Ayla didn’t stop running. Her breath came in sharp gasps as she sprinted through the narrow alleyway, her footsteps echoing in the silence of the city’s underbelly. Behind her, the low hum of a black SUV’s engine grew louder, its headlights piercing the darkened streets. The chase had only just begun.The information she’d stolen from the vault—the data on the Echelon—was burning a hole in her pocket. But it wasn’t enough. Not yet. The weight of what she had learned about the Echelon’s vast network was enough to send her heart racing, but the deeper she dug, the more she realized how far-reaching and impenetrable they were. They had eyes everywhere, and no matter how many times she thought she had gotten ahead, they always managed to catch up.She had barely made it out of the facility alive. Keene had sent his men after her, and they were closing in fast. It was only a matter of time before they surrounded her, and she knew she needed to make a decision—one that could change everythi

Ayla’s mind raced as she listened to Ivan’s warning. A hidden faction within the Echelon? The thought was enough to make her stomach turn. She had already learned that the Echelon was dangerous, but the idea of a secret group pulling the strings from behind the scenes was something entirely different. She had spent years tracking their movements, following their power, but this revelation put everything into a new, darker light.“We have to move fast,” Ivan said, his voice low and urgent. “If they find out we’re onto them, it’ll be over before we even have a chance to act.”Ayla nodded, her eyes still locked onto him. She could sense the tension in his body, the nervous energy that seemed to cling to him. He had always been the confident one, the one who knew when to act and when to hold back. But now, there was something in his ga

Ayla paced the room, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The meeting with Victor Vance had gone exactly as she had expected—he was guarded, calculating, and elusive. He knew exactly what she was after, but he wasn’t going to give her anything easily. His dismissive attitude had only fueled her determination, though. There was something about him, something in his eyes when she mentioned the Hidden Hand, that told her he was hiding more than just his connections to the conspiracy.She had walked out of the café, but she hadn’t walked away. Not by a long shot.Now, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Ayla sat in the safe house, the small apartment that she and Ivan had set up as their headquarters. The files were spread across the table in front of her, their contents more frustrating than enlightening. She needed to understand the c

The cool night air hit Ayla as she stepped into the alley behind the auction house, her mind racing. Her heart was still pounding from the close encounter with Durnham’s guard, but she couldn’t afford to let fear get the better of her. She’d faced worse threats before. This was just another obstacle to overcome.“What now?” Ivan’s voice came from the shadows, cutting through the silence.Ayla turned toward him, her eyes steely with determination. “We regroup. I’ll get that file, but not tonight. We need to find a way to track Durnham’s movements without getting caught.”Ivan stepped closer, his expression a mixture of concern and determination. “He knows you’re after him now. That guard won’t just forget your face. We need to be careful. If we push too hard, we could end up in over our heads.”“I’m not backing down,” Ayla replied, her voice hard. “We’re too close. Durnham’s the key to everything. We just need to figure out how to get to him without anyone knowing we’re coming.”Ivan n

The night air was thick with tension as Ayla disappeared into the dense forest beyond the airstrip. Her heart was still pounding in her chest from the close call, but she couldn’t afford to stop. She had barely escaped, and Durnham was still out there, his men not far behind her.Ayla sprinted through the underbrush, her breath ragged and sharp as the sound of pursuit grew fainter behind her. The trees stretched above her like dark giants, blocking out what little moonlight there was. But she had run this route before. She knew the terrain, knew the twists and turns that would lead her to safety.The radio in her ear crackled. “Ayla, where are you?” Ivan’s voice came through, filled with concern. “Are you okay?”“I’m fine,” Ayla responded, forcing her breath to steady. “Just get the car ready. I’ll be there in five minutes.”“Copy that. You better move fast, they’ll be on you any second.”Ayla pushed herself harder, her legs burning as she maneuvered through the brush. Every step was