The fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows across the small, rustic room.
The safe house in the countryside offered a sense of tranquility, but the tension in the air was palpable.
The group's minds were racing as Jean-Luc's revelation about the Black Hand sank in.
A shadowy organization with global reach, capable of manipulating world events, now had its sights set on them.
And Isabelle Laurent, their primary adversary, was caught in its web.
Grant stood up from his chair, his mind already racing through the next moves. "So, what you're telling us is that Isabelle's not only a threat because of her own empire.
She's dangerous because she's entangled with this organization that has no intention of letting us walk away."
Jean-Luc nodded grimly. "Exactly. The Black Hand doesn't forgive mistakes, and Isabelle made one by underestimating them.
Now, they've sent their agents to finish what they started."
