Logan walked toward the private building with quiet, deliberate steps. His senses were heightened, every sound, every movement, every shadow registered in his awareness.He found a side entrance, unlocked. He slipped inside, the interior dimly lit and silent.The building was old, abandoned. Dust covered the floor, cobwebs hung from the corners. But there were signs of recent activity. Footprints in the dust. The faint sound of voices from somewhere deeper inside.Logan followed the sound, moving silently along the corridor. The voices grew clearer as he approached a large open room at the back of the building.He stopped at the doorway, hidden in the shadows.Gordon was inside, surrounded by several men. They were rough-looking, their postures carrying the casual menace of people who dealt in violence. One of them, a large man with a scar across his face, had a gun holstered at his hip.Logan listened, his eyes tracking the scene.Gordon's voice was low and urgent. "I want him destro

Logan broke the silence first. "Ava, I'm sorry."She turned to look at him. "For what?""For keeping this from you. For making you worry. For.""Stop." Ava's voice was firm. "I'm not angry."Logan glanced at her. "You're not?""No. I'm... processing. There's a difference."Logan nodded slowly. "Fair enough. Well, I've been trained in more than just appraisals.""Trained how?""Martial arts, combat and defense." He turned to look at her directly.Ava was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke, her voice carrying genuine curiosity. "Who taught you?”Logan nodded. "Elder Kent. He's been my mentor since I was a child. He trained me in everything.""Everything? You mean you're a martial artist?""Among other things."Ava shook her head slowly. "Is there anything you can't do?"Logan smiled slightly. "I'm not sure."Ava laughed, the sound sharp and surprised. "You're impossible.""I've been told that."The car continued through the streets, the tension gradually easing. But something lingered b

Logan sat alone in the kitchen after Ava left. He pulled out his phone and read the message from the unknown number again."The game is bigger than you think, Logan. Gordon is just the beginning, someone is watching."He stared at the words. Someone knew who he really was. That was a problem, but the message was also a test. Someone wanted to see how he would react, someone wanted him scared.Logan scrolled to Scott's contact and called him.Scott answered on the second ring. "Logan.""Scott. I need you to trace a number for me.""What number?"Logan forwarded the message. "Just sent it to you, i need everything you can find."Scott was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. "This is a burner, i can tell already.""I know.""It's routed through multiple proxies. This is professional work, Logan."Logan's jaw tightened. "Can you trace it?""I can try. But whoever set this up knows what they're doing. It'll take time, and even then I might not get anything useful.""Do what you can.""Alrea

Logan was in his office at Synergy Corp when Alfred called. He put the phone to his ear."Logan. Good news.""What is it, Alfred?""The seven engineers for Micro-Dash. They're settled. Temporary labs are set up. They submitted preliminary project outlines this morning."Logan leaned back in his chair. "Send them to me. I want to review everything.""Already on its way. They're eager to start. The team seems solid."Logan nodded. "Schedule a private dinner meeting for next week. I want to meet them in person. No distractions. No observers."Alfred paused. "Understood. I'll arrange it.""Keep them comfortable. Make sure they have everything they need.""I will."The call ended. Logan opened his email and found the project outlines. He scanned through them quickly. The work was solid. The engineers knew what they were doing. Micro-Dash was moving forward.His phone buzzed again. A message from an unknown number.Logan opened it. His expression went cold.It was a photo. The Cooper mansio

Logan waited until the house was quiet. Ava was asleep, Mia was asleep, the halls were dark and still.He walked to his study and closed the door behind him. He sat down at his desk and pulled out his phone. His hands were steady but his mind was not. Victor, the name kept circling in his head.He called Alfred.Alfred answered after two rings. "Logan. It's late.""I know. I need information.""What kind?""Victor Mitchell. I need his whereabouts, no matter how fragmentary."Alfred was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke. "That name. I haven't heard it in years.""Neither have I. But someone just sent me a message. Victor is still waiting. That means he's out there. That means he's connected to this."Alfred's voice was careful. "The trail on Victor Mitchell went cold a long time ago. He disappeared, went underground. No one has seen him in years.""Then find him. I don't care how long it takes. I don't care what it costs. Dig through old capital-city channels. Reach out to contacts you