The cabin door slammed shut behind Alex, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the still morning air. Claire tightened her grip on the straps of her gear, her mind racing as she processed his words.
Lucas is on the move. He’s closing in on the target.
The phrase repeated itself like a mantra in her head, each iteration hammering home the stakes. The target wasn’t just a chess piece in their elaborate game against Lucas. It was the key—to dismantling his network, to saving the innocents caught in his web, and to securing their freedom.
“How close is he?” Ethan asked, his voice steady but sharp. He stood by the door, his posture taut and ready for action. The sleepy warmth from earlier was gone, replaced by the relentless determination Claire had come to admire—and fear.
Alex scrubbed a ha
