The air inside the penthouse was colder than usual. Not because of the temperature, but because of the tension that hung like a noose above everyone's heads. Elena stood by the window, her silhouette etched in the pale moonlight, the city's glow flickering against the glass.
Henri hadn't said a word since the confrontation with Ivy.
"You don't trust me anymore," Elena had said in a broken whisper before storming out.
Henri knew better than to follow her when she was in that state. But now, watching her from across the room, both of them silent, the silence itself felt like a third person screaming at them.
Suddenly, the elevator dinged.
Henri turned instinctively, reaching for the small Glock tucked inside the cabinet drawer—just in case.
It wasn't Ivy. It wasn't Marcus. It wasn't even one of his men.
It was a man neither of them had seen before.
Tall. Late 30s. Tailored suit. Blue eyes that glinted with something more dangerous than malice.
He stepped in as if he owned the place.
"Evening, Mr. Marcellis. Or do you prefer Henri?"
Henri's grip on the drawer tightened. "Who the hell are you?"
The stranger's smirk deepened. "I'm an invitation. Or rather, the one bringing it."
Elena turned from the window, finally acknowledging his presence. Her eyes narrowed. "To what?"
He handed over a cream-colored envelope, sealed with wax. A red serpent coiled around a dagger.
Henri's expression changed the second he saw the symbol. Elena caught the flicker of recognition in his eyes.
"What is that?" she asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead, Henri tore the envelope open with trembling hands. Inside was a single, black card. Gold-embossed letters. No names. No details. Just a date. A time. And coordinates.
"They're calling a council," Henri muttered.
Elena frowned. "A council?"
"The Syndicate," he said. "The real leaders behind everything. The people Ivy serves. The ones who built this war."
The stranger gave a courteous nod. "Attendance is mandatory. For both of you."
Elena's heart dropped. "Why me?"
The man looked her dead in the eye. "Because the council believes your mother is alive."
Everything inside her froze.
No. It couldn't be.
Henri stepped forward. "That's not possible. Elena's mother—"
"—died in the house fire. I know," the stranger finished calmly. "Except, what if she didn't?"
Elena's voice cracked. "Where is she?"
The stranger shrugged. "All I know is, she's expected to make an appearance at the council. As a witness. And as bait."
Henri's body went rigid. "If they're using her as bait, then someone's planning a hit."
The man raised both hands. "I'm just the messenger. But I'd watch your backs. You've made a lot of enemies in the last two weeks. And not everyone believes you should still be breathing."
He turned to leave, but not before tossing a burner phone onto the glass table.
"You'll get the final coordinates the night before. Don't be late. The Syndicate doesn't tolerate disrespect."
The elevator closed behind him.
For a few moments, silence returned.
But it was different this time—charged. Violent.
Elena finally spoke. Her voice a whisper. "They think my mother's alive."
Henri walked toward her slowly. "They're playing you. Trying to pull you in deeper."
"What if they're not?"
He hesitated. He didn't want to give her false hope. But the possibility—just the possibility—was enough to light something inside her.
"Then we find her," Henri said. "Together."
Later That Night...
The burner phone buzzed.
Elena snatched it off the table. A single message blinked on the screen.
"Welcome to the Hunt. There are only three rules. No backup. No weapons. No lies."
Attached was a single image.
A woman.
Chained. Unconscious.
Elena dropped the phone.
"That's her," she whispered. "That's my mother."
Henri picked up the phone, his jaw tightening. "They've started the game early."
"What game?"
He handed her the device. "The Syndicate doesn't just invite you. They test you. They break you. This isn't a council. It's a purge."
"So what do we do?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Henri looked at her—really looked. "We fight smarter. We go in under the radar. And we finish what we started."
"Which is?"
"Destroying the Syndicate from the inside."
Midnight Meeting
In the underground garage, Henri and Elena met with someone they hadn't seen in days—Marcus.
"Ivy's gone off-grid," Marcus said, stepping into the shadows. "And word is, she's made her first kill."
Elena flinched. "Who?"
"A councilman. One of the few who actually supported Henri."
Henri cursed under his breath.
"Then she's picking them off. One by one," he said. "She's not working alone."
Marcus nodded. "There's someone new in the picture. Goes by the alias 'Ghost.' No digital footprint. No face. Just a name."
Elena shivered. "Let me guess. He's watching us too?"
Marcus handed Henri a chip. "He hacked into the building's security. Deleted three hours of footage. He's already been inside."
Henri stared at the chip.
"He's hunting us."
To Be Continued...