The roar of the helicopters faded into the distance.
Victoria, Emily and Luca had escaped through the estate's old gardens moments before Volkov's men landed. Hidden beneath the thick branches of an abandoned greenhouse, they watched black-clad soldiers spread across the burning property.
Victoria's jaw tightened.
"My home is gone."
Emily looked at the flames consuming the mansion.
"It's more than a home."
Victoria nodded slowly.
"It was the last place that still felt like my family."
For a moment, no one spoke.
The crackling fire filled the silence.
Luca's phone vibrated.
He answered in a whisper before quickly ending the call.
"We've lost contact with half our captains."
Victoria frowned.
"Dead?"
"We don't know."
"And the others are disappearing."
Emily immediately understood what that meant.
"Volkov isn't just attacking your organization."
"He's recruiting."
Victoria looked at her.
"Or forcing people to choose."
Emily nodded.
"Fear is a powerful weapon."
Victoria sighed.
"He learned that long before I did."
An hour later they reached one of the few safe houses Volkov apparently didn't know about—a small brick townhouse in Queens.
It wasn't luxurious.
No marble floors.
No expensive artwork.
Just old furniture, a small kitchen, and faded photographs on the walls.
Emily looked around.
"This belongs to you?"
Victoria smiled faintly.
"No."
"It belonged to Isabella."
Emily's expression softened.
"The housekeeper?"
Victoria nodded.
"She bought this house years ago."
"When things became dangerous..."
"...she insisted I should always have somewhere ordinary to hide."
Victoria walked into the living room.
"It seems she was right."
Emily carefully cleaned the cut on her hand in the kitchen sink.
Victoria entered a moment later carrying a first-aid kit.
"You missed one."
Emily glanced at the bandage.
"I've had worse."
Victoria sat beside her.
"Hold still."
Emily couldn't help smiling.
"You keep patching me up."
"And you keep getting injured."
Emily laughed quietly.
"I guess we're even."
Victoria gently wrapped a fresh bandage around Emily's hand.
Their eyes met for a brief second.
Neither looked away immediately.
The moment lingered...
Until Luca deliberately cleared his throat from the doorway.
"We've got company."
Both women instantly stood.
Outside, three black SUVs stopped across the street.
Emily instinctively reached for her pistol.
Victoria peered through the curtains.
"They're not Vipers."
"How can you tell?"
"They're FBI."
Emily looked again.
Walker stepped out of the lead vehicle.
"Oh no."
Walker had tracked her.
Minutes later...
Walker entered the safe house alone, weapon holstered but clearly alert.
His eyes immediately landed on Victoria.
"So..."
"This is unexpected."
Emily stepped forward.
"She's helping us."
Walker looked unconvinced.
"That's one way of describing the head of New York's largest crime family."
Victoria crossed her arms.
"You must be Walker."
"And you must be Moretti."
Neither offered a handshake.
The tension in the room was almost unbearable.
Walker finally turned to Emily.
"We've intercepted encrypted communications."
"They mention Volkov."
Victoria spoke before Emily could answer.
"What did they say?"
Walker hesitated.
Then he placed a folder on the table.
"They're looking for something called Project Atlas."
Victoria's face lost all color.
Emily noticed immediately.
"You've heard of it."
Victoria remained silent.
Walker leaned forward.
"What is Project Atlas?"
Victoria slowly sat down.
"My father mentioned it once."
"Only once."
"He said if Atlas ever resurfaced..."
"...New York would burn."
The room fell silent.
Emily looked at Victoria.
"What is it?"
Victoria shook her head.
"I don't know."
"But whatever it is..."
"Volkov believes it's worth destroying an empire."
Walker closed the folder.
"Then we find it first."
Emily nodded.
"For once..."
"I think we're all after the same thing."
Victoria looked at the FBI agent sitting across from her.
Just days ago they had been enemies.
Now they were planning together.
She wasn't sure whether to trust Emily.
But deep down...
She wanted to.
Outside, rain began falling once again over New York.
Hidden in a parked van across the street, a Black Viper operative lowered a camera after photographing the safe house.
He smiled as he transmitted the images.
"Target located."
Miles away, Adrian Volkov looked at the photographs on his screen.
His smile grew wider.
"They're finally together."
He tapped the table thoughtfully.
"Good."
"The closer they become..."
"...the more it will hurt when I tear them apart."