The Outskirts of Berlin
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyLJIDJRwN
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXC7yBvGMY
As they left the airport, silence fell between them, heavy like an unspoken question. A note of tension lingered in the air as Mathis sat in the passenger seat, his gaze distant, his mind wandering. He had learned to live with silence, almost preferring it now—it drowned out the noise of his thoughts and the memories of all he had lost. Beside him, Bree kept glancing over, her fingers gripping the wheel a little too tightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. She was worried about him, but she was also relieved. He was back, and that was something.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJPIpQgznK
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1J4AAEGoP
Mathis caught her looking and turned his head slightly. His eyes, sharp yet tired, flickered with a curious light. "So... where are we really going?" His voice was low and steady, but an edge of suspicion remained.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHBsTp0gtJ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe1szT74nA
Bree didn't answer right away. She kept her eyes on the road, watching the city fade into the distance and the long stretch of highway ahead. "We're going to visit a friend," she said finally, her tone careful and measured. "He might be able to give us some information."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2LkmkWjG7
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI17pMuB0Zk
Mathis raised an eyebrow. "Might?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksvxgsBfQb
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsYHgA2oTi
"He's not exactly... reliable," Bree admitted with a sigh. "But he's the only lead we have right now."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qkXP2G2pG
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMuiDaF9xf
Mathis leaned back in his seat, considering her words. He trusted Bree—he had to, given their circumstances—but his instincts were on high alert. He couldn't shake the feeling they were being followed, watched even. The Shadow Front had eyes everywhere, and after what had happened, Mathis had learned never to let his guard down. He wasn't just hunting the people responsible for Bram's death; he was hunting shadows, and he knew how dangerous that could be.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5mzbANBnw
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGGvtVVm8D
"Does he know about the drone?" Mathis asked, his tone shifting to something more businesslike, pushing away the vulnerability that had briefly surfaced.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWHFK6gVFq
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsVSWnxOcE
Bree hesitated again, deepening the unease in Mathis's gut. "I'm not sure," she confessed. "But if anyone's got a clue where it's headed, it's him. He's been in contact with people connected to the black market... arms dealers."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwhha7PJO9
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEla3NBcAuu
Mathis's jaw clenched. Black market dealings, the Shadow Front, missing drones—everything was tangled, and he had no idea how to unravel it. For a moment, he thought of Bram, of the betrayal that had set this entire mission in motion. Then he pushed it down, deep, where guilt and grief couldn't reach him. He had to focus, or everything he fought for would unravel.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSywqNpZkY6
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNB8r23P8PW
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's see what your friend knows."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yX5S4Sg4A
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgN65pMAsU
Mathis shifted in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the rearview mirror. For a second, he thought he saw the shadow of a motorbike trailing them. The way it stayed in the blind spot, never fully visible, stirred something in his gut—a feeling he couldn't shake.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHh18nYEbVs
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2s3NYhYILN
He looked again, but the road was clear, nothing out of the ordinary. Just the hum of distant cars and the endless ribbon of highway stretching ahead. Still, the unease remained.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4kSkInhqX
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1qT1Kvpex
"Do you see that?" Mathis asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38Tp8b9QMf
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtBnEpmfbn
Bree didn't take her eyes off the road, but her fingers tightened around the wheel. "See what?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhh33dXFHw
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5hySpp6Xw
"Thought I saw someone... following us." He turned his head slightly, trying to catch another glimpse of the shadow, but it was gone—if it had even been there at all.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvvzfJ6t5X
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAqWuvzrek
Bree's jaw clenched. "You sure?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiCoRjzs9S
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcnlaqYy8Z
Mathis hesitated. He wasn't sure. But the instinct—the one that had kept him alive all these years—buzzed in the back of his mind like a live wire. "No," he muttered. "But let's not take any chances."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQkUmZPnpo
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrx7uJXTdhX
Bree nodded subtly, her posture straightening as she eased the car into the middle lane, her eyes scanning the road with new focus. The city had long disappeared behind them, and the open highway felt more exposed now.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IbvIfsZYK
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvXdmvEGCM
Mathis leaned back, still watching the rearview mirror from the corner of his eye. Whether it was real or just paranoia, he couldn't tell. But he knew one thing: they weren't safe yet.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgJOKPWTA2
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkIKSg6lzY
The rest of the drive passed in tense silence, the imagined shadow of the motorbike lingering in Mathis's mind. He kept stealing glances at the mirror, but the highway behind them remained empty. Still, something didn't sit right.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuYvqAeh0m
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoVKytU5Hg
Bree turned off the main road, the tires crunching on gravel as they entered a narrow, winding lane. The city was far behind now, and only fields and clusters of trees surrounded them. The further they drove, the more isolated it felt, as if they were stepping outside the world altogether. Finally, a small, weathered house came into view, tucked between thick patches of trees. It looked abandoned, the kind of place no one would notice.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3BQYZceyL
