The morning light streamed into the safe house through cracks in the heavy blinds, casting faint lines across the floor. Theo sat at the kitchen counter, nursing a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. He stared at the swirling liquid, his thoughts as unsettled as the night before.

Marcus entered the room, his presence grounding as always. His black tactical shirt was perfectly pressed, his movements precise as he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.

“You’re up early,” Marcus observed, his voice low and steady.

Theo smirked faintly, though his exhaustion showed in the circles under his eyes. “Didn’t get much sleep. Hard to relax when you’re living in an action movie.”

Marcus leaned against the counter, studying him. “You’ll adjust.”

Theo chuckled, though the sound was dry. “That’s your solution for everything, isn’t it? Just ‘adjust.’”

Marcus tilted his head, his tone calm but firm. “Because it works. You don’t get through this kind of thing by dwelling on what’s behind you. You focus on what’s next.”

Theo sighed, setting his cup down. “What’s next, then? Another ambush? Another night in a warehouse full of people trying to kill me?”

Before Marcus could respond, Rebecca’s voice cut through the quiet. “Guys, you need to see this.”

They exchanged a glance before heading into the makeshift command center. Rebecca was at her workstation, her screen filled with lines of code and security feeds.

“What is it?” Marcus asked, his tone sharp.

Rebecca pointed to one of the feeds. “I’ve been monitoring Harlow’s activity since last night. He’s not licking his wounds like we thought. He’s already making his next move.”

Marcus stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “What kind of move?”

Rebecca tapped a few keys, bringing up a satellite image of a large compound on the outskirts of the city. “This. It’s one of his safe houses. He’s mobilizing his men there—more guards, more tech. It’s like he’s preparing for war.”

Theo frowned, leaning over her shoulder. “War? Against who?”

Rebecca hesitated before answering. “Against us.”

Marcus studied the image on the screen, his jaw tightening. “Harlow isn’t just regrouping. He’s planning something big. If he’s putting this many resources into one location, it’s not just about retaliation. He’s got a bigger play in mind.”

Theo crossed his arms, his irritation bubbling over. “Why does he keep coming after me? The data’s gone. Orion is useless to him now.”

Rebecca shook her head. “Not exactly. While I was monitoring his activity, I intercepted some of his communications. He’s not just after Orion—he’s after you, Theo.”

Theo blinked, his voice sharp. “Me? Why?”

Marcus answered before Rebecca could. “Because you’re the face of the technology. Destroying Orion isn’t enough for someone like Harlow. He wants to send a message—to his buyers, to his enemies, to everyone who stands in his way. And you’re the message.”

Theo felt a cold knot form in his stomach. “Great. So I’m the villain’s grand finale.”

Marcus turned to him, his voice firm. “Not if we stop him first.”

Rebecca looked up from her screen. “There’s more. Harlow’s safe house isn’t just a hideout—it’s a communications hub. If we can get inside, we can intercept his plans and shut his entire operation down.”

Theo frowned. “And how exactly are we supposed to get inside? Knock on the front door and hope for the best?”

Marcus smirked faintly, his confidence unwavering. “Not quite. But we’ll find a way.”

The rest of the morning was spent preparing for what was shaping up to be their most dangerous mission yet. Marcus laid out a detailed blueprint of the compound, identifying key entry points, guard rotations, and areas of vulnerability.

Rebecca worked tirelessly to gather more intel, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she tapped into surveillance feeds and communication networks.

Theo paced the room, his usual confidence replaced by a growing unease. He stopped by Marcus, watching as the bodyguard adjusted the straps on his tactical vest.

“You’ve done this before,” Theo said, his tone almost accusing.

Marcus glanced at him. “Plenty of times.”

“And how many of those times did you come out alive?”

Marcus smirked faintly, strapping a holster to his thigh. “Enough.”

Theo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how you do it. Keep walking into danger like it’s just another day at the office.”

Marcus stepped closer, his voice softening. “Because it’s worth it. And this time, so are you.”

Theo froze, caught off guard by the quiet intensity in Marcus’s voice.

“Marcus—”

“Let’s keep moving,” Marcus interrupted, his tone shifting back to business. “We’ve got work to do.”

By mid-afternoon, the plan was in place. Marcus, Theo, and Rebecca would infiltrate the compound under the cover of darkness, using stolen access codes to bypass the perimeter defenses.

But just as they were about to leave, Rebecca’s laptop pinged with an urgent alert.

“Uh, guys?” Rebecca said, her voice tight.

Marcus and Theo hurried over, their expressions grim as they saw the screen.

“What now?” Theo asked, exasperated.

Rebecca pointed to a flashing red icon. “Harlow’s men just hit one of Montgomery Innovations’ satellite offices. They took hostages.”

Theo’s stomach dropped. “Hostages? Why?”

“They’re sending a message,” Marcus said, his voice cold. “And forcing us to make a choice.”

Rebecca looked up at him. “We can’t hit the compound and rescue the hostages at the same time. We don’t have the manpower.”

Theo stared at the screen, his mind racing. “So what do we do?”

Marcus exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening. “We split up. I’ll go to the satellite office. You and Rebecca handle the compound.”

Theo’s eyes widened. “Wait—what? You want me to go into Harlow’s compound without you?”

“You’ll have Rebecca with you,” Marcus said. “And I’ll be a call away.”

Theo shook his head, his voice rising. “That’s not good enough. You’re the one who keeps me alive, remember?”

Marcus stepped closer, his voice firm but steady. “You don’t need me to survive, Montgomery. You’re smarter than you think. And if you want to stop Harlow, this is the only way.”

Theo hesitated, his chest tightening. He hated the idea of splitting up—of losing the one person who made him feel even remotely safe in this chaos.

But he also knew Marcus was right.

“Fine,” Theo said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “But if you don’t make it back—”

“I will,” Marcus interrupted, his gaze steady. “I always do.”

For the first time in his life, Theo wasn’t sure he believed him.