Through The Eyes Of The Hunter

Into The Lions Den

The storm thrashed over Berlin, soaking the city in sheets of cold rain. Nathan Cross stood at the edge of the busy Alexanderplatz, his hood pulled low over his face. The hard drive, tucked away in a waterproof pouch under his jacket, thumped against his chest like a second heart. He had followed Victor Kane out here a name that sent chills even through the toughest días of intelligence.

Kane wasn’t merely a piece of machinery in The Circle; he was the architect behind its bloodiest operations. Nathan’s intelligence indicated he was due to attend a high end black market auction tonight, in the plush surroundings of the Wolfsbane Club, tres petit boudoir de crime, tucked away under a fancy casino.

Nathan fiddled with his earpiece, a secure set he’d jiggered himself since the blast in Manchester. A voice crackled through.

“This is temporary comms, Cross. I can offer you rudimentary support, but I’m operating without a net here. Kane is slippery just get in, get what you need and get out. Don’t engage unless you really have to.” It was a freelancer he’d hired, someone he didn’t fully trust but could not do without. Nathan murmured a reply. “Understood. No radio silence no critical.”Gathering resolve, he walked across the street, going through the casino’s gilded doors.

The Wolfsbane Club was everything Nathan thought it would be: lavish, dark, dangerous. Crystal chandeliers splintered light across plush red carpets, and the air stank of money and desperation. Security was tight, but Nathan was ready for them.

He walked with the swagger of a man who fit in as he strode in a perfectly fitted suit he’d snatched from a luxury store just hours before. A fake passport from his intelligence days got him through the first checkpoint without a hitch.

Inside, he scanned the room. Kane hadn’t arrived yet, but Nathan knew he would. He had memorized the auction’s timing, and it was due to start in less than twenty minutes.

Nathan headed to the bar and ordered a scotch he wouldn’t drink. From his perspective, he could see the room. The guests were a collection of criminal elites, corrupt officials and mercenaries. It was a den of vipers, and he was walking among them.

The voice caught him off-guard, but Nathan made sure not to show it. He looked over to find a woman next to him. She was striking angular cheekbones, penetrating green eyes and a practiced elegance. Her dress, a simple sleek black number, spoke of wealth, but the way she held herself suggested something more dangerous.

“Just soaking it in,” Nathan said smoothly.

She smiled faintly. “You’re new. I know everybody here, and I’ve never seen you before.”

Nathan looked at her, his expression inscrutable. “I might say the same of you.”

She smiled widely, but before she could say anything, the room changed. Talk dropped to a murmur as Victor Kane passed through.

Nathan’s breath hitched. Kane was everything the dossiers had said an enormous man with a predator’s presence, his tailored suit straining against the heft of his body. Salem radiated power; his granite gray eyes scanned the room like a hawk sizing up its prey.”

Nathan willed himself to relax, gripping his glass tighter. This was it. As the auction started, Kane stepped into position at the front of the room. Nathan, hoping to look like a face in the crowd, moved towards the man who held the key to his family’s survival.

But the auction items were as sinister as the guests: stolen government secrets, advanced weapons prototypes and even human lives. Each fetched millions, the sales conducted with casual efficiency. Nathan wasn’t here for the auction. He would need access to Kane’s private files, which would be on his encrypted wrist communicator. To reach them, he’d have to get close.

When the auction was over, Kane retired to a private lounge, along with bodyguards on either side. Nathan trailed behind, maneuvering his way through the crowd until he arrived at the lounge’s entrance. His way was blocked by two guards, their faces inscrutable.

“This is a restricted area,” one of them growled.

Nathan gave a faint smile, hands in mock surrender. “Relax. I just need a word with Kane. Tell him it’s about Dominion,’ The guards glanced at each other, suspicion written on their faces. But when he mentioned Dominion, one of them muttered into a comm unit. A moment later, the door opened and Nathan was shown in.

The lounge was dim, thick with cigar smoke. Kane sat in a leather armchair, holding a glass of whiskey. He didn’t look up when Nathan came in, only staring at the tablet in his lap.

“You have my interest,” Kane said, his voice a low rumble. “Make it quick.” Nathan sat down directly across, his heart racing. He had to play this perfectly.

“I know of Dominion,” he said, his tone steady but firm. “And I know you have my family.” Kane’s eyes lifted, his curiosity aroused. “Do you now? That’s quite a statement, coming from someone who just walked uninvited into my den.

Nathan leaned in, eyes steady; “Bold is what I do. You can either make this easy and tell me where they are, or I’ll make it hard for you, and The Circle.’”

Kane laughed, a rumbling, sinister sound. “You’re got guts, I’ll give you that. But you’ve underestimated who you’re dealing with.”

Nathan didn’t have a chance to respond before Kane’s demeanor shifted. Without warning, he pulled a hidden knife and charged.

Nathan sensed the attack and barely avoided it. The two men went at it, exchanging punches in the small space. Kane was powerful, but Nathan was quicker, using his agility and training to stay one step ahead.

The battle was over as soon as it started. Nathan took away Kane’s weapon and pushed him down against the wall with the knife pressed against his throat.

“Where are they?” Nathan said, his voice a low growl. Kane smiled, blood running down his split lip. “You think you’ll save them if you kill me? You’re already too late.” Nathan’s grip tightened. “Talk.”

But as Kane opened his mouth to reply, an explosion knocked the building and shook the lounge. Alarms rang and the lights flashed.Nathan let Kane go as his instincts took over. Someone had taken over the Wolfsbane Club, and panic ensued as frightened guests rushed for the exits.

When Nate turned back, Kane was gone, lost in the smoke and wreckage.

Outside, Nathan melted into the fleeing throng, his brain on fire. Kane had slipped through his fingers, but Nathan wasn’t fazed. The battle had shown him something important: Kane was scared.

Nathan had shaken him, and that meant he was close.

“When I’m gon’ to finish, ain’t gon’ turn around,” he said as he faded into the tempestuous night, toting a bag of supplies.

Victor Kane was not going to evade him again.