CHAPTER 80

The private jet cut through the night sky, slicing toward Eastern Europe like a silent predator. Inside, the tension was thick, the weight of their mission pressing down on every breath.

Fiona sat near the window, watching the clouds blur past. She should have felt exhausted, but adrenaline kept her wide awake. Every moment brought them closer to Adrian Volkova—a man whose name alone sent chills through the underworld.

Darwin sat across from her, his fingers drumming against the armrest. Bella and Marcus were at the small workstation near the back, analyzing every shred of intelligence they had gathered.

“We land in two hours,” Marcus announced, adjusting his earpiece. “Volkova’s been moving between safe houses, but we pinpointed his last known location. A compound near the Romanian border.”

Darwin’s jaw tightened. “Security?”

“Armed. Private militia. The works.” Marcus exhaled. “It won’t be like Cain. Volkova expects war.”

Bella smirked. “Good. So do we.” She double-checked the pistol at her hip, her expression unreadable.

Fiona wasn’t fooled by her bravado. Bella was still reeling from Cain’s downfall, from the chaos they had barely survived. They all were. But there was no time to recover—not when a greater monster had stepped into the void.

Fiona turned to Darwin. “What’s the plan?”

He met her gaze. “We strike first. Take out his stronghold before he knows we’re coming.”

She nodded. Simple. Direct. But the unease in her chest wouldn’t settle. Volkova was different. He didn’t hide in boardrooms or manipulate from the shadows. He thrived in destruction.

And if they weren’t careful, they’d be walking straight into his trap.

---

Landing in the Lion’s Den

The air was frigid when they touched down at a small airstrip outside Budapest. A black SUV was already waiting for them, its driver a man with sharp eyes and a military stance.

“Everything’s ready,” he said as they climbed in. “Volkova’s compound is two hours out. No signs of movement, but we can’t assume he’s unprepared.”

Darwin gave a curt nod. “We don’t assume anything.”

The drive was silent, each mile pulling them deeper into dangerous territory. Fiona checked her weapons, her thoughts racing.

Volkova had been waiting for Cain to fall. That much was clear. But what else had he been preparing for?

She turned to Marcus. “Any word on his connections? Cain wasn’t his only ally.”

Marcus frowned, tapping at his tablet. “That’s what worries me. Volkova’s been quiet, but his network hasn’t. A shipment of high-grade weapons moved through Serbia two days ago. And another through Ukraine last week.”

Fiona’s stomach twisted. “He’s not just taking over Cain’s empire. He’s expanding it.”

Bella muttered a curse. “Then we’re already late.”

Darwin’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Not if we burn it down before he finishes.”

---

The Infiltration

They reached the outskirts of the compound just past midnight. Hidden deep within the Carpathian Mountains, it was a fortress—stone walls, watchtowers, floodlights sweeping the snow-covered ground.

Fiona exhaled slowly. “This won’t be easy.”

Darwin adjusted his earpiece. “That’s why we’re doing it now.”

Marcus pulled up blueprints on his tablet. “Perimeter security is tight, but there’s a blind spot near the south wall. If we time it right, we can breach before they raise the alarm.”

Bella loaded her rifle. “Then let’s not waste time.”

They moved quickly, slipping through the shadows. Fiona’s pulse pounded as they reached the breach point. Marcus disabled the security feed, and Darwin signaled for them to move in.

One by one, they slipped inside.

The compound was eerily silent. Too silent.

Fiona’s instincts screamed a warning. “Something’s wrong.”

Then the lights snapped on.

Alarms blared.

And gunfire exploded from the towers.

They had walked right into Volkova’s trap.

---

The Ambush

Fiona dove behind a crate as bullets ripped through the air.

“Marcus!” Darwin barked.

“Jamming comms!” Marcus shouted, frantically working his tablet. “They knew we were coming!”

Bella fired back, taking out a guard on the upper level. “No kidding!”

Fiona’s mind raced. This wasn’t a defensive stand—this was an execution. Volkova had wanted them to come. He had been waiting.

Which meant…

Her breath hitched.

“Where is he?” she shouted. “Where’s Volkova?”

A slow clap echoed through the chaos.

From the upper balcony, a figure emerged.

Tall. Unshaken. Eyes like ice.

Adrian Volkova.

“You came sooner than I expected,” he mused, voice smooth as steel. “Impressive. But foolish.”

Darwin raised his weapon, but Volkova didn’t flinch.

“You think I’d be careless?” Volkova smirked. “You’re not the only ones who plan ahead.”

Then Fiona saw it.

The explosives—wired throughout the compound.

A dead man’s switch in Volkova’s hand.

If they moved, he’d bring the entire place down.

Volkova tilted his head. “Now, let’s talk.”

---

The Negotiation

Fiona’s heart pounded. She forced herself to stay still, to keep her mind sharp.

Volkova descended the staircase with a casual ease, stepping over bodies as if they were nothing more than inconvenient obstacles.

Darwin didn’t lower his gun. “You think we’ll negotiate?”

Volkova chuckled. “Oh, I know you will. Because unlike me, you have something to lose.” His gaze flicked to Fiona. “Several things, actually.”

Bella cursed under her breath. “Bastard.”

Volkova smiled, amused. “Flattery won’t save you.”

Fiona clenched her fists. “What do you want?”

His smirk widened. “Clever girl. That is the right question.” He leaned against the railing. “Cain was an idiot. He built an empire on debts he couldn’t pay. I, on the other hand, prefer investments that last.”

Darwin’s jaw tightened. “You want the Atlas Group.”

Volkova’s expression darkened. “I want control. Of the Atlas Group, of R&K, of everything you and William have fought over.” He raised the dead man’s switch slightly. “And I always get what I want.”

Fiona’s mind raced. If Volkova got control, if he seized everything Darwin had worked for, it wouldn’t just be about business. It would be about power. He would own governments, dictate markets. And worse—he would come for their child next.

Her pulse hammered.

There had to be a way out.

A weakness.

And then she saw it.

The detonator in Volkova’s hand. It was wireless—but his thumb rested on the trigger. He had to press it. Which meant…

Fiona inhaled sharply. There was a chance. A small, dangerous chance.

She glanced at Darwin. He met her eyes, reading her in an instant.

A silent understanding passed between them.

They had one shot.

And they were going to take it.