The Outskirts of Berlin
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw4TuIhSji
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qX4f8WgFL
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa45fj0LjI0
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORn8ufxuA7
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR62diMxc3
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHiBPCQBss
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pYYyzKynF
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QJOeK1NYz
Mathis raised an eyebrow. "Might?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1U44KqIUm
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD018e2CHX
"He's not exactly... reliable," Bree admitted with a sigh. "But he's the only lead we have right now."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY2dx7uywI
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKALG59IpQT
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FeLBL6iSb
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYevwFl9FtM
"Does he know about the drone?" Mathis asked, his tone shifting to something more businesslike, pushing away the vulnerability that had briefly surfaced.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAudFnImmTD
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlfj6YLLsJ
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpe4dKWSqft
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblCGtVdYfk
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKNektc0Df
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXI97nP725
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's see what your friend knows."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvghBaW19Sj
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0zV6Oz3UY
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZR3oMLsGsh
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5RVFZ8tj5
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdssnGy3Sw
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJXMEZ3r8h
"Do you see that?" Mathis asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ35WZQBu3in
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl4AqixLtF
Bree didn't take her eyes off the road, but her fingers tightened around the wheel. "See what?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSjmCZsuO4
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rXGsKk7eM
"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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfYv8W88mM
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZOevdrfdd
Bree's jaw clenched. "You sure?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IbjcnneTj
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYi53K0RrQ
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjJxUeJP6E
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWACY5781X
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf01xBwhydC
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItat9lJVRO
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9QnwWTMqs
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKL7aVrqJ2p
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNYnUTBqlS
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvbsWr3w2K
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YUDNhZPkf
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuDkC7QcE6
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXulxZZr5BK
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHajEdvWsGV
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xci0jliud
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlQ1xlEdOj
"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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXNtcRuioz
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG1X5P8GFQ
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgxhb9URGp
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0lYLYOWfR
"Doesn't look like anyone's home," Mathis muttered, his eyes narrowing.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnOPhZmzRH
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs23V4s8jpx
Bree shook her head. "He's here. He likes to keep a low profile."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzLV0JSOP9
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XNP3NuK6X
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jx8fsFkMl
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAxsxi6N07
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6VP2G4WEY
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMjDZ01mDr
"Wait here," Bree said, her voice low. "Let me talk to him first."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSf8UIqk9s
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgLTq9xwVx
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uVhBFwZ58
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos1QfaxxHr
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3QTbisqD2
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYqepfs6U3
"He'll see us now," she said, her expression unreadable.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHArJLZFAQq
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzW6oHMLrOr
Mathis nodded once and followed Bree.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw872bjpOyz
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogF8e7jI2O
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ykvGm3kaR
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iYQm9Z9Z6
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdz7t6Sj84P
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZwJCeSK3r
"Don't worry," she said, smirking. "It's not as bad as it looks."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YkC0HaqfC
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigNVIEU2ju
"Charming," Mathis muttered under his breath, his distaste apparent.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNkolCGwKV
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vuWaxwDZh
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD2O08bjGp
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgQ1D7QhfI
The last step landed him in a completely different world.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ7ZD83pBV
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KAcKkzXgb
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxAaUWlf5a
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQxVggTFUh
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1GVkuJIk5
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQxXnwMYGW
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgl8YiUxvVu
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXqcNDu5FM
Mathis gave a curt nod, his eyes narrowing. "You have information?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LkAsruYfS
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJZi1eIz16
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcmaZIgou1
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jEbKnTj2g
Bree's eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and determination. "So, what do we do next?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CtcWO5C35
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGHHzK3O1x
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RvO3gnoKh
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzJSZtLWiV
Mathis felt the weight of urgency press down on him. "Understood. We'll head to Rome."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiN4bUifiy
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsfeK4FYeM
Vincent nodded, his fingers already returning to the keyboard. "Be careful. There's a lot more at stake than you might realize."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMtc45hYyA
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORVED5yu8J
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwF4LDV28c
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18yRWJCatC
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD9rFxkon8
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZKWAVoDGf
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcM0w5OWmcd
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7pCvHtyyL
"Get down!" he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zx3n9NCOE
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEyLg5jlqV
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnVj5KcGrM
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCs4xtrlDo
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0wbiMrmzI
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6BFFRVpK5
"Where did that come from?" Bree's voice trembled, her eyes wide with shock. "Was Vincent's location compromised?"
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanY3OgfRjD
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKFDoTMmZk
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVypC7Dn6eZ
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9X722Y4M3
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLaiSA2IgV
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2ZCjS3dKe
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.
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUfiEWHhS6
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJa9DBXWqE
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7zKCS9dKU
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl6sMDXSm9
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCKW9dmqz3
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqMfQgY2CA
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."
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjMPpYCYr5
191Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKq9wxNLPmy
Bree nodded, her expression hardening with determination. "Okay, but we need to be smart about this. Let's regroup and plan our next move."
ns216.73.216.95da2
然後按「加至主畫面」