others."
His eyes narrowed, the amusement fading. "I was hoping you'd make this easy."
In an instant, Erik lunged from the shadows, tackling Marcus to the ground. The gun skittered across the stone floor, and a struggle ensued, grunts and the crash of limbs echoing in the chamber.
"Anya, now!" Cassie shouted as she dove for the gun, sliding it across the crypt floor toward Erik.
The laptop pinged, the encryption broken at last. Anya's eyes widened as the list appeared, name after name scrolling across the screen.
"It's open!" she yelled, adrenaline sharpening her voice.
Cassie grabbed the laptop, scanning the data. She memorized key details, knowing they needed to move, and fast. Erik's fist connected with Marcus' jaw, the operative crumpling under the blow, unconscious.
"We need to go," Cassie said, breathless. "They'll know he's down."
Anya's eyes met hers, and for the first time, a smile broke through. "Then let's show them what it means to fight back."