Michael's throat felt like sandpaper as Brother North settled into the rusted metal chair across from him, the screech of metal against concrete echoing through the warehouse. The abandoned restaurant felt like a tomb. Michael followed Salvatore Russo and Brother North inside, his heart hammering against his ribs as Esteban Martinez's eyes tracked his every movement. "Please, sit," Martinez said, gesturing to a round table. Michael sat across from Martinez, painfully aware of how the man's gaze never left his face. Alexis took the chair beside him, her posture straight and perfect despite the situation. North and Russo flanked them, while Martinez's men positioned themselves near the exits. "So," Martinez said, his voice calm as he settled into his chair, "here we are again. Except this time, I know exactly who you are." His eyes burned with fury. "Michael Sullivan. The man who sat across from me weeks ago, shook my hand, and lied to my face." Michael's throat felt dry. "Mr. Ma

Michael woke to the sound of running water and the soft rustle of silk. The hotel suite was bathed in golden morning light, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. Yesterday's memories came flooding back, along with the weight of everything he still needed to understand about his mother's past.Michael woke to the taste of copper in his mouth and the sound of water dripping somewhere in the darkness. His head throbbed, and when he tried to move, he discovered his hands were tied behind his back. The rough rope bit into his wrists. "He's awake," a voice said. Michael's vision slowly cleared, revealing a warehouse. Industrial lights hung from the ceiling, casting harsh shadows across concrete floors and metal support beams. The air smelled of oil and rust. Brother North stepped into the light, but he was nothing like the jovial guy Michael had met before. His smile was gone, replaced by cold fury. His clothes were different too, more professional, like he was dressing for seriou

Every head turned toward the courtroom entrance, where two the figures now stood silhouetted against the sunlit hallway behind them.Outside the courthouse, Michael stood on the concrete steps with his mind reeling. The afternoon sun glared at his face, but he barely noticed it. Everything he thought he knew about his life had just been turned upside down in the space of an hour. "So," he said, turning to face the red-haired woman who had just saved his life, "you're actually a girl." Alexis laughed, a sound that was both familiar and completely new. "I'm actually a woman," she corrected, her accent making the words sound more sophisticated than they would have in his own voice. "Twenty-five years old, master's degree in international business, and yes, I have been letting you assume I was male for months." Michael felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. "But why? I mean, all this time I thought you were just some guy helping me out with stuff." "Because," Alexis said, her gre

The side door was unlocked, probably because the staff assumed the family meeting was still ongoing. Michael slipped inside, with Ava reluctantly following. Suddenly, Michael was aware of how overly quiet the house was. His breathing seem to be the only thing assaulting the perfect silence.Michael sat hunched over his laptop, the glow of the screen reflecting off his tired eyes. It had been three days since he'd discovered the photograph of his mother and Dr. Elena Korvich. The image had haunted his thoughts ever since. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his mother's face, younger and somehow different, dressed in all that combat gear.The piercing sound of Michael's phone notification buttons jolted him awake at 6:47 AM. He'd been dreaming about his mother again, about the photograph with Dr. Korvich. And about questions that seemed to have no answers. The insistent pinging continued, and he fumbled for the device, squinting at the bright screen. Ten missed calls from Zara Kha

Michael stumbled up the stairs to his apartment. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair disheveled, and there were grease stains on his knees from the previous day's chase. The adrenaline had finally worn off, leaving him feeling hollow and shaky. Lizzy was waiting by his door, pacing anxiously. The moment she saw him, her eyes widened. "Michael! Jesus Christ, what happened to you? You look like you've been..." She stopped mid-sentence, taking in his appearance more carefully. "Are you wearing a gold chain? And what is that smell? Is that... gasoline?"The abandoned auto shop leaned to the side like it was tired. Its zinc roof was filled with rust and its walls decorated with over a hundred graffiti. Broken windows stared out like dead eyes, and the concrete foundation had cracked so badly that weeds pushed through in aggressive green clusters. "This is your secret location?" The mysterious texter hadn't responded to any of Michael's increasingly frantic messages. He'd sent fourteen