Cassie's finger hovered over the trigger as the agent dragged his prisoner closer. The figure's limp movements suggested exhaustion, perhaps torture. Every second was a risk. Erik's eyes, sharp and questioning, met hers, silently urging her to make the call. The wind howled through the narrow alley, masking the tension crackling in the air.
Cassie exhaled and moved swiftly, stepping out of the shadows and pressing the silencer against the back of the agent's neck. His body stiffened, and he released the prisoner's arm, letting them collapse to the ground.
"Don't move," she ordered, her voice low and lethal.
The agent hesitated for a split second, then turned his head slightly, eyes darting to Cassie and Erik. "You think you can outrun them?" he sneered, his accent thick. "They're already here."
Before Cassie could respond, a faint beep from the agent's watch caught her attention. A warning. Her eyes widened as Erik lunged forward, yanking the watch free and throwing it into the darkness. An explosion rocked the air, the impact knocking them to the ground as fire licked up the alley walls.
Cassie coughed, her ears ringing, and scrambled to her feet. The agent lay unmoving, a small pool of blood spreading beneath him. Erik groaned, clutching his arm where a piece of debris had torn his jacket.
"Get up!" Cassie shouted, grabbing his good arm. The smoke was thick, the stench of burning oil and stone filling her lungs. The hooded prisoner stirred, their hands fumbling weakly at the fabric covering their face.
Cassie knelt and pulled the hood away. Dark eyes met hers, wide with recognition. It was Leah.
"Cassie?" Leah's voice cracked, eyes reflecting both relief and disbelief.
Cassie's pulse spiked, confusion mingling with anger. "Leah? What—how did they find you?"
"No time," Leah gasped, pushing herself upright. "They know about Anya. They're closing in."
Erik stepped in, eyes scanning the alley for more agents. "We need to move now. Reinforcements won't be far behind after that blast."
Cassie pulled Leah to her feet, the adrenaline masking the weight of betrayal, questions, and half-formed doubts that threatened to drown her. Leah had disappeared months ago after a botched extraction in Budapest, and her return now wasn't a coincidence.
They navigated the maze of alleys, keeping to the deepest shadows. The distant wail of sirens echoed through the city as patrols mobilized in response to the explosion. Leah stumbled, her body weakened from whatever interrogation she'd endured.
They reached a narrow pedestrian tunnel by the river, its cracked stone walls sheltering them from the streets above. Cassie turned, eyes burning with urgency. "Start talking, Leah. What's going on?"
Leah leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Blood stained her wrists, chafed raw from the restraints. "They knew about the list—before you even reached Prague. There's a mole feeding them information, someone close to you."
Cassie exchanged a sharp glance with Erik. The implications sent a shiver down her spine. The agency had always been adept at playing the long game, embedding agents where they were least expected.
"Who?" Erik demanded, the tension in his voice barely restrained.
Leah shook her head. "I don't know. But they were one step ahead at every turn. Anya's café is being watched, and they're preparing for a sweep of the safe houses."
Cassie's heart pounded as she processed Leah's words. If the agency knew about Anya's location, they had to act now or risk losing their only ally in this war. "We can't just sit here. We have to warn Anya."
Leah's eyes flashed with alarm. "No. We need to draw them away first, make them think we're going for the list somewhere else. If they know you're going to Anya, she's as good as dead."
Cassie nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down like a vice. "We split up. Erik and I will create a diversion. Leah, you need to find a secure place and regroup with us at Old Town Square. Midnight tomorrow."
Leah's expression hardened, resolve replacing fear. "Be careful. They're not just field agents, Cassie. They sent Devereux."
Cassie's blood ran cold at the name. Devereux was a ghost, an elite operative whose missions always ended in one thing: death. If he was involved, their margin for error had just disappeared.
"We will be," she said, more to herself than to Leah.
Erik stepped beside her, eyes steady. "Let's move. We don't have time."
They left Leah hidden in the old tunnel, disappearing into the winding streets of Prague. As they moved, Cassie felt the city shift around her, its history and secrets pressing in like an unseen audience. The fight was far from over, and the real game was only just beginning.