Elise walked the glass corridors of the Foundation headquarters, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor, each step echoing like a warning. The storm outside mirrored the turmoil within; rain hammered the windows, wind whipping the river into restless waves, as if the city itself had been caught up in the coming conflict.Lukas joined her near the observation deck, holding two steaming mugs. He handed one to her, the heat seeping through her fingers. “It’s worse than I imagined,” he said quietly. His eyes were fixed on the distant horizon, where the dark clouds seemed almost alive. “Helix isn’t just testing us. They’re mapping every hub, every pathway, every weak point. They’ve made their first move, and it’s precise.”Elise’s jaw tightened. “They’re confident,” she muttered. “Confident enough to think we won’t react. Confident enough to underestimate what we built.” She sipped the tea, letting it burn down her throat, warming her from the inside out, sharpening her focus. “Th

The SUVs didn’t slow until they were miles outside the harbor, crossing a stretch of empty industrial road that cut through the outskirts of Rotterdam like a steel-colored scar. The rain had thinned to a mist, but the sky remained low and heavy, pressing down on everything. Elise sat wedged between Lukas and the window, her pulse still thudding hard enough that she felt it in her teeth.Margot was in the front passenger seat, barking instructions into her phone—orders to lock down every Rotterdam access point, activate surveillance networks, notify Sofia, alert the EU eco-regulators, track any trace of Berg’s operatives. The urgency in her voice made something in Elise twist with guilt. Margot hadn’t needed to be part of this. She was dragged in because of their mission, their enemies, their choices.Elise exhaled slowly and leaned back, finally becoming aware of the dull throbbing in her left shoulder. When she’d hit the metal during the jump, something had strained—maybe bruised. Bu

Night had stretched long over the countryside, leaving the old estate shrouded in mist and silence. Inside, Elise, Lukas, and Margot huddled over the holographic table, the images of Berg and Otto still flickering in red and gray. Every flicker made Elise’s pulse jump, a sharp reminder that time was no longer their ally.The case wasn’t just important—it was everything. If Berg reached it first, the consequences would ripple through the global herbal industry, through the mentorship programs they had worked so hard to build, through the very foundations of the sustainability fund.Lukas leaned close, his forehead nearly touching hers as he examined the map. “We need a plan,” he said quietly. “We can’t just run in and hope we get lucky. Berg knows we’re coming.”Elise nodded, her fingers tightening around his. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. Otto’s reckless, yes, but that’s also an advantage. He’ll make mistakes, underestimate us. But Berg… she’s calculated. Cold. Every move has la

The second set of headlights cut through the mist like a blade—sharper, slower, deliberate. The first wave of Berg’s operatives had failed to breach the warehouse, and the sudden halt in their assault sent a ripple of cold dread through the space.Because Berg was not someone who sent one attempt.She recalibrated. She escalated.And she arrived.Elise stood between Lukas and the containment unit, her pulse thudding so hard she felt it in her fingertips. The sealed lab lights flickered once, the generator compensating as the defensive grid rerouted more power. Margot barked orders into her comm, the air thick with tension, electronic beeps, and the soft hum of reinforced metal locking into place.“Positions remain the same,” Lukas said, stepping closer to Elise. “No one opens that unit. No one touches it.”The distant engine shut off.Silence followed—a dreadful, unnatural silence that stretched far too long.Then a single car door opened.A figure emerged from the fog, moving with un

The first light of dawn barely touched the edges of Rotterdam as Elise stirred awake in the makeshift bedroom of Margot’s father’s house. The room smelled faintly of old wood and oil, a lingering reminder of a life dedicated to invention and protection. Sunlight filtered weakly through the heavy curtains, throwing narrow bands of gold across the worn floorboards. Elise sat up slowly, wincing as the movement reminded her of the bruise along her shoulder. Lukas, already awake, sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, reviewing security feeds on a tablet, his eyes sharp and alert.“Morning,” Elise said, her voice hoarse, pulled from the haze of a restless night.“Morning,” Lukas replied without looking up, his thumb flicking through images of the warehouse perimeter, the surrounding streets, even satellite captures. “Rested?”Elise shook her head. “Not exactly. I keep thinking about Berg. And Otto. And what could have happened if we hadn’t intercepted him.” She pressed her palm to her fa