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLgRAJwOAA
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmGscXh9uZ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pFMfDfxPJ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDD9F74oJXI
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqox8nBVv3I
"We're here," Bree said quietly, though there was an edge in her voice. She parked the car a short distance from the house and cut the engine. The silence that followed was deafening.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5ij36AAo0
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WcT9Fgepo
Mathis scanned the surroundings, his senses prickling. The house was dark, the windows covered by old, threadbare curtains. No signs of life, no movement. It seemed too quiet. Too still. The motorbike he thought he'd seen earlier returned to his mind, an invisible presence lingering just out of reach.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53OGPaDyjB
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O62qdttzM
"Doesn't look like anyone's home," Mathis muttered, his eyes narrowing.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0j3ikHrmLi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUcm3L3Hrl
Bree shook her head. "He's here. He likes to keep a low profile."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboLzEUmi7m
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDagMHNj55
They stepped out of the car, the cool air biting at their skin. Mathis moved with calculated caution, his hand instinctively hovering near the gun holstered at his side. Bree walked ahead, her shoulders tense but confident. She knew this contact, and Mathis had to trust that. But still, the knot in his stomach tightened.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSujFA7Mwzn
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnneKm5nM3S
They approached the house, and Bree pushed the door open with a soft creak. Inside, it was dim, the faint smell of dust and old wood clinging to the air. A single light flickered in the hallway.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeItc7n0TU
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvos1VrokE4
"Wait here," Bree said, her voice low. "Let me talk to him first."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETSOyeBlTr
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFvSlleEib
Mathis nodded, though his instincts told him not to let her out of his sight. He watched her disappear deeper into the house, swallowed by the shadows. Alone, he kept his back to the wall, listening, waiting. Every sound—the groan of floorboards, the wind rustling through the trees outside—seemed amplified.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLSwelFCJb
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0EHTVBT5W
For a moment, Mathis considered checking the rearview mirror again, just to see if that motorbike had finally caught up with them. But then Bree's footsteps returned, and he pushed the thought away.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8t2j7tMow0
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtUHI0MgrtQ
"He'll see us now," she said, her expression unreadable.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhckkoNiUbY
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02SyYT6lgk
Mathis nodded once and followed Bree.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DhrnjoRcY
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKVR7NvxDC
The house looked like it had been abandoned for years, with the planks along the entryway so rotten that Mathis half-expected the entire structure to collapse under his weight. The garage beside it sagged dangerously, its roof threatening to cave in at any moment. As they stepped inside, the stale air hit him, thick with the scent of damp wood and decay. Peeling wallpaper clung to the walls like dead skin, and heaps of collected scrap and debris littered the hallway. Mathis's mind reeled with words like "charming," though the sarcasm did little to lighten the pit forming in his stomach.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Vf8P1OHYD
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMz7FmFW1Z
The deeper they went, the worse it got. In the kitchen, plates of old food had grown mold, untouched for what must have been years, while thick layers of dust and dirt coated every surface. It looked as if someone had simply walked out one day and never returned. Bree, walking ahead of him, glanced over her shoulder and caught his expression, stifling a laugh.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRC5dp33du
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡik82s3d7Ht
"Don't worry," she said, smirking. "It's not as bad as it looks."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzDi4TFt09
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Y0tcxyqIx
"Charming," Mathis muttered under his breath, his distaste apparent.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡif2euvVADf
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfvTo3bTmS
Bree led him to a door in the hallway, and as she swung it open, a cold draft swept up from the darkened stairwell. Thick cables snaked along the walls, disappearing into the cellar below. Mathis hesitated for a moment before following her down the creaking wooden steps. His senses were on alert, the scent of mildew stronger now, mingling with the metallic odor of something more recent—perhaps the faint trace of machinery.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPV0xzp23e
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVom7VScJb
The last step landed him in a completely different world.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6inzn7eXrC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYlU0y8RLq
The basement was lit by the glow of multiple computer screens mounted on the walls, their displays flickering with streams of data. The low hum of machines filled the air, mingling with the faint, acrid scent of overheated electronics. In the corner, a man sat hunched over a keyboard, his fingers moving so fast they sounded like drumsticks tapping out a steady rhythm. The room was cluttered but meticulously organized, a stark contrast to the decaying ruin above. Rows of servers lined the walls, their blinking lights casting an eerie glow that reflected off the concrete floor.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy1UFpdIKu
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokCuM456MG
Mathis scanned the setup, his tension easing only slightly. He'd seen plenty of hidden bases, but the stark contrast between the deteriorating house upstairs and this high-tech lair made him uneasy. His eyes flicked to Bree, who seemed unfazed, as if this was exactly what she expected.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZX4Y3Hr2b
