Rome, Italy
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8gWve0V7X
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhmW8aILDU
The gray-clad man stood in the narrow alley, the Colosseum's ancient silhouette casting a shadow across his face. The air was heavy with the scent of damp stone and lingering traces of exhaust from passing cars. The distant murmur of Rome's nightlife contrasted sharply with the tension coiling in his chest. His mind was consumed by a scheme aimed at upending the global balance of power, its details cloaked in secrecy but its implications stark.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1ADWyKf29
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQLoQrZcZ7
He slipped the burner phone he'd given to Slovek into his coat pocket, the device warm from his touch. It had served its purpose—an undetectable handoff in the chaos. Yet now, a creeping unease settled over him. The stolen Norwegian drone was the linchpin of this operation, a sophisticated instrument of destruction ready to be deployed. But could he truly trust those around him?
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduGJdM4dvC
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqdQOvCudl
A faint hum buzzed in his ear as a voice crackled through his earpiece, almost imperceptible against the backdrop of the city. "Status update. How is the operation proceeding?"
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhyraJu1Ad
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1kXtATQJa
The gray-clad man's lips twisted into a calculating smile, though his heart raced. "On track. The drone is prepped, and our operatives are in position. The leaders are scheduled to be taken out in five days. Their replacements are already briefed and prepared."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKfca54UfV
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpwXz20vBl
"And Slovek?" The voice, edged with impatience, sent a jolt through him.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX4vX5ybYl
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuCEeY2ckk
Slovek's death was a complication he hadn't anticipated, but he maintained control. "Slovek's unfortunate end will be addressed. His replacement is briefed and ready. Kristensen's interference is an inconvenience but manageable." A flicker of doubt crossed his mind—had anyone seen the handoff? Was the leak already in motion?
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc06hpBcsj2
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMal8vAPyuF
"We can't afford any mistakes," the voice warned, sharp and urgent. "The world is watching. Ensure the new regime takes hold without disruption."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnftQo022gN
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeb4dA7f45Y
Ending the call, the gray-clad man focused on the hidden base ahead, where the murmur of activity increased as he approached. Engineers and analysts bustled around, illuminated by the glow of multiple monitors, finalizing the drone's deployment. The smell of solder and machine oil hung thick in the air, mingling with the tension crackling in the room.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeF1TIrYgpV
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4KOSb42K3
As he moved, a memory from the past flickered to life—he recalled the day he had recruited a young woman, his protégé. The sun had been setting over Berlin, casting long shadows in the conference room. She had sat across from him, cool and composed, yet with an undeniable spark. "You have the instincts we need," he'd said, studying her carefully. "You can navigate worlds others can't."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYbqcreiZs
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqb0OWWrBC
Her gaze had hardened at the thought of the risks, but she nodded, accepting the challenge. "I can handle it."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HHSBYpVp2
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfo0e3PL4B
He had seen potential in her then—now, that potential felt like a threat.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bLBSj1vLr
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW98S7z6eg
"Find out everything about Kristensen's partner," he ordered his top hacker, shaking off unsettling thoughts. "Her connections, her past missions, any recent communications with him. I want to know exactly who she is."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPoDAPSo0c
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnFeh0rNXQ
As the hacker began to dig, a nervous anticipation coursed through him. When the hacker finally spoke, the words hit him like a punch: "Bree Schneider is with the BND. She's built a reputation for competence and secrecy, specializing in high-level operations."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdGodAyaT8
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETsHx271wQ
His heart raced. Bree? It couldn't be. "Continue."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwNPO98sMd
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9ysw699Fo
"Additionally, she has a mysterious past. She's linked to a significant case involving the assassination of a former diplomat, and her current involvement with Kristensen raises questions. They worked together in Argentina, but reports show she took an extended holiday in Norway with him before returning to her duties. Notably, she has no marital ties or children."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QuNatJ4q7
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU7dGBRBWm
The revelation sent a jolt through him. If she had a connection to one of the leaders targeted for assassination, it could complicate everything. "What else?"
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHY2dESmZoS
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkMYWHtQoQ
"There's also a rumor she's been using a false identity in her undercover work," the hacker revealed, excitement in his voice. "If that identity gets exposed, it could blow up in our faces."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynzAOI8GyN
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qOCmaX5W3
The gray-clad man considered this information, his mind racing. Bree was not just an ally; she was a potential liability. "We must tread carefully. Kristensen is not alone, and he is more dangerous than ever."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaMs8zNQeK
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQYFwdiZkC
As he left the control room, the weight of the imminent strike pressed down on him, the countdown timer flashing in his mind—120 hours and ticking. A sense of foreboding grew as he pondered Bree's potential for treachery and how her past might come back to haunt them. Each piece of information could be the key to their downfall—or their success.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCmjlbiz7P
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3N1rherdG
As he stepped out, he spotted Slovek's replacement, a figure with cold, resolute eyes. "What about Kristensen?" the replacement asked, his tone grave.
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpresdtGciq
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2KPryw1JG
"Kristensen is a threat we cannot ignore. Handle him if he gets too close. Our investment in this operation is too great to fail."
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjEGEOSyWm
27Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0weus2ddFn
With the countdown looming, the gray-clad man understood the stakes were higher than ever. The drone was vital, but the broader agenda was even more ambitious: not merely to disrupt, but to reshape the global order. And as he walked away, he couldn't shake the thought that the very woman he had once recruited might now be the key to his plans—if only he could stay one step ahead.
ns 15.158.61.55da2
