Chapter 500 – Footsteps and Firewalls Santorini – Oia’s Alleys The scent of grilled octopus and crushed jasmine filled the air, but Gregor couldn’t smell anything except adrenaline. He darted through the narrow alleys of Oia, his cap low, hoodie zipped tight, boots pounding the uneven stones. The crowd was dense at this hour—sunset tourists still lingering with wine glasses and cameras. But the man ahead, Kai’s operative, was fast and nimble, weaving between tables, knocking over a fruit cart, sprinting with the reckless speed of someone with nothing left to lose. Gregor shoved past a waiter, ignoring shouts in Greek. His eyes never left the target. The limp was still there, slight but present—a marker. The man took a sharp turn left into a back lane, one Gregor recognized from his own surveillance of the area. It led downhill, toward the old port. Trap. But he kept running. Dust kicked up around his boots as he skidded down the incline, heart thudding. A glint of metal flashed