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8xzDmwB4G
The man at the computer looked up, pausing for a moment before nodding at Bree. "Mathis Kristensen, right?" he said, his voice rough but controlled. "She told me you'd be coming. Name's Vincent."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjvVHXETur
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKD54zeJw0
Mathis gave a curt nod, his eyes narrowing. "You have information?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8C2rj7o46
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGOohe0InH
Vincent smirked, revealing a hint of yellowed teeth. "Always do. I tracked the drone you asked about. It wasn't easy, but through various networks and some less-than-legal means, I managed to trace it to a van heading to Rome. I lost track of the van, but it reappeared after the police investigated an explosion. The van is a wreck now. From intercepted communications, it looks like there's still something significant happening in Rome."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kBnmn9HfV
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdApjeVJ1e
Bree's eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and determination. "So, what do we do next?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqdOvBc2X9
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYArA3tko8
Vincent leaned back in his chair, his expression serious. "You'll need to dig deeper in Rome. The explosion and the wrecked van are just the beginning. There's more to uncover. Time's running short—if you don't act quickly, the opportunity to find out what's really going on might slip away."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9mUHZeouL
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPNJulS50X
Mathis felt the weight of urgency press down on him. "Understood. We'll head to Rome."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIr4eg6ku2
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfSgdHlu0L
Vincent nodded, his fingers already returning to the keyboard. "Be careful. There's a lot more at stake than you might realize."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwylkSkDOm
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpvsvjsu4z
As Mathis and Bree emerged from the basement, the chill of the night air seemed to press down on them, intensifying the weight of their new intel. They moved quickly toward their car, their steps hurried by the urgency of their mission.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4Ft5mYhDl
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9czEyyUHN
Suddenly, the roar of a motorcycle engine pierced the silence. Mathis's instincts kicked in. He grabbed Bree's arm and pulled her behind a nearby car just as a bullet sliced through the air, embedding itself in the concrete where they had stood moments earlier. The sharp, metallic scent of gunfire hung in the air.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkrAXUoqHB
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs4jLuPZ00
The rider, dressed in black with a tinted visor obscuring their face, circled them with menacing precision. The engine's growl was a constant threat as the bike swerved, preparing to take another shot. Mathis yanked Bree further behind the vehicle, his pulse quickening as he scanned for an escape route.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcthkwzSoz2
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡox1W9dg2yp
"Get down!" he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbX0ex3Edi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs3vSztDLR
They crouched, their breaths shallow and fast, while the rider circled again, the tension thick in the air. Mathis drew his weapon, the cold steel a stark contrast to the heat of his anger. Before he could aim, the rider seemed to sense the danger and sped off into the night, disappearing around a corner.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYMO8muyJ5
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1H7inP8dA
A deafening silence followed. Mathis and Bree remained crouched, their hearts pounding in their chests. As the sound of the motorcycle faded into the distance, Mathis cautiously stood, his eyes scanning the dark, deserted street.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXEVEObP7I
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQNxHGtoOR
"Where did that come from?" Bree's voice trembled, her eyes wide with shock. "Was Vincent's location compromised?"
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9lv9MpFTj
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLOdBgV5v2
Mathis's jaw clenched, suspicion gnawing at him. "If the Shadow Front is tracking us, they might have known we were here all along," he said grimly, frustration evident in his tone. "I saw a motorcycle tailing us earlier. Should've trusted my gut."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheWKGxlaRV
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfJzKWLG5g
Bree's face was a mix of frustration and fear. "The Shadow Front? Not this again, Mathis." Her voice carried a hint of exasperation. "You pushed me away, chasing this vendetta. What if it's just a thug hired by the gray-clad man? It's too convenient that they show up just as someone tries to kill us."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0c9vRvCFa
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gUSTVP5lP
Mathis's gaze hardened, his mind racing. The attack only confirmed his fears—the Shadow Front was still very much a threat. The possibility of betrayal by Vincent or someone else loomed larger with every second.
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd1y3WTrI6
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogriAiXRpL
He looked at Bree, the shared weight of their predicament clear in her tense posture. "No, Bree. If Vincent's intel is accurate, the gray-clad man isn't working alone. The Shadow Front has the reach for something this significant. It makes sense."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWmoW43BTo
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IbWTCJfms
Bree's frustration boiled over. "And if you're wrong? Vincent has always been loyal. There's no way he'd be involved in an assassination plot."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLm70bBQ3w
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbDPagxYiY
Mathis met her gaze, conflicted but resolute. "We can't afford to take chances. We need to find out if Vincent's involved or if we've been played. We need to be ready for anything."
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc8sWkvkij
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY49Tx6ynYR
Bree nodded, her expression hardening with determination. "Okay, but we need to be smart about this. Let's regroup and plan our next move."
ns216.73.216.8da2
