Berlin, Germeny - Airport
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaECa0NyUL8
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc6JDuA7qk
Mathis finally stepped off the plane, blending into the steady stream of travelers as he collected his luggage and disappeared into the bustling chaos of Berlin's airport. The crisp September air hit him as he stepped outside, carrying a faint chill that bit at his skin despite the afternoon sun hanging low in the sky. The sky was a pale blue, fading slightly at the horizon, and the hum of distant planes lingered like a persistent echo in his ears. Even amidst the noise of taxis and travelers, Mathis remained hyper-aware, his senses on high alert. The weight of the nine-day deadline bore down on him, like sand slipping through his fingers.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0N1DtmXsc
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0XPMlWH6z
He adjusted his collar, trying to shake off the exhaustion that clung to him. Hours spent chasing leads had left him feeling like a dog running in circles. Was he chasing ghosts? No. It was all connected. He was sure of that much.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZmM8860Nv
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQNdZxjbRI
The cacophony of hurried footsteps, rolling luggage, and murmured conversations faded the moment his eyes locked onto a familiar figure leaning casually against a sleek, black car.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKnTeLpxT0
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n6E4zTfa0
Bree.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23OAZ8MBdj
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rx85V17M9
The car's polished surface gleamed under the pale afternoon light, blending into the backdrop of taxis and passengers, but Bree stood out like a beacon. She always did. As he approached, expecting the usual cool reception, Bree surprised him by stepping forward and pulling him into a hug.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3xSoMe4kR
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPM22clTFJ
The warmth of her embrace caught him off guard, along with the familiar scent of her perfume—a scent that had once been comforting, now wrapped in bittersweet memories. For a second, the image of her laughing, carefree and light, flashed in his mind. But that was a different time. It felt like a lifetime ago.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMcm9xexHl
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhE0VkX9oV
His body stiffened instinctively, the wall he'd built around himself refusing to crumble, even when part of him wanted to. Guilt gnawed at him—for pushing her away, for keeping her at arm's length ever since the truth about his family's death came from Mr. Sha. He knew it was for the best, but that didn't stop the ache that twisted in his chest every time he was near her. He almost pulled away, the instinct to protect himself kicking in, but he forced himself to relax, though a knot still sat heavy in his stomach.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5secpVIuhN
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUzj3UcMIV
"So, Mathis," Bree smiled, though her eyes carried a weight that her light tone couldn't mask. "How are you? You're walking well—looks like your leg healed nicely."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Xl1YYDf2T
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhFgTXMpME
Mathis nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah. Long recovery," he said, though the words felt hollow. The nine-day countdown pounded in the back of his mind. Time was slipping away too fast, and every second spent on small talk felt like a waste. He could feel Bree's warmth, her concern for him, but it only reminded him of the distance he'd created between them. It was easier this way. Safer.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxh5W4pMibs
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsew65S2U68
"How about you?" he asked, more out of courtesy than curiosity.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3HolIBaQf
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1d3ZhTZNM
Bree's eyes flicked over him, lingering a little too long, as if she were searching for the man he used to be. But that man was long gone, buried under the weight of grief and revenge. She must have known that.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4sq5p4EiY
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzfnXQkksR
"Keeping busy," she replied, her voice softening. For a moment, her easy smile faltered, and he caught a glimpse of something deeper—something unresolved. She hadn't mentioned the silence between them. She didn't have to. It hung heavy in the air, an unspoken question neither of them was ready to confront.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOOoRofV6Q
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuZf8epjFg
Bree shifted gears, slipping back into the confident agent she'd always been. "Speaking of busy," she said, hefting his bag into the trunk with ease, "I've been tracking a cargo van that passed through Berlin, heading for Italy. I got the registration number, but beyond that, it's been... tricky."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2MZsPsOtW
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Js7hXJzEk
Mathis chuckled, grateful for the shift in topic. He pulled out his phone and dialed quickly. "I know just the guy for that. Hey, Brillo. I've got a job for you. Can you use SAT-ONE to track a vehicle if I give you the registration number? Perfect. I'll send it your way."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUTnSucV8h
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaQX4hnwiW
As he ended the call, Bree raised an eyebrow but didn't push for details. Years in the field had taught her to leave some things unspoken. But Mathis knew she had her own reasons for being here—reasons beyond just helping him.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WRG5tLdNh
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnb8i9cvub
She wasn't just here out of loyalty. Her government had a vested interest in the stolen drone too. If they could recover it, they'd want a piece of the technology—a bargaining chip in the global game of espionage. She hadn't said it outright, but Mathis could sense it, feel the tension between her personal stake and her feelings for him. He didn't doubt her friendship, but it was layered with complexity. Bree had always been driven, and that hadn't changed.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLDKItaFzY
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafaAQVkZYq
Mathis slipped his phone back into his jacket, the weight of the next nine days pressing harder. That van wasn't just a lead—it was their only link to the drone capable of pulling off an assassination that could throw the world into chaos. If they lost it, everything would unravel.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluQbpMRLQb
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhAYQX7DKI
"Brillo will have something soon," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. The Shadow Front wouldn't give them the luxury of time.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2Hrmk7E5X
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkOUfET5hT
Bree nodded, her fingers tapping lightly against the car, her gaze drifting toward the road. "Good, because we're running on borrowed time. The van is key to figuring out how the drone moved. If it crosses into Italy, we could lose it for good."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZQuVnOEa7
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6HbGHuKxp
"Any luck with the footage at the checkpoints?" Mathis asked, already preparing himself mentally for the next step.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtsPmt2AFa
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP722MdPBK
Bree sighed, leaning against the car, her face serious. "Nothing yet. The van's keeping a low profile, probably running with forged papers. It's like they're always a step ahead."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHJsqwCQLh
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKF34SNc2l5
Mathis frowned. The frustration was mounting. "We'll get it," he said, mostly to himself.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1z9M7nhUoH
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WXqplkuRU
They climbed into the car, the city's rhythm still pulsing around them, but quieter now. As Bree started the engine, she glanced at him. "There's more. The van's heading to Rome, but that's not the only reason we're going there."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGMFBW7oa9
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrE7tYN08l
Mathis turned to her, curiosity piqued. "What else?"
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGiNqpowRC
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmD3SY2UIy
"The Gray Man," she said, her voice lowering. "I've heard whispers that he's resurfaced."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3IAMoTxQY
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThRIKe1xTy
A cold chill ran down Mathis's spine. The Gray Man wasn't just a ghost in the intelligence world—he was a specter. The kind of operative who disappeared without a trace, leaving devastation in his wake. If he was involved, it meant they were already deep in a game far more dangerous than they'd realized.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtxkP6gEeb
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OYd82rFxT
Mathis stiffened at the name, the air suddenly feeling colder despite the sun still hanging in the sky. "If he's involved..." He let the thought hang in the air. They both knew what it meant.
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfZ0IHiHwP
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVmnZ5TXS7
Bree met his gaze, her expression grim. "Exactly. We're walking into a storm, Mathis. But we've been here before, haven't we?"
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ukw1x3Lbd
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4gWLKoECT
Mathis grinned, though the tension between them remained thick. "Yeah. And we always make it out."
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL57BEUeKQq
181Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxiVA1I4hG
But as they pulled away from the airport, the nine-day countdown ticked in his head, a reminder that this storm might be unlike any they'd faced before.
ns3.16.89.150da2
然後按「加至主畫面」