Mr. Black sat in his office, the dim light casting shadows along the walls as he reviewed the plans he and Mike had discussed to locate Elizabeth. His mind raced, teetering between strategies and the terrifying uncertainty of time slipping away. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Something didn't feel right. There had been too many close calls, too many coincidences that seemed orchestrated, almost as if someone was feeding information to Nick.
A light knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts. One of his guards stepped in, eyes trained on the floor. "Sir, the meeting's set. Everyone's in the main hall."
He nodded, straightening his jacket. He needed answers, and he needed them now. As he made his way down the hall, his mind drifted to Elizabeth, her laughter,
