The Washington Command Vehicle – 8:45 PMInside the reinforced SUV, the air was thick with the scent of ozone and the frantic clicking of keys. Tedmond hovered over the central console, his knuckles white as he leaned into the holographic map of the Sokolov estate.His eyes were no longer just cold; they were incandescent with a restless, violent energy."I’m done waiting," Tedmond growled, his voice a low vibration that made the monitors flicker. "The EMP is ready. We breach Gate Four, neutralize the exterior guards, and I’m taking the front doors. I want her out of that den of vipers now.""Tedmond, sit down," Albert said. He didn't look up from his primary screen; his voice was unusually calm, the only anchor in the storm of Tedmond’s fury."Don't tell me to sit down, Albert. You heard the audio feed from the warehouse. They’re talking about buying and selling human beings like they’re trading stocks. And Persis is sitting there, nodding along, letting them touch her—"Tedmond sl

Three Miles East: The Command VehicleTedmond stared at the monitor, arms crossed over his massive chest. He had seen Persis flinch at the loudspeaker, and the memory was currently fueling a slow-burning rage that Albert was struggling to contain."She’s in," Tedmond muttered, his blue eyes tracking the heat signatures in the Refectory. "She’s at the table.""And she’s doing fine," Albert said without looking up. "She just got invited to the vault. That’s the endgame, Tedmond. If she gets in there, we get the digital keys to the Sokolov encryption.""I don't like the way that woman looks at her," Tedmond growled, referring to Katerina. "Like she’s a piece of meat being graded for auction.""Just stay steady, Hammer," Albert replied. "The Scalpel is about to make the final incision."Tedmond’s grip on the back of Albert’s chair tightened until the frame groaned. "She has one hour. Then I’m coming in to pick up the pieces."**The Sokolov Estate: The Grand RefectoryThe clink of silve

"Now, Portia," Marcella cooed, sliding a flute of champagne toward her. "The Arisov girl. Katerina thinks the Northern estates are too isolated, but I say isolation is exactly what a girl of her standing needs until the papers are finalized.”“Tell us, did your branch of the family deal with such... delicate assets in London? Surely you have some insight into keeping a girl from running away.""We found that if they don't know they're in a cage," Persis whispered, her voice airy and fragile, "they don't look for the door."A ripple of cruel, appreciative laughter circled the table. Persis smiled back, the perfect image of a fallen relative seeking favor, but her attention remained pinned to the reflection in the polished crystal.Behind her, Captain Kelvin was moving steadily across the observation deck. He didn't walk like a man who had spent twenty years in the Sokolovs' pocket. His stride was too heavy, too measured; each step carried a weight that seemed to rattle the glassware.

Svetlana’s laughter died, replaced by a sharp, calculating gleam as she pulled a slender, encrypted burner phone from her clutch. She slid it across the marble tabletop until it bumped against Persis’s hand."Since you’re so adept at identifying the flaws in a spy’s armor, Portia, let’s put that theory to use," Svetlana said, her voice dropping into a silky, dangerous challenge. "Our perfect little maid is due for her check-in.”“She’s been hesitant to pull the file on the Washingtons' offshore accounts because she fears Albert is watching the server logs. I want you to give her the push she needs."Persis stared at the phone. The screen was dark, but it felt like a live grenade in her hand. Sending a message from this device would link her irrevocably to the Sokolov espionage network. Worse, it would trigger a mole she now realized was likely someone she saw every single day."I... I wouldn't know what to say," Persis murmured, the "Portia" persona fluttering back into place, wide

"A few years ago," Svetlana said, her tone flattening, "we had an incident. An insider, someone we trusted as family, stole a set of encryption keys from this very suite.”She paused, her gaze sweeping the room. “It nearly broke our hold on the Baltic ports. It was a betrayal that changed our protocols forever. Since then, no one is above the lens. Not even you."Persis rolled her eyes, though her mind was already racing. "So, because someone had sticky fingers years ago, I have to forfeit my privacy? That’s ridiculous. We're on a ship in the middle of the ocean, Svetlana. Where exactly am I going to take anything?""You'd be surprised what people attempt when they think no one is watching," Svetlana replied, her eyes narrowing. "The cameras stay. If you’re truly one of us, you have nothing to hide.”A flicker of suspicion crossed her face. “Wash up, change into the gown we laid out, and join us for tea on the deck in an hour. And Persis? Don't try to cover them. It triggers a sile