Marcus drove without slowing down, his hands tight around the steering wheel as the road stretched endlessly ahead of him. The engine roared beneath the pressure he was putting on it, but he didn't ease off. His mind was elsewhere, replaying everything that had happened, every detail, every mistake. The call with Sigmund was still ongoing through the car's speakers, his voice steady but tense as he explained what had taken place.
"…it was a setup from the beginning," Marcus said, his eyes fixed on the road. "Noah knew I was following him. He knew where I was the entire time. Viktor… he was already gone before I even got back to the car."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Sigmund spoke again, his tone sharper now.
"And the message?"
Marcus glanced briefly at the rearview mirror, as if expecting to still see something there.
"His shadow. He left it behind somehow. It gave me a warning… said Rudolf and the others are with Noah."
