Chapter 53 Into the Lion's Den again

Three days later, the team found themselves en route to Prague, where Orlov was rumored to be hiding out after the collapse of his St. Petersburg summit. As their plane cut through the night sky, the atmosphere in the cabin was thick with tension. This was their best lead—perhaps their last chance to corner Volkov before his plans came to fruition.

Marcus leaned back in his seat, cleaning his sidearm for the fifth time. "You think Orlov will give us Volkov?" he asked, breaking the heavy silence.

"He will if we push hard enough," Alyssa said, her voice cold and focused. She hadn't slept much since St. Petersburg, and it showed in the dark circles under her eyes. But her resolve had only hardened. "Orlov's a survivor. He knows Volkov's in trouble now, and he'll sell him out if it means saving his own skin."

Dominic was at the front of the cabin, standing over a map of Prague spread across the small table. He traced a line with his finger, marking key locations tied to Orlov's businesses and known associates.

"Orlov's smart," Dominic said, not looking up from the map. "He's going to be well-protected, but he'll also be paranoid after what happened at the summit. We hit him where he's least prepared, force him into a corner. Once he realizes there's no escape, he'll talk."

Laura, sitting across from Dominic with her laptop, was monitoring communications. "We've got some chatter from Orlov's men. His main stronghold in the city is an old estate outside the city limits. Heavy security, but it's the most logical place for him to hole up."

Dominic nodded. "That's where we'll go first."

Alyssa stood and joined him at the map, her eyes scanning the layout of the estate. "We need a way in. Orlov won't just hand us Volkov. We'll have to get creative."

Marcus cracked a grin. "Lucky for us, creative is our specialty."

By the time they reached Prague, the sun had set, casting the city in shadow. The team moved quickly and silently through the streets, making their way to the outskirts where Orlov's estate loomed like a dark fortress. High walls surrounded the property, and the place was crawling with security men with assault rifles patrolling the perimeter, cameras sweeping every angle, motion sensors lining the grounds.

From their vantage point atop a nearby hill, Dominic surveyed the estate through binoculars. "There's no way we're getting through that front gate unnoticed."

Alyssa crouched beside him, analyzing the guards' patterns. "We won't have to. There's a service entrance in the back, used by the staff. It's less guarded, and there's a gap in their rotation every thirty minutes."

Marcus tapped his ear, adjusting his comms. "Once we're inside, we stick to the plan. Infiltrate, secure Orlov, and get the hell out. This place looks like a war zone waiting to happen."

Dominic handed the binoculars to Laura. "You ready?"

She nodded, pulling up the blueprints of the estate on her tablet. "I'll be your eyes and ears from here. If anything changes, you'll know first."

The team split into pairs Dominic with Alyssa, and Marcus with Laura acting as support from the outside. With silent precision, they descended the hill, sticking to the shadows as they approached the rear of the estate.

The service entrance was just as Alyssa had predicted lightly guarded and hidden from the main compound. With quick, fluid movements, she disabled the lone guard on duty, taking him out with a sleeper hold before he had a chance to raise the alarm.

"Clear," she whispered, signaling for Dominic to follow.

They slipped through the gate and into the estate's sprawling gardens, sticking close to the hedges to avoid detection. As they moved deeper into the grounds, the sound of guards' footsteps echoed through the night air, reminding them of the danger they were in. One wrong move, and the entire place would come down on them.

"Once we're inside, we need to find Orlov fast," Dominic said quietly, scanning the mansion's windows for any sign of activity. "He won't be in the open. He'll have a panic room or a secure area in the basement."

Alyssa's eyes flickered with determination. "Then we force him out."

Inside the mansion, the atmosphere was suffocating. The opulence of Orlov's wealth was on full display marble floors, gilded chandeliers, priceless artwork adorning the walls but beneath the surface was an unmistakable air of fear. Orlov's men were on edge, their movements tense, as if they knew something was coming.

Dominic and Alyssa moved through the halls like shadows, avoiding the guards and security checkpoints as they made their way toward the basement. According to the intel Laura had gathered, Orlov had a private bunker below the mansion a fortress within a fortress.

They reached the stairwell leading down into the basement, and Dominic motioned for Alyssa to cover him as he slowly pushed the door open. The stairwell was dark, lit only by a faint, flickering light from below. It was eerily quiet, but they knew Orlov was down there.

As they descended the stairs, Dominic's grip tightened on his weapon. Every step brought them closer to the man who could lead them to Volkov but also closer to danger. If Orlov was prepared for them, this could turn into a bloodbath.

At the bottom of the stairs, they found a heavy steel door the entrance to Orlov's bunker. Dominic reached into his bag and pulled out a small charge, planting it on the lock.

"On my mark," he whispered.

Alyssa nodded, raising her weapon, her eyes focused on the door.

The explosion was small but powerful, blowing the door off its hinges and sending a shockwave through the narrow corridor. Dominic and Alyssa moved in fast, sweeping the room as they entered.

Orlov was inside, surrounded by two of his personal bodyguards. He looked up in shock as the door blew open, his hand reaching for a weapon.

"Don't even think about it," Alyssa warned, her gun trained on him.

Orlov froze, his eyes darting between Dominic and Alyssa. His guards, however, were not so quick to surrender. One of them reached for his gun, but before he could aim, Dominic fired a single shot, taking him down. The second guard hesitated, then dropped his weapon, raising his hands in surrender.

"Good choice," Dominic said coldly.

Orlov's face twisted in anger, but there was fear behind his eyes. "You think you can just walk in here and take me down? You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"We know exactly who we're dealing with," Alyssa replied, stepping forward. "And we know you're working with Volkov. Tell us where he is, and maybe we'll let you live."

Orlov sneered, his arrogance slipping. "You think I'll betray him that easily? Volkov's more powerful than you can imagine. He's untouchable."

"Not anymore," Dominic said, his voice hard. "He's running, Orlov. The deal's fallen apart. If you don't want to go down with him, you'll tell us where he is."

For a moment, Orlov hesitated, his mind racing. He knew they weren't bluffing—but Volkov was a dangerous man to cross. Finally, his shoulders slumped, and the fight drained out of him.

"He's gone to the Balkans," Orlov muttered, defeat in his voice. "He's got a safe house in the mountains. That's where he's regrouping."

Dominic's eyes narrowed. The Balkans. It was the lead they needed, but he knew Volkov would have a fortress waiting for them there.

"Thank you," Dominic said, his voice laced with icy finality.

Without another word, Alyssa knocked Orlov out with the butt of her gun. As his body crumpled to the floor, Dominic turned to her, determination burning in his eyes.

"Let's finish this."