The abandoned cabin reeked of decay.
Sophia Sullivan sat bound to a chair, her wrists raw from the coarse ropes.
Yet she remained perfectly composed.
The scarred man yanked off her blindfold.
Harsh light made her squint.
"Stay still!"
Sophia slowly opened her eyes.
She studied the man's disfigured face with detached curiosity.
"Your team is well-trained," she remarked softly. "But I'm curious—how did firearms get past airport security?"
The man smirked. "Our boss has connections everywhere."
He recalled the warning: this woman was dangerously cunning.
Yet Sophia's calm demeanor unsettled him.
"Your boss—the Sicilian crime lord?"
He gave a curt nod.
"Enjoy your last three days," he sneered. "After that, you'll beg for death."
Sophia remained unfazed.
Her gaze flickered to the surveillance camera in the corner.
"If you're watching, why hide?"
She tilted her head toward the lens.
"Daniel, after all these years, you still lurk in shadows?"
The scarred man stiffened.
"Your organization's insignia is rather conspicuous," Sophia continued.
She remembered the tattoo on Damian's neck—the mark of Sicilian mafia.
Laughter crackled through the monitor.
"Sharp as ever, Miss Sullivan."
The screen illuminated, revealing Daniel Lombardi's scarred visage.
A grotesque scar resembling a centipede marred his face.
Sophia's pupils contracted.
Just as she suspected.
The man who murdered her mentor.
"Surprised anyone survived that explosion," she said coldly.
Daniel stroked the lion beside him.
"You'll pay for what you did," he hissed. "Unless you hand over the encryption key."
Sophia smiled sweetly.
"We'll discuss it in three days."
Her innocent grin sent chills down Daniel's spine.
He knew that smile too well.
It was the same one she wore while slaughtering his men in Sicily.
"Guard her!" Daniel roared.
The transmission cut abruptly.
The cabin door locked again.
Sophia's smile vanished.
Ethan Sullivan already had her coordinates.
Now, she just needed to stall.