The Fears Of A Billionaire

Chapter 128: Old Wounds

Back at the safehouse, the team gathered around the briefing table, the air heavy with anticipation. Ivan had flown in from London, bringing with him the latest intel on The Black Hand a secret organization that had been behind The Architect from the start.

"This goes deeper than we thought," Ivan said, spreading out a map on the table. "The Black Hand operates in cells all over the world. They've been planning The Collapse for years, and The Architect was just one of their agents."

Alyssa studied the map, her eyes narrowing. "So what's their endgame? What's the point of all this chaos?"

Eleanor spoke up from the corner of the room, her eyes glued to her laptop. "It's more than just chaos. They want control. If they can bring down the world's financial systems, they can rebuild it in their image. It's not just about power it's about remaking the world order."

Marcus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "And what do we do? We can't just sit around waiting for them to make their next move."

Ivan looked up, his face grim. "We don't wait. We hunt them down."

Evelyn nodded. "I have contacts in Europe who might know where The Black Hand operates from. But it's going to be risky. They're more dangerous than The Architect ever was."

Alyssa stood, her resolve hardening. "We don't have a choice. If we don't stop them now, there won't be a world left to save.

Two days later, the team was on a plane headed to Prague, where Evelyn's contact had arranged a meeting with an informant. The Black Hand's operations were shrouded in secrecy, but rumors pointed to Eastern Europe as one of their strongholds.

As they flew over the Atlantic, Alyssa sat by the window, her thoughts racing. Every step they took brought them deeper into a dangerous game. She could feel the weight of the world pressing down on her one wrong move, and it could all fall apart.

Marcus slid into the seat next to her. "You doing alright?"

She glanced at him and gave a small nod. "Yeah. Just thinking about what's next. This whole thing feels bigger than anything we've ever faced."

Marcus leaned back, crossing his arms. "It is. But we've been through worse. We'll get through this too."

Alyssa smiled, grateful for his calm presence. "I hope you're right."

The team arrived in Prague under the cover of night. The city's cobblestone streets were quiet, the ancient architecture casting long shadows in the moonlight. Evelyn's contact, a former intelligence officer named Viktor, led them through a series of narrow alleys until they reached a small, nondescript building.

Inside, a man sat at a table, his face hidden by a hood. Viktor nodded to the team. "This is Lukas. He knows things about The Black Hand."

Lukas looked up, his eyes cold and calculating. "You're the ones after The Architect, yes?"

Alyssa nodded. "We are. And now we're after the ones who gave The Architect their orders."

Lukas smirked. "You're playing a dangerous game. The Black Hand isn't just some shadowy organization. They control everything politics, finance, even law enforcement. Going after them is suicide."

Evelyn stepped forward. "We don't have a choice. The world is at stake."

Lukas studied her for a moment, then sighed. "There's a place. A hidden facility deep in the mountains outside the city. It's where they conduct their operations. But it's heavily guarded getting in will be almost impossible."

"Almost impossible isn't good enough," Marcus said, his voice hard. "We need a way in."

Lukas hesitated, then finally nodded. "I'll take you there. But if we get caught, you're on your own."