The safe house was unusually quiet.
Rain tapped softly against the windows as Emily stood in the kitchen, staring out at the empty street. It had been hours since anyone had spoken more than a few words. The exhaustion from the past two days hung over everyone like a heavy blanket.
Victoria entered silently, carrying two mugs of coffee.
"I wasn't sure if you drink it black."
Emily smiled.
"I do."
Victoria handed her a mug.
"I remembered."
Emily looked at her with surprise.
"You remembered from the gala?"
Victoria nodded.
"You accepted sparkling water instead of champagne."
"You seemed like someone who preferred coffee."
Emily laughed quietly.
"You notice more than people think."
"It's how I've stayed alive."
For a moment, they simply stood together, watching the rain.
In the living room, Walker spread several documents across the table.
Luca leaned over them.
"These locations..." he said.
Walker nodded.
"They all belong to shell companies."
Victoria immediately recognized one of the addresses.
"My father owned a warehouse there years ago."
Walker looked at her.
"What was stored there?"
"I don't know."
"I was never allowed inside."
Emily frowned.
"You've inherited an empire, but there are still secrets your father kept from you."
Victoria's expression turned distant.
"He always said some truths were too dangerous."
Walker pointed to a map.
"Tonight we're checking the warehouse."
Luca folded his arms.
"You honestly expect us to walk in together?"
Walker looked at him.
"No."
"I expect us to survive together."
Victoria glanced at Emily.
"If Volkov reaches it first..."
"...whatever Atlas is will be gone."
Emily nodded.
"Then we leave now."
Across the city, inside an abandoned cathedral, Adrian Volkov stood before a large wooden table.
Gabriel Moretti entered the room.
He looked almost identical to Victoria—same blue eyes, same dark hair—but his expression was colder.
"You wanted to see me?"
Volkov smiled.
"Your sister is getting closer."
Gabriel remained silent.
"You told me she abandoned me."
Volkov stepped closer.
"She believes you died."
Gabriel looked away.
"Is that true?"
Volkov answered without hesitation.
"She never came looking for you."
The lie settled heavily in the room.
For the first time, doubt crossed Gabriel's face.
Late that evening, Emily, Victoria, Walker and Luca arrived at the old warehouse on the Brooklyn waterfront.
It had been abandoned for nearly twenty years.
Its windows were boarded up.
The brick walls were covered in graffiti.
Victoria stopped in front of the entrance.
"This is it."
Walker signaled two FBI agents to secure the perimeter.
Emily walked beside Victoria.
"Nervous?"
Victoria smiled faintly.
"I've broken into places before."
Emily raised an eyebrow.
"I somehow believe that."
Victoria looked at her.
"You smile more than I expected."
Emily shrugged.
"You make it easier than I expected."
Neither of them realized Walker had noticed the exchange.
He quietly watched them before turning back to the mission.
Inside, the warehouse smelled of dust and saltwater.
Rows of rusting shelves disappeared into the darkness.
Emily swept her flashlight across the room.
"Clear."
Luca suddenly stopped.
"There."
A steel elevator door stood hidden behind a stack of wooden crates.
Victoria frowned.
"I've never seen this."
Walker examined the control panel.
"No power."
Emily noticed something scratched into the metal.
A single word.
Atlas.
Victoria slowly reached out and brushed away decades of dirt.
Beneath it was another engraving.
For my children.
Her breath caught.
"My father built this."
Walker forced the elevator doors apart.
A narrow staircase led deep underground.
Victoria looked at Emily.
"Ready?"
Emily smiled.
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
Together, they descended into the darkness.
Far above them, hidden on the rooftop across the street, a sniper adjusted his scope.
He didn't aim at Victoria.
He didn't aim at Walker.
His crosshairs settled on Emily.
He whispered into his radio.
"I have a clear shot."
Volkov's voice answered calmly.
"Not yet."
"Let them find Atlas first."
The sniper slowly lowered his finger from the trigger.
"They have no idea they're walking straight into my trap."