Chapter 50

The city was an eerie mix of danger and decay. Crumbling buildings lined the narrow streets, their windows either boarded up or shattered, while neon signs flickered weakly, as if struggling to stay alive in a place that had long given up. The air smelled of damp concrete and something Isabella couldn't quite place-burnt rubber? Regret? She wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it wasn't inviting.

She adjusted her grip on Enzo as they made their way through a particularly dark alley. He was leaning on her, his weight pressing heavily against her side. It was either that or collapse, and knowing Enzo, he'd rather be dragged through the streets than admit he needed help.

"You're heavier than you look," Isabella muttered, shifting under his weight.

"Thanks," Enzo groaned. "Needed that confidence boost right now."

Jayden, walking slightly ahead, let out a sigh. "We need shelter. Fast. He's barely standing."

"Still standing," Enzo corrected weakly.

"Technically," Jayden muttered under his breath.

Liana, who had been scanning the streets, turned to Isabella. "There's someone who might help-Viktor. He runs things here. He knows everything, but he doesn't give anything away for free."

"Great," Isabella said dryly. "Because we're just overflowing with cash."

"Maybe he'll take a smile as payment," Jayden suggested.

Liana snorted. "Viktor? That man wouldn't give you a tissue for free if you were sneezing blood."

The club where Viktor operated was as rundown as the rest of the city. The neon sign above the entrance flickered, spelling out something that was probably once a name but now just looked like a cryptic warning.

A large, intimidating guard stood at the entrance. He crossed his arms and stared them down like they were something unpleasant stuck to his shoe.

"You," he said, pointing at Isabella. "Inside. Alone."

She glanced back at the group. Enzo's jaw tightened, but he was too exhausted to argue. Jayden raised a brow as if to say, Good luck not getting stabbed.

With a deep breath, Isabella stepped inside.

The broker offers a trade: Isabella must meet a mysterious figure alone.

The inside of the club wasn't any better than the outside. Dim lighting, peeling wallpaper, and a smell that could only be described as questionable life choices filled the air. Music played from a dusty speaker in the corner, the song barely distinguishable beneath the low murmur of voices.

At the far end of the room, Viktor sat in a worn leather chair, looking far too polished for his surroundings. He had sharp gray eyes and the kind of smirk that made people want to punch him. He swirled a glass of whiskey in one hand, watching Isabella approach like she was an interesting puzzle.

"You must be desperate," he mused, tilting his head slightly. "That's the only reason people come to me."

"Desperate? No," Isabella said. "Annoyed? Absolutely."

Viktor chuckled. "I like you already."

"Fantastic," she deadpanned. "That means you'll help us for free, right?"

His laughter grew louder. "Oh, you're funny. No, I don't do 'free.' But I do deals."

Isabella folded her arms. "What do you want?"

Viktor leaned forward, his smirk widening. "A simple task. A retrieval job."

Her gut twisted. "Retrieving what, exactly?"

"A package," he said vaguely. "Locked away in a secure location outside the city. Bring it to me, and I'll shelter you, information whatever you need."

"And if I say no?"

Viktor shrugged. "Then you can take your wounded friend back into the streets and hope he doesn't drop dead by sunrise. Your choice."

Isabella sighed. "Of course, it's my choice. Except it's not, is it?"

Viktor grinned. "Now you're getting it."

The price? A job. One that could get them all killed.

The compound was a fortress, surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards who probably didn't take kindly to uninvited guests. The plan was simple-get in, grab the package, get out. Unfortunately, "simple" in their world never meant "easy."

Jayden was working on the perimeter security while Isabella, Liana, and Enzo crept through the darkness.

"Are we sure this isn't a terrible idea?" Jayden whispered.

"We're already here," Isabella replied. "Might as well see it through before deciding how terrible it is."

They reached the storage unit where the package was supposedly kept. A single metal case sat on a table, secured by a fingerprint scanner.

"This is it," Isabella whispered, stepping forward.

Before her fingers could touch the case, the floodlights exploded to life, blinding them. A dozen guns clicked into place.

From the upper level, Viktor's voice rang out, slow and amused. "Well, well you made it farther than I expected."

Isabella gritted her teeth. "I knew this was too easy."

Viktor leaned against the railing, watching them like a cat playing with trapped mice. "You didn't think I'd let you walk in and out so easily, did you?"

Jayden exhaled heavily. "I wanted to think that, yeah."

"This was never about a package, was it?" Isabella said coldly.

Viktor grinned. "No. But you're smart-I figured you'd piece that together eventually."

The guards surrounded them, weapons raised. Escape was looking highly unlikely.

"Kill them," Viktor said lazily, waving a hand.

The alarms blared, loud and sharp, echoing through the compound. Isabella's pulse spiked as she looked around for an exit, but there was none. They were trapped.

Jayden turned to her with a tight smile. "So, uh what's Plan B?"

Isabella's grip on her weapon tightened. "Working on it."

Alarms blare. Trapped. No way out.