The stolen archive was more than Cassie had dared to hope for: files marked with names, operations, hidden alliances, and shadowy codenames that wove a complex web of deceit. The list held the truths Adam had sacrificed everything for. Now, it sat in her possession—a dangerous beacon that could unravel Marko's empire, but one that carried the weight of betrayal and risk.
The safe house Anya had led them to was nestled in the heart of Montmartre, a small apartment hidden beneath the facade of an old art studio. They sat around the table in the dim light, its surface covered in a mix of digital files and physical documents. The team was silent, the gravity of their findings sinking in.
Cassie rubbed her temples, exhaustion threatening to pull her under. "This list… if we use it, we're putting everyone close to us at risk."
Anya leaned forward, her fingers tapping a rhythm on the table's edge. "We can't back down now. Marko will know the archive is missing, and he'll stop at nothing to retrieve it."
Varga, who had been silent until now, crossed his arms and let out a low whistle. "This is a suicide mission. You do know that, right? Marko has informants, mercenaries, politicians. His reach extends beyond this continent."
Emil stood up, pacing the room with long strides. "We knew the risks when we signed up. The real question is how we're going to use this information without tipping off Marko until it's too late."
Cassie's eyes locked with Emil's, seeing the same determination mirrored in his gaze. "We need to release it strategically, hit his operations piece by piece until he's exposed and cornered."
Anya nodded, but her eyes were distant, as if contemplating another layer of the plan she hadn't shared yet. "There's someone who can help us," she said after a pause. "I haven't spoken to him in years, but he was once one of Marko's top operatives before he turned rogue. If anyone can get this information into the right hands, it's him."
"Who?" Cassie asked, narrowing her eyes.
Anya hesitated. "His name is Lukas Adler. But he's not exactly… stable. He was loyal to Marko until he discovered how far the corruption went. Now he's a wildcard, hunted by both sides."
Varga scoffed, pushing his chair back. "Adler's a ghost. How do we find him?"
"I know where he's been hiding," Anya said quietly. "Or at least where he was the last time we spoke."
Emil's brow furrowed. "If he's as unstable as you say, why trust him now?"
"Because," Anya said, her voice hardening, "he hates Marko more than anyone alive."
Cassie stood, pushing aside the chair as resolve hardened in her veins. "Then we move. We can't afford to wait."
---
The flight to Zurich was tense, the weight of their mission pressing on everyone. Cassie sat next to Anya, the hum of the plane's engines filling the silence between them.
"How did you know Adler?" Cassie finally asked, breaking the quiet.
Anya's expression softened, a rare vulnerability showing. "He was my handler when I first joined Marko's operations. He saw potential in me, and I trusted him. But when things went south, when he learned the full scope of Marko's plans, he burned every bridge and vanished. He saved me once. I owe him."
Cassie nodded slowly, understanding the conflicted emotions that came with loyalty turned bitter. "Do you think he'll help us willingly?"
A small smile played at Anya's lips. "Willingly? No. But if he knows we have the archive, he won't be able to resist."
As they disembarked and moved through the quiet, cold streets of Zurich, the city's pristine facade felt almost suffocating. Emil led them to an old bookstore, its windows darkened and dust settling in the corners. It was one of Adler's known haunts—a place where codes and whispers were exchanged between operatives long gone.
They pushed inside, the doorbell chiming faintly. The smell of aged paper and ink hit them immediately, mingled with the chill of the unheated space. Cassie scanned the room, eyes stopping on a shadow near the back wall.
"I see you haven't lost your nerve, Anya," came a voice, smooth but laced with tension. A man stepped into the dim light, sharp features framed by a mess of dark hair and eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and dangerous thoughts. Lukas Adler.
Anya stepped forward, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Lukas, we need your help."
Lukas's eyes flickered over the group, stopping at Cassie. "I'm aware of who you are, Miss Bennett. You've made quite the enemy of our mutual acquaintance."
Cassie's jaw tightened. "We have the archive. It's time to bring Marko down."
Lukas's expression was unreadable, but a shadow of a smile appeared. "The archive. So that's what this is about."
He turned away, running a hand over a stack of books as if considering their next move. "You're brave, but bravery alone doesn't win wars. You'll need allies, resources, and time—none of which you have."
"We have you," Anya said firmly, stepping closer. "And that's a start."
Silence filled the room as Lukas faced her, memories passing between them in an unspoken conversation. Finally, he nodded. "Then let's make this count. But understand this: once we start, there's no room for error. Marko will not just fight back—he will scorch the earth."
Cassie's heart thudded in her chest as the final pieces of their plan clicked into place. There was no turning back now, not when the last chapter of their mission was about to begin.
Zurich's cold wind swept through the cracks of the old bookstore, carrying with it the promise of reckoning.