A WORD FROM BUDAPEST

MAX POV

Zoltan finally called me back, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "I have news, Max," he said, and I leaned back in my chair, bracing myself for what was coming. "One of your old team members, Henrik, is part of the crew sent to Budapest."

My heart sank. Henrik had always been a loyal soldier, but I knew his family ties could complicate things. "What happened?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even. "Did he leave the military?"

"Yeah," Zoltan replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "He joined the Budapest mafia—it's a family business now."

I sighed, rubbing my temples as I processed the information. "Can he be trusted?" I needed to know if he would turn on the team with which he had gone. "I need them taken out, Zoltan."

He paused, and I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. "One of the members is his brother, so he could never betray him, not without risking everything."